Tips to take care of ourselves after childbirth

When our baby is born, the mother usually pays full attention to her little one, giving him all possible care 24 hours a day without thinking that the postpartum is a key stage for the mother as well.

During this postpartum stage, the mother must take care of herself, pay special attention to her emotions and, especially, to her body, which is in a very difficult moment in which it must recover from the nine months of gestation of our baby.

Therefore, here we leave you a series of tips for mothers to take care of their body both inside and out to make the postpartum pass in the most pleasant way possible.

THE MOTHER SHOULD SLEEP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

The most important thing for a mother at this stage is to rest , something that becomes more complicated with the baby. And it is that during the first weeks babies do not have a fixed sleep cycle. This makes it difficult for parents to get eight hours of sleep in a row.

Given this, it is ideal that the mother, who also usually feels tired during this time, is relieved of any task that can be carried out by another person, except breastfeeding the baby. Do not feel ashamed to ask family and friends for help with the care of the baby or with other issues, at this stage the important thing is to recover the state in which the mother was before delivery.

Another tip to be able to recover the hours of sleep is to try to sleep when the baby sleeps, in order to regain a little strength for when the baby wakes up.

The arrival of a baby in the family is always a joy, especially when we talk about a new couple. Although many family and friends will want to visit you, don’t be shy about limiting the number of visits. Rest is the most important thing for the mother during this postpartum stage and there will be time to enjoy the little one as a family.

A HEALHY MEAL AND EATING ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF RECOVERY

During the first weeks postpartum, the mother may suffer from anemia, due to the loss of blood suffered in childbirth. To fix this problem it is best to have a healthy and balanced diet, adding a lot of iron to our diet. If the anemia is accentuated, the doctor can recommend iron replacements through pills that can help us solve the problem more quickly.

Another possible postpartum cause is constipation . Given this, it is best to drink a lot of water and eat fresh fruit and vegetables without cooking. You have to be very careful with constipation since childbirth leaves wounds in the vagina after the delivery of the placenta, so the mother should not make any unnecessary effort that could further damage our body.

A LITTLE EXERCISE WILL HELP US RECOVER

A good diet will help us to regain the shine of the hair and skin that may have been lost due to the great decrease in hormones that the mother suffers in the postpartum period.

PERFORM PHYSICAL EXERCISE AFTER CHILDBIRTH

This is one of the most important things to take care of yourself during postpartum. And it is that during childbirth, the perineum suffers aggressions due to the departure of the child causing the muscles to become loose causing that, on some occasions, when they are not well strengthened, they can suffer loss of urine when making an effort or sneezing. This means that after childbirth the pelvic area must be reeducated so as not to suffer alterations in the area of ​​attachment of the organs and to enjoy a satisfactory sexual life again.

The best way to regain toning in the perineal area is to perform Kegel exercises from the sixth or eighth week after giving birth, when the tissues have already regenerated sufficiently. Kegel exercises are used to tone the pelvic muscles and prevent possible urinary incontinence problems. Once we have recovered the tonicity of the pelvic muscles we can start with other physical exercises .

Once the perineal reeducation is finished, the mother can begin to resume her physical activity little by little . It’s best to start with a simple, relaxed activity like swimming or Pilates. We can also take the opportunity to go out for a walk with the baby while it breathes.

Physical activity will not only help us lose weight and strengthen our muscles after childbirth, it will also provide us with a moment for mothers and for their own well-being, even if we practice it with our little ones. Physical exercise is also a good time to get out of the house and get some fresh air and take care of yourself.

PATIENCE WITH HORMONAL CHANGES

The strong hormonal changes and lack of sleep caused by childbirth can make the mother feel sad and overwhelmed in the days after giving birth.

The best thing about this is to be patient, sit quietly and not feel overwhelmed. These sensations will surely disappear after a short time, but if by any chance they persist for more than two weeks, it is best to consult our doctor since the mother could suffer from postpartum depression .

The best thing so that we do not suffer these emotional sensations is to rest as much as possible and try to find time for ourselves , which allows us to overcome the stress due to the changes and vulnerability that we can feel in this crucial stage of our life in which everything changes suddenly.