ALL THE INFO
Moms,
This section is for you. From the big picture of what to expect at the hospital, to how to care for yourself afterwards, this is an all-inclusive guide for your beautiful postpartum journey.
These topics are curated to provide you answers to the most commonly asked questions, and to help you process your new world a little easier.
THE BASICS
Consider this the best starting place to know what to expect and how to navigate your postpartum journey. This includes essentials like what to expect for delivery recoveries and hospital stay lengths, as well as important topics like advocacy, patient rights, and provider roles at the hospital.
ADVOCACY
I truly believe that knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you are able to stand up for yourself! It is so important that you as a patient take the driver’s seat in your health since only you can tell the doctor and nurse how and what you are feeling and describe your pain – and only you will bear the consequences if topics are not addressed. Advocating for yourself is about working together with hospital staff to achieve the best possible outcome before, during, and after your baby’s arrival, and speaking up when something isn’t right.
APPEARANCE OF MOM POST BABY
It can be hard to anticipate all of the changes your body will go through after your little one’s arrival. You often hear in the tabloids about a celebrity “bouncing back” – but that is the exception, not the rule. You’ve just spent the last 9 months building a beautiful human, so it’s only natural your body will show signs of it.
POSTPARTUM BLEEDING
Lochia is the medical term for the postpartum bleeding which occurs immediately after delivery through about six weeks postpartum. It may be longer or shorter, but it is there to stay for a while! The bleeding will go through stages and transition to different colors.
VAGINAL DELIVERY RECOVERY
While vaginal deliveries are natural, they certainly aren’t easy! As you will soon discover, having a baby is hard work! While recovering from a vaginal delivery is considered “easier” than a C-section, there are many factors which can make it more or less challenging. Typically patients who have a vaginal delivery can be discharged home two days afterwards as long as you are healthy and without complications.
CESAREAN DELIVERY RECOVERY
A Cesarean delivery, more readily known as a C-section, is a common surgical method to deliver a baby through the abdomen and uterus if a vaginal delivery is not safe or recommended by your OBGYN. There are countless reasons for requiring a C-section delivery including breech or transverse positioning, fetal distress, health issues, or a history of a C-section. While these surgeries are very common, please remember that this is major surgery, so it might be helpful to have some family or friends on standby to help! Typically patients who have a Cesarean delivery will be discharged home three days afterwards as long as you are healthy and without complications.
ADOPTION
Adoption is a tough, beautiful route that only you can decide if it's right for you. If you do plan to place your newborn up for adoption, please speak with your hospital staff when you arrive so they can make arrangements regarding the process.
HOSPITAL STAY LENGTH
Without fail, one of the first questions people always ask is “how long do I have to stay in the hospital?” Well, the short answer is it depends! On average, vaginal and C-section deliveries will stay for 2 or 3 days, respectively.
PROVIDER ROLES AT THE HOSPITAL
Entering a hospital is like entering a whole new world – there are people everywhere with all different colored uniforms, and you have to learn to navigate it without any true explanation! There are countless roles hospital staff might assume, so I’ve put together a list of the most common ones with an explanation of what they do and what they are responsible for so you might feel a little more acclimated when you arrive.
YOUR HOSPITAL STAY
This section covers hot topics like when to expect your first meal after delivery, what fundal "belly rubs" are and why they're important, and what to expect for pain management.
WHAT TO EXPECT
During Your Stay
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS
Even after you have your baby, you may experience complications. Many women wish they knew more about these before they happened to mentally prepare and know what to expect.
GAS PAINS AND RELIEF
Gas pains are a very common (and painful!) problem after having a baby, particularly after a C-section. Fortunately, there are things to help!
FOLEY CATHETERS AND DIFFICULTY TO VOID
A foley catheter, or “foley,” is a device placed in your bladder through your urethra to help drain urine. Sometimes, people have difficulty voiding after its removal.
ITCHING POST C-SECTION
So many moms (including me) suffer from itching after a C-section.
TEARS AND EPISIOTOMIES
During vaginal deliveries, some women tear in or around their vagina, or require the doctor to perform an incision called an episiotomy to help get the baby out or prevent worse tearing.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Some women experience hypertension, or high blood pressure, before and after having their baby. High blood pressure is very serious.
POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE
A postpartum hemorrhage, or PPH, is a complication related to increased bleeding after delivery, or passing blood clots.
PELVIC FLOOR ISSUES
We all know that pregnancy and delivery are major medical events, but what many people forget to consider is that they can also greatly impact your pelvic floor health. Pregnancy and delivery can damage your pelvic floor, or weaken them to where they are more likely to be damaged at a later date.
MENTAL HEALTH
Just like your physical body is important to take care of, your mental health is crucial also! You're tired, sleep deprived, and caring for a new person - so it's only natural that you feel overwhelmed. Everyone responds to this new life change differently, so it's important to know that if you are having trouble transitioning, there is help.
POSTPARTUM MENTAL HEALTH
POSTPARTUM ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression are a very common disorders that many people experience after their baby's arrival. Many people have heard about Postpartum Depression, but few realize that having a baby can impact your anxiety levels as well.
CONCERNS REGARDING BONDING
Many women are ashamed to have concerns regarding bonding with their baby. Maybe they’re not a “baby person,” maybe they find kids repulsive – but they’ve made a conscious decision to have a child and care for them. Everyone’s heard the phrase, “It’s different when it’s your child” – but people rarely unpack what that phrase truly means.
GOING HOME
From prescriptions, birth control, food and more, this section covers some important questions you might have once home.
SMOKING DANGERS AND CESSATION
Smoking is not only dangerous for you, but also for your baby. Secondhand smoke, or smoke that someone inhales from others around them, causes health problems like lung damage and can lead to cancer. It can even cause death. Babies are particularly at risk for health problems as their lungs are still developing, and are therefore more likely to be sick. The best way to keep your child healthy and safe is to stop smoking.