I know, I know — you don’t want to think about this. MANY more people worry about pooping at delivery, and in my experience (all 27 years at this point) that’s not doing you any favors. This one is a MUCH bigger deal. It may throw you off guard, surprise you, and wish you had an epidural all over again.

While we’re here, let’s make sure you have the STUFF you need for your postpartum life:

Also, can I just say how SMART you are to even be thinking about postpartum? So many people just glaze right over their body post baby and that is NOT smart, but YOU ARE! Yay!

And, in case you prefer to watch a video on such a fun topic….

Why that first poop can be hard (literally)

There’s a few reasons, and it varies a bit by your type of delivery, but I think it’s important to know about all of them.

Narcotics Make Poop Hard

Narcotics slow down your GI tract (aka, intestines) which can make your poop hard. I mean actually hard, like it will be firmer when you push it out (just in case some people weren’t getting the vibe I’m putting out here).

Don’t worry, I have a fix for this, so keep reading.

As a note on narcotics. I was in so much pain in my bottom I took them because of that, but as I thought about it, they weren’t really helping — SO, if narcotics aren’t helping ditch them. Try something else. This post has some good tips.

Being in Bed Makes Poop Hard

Similar to narcotics — being in bed more, moving less (also important parts of healing your body post-baby) can make your poop hard.

The natural movements that we do doing the day encourages our GI tract to keep going, when we stop or slow those down it slows down the flow and it makes it harder (literally).

Again, I’ll have fixes in the next section. Keep reading!

Muscles Are Different

If you had a C-section your muscles are REALLY different. It can be painful to “push” if the BM requires it.

Even if you’ve had a vaginal delivery your diaphragm is still settling into it’s new spot, as are your intestines. Things in your whole abdomen are really different, which makes “pushing” hard.

That Area Has Seen Too Much Action

If you pushed (even if you went on to have a cesarean section) your whole bottom area can be:

• Sore
• Swollen
• Stitched-Up
• Possibly hemorrhoids

For me, on my first, I had a very large episiotomy (cut) that lead very close to my rectum after a forceps delivery (don’t know what those are — we talk about them in here). A lot of people don’t know that can happen, but it can. It’s not fun — and those moms need to pay CLOSE attention to the “fixes”

Hemorrhoids can happen due to the pressure on your bottom during pregnancy, or as you push. It’s when part of your rectum flares out. Ask your nurse if you have them after delivery if you’re not sure. There are tips to help, and some people find that surgery is necessary later on.

Intestinal Re-Start

Finally, lots of moms are really surprised that they’re not hungry in labor, and that’s because your body has gone into fight or flight.

When you’re running from a bear (often, your body sees labor this way because it’s so painful) you’re not stopping to think — man, I sure am hungry.

Your body slows down your GI tract and puts that blood supply elsewhere so that you can safely manage your way through the crisis.

After baby is born it sometimes has to re-start it, and much like an old car it sometimes takes a bit.

If you’ve had a cesarean section we’ve literally been right next to your intestines during the surgery which they do NOT like. Similar to a passive-aggressive friend they sometimes just stop when they’ve been bothered, and it takes a while for them to remember they have a job to do and get going.

And again — all these things combine to make poop different.

Most people who are having babies are young and haven’t had much surgery so this may be your first foray into your body not doing what you expect it to. It’s annoying, but I’m here to help you out! It’s so important to prepare for this stuff!

While we’re here, do you have a PLAN for life postpartum? Let me be the one to remind you that postpartum lasts quite a while…. so, getting prepared for how you’re going to manage it together is pretty smart:

How to make pooping after birth easier:

Ok, so you’re pretty aware that things will likely be different but what do you do? I got you!

Stool Softeners from Day Zero

Take the stool softeners. I’m talking religiously, my friend.

For ages I offered Docusate to new moms (as well as taking it myself) but I recently saw that it really just isn’t that helpful. So, I recommend asking for something different. Options are:

• Senna (a pill — probably my favorite option for the first few days, can be take twice a day)
• Metamucil (ugh, I hate this stuff — but it does help soften things)
• Miralax (gotta be careful on this one — it can make things a bit too fast for me)

There are also other things like a suppositories, but I really don’t want you to get that far.

Ask your provider what they think is right for you, and don’t be afraid to ask for something different if they’re offering that Docusate Sodium.

Take it from the morning/evening after you deliver. I’m not kidding. Take it.

Now, you can 100% over-do this and you don’t want to pooping in your panties, so be mindful. Talk with your healthcare team about tailoring it to yourself. Once you’ve had your first BM you can decide if you’re on a good track, if you need more or less — and reach out if you need help.

Even if you’re a person who has NEVER needed anything like this ever in your whole life. Take it.

You’re looking for a smooth, easy consistency. You don’t want it watery, and you don’t want it hard — that is the goal here so it slides out easily. You don’t have to push hard, and it’s not too tough on your already bruised bottom.

For me, after my own recent appendectomy I was pretty concerned about pooping (previous trauma showing). I took a Senna every evening, tried to get as many fluids in as I could and increased my fiber as much as I could. It worked for me. You can adjust the stool softeners once you have that poop to make sure that it’s an OK consistency and not too hard.

Learn to Relax Those Muscles

That first poop may be daunting, but hopefully you’ve learned to relax those muscles (they’re the same ones you relax while you push in labor).

The WORST thing you can do is tighten those up while you’re pushing against it and just make it all harder. So, relax.

And if you’re thinking — gosh, I have zero clues how to do that, I talk about it in the natural pain management bonus video in here.

Keep Moving

I see on social that “new moms should be in bed” — and while I agree with that, I also agree with people needing to move. It’s important to:

• Prevent blood clots
• Help your body heal
• Get that GI track online

So, while you should be resting a lot, you should also be up and moving too. It’s a fine line, but I know you’ll manage it.

I’ve been talking about GI track the whole time — but in case you didn’t know, your GI track is your stomach, intestines — the stuff that processes your food and gets the nutrients you need out of it.

Supplies: Bidet? Peri Wash, Tucks

Heads up! There may be affiliate links in here – I might earn a smidge with your click. No cost to you, just good vibes! Check my boring stuff for deets.

There are some supplies you can have on hand that help. I have a checklist for them here:

Bidet

If you have no idea what a bidet is, it takes a tiny stream of (clean) water and sprays it up towards your bottom after you use the restroom.

