Also called: Also called: Post-pregnancy health
Taking home a new baby is one of the happiest times in a woman's life. But it also presents both physical and emotional challenges.
- Get as much rest as possible. You may find that all you can do is eat, sleep and care for your baby. And that is perfectly okay. You will have spotting or bleeding, like a menstrual period off and on for up to six weeks.
- You might also have swelling in your legs and feet, feel constipated, have menstrual-like cramping. Even if you are not breastfeeding, you can have milk leaking from your nipples, and your breasts might feel full, tender or uncomfortable.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on how much activity, like climbing stairs or walking, you can do for the next few weeks.
- Doctors usually recommend that you abstain from sexual intercourse for four to six weeks after birth.
In addition to physical changes, you may feel sad or have the "baby blues." If you are extremely sad or are unable to care for yourself or your baby, you might have a serious condition called postpartum depression.
National Women's Health Information Center
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Recovering from Delivery(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/home/recovering_delivery.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/embarazo/recovering_delivery_esp.html
- After Birth: The First Six Weeks(American College of Nurse-Midwives) - http://www.mymidwife.org/baby_first_six_week.cfm
- Postpartum Care: What to Expect After a Vaginal Birth(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/postpartum-care/PR00142/METHOD=print
- Recovering from Pregnancy(American College of Nurse-Midwives) - http://www.mymidwife.org/recovery.cfm
- Getting into Shape After Your Baby is Born(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp131.cfm
- Postpartum Sterilization(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp052.cfm
- Postpartum Thyroid Information(Postpartum Support International) - http://postpartum.net/resources/women-mothers/thyroid/
- Postpartum Thyroiditis(American Thyroid Association) - http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/postpartum.html
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Pregnancy, Childbirth and Bladder Control
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - Links to PDF - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/pdf/pregnancy_ez.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/pregnancy/index.htm - Sex After Pregnancy: Let Your Body Set the Pace(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/sex-after-pregnancy/PR00146/METHOD=print
- Weight Loss After Pregnancy: Reclaiming Your Body(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/weight-loss-after-pregnancy/PR00147/METHOD=print
- You and Your Baby: Prenatal Care, Labor and Delivery, and Postpartum Care(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/ab005.cfm
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HIV during Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery, and After Birth(AIDSinfo) - Links to PDF - http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/Perinatal_FS_en.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/ElVIHDuranteElEmbarazoElPartoYDespuesDelParto_FS_sp.pdf
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What Should I Do After My Baby Is Born?(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/gest_diabetes/sub11.cfm
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Postnatal Care(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Postnatal+Care%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Postpartum Period(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Postpartum+Period%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Puerperal Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Puerperal+Disorders%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Osteopathy and pregnancy. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19266765&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Blues for my baby. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19266653&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Baby Friendley Bristol. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19256208&tool=MedlinePlus
- Postpartum Care -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=((postnatal+care[majr]+OR+postpartum+period[majr]+OR+puerperal+disorders[mh])+NOT+depression,postpartum[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+2+Years&tool=MedlinePlus
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - http://www.acog.org/
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
- Postpartum Support International - http://www.postpartum.net/
- Postpartum Depression - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/postpartumdepression.html
- Pregnancy and Reproduction - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pregnancyandreproduction.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html