Now, you might be thinking — Hilary, this seems like overkill — but I’m here to tell you that I would’ve loved this SO much after my first baby. That cold water just slowly streaming on an area that hurt SO much would’ve felt amazing!

I also don’t know that price matters that much. We were sent a Tushy, but my kids liked it so we actually bought them a cheap one for their toilet. Works fine on both. I thought installation would be a bear, but it wasn’t bad at all. If you’re a renter, it would be easy to remove and take with you if you want.

Peri Wash Bottle

This is a little spray bottle that you use to spray your bottom area after you use the restroom. Personally, I just used the hospital issue (most hospitals give this to you), but the Frida Mom one has gotten a lot of love (here’s a knock-off one of that).

I think spray bottles are amazing. I just always wished mine was bigger (hence, the bidet).

After you have a baby it’s smart to “dab” not “wipe” after you use the restroom. Using something like a bidet or a peri wash bottle makes “clean-up” a lot easier. Just FYI. I don’t personally think it’s smart to use a wipe (they can be drying). Just water and a decent-quality toilet paper should do.

Tucks

Tucks are a little cotton pad with witch hazel on it to help with inflammation. They can be great for your bottom (especially hemorrhoids) or even general inflammation on your perineum.

You can either put them directly between your bum cheeks or lay them on your pad like I show you in this video:

I think it might be helpful to learn from an actual experience — and who better than myself?

I love, Love, LOVE that you’re here preparing for life after baby — but I gotta ask if your partner is just as on board for how different things are going to be. If you’re thinking you’d like for you to BOTH get prepared I recommend this. Check it out!

My First Poop After Delivery As a First Time Mom:

As I mentioned above, I had a decent-sized tear and had a forceps delivery that made my entire perineum very inflamed and swollen. Due to this, I was taking the pain pills and frankly, I was likely also very scared to have anything else come out down there….

I knew to take stool softeners, but I was given the evil Docusate which really didn’t do anything… and then I had my first poop almost a week later. And yes, there was screaming and yes, I wanted an epidural at the time. It was miserable, and I don’t want that for you.

The thing is, I really tried to get prepared (plus, I was a nurse!).

I took a birth class that seemed to act like life would be like butterflies and rainbows after baby was born and barely said a thing about what to expect from your body. It wasn’t helpful for that (or frankly, much of anything) at all.

So many people take a birth class just to check it off, rather than one that actually teaches what you need to know.

When I started teaching birth classes for my hospital, it had a few more slides about bodies postpartum but not much. I made a huge change to the postpartum curriculum to rave acclaim from my students. Finally, they were getting prepared rather than just checking that box.

And, when I created my own class I made two FULL chapters on life postpartum, what to expect from baby, yourself and your body. The extra good news, unlike when I taught for my hospital, my class is available for you whenever you want.

AND it only takes a few hours because I know you’re busy and you have lots to prepare for and that is just one part in that journey.

Thousands of couples have loved that class because it is:

• Created for couples to make you teammates for this together!
• SO easy to do, it almost prepares you all on its own.
• Created by a nurse and mom to three with 27 years of experience.

But if you want just more information about just postpartum check out Postpartum Care Made Easy right here.

The post First Poop After Delivery: Make it less-hard (literally) appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Note: I did not do this. It was such a mistake. I had terrible transitions into life with baby and I regretted not being more prepared, unfortunately. I am speaking from what you should do instead of what I did. I know far too-well how easy it is to bypass this step, but I know VERY well the consequences if you don’t get prepared in advance.

Things to Put on Your Postpartum Plan

Note: I don’t think you have to write all this down. Much of it can be a discussion between partners (or whoever is planning to help you after birth). However, having some of it written can be awfully handy — which is why I have this free postpartum plan template:

Helpers

Who can help you when baby comes?

Often, I hear couples think they want to do it “just themselves” and that always makes me very nervous.

No matter how much you’ve been around babies, having your own 24/7 is very different than anything you’ve experienced before. AND people who are having another baby now have siblings to add to the equation.

That isn’t to say that you HAVE to have a mom/mother in law come help.

What I am saying is to start gathering your village now. There’s a variety of things people can help with:

• Bringing in Food
• Running errands
• Watching other kids
• Helping clean
• Help with laundry
• Baby tasks
• Checking in on YOU to make sure YOU are ok.

When someone says “What can I help with?” don’t just say “ok” — say something like:

Oh goodness, that would be amazing. What do you think you’d be most helpful with and enjoy doing?

Then, make a note of what they’re willing to do. If someone really only has the time to bring in a meal, that’s fine. But, maybe they’d prefer to come help clean, or chat and fold laundry? Take them up on what they’re best at!

I’d always finish it up with saying that you’d love it if they’d just check on you to make sure you’re doing alright. Be vulnerable and say that you’re concerned about your mental health with something that’s new — and you’ll welcome any support.

Now is also a great time to think about any boundaries you’re going to want to hold with the new baby. Maybe only parents hold baby, or no getting in their face…. Or maybe no one else in the home. Who knows what you want to do, but thinking about those things in advance is helpful! I talk about that on the plan template too!

Baby Plans

We think a lot about how we want skin-to-skin or if we’re going to do the immunizations for our baby

(btw, if you haven’t, do grab my birth plan helper here — both are great to prepare for!):

But it’s really important to think about how tasks/care of your new baby will be handled:

• Where will baby sleep during the night (may differ from during the day)
• If you’re OK with co-sleeping? (I am not, but every family makes their own choice)
• Who will get-up with baby at night? Or how will you work that?
• What’s your feeding plan, and how tied to it are you? (are you 100% planning to breastfeed no matter the obstacles, or you’re not as set on it? — That’s a good discussion to have in advance)
• When will you introduce a bottle? (or will you?)

I’m not here to say that you will always make the same choices as you will when the discussion happened before baby was born — but by having the discussion, you’re both on the same page.

SO important.

SO often postpartum couples are assuming things about each other’s thoughts (as they’re often “ships passing in the night”) but honestly have no idea how the other one actually thinks or feels.

If you’re thinking — Hilary, how do we get started on having these discussions? — they seem so smart. I get that. It can be kind of awkward to get them going.

I actually have couples questions in every lesson in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. We’re going to go over these types of things about pregnancy, labor, birth and life with baby all throughout it, so you’re used to having these discussions about all the things. Couples love that!

Out-of-Commission Time

There’s going to be a period that Mom needs to heal.

We have somehow decided moms will be just fine when they get home and can resume normal functioning, and that’s not true.

It’s especially not true if mom has had a cesarean section (which is major abdominal surgery), but it’s also not true if there was a vaginal birth.

I think it’s important to talk about what time mom is going to have to just heal, and likely feed the baby if they are breastfeeding. When you PLAN on it, she won’t feel required to get up and help. She knows that is her time to heal and her partner & support people have “got” the rest.

This is clearly going to look different for every family depending on your needs and support but tell what you’d WISH for if all things were equal, and then go into designing something that works for you guys.

Pro Tip: EVERY couple needs to prepare for a c-section (both the procedure and the healing). I hear so often they just ignored that part of birth prep and then very much regret it later on.

The Online Prenatal Class for Couples has a 15-minute lesson on it that will really get you prepared in case it happens. We also talk about ways to aid in healing and managing life post-cesarean. It also talks about healing from a tricky tear or cut in a vaginal birth — all of which is REALLY important and helpful to think about.

Household Chores

Who’s going to do which household chores after baby is born and mom is back into the swing of things?

One partner may think the other one who’s home with the baby longer will do it — but it’s important that it feels balanced (and that you re-visit this once you’re actually in the situation).

You can honestly only prepare so much — and this plan will be re-visited a lot as things go on — you’re mostly just opening the communication doors early on (and planning to keep them open).

And yes, I go over those chores here in my postpartum plan to remind you what you’ll need to “cover”:

I should say that by “covering” an area doesn’t mean you have to DO all of it.

As the manager, you take the mental load of making sure laundry gets done (and then maybe you fold it together at night while watching a show). They’re just the manager, doesn’t mean you don’t still work together to accomplish it.

Want to know more about life after baby? — check out these posts:

• Self Care During Postpartum & Pregnancy
• Postpartum Essentials for a Great Recovery
• Things to NOT Do After You Have Your Baby
• Taking Care of Your Bottom & Perineal Care After Delivery
• Breastfeeding Not Working?

Coping Skills

Let’s finally talk about how you cope in a difficult situation.

• What helps you relax?
• What really annoys you?
• What’s something your partner does that really helps?

HAVE these discussions, do NOT get your feelings hurt, just take it as facts that you can use as you guys cope with a very difficult transition.

Soapbox Moment: We all picture postpartum like the photos, that it will be a magical time that we just love our baby. While you may have moments that feel like that, there were be a lot that is new, and it will require you to struggle as you grow into the task of being a parent. Expectations need to match reality here.

Bonus: PROBLEM SIGNS

One last thing I think EVERYONE surrounding a new family should know are the problem signs for mom.

We have FAR too high a maternal mortality rate in the US (and frankly around the world), and knowing the problem signs to watch for that should send mom STRAIGHT to the ER or their doctor is important.

Somehow we engrain the problem signs for baby in our heads — but forget to check on mom — so knowing them in advance is extra helpful!

I just read a study that shared that most parents don’t feel like they get enough training on postpartum warning signs for mom, which is why I created my free class Postpartum Care Made Easy — in it, I’ll review those warning signs for you, what they look like and when to go to your provider (and it’s meant to be done in advance so you have a while to integrate it). I’ll even include some stories with my own experience so you can understand how vitally important this is.

And yes, the video presentation of Postpartum Care Made Easy is included at no additonal cost in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples (both versions) because I think it’s VITAL to the health of new moms.

I hope this article gave you some ideas to start getting prepared for life postpartum. Be SURE to download the guide, I think you’ll find it really helpful to get conversations and plans going as you head into this new phase of your life.

What do YOU need to start preparing for? Tell us in the comments!

Check out my video for more info:

The post Your Guide to Your Postpartum Plan with Free Template appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Let me first say that your mental health matters.

It’s the #1 cause of death postpartum because we tend to think we’re “doing fine” until we REALLY are not and it can have really serious consequences.

BTW, if you’re just here for tips helping someone you love after baby — keep reading, they’re towards the bottom!

Please do take your mental health seriously, along with all your other bodily needs. Creating a plan in advance is the key — grab one to get you started here:

Sleep

It can feel “lazy” to sleep more as you get further in you pregnancy, but along with extra nutrients, your body requires more sleep to grow another human inside yourself.

Not to mention that you may not be getting consistent stretches of sleep due to positional pain, your bladder, or anxiety (I recommend this for that).

Postpartum Sleep

Sleep requirements will change after the baby is born. For the first month sleep will be on and off.

While many people say to sleep while the baby sleeps, that’s not always feasible — but it can be a goal.

After the first month, it should be a goal to get 4-5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Studies have shown that this can decrease your chances of getting postpartum depression.

If you’re starting to feel “down” after baby is born — sleep should be one of the first things you consider.

A lot of people feel “tied” to the baby because of breastfeeding. During the first month it is important to feed on demand to manage your supply and help your body produce milk for the baby. However, once your supply is established, most people are going to be able to take that time off (although check with your lactation consultant for more info on that).

A few things that have worked for people:

• Picking sleep shifts. So, one partner sleeps during the early time — maybe 10pm-2am; and the other one sleeps from 2 am to 6 am or something. This may mean that baby has a bottle during this timeframe and mom pumps right after her “shift” is up.
• Outside help — maybe grandma, a friend, or even a postpartum doula comes to help get those hours of sleep for you.

Remember, sleep is important for BOTH parents.

I see a lot of people saying in their relationship they prioritized their husband getting sleep and they were just the sleepless one. I guess if that works for you, it works — but that does NOT work for most people. People NEED sleep.

I see a lot of people who KNOW that sleep is the issue, but have no idea how to accomplish it. I would encourage you to reach out to your partner, family, and those who love you to brainstorm ideas to help you get some REST. YOU DESERVE IT.

While we’re here, grab my postpartum checklist right here:

Movement

Some type of movement is an important part of self care.

Now, there’s lots of moments that can be problematic (looking at you jumping jacks) but you’re looking for movement that feels good.

• A short walk (sunshine and fresh air is a huge bonus)
• Some stretching
• Other pregnancy or postpartum movements

BTW, looking for some great pregnancy workouts — I love Kaleigh Cohen’s (she’s filming them pregnant and you can tell she struggles, which I appreciate):

Postpartum Movement

I thought extra movement would help my postpartum depression, but I ended-up making my very sore bottom worse.

If you had a C-section, this movement will be getting up and taking care of yourself, and maybe walking out to get the mail.

If you had a vaginal birth I want to remind you that everyone’s healing process is different, so don’t over-do things, and START SMALL.

Too much movement can increase your bleeding postpartum, and I talk all about that in here (so grab it right now).

Eat

Food is important. It’s really easy to fill your needs with ding-dongs and ho-ho’s (especially postpartum) but eating a balanced diet has never been more important.

One easy thing to do is to make sure that each meal has protein in it.

A few favorite snacks:

• Apple & peanut butter
• A handful of nuts
• Cheese & crackers
• Trailmix

I think this is so important I actually have a bonus video on nutrition in here. SO many people ignore it, and that isn’t doing you any favors.

Remember, that baby will take from you what it needs, so you need to fuel yourself so that you’re not at a deficit.

Postpartum Eating as Self-Care

I know everyone says to sleep when baby sleeps, but I recently heard that new moms need to eat when babies sleep. I thought that was smart. Grab some fruit, a granola bar or a sandwich when baby eats. A lot of people just put easily-reachable snacks in a basket near where they feed.

Make sure you’re also drinking water. So important for your healing & milk supply if you are breastfeeding.

Time-Off

Ok, pregnant friends, you can’t get time off from being pregnant, sadly — but this is more for my postpartum friends.

You need some time “off” of baby duty (and you’re not asleep).

The baby can encompass your entire life if you let it, and performing a job 24/7 for days on end can lead to burn-out.

I mean, imagine if you had a friend who told you they took a new job that they planned to work at 24/7 for the next month. You’d think they’re insane, right? YOU need time-off too.

Talk to the people that you love about how they can help you have this.

Breastfeeding can feel like you’ve accepted that 24/7 job — and it is very tricky that first month. But, after that you can figure out some time off by leaving a bottle (of formula or breastmilk) — and taking care of YOU. YOU MATTER TOO!

What can you do for someone else to support them?

There are lots of ways that we can support new mothers. Often we think it needs to just be meals or holding the baby for them, but we need to support ALL the family — here’s some good ideas I have heard:

Emotional Support

This is things like caring for them, giving them encouragement. I think that checking in with a text is a great way to do this. They can respond when they’re able and allows them to know that they matter. Can I stress that more?

Helping new parents know they haven’t left your mind, your heart or even society can be nice. You often feel so isolated — let’s all check on each other more!

Companionship

Hanging out with a new mom — whether you’re folding laundry with them, holding the baby for them, or cleaning up the house — being there for them can be so important.

It’s also important to respect whatever boundaries they have. Maybe they don’t want “strangers” holding the baby or something along those lines — be comfortable to help how you can and let them hold their own boundaries.

Informational Support

Can you help them with a problem they’re having? Giving guidance, suggestions, information on resources can be very helpful. Even a mom speaking from experience is so valuable.

It’s important in this area to also respect to give advice for a problem they want advice on — not what you want to give advice on.

Sometimes the whole world wants to tell a new mom how to do something, and I’ll be the first to say that we all find our way with our babies (honestly, each one — they’re all different). We need to respect that, and only offer information they’re seeking.

Tangible support

This is often what we think of:

• Provide meals (freezer meals are also great that they can pull out when they need them)
• Watch other kids
• Run errands for them (making returns for them is SO handy)
• Doing laundry (either at their house, or just do a pick-up service)
• Help with cleaning/picking stuff up

These are so valuable too. Often we just think of meals — but there’s a lot we can physically do for new parents to help ease their burdens.

This is the part where I remind you again that YOU matter.

Your world tends to get wrapped-up in that new baby, but that actually doesn’t do the baby and favors. It needs a fully-functioning mom in order to thrive in their new life. Give them that. You both deserve it.

Sources:

Lewis BA, Gjerdingen D, Schuver K, Avery M, Marcus BH. The effect of sleep pattern changes on postpartum depressive symptoms. BMC Womens Health. 2018 Jan 9;18(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12905-017-0496-6. PMID: 29316912; PMCID: PMC5761144.

The post Self Care During Postpartum & Pregnancy appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get started, if you haven’t had your surgery yet, grab my cesarean tips right here:

Scar Mobilization

The thing I see most often (especially in people who’ve had multiple cesareans) is a LOT of scar tissue. I imagine that can make it difficult to move — and heal.

It isn’t to be started until AFTER your six week check-up with your provider, but after that you’re just moving the skin and the scar so that that tissues stays more mobile and doesn’t allow as much scar tissue to build up. I thought this article from My Expert Midwife was super helpful about it.

Obviously, ask your provider about doing it before you start — but I think it could be really helpful, and I don’t see a lot of people talking about it.

If you feel like your body just isn’t healing as well as you’d like, or you’re not able to move like you did before I think it’s smart to ask for a physical therapy consult. In just a few visits they can give you some exercises (like that mobilization) to help your core and pelvic floor!

Want more tips about physical therapy check out these articles:

• Let’s talk pelvic floor physical therapy
• Should You Pee in the Shower with Physical Therapist Ashlie Crewe
• What To Do If You’re Miserable At The End Of Your Pregnancy
• 6 Easy Ways To Get Relief From Hip Pain During Pregnancy
• Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction with Physical Therapist Ashlie Crewe

This article may contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission your purchase at no cost to you. Feel free to check my disclosure and terms for more info!

Cold

This one is for soon after surgery — when that incision is painful.

I have had multiple people tell me how great a cold pack on the scar felt great. You can even grab some easy ones for home right here (and reusable ones here).

You can always ask the hospital for a cold pack to put on there. You’ll want to be SURE to put something between the cold pack and your skin (don’t place it directly on your skin) so ask your nurse for help.

Often, we’re so busy putting cold packs on vaginal deliveries they may forget one for you — but it can help!

Sometimes light heat (I love a microwavable pack) can feel nice too).

You might be wondering which is better, and in general I think whichever one feels better for YOU is best.

Note: Only have these packs on for 20 minutes at a time and then remove — I’d only have it on a few times/day. It’s important that your scar not be covered too often — it needs the air to help it to dry! Ask your provider if you have any questions, or want to do it more frequently.

It is NOT good for your scar to be in a warm, moist environment frequently…..

Gum

One of the harder parts of your cesarean recovery is getting you bowels up and running. You may be taking some extra narcotics which can also slow things down.

Chewing on gum can help your intestines get going because your extra saliva tells them to get a move-on.

While we USED to only allow you to eat clear liquids in the hospital until your bowels were moving (not so much anymore) I would encourage you to eat lightly until you feel like your bowels and stomach are moving a little more regularly.

Nurses are the ones who see these bowel issues frequently, which is why you want to get prepped for a cesarean with a nurse, for sure!

Up & Walking

I know a lot of patients find it crazy how soon we have you up and walking after your cesarean. Most hospitals remove that catheter from 4-12 hours after delivery and want you up walking at that point.

It seems counter-intuitive because walking won’t feel great – but it WILL help your body heal better. So, get up and walk. Ask for pain meds if you need them, but getting up to move will be in your best interest.

A little-known complaint after a cesarean is shoulder pain (talk all about why in here), but movement helps even that — as it will help your body to absorb the extra air in that area.

I’m NOT saying to over-do it — but I AM saying to move. The baby bassinet can be a nice “walker” as you get going too.

If you have ANY issues moving, ask your nurse — she will likely have some tips to make it easier (easier ways to get out of bed, or lift your knees, etc).

High-Waisted Undies

Your scar will be right at the “bikini” line which is often where underwear slices into you. SO, make SURE you get some high waisted undies — like these.

While we’re at it, most people prefer a “gown” or “housecoat” to recover in vs pants (although some people like pants too — so try what works for you). I have a bunch of tips in my postpartum pajamas post on what to wear — so be sure to check that post out.

Binder

A lot of people love a binder (sort of like a girdle) that holds things in the first time you get up after the cesarean.

I would encourage you to NOT get reliant on it though. I love it for the first few days — but you abs need to start taking over the heavy lifting soon so you can get on the road to recovery.

I’ve also had patients hate them — they made them too hot and they were annoyed by them. I know a lot of people think they’re amazing, but I think it’s important to know both sides on that one.

Once again — lots of experience with a LOT of patients is always the key to getting prepared!

Bonus for Pushers

Did you push before they had you have a c-section? In that case your “downtown” could still be swollen — so be sure to check out my article on taking care of your bottom for more tips for THAT area. Also hugs to you, that is NOT a fun recovery — you are doing a great job!

There is a LOT to recovering for a c-section and it is best learned by someone who has a LOT of experience with a lot of different moms recovering from a cesarean. Getting prepped for it all in advance is one of the smartest things you can do. Come join me in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples — your all-in-one stop for getting prepared for the rest of pregnancy, labor, birth and life after baby!

If you want info JUST on C-sections I did take out the cesarean section chapter out of my class (sadly, it doesn’t have information on recovery though — that comes in other chapters — which is why I recommend the full class).

The post C-Section Recovery: Tips You’ll Need appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get going, I just want to say it’s SO smart to even be THINKING about this. So many people gloss over the recovery part and that just isn’t smart. As a brand new mom, myself, I glossed over it and it didn’t do me any favors. I learned the hard way what works (and then also became a labor nurse) and I want to prevent that for you. I put all my best advice in here and I think you’ll have your best shot at a great recovery if you join me in there.

OH, and no need to take notes on this — I have a postpartum checklist to get at the store (or make sure you already have):

Heads up! There may be affiliate links in here – I might earn a smidge with your click. No cost to you, just good vibes! Check my boring stuff for deets.

Postpartum Recovery Essentials

I’m going to put the things that are important no MATTER how you have your baby here — but I’ll separate out what’s important if you have a vaginal deliver vs a cesarean a bit lower too — so keep reading!

Your hospital may provide some of these, but ask your provider what they think you should have at home (or ask if you take a hospital tour). Also, not ALL of these will be appropriate for everyone, this is just a general list.

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen helps with after birth pains.

Sad news: Every baby those after birth pains get worse. I wanted an epidural for them on my third, sadly I only had ibuprofen — and I did NOT follow the advice below — so BEWARE.

Ok, you’ve probably taken Ibuprofen before, but a word of warning here.

1. You may be taking ibuprofen at higher doses than you’ve taken before
2. You may be taking it more frequently than you were before
3. It’s going to be easier to ignore YOU at this point

So, make SURE that you are taking it with food. While you can get away without taking it with food for a bit while you’re young — it will do a number on your stomach if you keep doing it.

I’m not saying you need a full meal with it — I’m just saying take it with SOMETHING. Maybe 5 cashews, a scoop of peanut butter, a banana or some other fruit.

Ibuprofen (and any NSAID) can hurt your stomach lining, and taking it with food helps protect you from negative consequences from that.

Grab a nice big bottle of it here.

They may have you taking 600mg (or more) in the hospital — and you can take this same kind at home too just increase how many pills you’re taking if you want to keep taking that amount.

Tylenol

Ibuprofen gets the “main billing” after a baby. It’s great for cramps, but I find that tylenol can help a lot if you’ve had a tear or episiotomy (or a cesarean).

I’m a REAL fan of taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen together lately.

Remember, they’re different meds and you CAN take both at the same time (they’re taken care of in different ways by your body, so you won’t OD). But DO follow the rules on the bottles.

Tylenol does NOT need to be taken with food, it doesn’t have the same issues as ibuprofen.

Grab a nice big bottle of it here.

Pads

Lots of people think you only bleed if you have a vaginal delivery, but if you still have a uterus you will bleed.

Much of the bleeding is coming from your placental scab — which happens from being pregnant.

I recommend these first off (yes — they work for postpartum bleeding too), and then moving to something along these lines.

It is going to be a LOT when you get up from bed (a gush). Also, urine can also be tricky after you push out a baby — so that’s something to be aware of.

While you’re going to want to change your pad frequently, having something like these can help prevent staining on your sheets when you move to pads.

Stool Softeners

No matter how you have your baby you want to keep your stools soft. I recently learned that Colace is pretty-much useless, so ask your provider what they recommend. Be SURE to take it in the hospital (and increase your fiber/water intake too).

A hard poop is no one’s friend in your postpartum recovery (frankly — when is it someone’s friend????)

Clothes

While you will have different concerns with each way of birth — check out my post on the best postpartum pajamas for tips on that (more tips as we get to the C-section section too). You’re just going to want to be comfortable.

I don’t want to overwhelm you by going into breastfeeding essentials. I do recommend some nursing pads if you’re planning to breastfeed, and some ointment to keep them from getting chapped (preferably one you don’t have to wash off before feeding). I have a breastfeeding class in the bundle here that’s is so helpful.

Before we separate out into the type of delivery — here are a few other postpartum posts you might want to check out:

• Things To NOT Do After You Have Your Baby
• 5 Ways To Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage
• Postpartum Power Rest: Getting your 4 continuous hours
• The Postpartum Mindset: Navigating New Parenthood with Dr. Fran
• First Night Home: Why the third night is tough!

Postpartum Recovery Essentials for a Vaginal Delivery

Dermoplast

This helps with your tear. It also helps with any itching that comes as you start to heal.

Witch Hazel

Most people use this as Tucks, but any type of witch hazel can help with inflammation. HUGE fan of this. You can also just buy it in a bottle (more on how you can use it like that below)

A Bidet / Sitz Bath

I used a Sitz Bath on one of my kids where I filled up a big bag and then squirted it at my bottom. Like this one.

I’ve seen some people just fill up a basin and then sit in it on the toilet. I’m not a huge fan of the “sitting” water as you’re not supposed to do that (aka, you’re not supposed to take a bath or go swimming as “standing” water can increase your chance of infection).

Although, having epsom salts in it does sound nice. Plus, this one will squirt you and is battery powered, or you can pump your own….

I am a HUGE fan of a bidet postpartum. You can check out my review of the Tushy but it’s pricey and I just recommend getting one online. We got one at the Home Depot that was only like $30 and SO great. I am a fan, and I may never have left the toilet with my 4th degree tear…. FYI no reason to get one that heats the water too — you’ll want it cold postpartum.

I am a HUGE fan of ice while you’re in the hospital, but it’s not AS helpful when you get home. Some people love padcicles (where you squirt some witch hazel on pads and then freeze them)…. personally, I just kept my Tucks in the fridge. Felt great. BUT in the hospital keep ice on that bottom!

I had that checklist — but I ALSO have a postpartum plan you might be interested in:

Postpartum Recovery Essentials for a Cesarean Delivery

A Binder

This just helps your uterus not be as wobbly as you’re getting up the first few days.

You don’t want to become reliant on one (and a lot of people get WAY hot in them). You need to get those muscles to go back together. But, in the hospital think they’re great.

High Undies

Make sure your underwear goes up high — a high waisted pack in a couple sizes than you normally wear is probably a good option. Some underwear hits right at your incision point and that is NOT good.

Gowns

Pants may not be your friend after your surgery for a while. People love some housecoats or gowns like these for the first few days or weeks. Remember to get one that is nursing friendly if you plan to breastfeed.

Here are a few other postpartum posts you might find helpful:

• What To Wear For A Cesarean Section
• How To Prepare For Your C-Section (Cesarean Section)
• Tips if You Are Afraid of a Cesarean
• Cesarean Section Anesthesia
• Having a positive C-section

Reminder: If you have a cesarean section you’ll likely be at the hospital longer, so if it’s planned you’ll want some clothes you feel more comfortable in (aka, not the hospital gown).

Ok, getting the STUFF you need is so important, but preparing your mind and your relationship is also super important. I think you’ll thank yourself for joining me in here. The two chapters (yes, two — because I think it’s SO important) are some of people’s favorites, and not information you’ll find other places online.

I love what Shaella had to say:

“This was so quick to do and very easy to understand. I especially liked the fact that she talked about postpartum and after baby comes home. She was so honest about her own experience and made me less anxious about what’ll happen.”

Read more reviews here.

Or, if you’re not quite ready for the whole thing — come join get my insider tips that will help you in the labor room!

The post Postpartum Essentials for a Great Recovery appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Pro Tip: Ignoring what life will be like after baby is here is one of the BIGGEST mistakes I see people make during pregnancy. It’s why I put two FULL chapter full of very realistic life after baby is born to help you prepare in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. This article has a few tips, but that class has helped thousands, and the postpartum section is one of the favorites per my reviews. The class is entirely on demand and SO easy — you’ll be prepared for ALL of it before you know it!

Ok, let’s get started in what NOT to do after you have a baby:

{This does vary a bit between cesarean vs vaginal delivery moms, but some work for both}

Ignore Your Bottom

This one is mostly for my vaginal delivery moms, although if you pushed prior to your c-section your bottom AND your incision may be very tender.

I would get so flustered that I just didn’t spend the time needed on my bottom because baby was crying. Let me just tell you to take a deep breath, and take care of that bottom to help it heal. Baby will be there in the 3 minutes it takes you.

I have a whole video on how to take care of your bottom after you have your baby:

It’s a bit complicated, so that video is going to give you an idea of what to expect!

Fun Fact: Both vaginal deliveries AND cesareans will still bleed after delivery. It’s coming from your placental scab. SO, make sure you have the pads you’ll need either way — grab my postpartum checklist here:

Stay in Bed

This is mostly for my C-section mamas, but honestly it’s for all of us. It can be really tempting to just stay in bed. Getting up can feel miserable (this is true for ladies with a big tear as well). You just want to stay in bed. But still get up. Walk around, get that blood flowing — it really will help.

Staying in bed can make you heal slower, so make sure you’re getting up and getting that blood flowing. The good news is that you’ll need to pee quite a lot in those early days, so take a few steps around your room beyond just using the bathroom.

A lot of people use the 5-5-5 method, meaning:

• 5 days in bed
• 5 days AROUND the bed
• 5 days NEAR the bed

And honestly, I’m a fan of that — except you still need to get up those first five days.

It can be really tempting for c-section moms to just stay in bed, but I can promise you that you’ll feel better getting up and walking. It just helps your body, even if it hurts initially!

Interested in more tips in staying comfortable postpartum check theses out:

• Breastfeeding Not Working: Transition from breastmilk to formula?
• Postpartum Recovery: How does the placenta scab heal?
• The Best Postpartum Pajamas
• Taking Care Of Your Bottom & Perineal Care After Delivery
• 5 Ways To Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage

Have a Bath

Heads up! There may be affiliate links in here to make it easier to tell you what I’m talking about – I might earn a smidge with your click. No cost to you, just good vibes! Check my boring stuff for deets.

You shouldn’t have your incision or healing areas in “standing water” — that means a bath, pool, etc.

The germs from your body and the tub will just be hanging out with you in the tub — so a shower is a better choice as the water is constantly recirculated.

You can also use something called a sitz bath, or I prefer a bidet.

And yes, I give handy tips like that all over the place in here. There really is no one out there looking for you to be safer & happier after you have your baby!

Put Things In Your Vagina

I mean, when I put it this way, it sounds sort of obvious. And yes, this is for both C-section and vaginal deliveries. You don’t want to put anything in your vagina — and yes, that includes:

• Vibrators
• Penises
• Tampons

Sometimes providers may put fingers in there to check on healing/clots at the hospital — and that’s OK as it’s in and out (and likely done with a sterile glove). But, anything else — keep it out!

Remember, your uterus has a giant scab that’s healing from where the placenta peeled off. If you have bad bacteria/germs thriving in your vagina it can get into your uterus and cause an infection.

Your body is naturally washing that out through bleeding and discharge from your uterus/vagina but when you put stuff in there it can be a big issue.

Also, if you had a tear in your vagina you don’t want to stretch that or cause any issues with that.

If you’re still pregnant, here are a few later pregnancy tips:

• Can You Push Yourself Into Labor?
• Can Curb Walking Induce Labor?
• Top Tips for Your Plus-Size Pregnancy
• 5 Ways to Get Organized In your Second Trimester
• 5 Important & Easy Things to Do Before Birth

Lift Heavy Things

This catches people off guard. Certainly you had some “light duty” towards the end of pregnancy, but after baby is born you really shouldn’t be lifting anything heavier than the baby.

And yes, that does mean:

• The carseat
• Other kids
• Heavy things at home

When you do, your uterus gets angry and can stop healing as well. Most often this is shown by increased bleeding.

Luckily, mother nature gave us a way to watch all of it — so when your bleeding increases from the last day that’s a sign that you need to do less.

I often have friends calling saying that their bleeding increased from out of nowhere and then I ask what they were doing, and they say “I just went to Costco” and I’m like — that is WAY too much walking and lifting, take it easy! When bleeding increases it’s a time to put those feet up and rest more.

Bleeding is just one of the signs that it’s important to watch for after baby. I made a class called Postpartum Care Made Easy that goes over the problem signs. I recommend everyone around a postpartum mom take it so we can all watch out for their safety after baby is born. It’s included in here, or you can grab it here as well (the presentation itself is free, because I really am working to improve postpartum support after baby is born).

Ignore Yourself

This is one we OFTEN get caught-up in.

We focus SO much on that baby, and trying to breastfeed, and we ignore ourselves.

That can be not taking care of our bottom like we should (as I talked about above), or not getting the sleep, rest or even FOOD that we need.

So, don’t just drop everything and just do baby. Honestly, that doesn’t do anyone any favors. Let your partner do a lot with baby and remember that you matter just as much as the baby does.

That’s part of what I love about Postpartum Care Made Easy, I hope it reminds people to pay attention to THEMSELVES too, and not just the baby. So often I’d hear moms just ignoring the problem signs to watch for in themselves, and just paying attention to issues for the baby. BOTH matter, YOU matter. I’m so glad you’re here.

And NOW is your chance to get ready for life after baby with The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. It truly does prepare you from bump to bassinet (and beyond). When you’re ready come join me in there! If you’re past 20 weeks, I think now is a great time to get started!

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

The post Things to NOT Do After You Have Your Baby appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Hi, I’m Hilary — The Pregnancy Nurse . I have been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of OB nursing experience, I am also the curly head behind Pulling Curls and The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. ​

As someone who’s followed thousands of moms into the bathroom after they’ve had their baby — I want to share with you what to expect.

If you’re just wondering what ELSE there is to expect at the hospital, be sure to check out my Online Prenatal Class for Couples. I go into details like this from your third trimester, until well after the baby is born. Be sure to check it out:

What Happens to Your Perineum at Delivery

When the baby comes out your birth canal — the tissues both in your vagina and perineum with swell and stretch. After delivery you will get up to restroom and learn how to take care of those tissues in a new way.

As a note: Sometimes your health care provider will cut you (that’s called an episiotomy) for a variety of reasons. Or, sometimes you will have a perineal tear as the baby comes out. Both are recoverable, but can sound pretty scary. My sister site Pulling Curls has a whole post on tearing at delivery.

The trauma to those tissues certainly varies, but most women need these products after delivery as they heal (and healing time will depend on the tissues trauma). So, even if you didn’t have any vaginal tears, your perineum will still likely be quite sore.

Pro Tip: The extra care of your bottom is normally just after a vaginal birth. A cesarean section patient will still bleed, but most likely won’t have all the swelling/needs from their perineal area after a vaginal delivery (unless they pushed and didn’t deliver through the birth canal).

I actually just did a podcast on this topic with a friend from Tiktok:

How to Take Care of Your Bottom after Baby

I have a whole video on how you take care of your bottom after baby — we’ll talk about those components after the video as well:

Supplies to Take Care of Your Bottom After Baby:

Heads up! There may be affiliate links in here – I might earn a smidge with your click. No cost to you, just good vibes! Check my boring stuff for deets.

• Mesh Underwear — That way you won’t have to wash your own underwear, also these keep the pads on and easy to change.
• Tucks Pads — These help with swelling in the area
• Dermoplast — This helps with pain and also itching once you start to heal.
• Large Pads (also, you can combine the undies and the pads with a depends-type product) — to take care of your bleeding that can take up to 6 weeks.
• Perineal Spray Bottle — to help clean yourself off on the toilet

Extra Tips for Perineal Care After Baby

Here are some pro tips on how to take care of your bottom after baby:

Cold

Using an ice pack, or cold pack or even just keeping tucks in your fridge can feel great. Nurses will likely recommend you keep an ice pack on for the first 24 hours. I recommend you ask to change it every 2-3 hours — it can help a lot!

Bleeding

You might be thinking you’ll bleed just like a normal period, but the bleeding is a LOT initially.

It is also not unusual to not be able to hold your urine as well the first couple of days (because that area is so stretched-out). So, a LARGE pad can help with that as well.

Make sure you change your pad every time you use the restroom, which will likely be fairly frequently.

Come join my postpartum care made easy class (it’s free) to learn more about what’s safe in regards to bleeding!

Post-Baby Hygiene Routine

1. Remove the old pad and change underwear if necessary
2. Do your business (pee or #2)
3. Spray off with the peri wash bottle
4. Use a washcloth or toilet paper to blot dry (don’t wipe)
5. Put new sanitary pad in your panties
6. Line that pad with tucks (witch hazel pads)
7. Spray painful area with dermoplast or other first aid spray

Optional Step: Apply your ice packs

Pro Tip: You’re just spraying the outside of your vaginal opening, you’re not opening the birth canal and squirting up there. You may also want to refill your bottle if it feels good (or get a bidet attachment for your toilet) in those first days.

Grab my postpartum checklist to get prepared for life after baby:

We chatted about that first visit to the toilet in my podcast on transferring to postpartum.

You should apply a clean pad every time you use the restroom for those first few days.

Your nurse will likely show you how to do all these things and accompany you into the bathroom the first couple of times.

Note: Your nurse is VERY used to bringing you into the bathroom and being there while you pee. We do it with most every patient. So, don’t feel bad that they have to stay by you. We definitely want to be sure that you’re steady and feeling alright during that first time up.

SO, don’t feel like you have to memorize this. I just wanted to share it so that you weren’t caught surprised after you have your baby.

As you continue your healing process, you won’t do as many things in the bathroom, but the first days require extra attention (longer if you’ve had a severe tear)

What about a Sitz Bath?

Sitz baths are where you set up a big bag of water, and then use gravity to wash your perineal area after delivery with that larger volume of water. They can be really nice. Some like warm sitz baths and some like them cold. Whatever feels good is good for you.

I personally would LOVE a bidet attachment on my toilet — they easily set-up on your current plumbing.

What Having a Bowel Movement?

That first BM after baby can be a doozy. The entire process is still the same, but you can use the squirt bottle back towards your rectum as well.

Pro tip: Make SURE that you’re taking your stool softener after delivery so the first BM isn’t hard (this can hurt a LOT). Also include lots of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies into your diet as well as plenty of water to keep your digestive system healthy (and stools soft).

Perineal Care After Delivery FAQ’s

I also have a podcast that shares the best ways NOT to tear and how to take care of yourself afterwards:

If you liked this post, I think you NEED to jump into The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. If you’re looking to get prepared for all the facets of before and after birth, you’ll love it.

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

The post Taking Care of Your Bottom & Perineal Care After Delivery appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

But first, how do I know all of this? Hi — I’m Hilary — The Pregnancy Nurse . I have been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of OB nursing experience, I am also the curly head behind Pulling Curls and The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. ​ I have seen patients pick lots of choices during their pregnancy, and what kind of consequences there are — including postpartum hemorrhage.

I even chat about this a bit in my recent videos:

Ways to Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage

As a note, not all of these are really something you can do about. If your baby needs induction, that is more important than a possible hemorrhage. And, as always be sure to talk to your provider about YOUR issues you might have after baby.

Also, this type of bleeding is VERY different than bleeding you have at 20 weeks.

Don’t Be Induced

Being induced increases your risk for a postpartum hemorrhage. Especially if have a lengthy Pitocin induction. What happens is all your body’s oxytocin (remember Pitocin is just the synthetic form of Oxytocin, so they use the same things in the body) grabbers are filled with Pitocin before baby is born.

Normally, after your placenta is removed, your body releases a ton of Oxytocin. Usually there’s all those grabbers out there waiting to accept it and do their work — but if they’re all already full…. sometimes your body isn’t able to clamp down that uterus like mother nature would want it to.

In reality this goes for people with really extended labors as well, although that is hard to prevent vs not being induced. A short induction is also less likely to have these issues.

Pro Tip: Some studies have shown that once you hit “active labor” with a Pitocin induction your body will keep going on it’s own even if the Pitocin is turned off. You could ask for a Pitocin break once your body hits 6-7 centimeters. That would allow your “Grabbers” to be cleared out and ready to accept the hormone once your placenta is out. Not all providers recommend this, but it could be worth a try.

Love inside information like that last pro tip — don’t miss this class, it’s going to totally help you out!

Get Your Prenatal Labs Taken

I know, I know this won’t exactly PREVENT a hemorrhage, but we will know your starting point. For instance, if you are low on platelets, it gives us time to remedy that (either through nutrition, medication, or if they’re low enough a blood transfusion) BEFORE birth.

Remember the main things we’re looking at that relate to this:

• Hemoglobin & hematocrit — a measurement of your red blood cells
• Platelets — these things help patch up any blood losses (basically what helps in clotting, although it is more complicated in that).

A lot of people think “they’re healthy” and skip that lab work — but don’t do it. They’re simple tests that really can tell us a lot.

Pro Tip: I’m also a HUGE advocate of the diabetes test. Most often there really aren’t any symptoms of gestational diabetes, but it can be a HUGE problem for your growing baby — so taking those prenatal labs is SO important!

Have an IV

Having an IV in allows us to give medications before a hemorrhage happens (or quickly if we see one developing).

If the actual IV makes you feel to “medical” — PLEASE consider a saline lock. I talk all about it in my post on IV fluids in labor. They really are our best way to fight this. The minutes it would take us to insert a line can really mean life or death in some cases.

Medications After Birth

Most often pregnant people who have just delivered their placenta are given extra oxytocin in their IV. Or, if you don’t have an IV it can be given as a shot in your thigh.

We may also consider using other medications if you have had a history of hemorrhage (or someone in your family has, or you have other risk factors like clotting disorders).

Pro Tip: If you have a history of heavy blood loss after a previous pregnancy, don’t hesitate to make that known several times leading up to your delivery, including in the labor room. Most providers will have extra medications in the room if that is the case. If you know why it happened, or if specific things were done like a blood transfusion, things like that are helpful to know as well.

Allow for Uterine Massage

So many people on social media are saying how horrible the uterine massage is after you have a baby. But, this is one of the best ways for us to find out if your uterus is clamping back down or is not, and intervention is necessary.

Why is my uterus “clamping back down”? Do you remember in first aid class, you learned that if you have a wound, you should put pressure on it to stop bleeding? Your uterus does this same thing by applying direct pressure to the sides of the uterus so you don’t bleed out. Think of it as the uterus as a balloon that has the ability to shrink itself back down, and when it does that the walls of the balloon stop the bleeding.

Let me share exactly what happens, so you can prepare for it.

Most places do a “fundal check” every 15 minutes for 2-4 hours after your birth.

1. The nurse will lift your gown to check where your belly button is
2. She will press down on your abdomen until she feels your uterus
3. She will push a bit on your uterus to make sure it is hard
4. If the uterus is not hard, she will push more to make it clamp back down.
5. She will check your bleeding and any clots that have come out
6. She may assess the need for further interventions

You can also check your own uterus (but it is important that the nurse also still feel it since they know exactly what they are looking for).

Come join my class Postpartum Care Made Easy to learn more about what to expect after baby is born:

Ok, so there are five quick things you can do to help prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Of course, there is a lot more to it, but honestly those 5 things prevent a huge percentage of them.

If you’re interested in simple, easy to understand information to help you feel more confident in the labor room, please consider checking out The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. In just a few hours you and your partner can feel more prepared and ready to have this baby.

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

The post 5 Ways to Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.