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Things to Do During Postpartum


Postpartum hygiene

  • Hands should be washed frequently.

  • Medicated water (baticon solution) is used for dressing the stitches. Cleaning should be done with toilet paper from front to back.

  • The pads used should be absorbent, soft, clean, colorless and odorless.

  • Pads should be changed frequently and cotton underwear should be preferred.

  • In births with stitches, there may be swelling, tension and discomfort in the area for the first few days, and difficulty sitting. The stitches are not removed, they fall out on their own. If kept clean, the wound heals in 1-2 weeks.

  • If bleeding is more than normal (the pad is completely wet more often than every 1 hour), if there is a fever or if the discharge has a foul odor, you should consult a health institution.

  • In those who have had a caesarean section, if there is swelling, redness and discharge in the stitch area, a health institution should be consulted.


Postpartum bath

  • After normal delivery, the puerperal woman should take a warm shower while standing and, if possible, every day.

  • In caesarean births, a transparent bandage is placed over the wound and discharged. The postpartum woman can take a standing shower on the day she goes home. After the bath, the transparent bandage is removed and ironed underwear is worn.


Excretion

  • Urination should be done within the first 6 hours after birth and should never be delayed because the stitches will hurt.

  • After birth, defecation may not occur immediately. Foods with fiber and pulp should be eaten, and plenty of fluids should be consumed. With short walks and movements, bowel movements can be increased.


Nutrition

  • Sufficient amounts of each type of food should be taken without skipping meals.

  • Floury, oily and fried foods should be avoided. Watery foods should be emphasized.

  • Substances such as cigarettes and alcohol should not be used, and tea and coffee should be avoided. Caution should be exercised with hot, sour, spicy and gas-producing foods, as they may pass to the baby through milk.


Rest and sleep

  • After birth, the mother cannot spare enough time for rest and sleep due to fatigue, pain, and the need to feed and care for the baby. For this reason, help should be sought from family elders and visitors should be restricted.

  • Since sleep is frequently interrupted due to breastfeeding at night, at least 2 hours of rest and sleep should be allocated during the day.

  • Heavy work should be avoided during the postpartum period. Resting on the back is recommended as it increases circulation.


Restoring the old look

  • There should be no rush to return to the old pre- pregnancy weight. Losing more than 2 kilos per month is not appropriate.

  • Body weight will begin to return to its previous state 6 weeks after birth.

  • The uterus and abdominal muscles of breastfeeding mothers return to their former state more easily.

  • It is inconvenient and useless to use a bandage or corset for a saggy and large abdomen for a while after birth. Walking and abdominal exercises are useful for correction.

  • Exercise should be done for 20-30 minutes at least 3 times a week.

  • Exercises should be done after breastfeeding the baby.


Drug use

  • If deemed necessary, the doctor may prescribe painkillers, antibiotics and vitamins. No medication should be used without the doctor's advice.

  • Iron medications should also be used until 3 months after birth.

  • It should be known that the medications used by the mother can pass to the baby through "breast milk".

  • Tetanus vaccination started during pregnancy should be continued after birth.


Stomach ache

  • Postpartum abdominal pain is related to the contraction and shrinkage of the uterus. Breastfeeding also accelerates the contraction of the uterus. Abdominal pain subsides within 48 hours.

  • To relieve abdominal pain, painkillers recommended by the physician should be used and the legs should be pulled up to the abdomen and the patient should sleep.


Postpartum sexual intercourse

  • After birth, sexual intercourse should be postponed for the postpartum period (42 days).

  • It should not be forgotten that pregnancy can occur during the first sexual intercourse.

  • Pregnancy in less than 2 years is harmful for the health of the mother and the baby.

  • Spouses should seek counselling from a family planning centre before engaging in postpartum sexual intercourse.

  • Water-based lubricating suppositories or gels can be used for dryness that may occur in the chamber after birth.


Postpartum health check-up

  • After birth, the mother and the baby should undergo at least three health checks.

  • A health check-up should be performed on the 3rd - 5th days, 15th day and 6th week of postpartum.


Postpartum emotional state change

  • Crying, unhappiness and anxiety may occur in the mother as a result of hormonal changes or the mother feeling inadequate in caring for the baby.

  • This situation is called motherhood blues.

  • If it lasts longer than 10-14 days, it is necessary to consult a specialist because of the possibility of developing postpartum depression.


Things to remember about breast milk

  • The most suitable food for the baby's physical and mental health is breast milk.

  • Initiating breastfeeding within the first half hour after birth and breastfeeding at frequent intervals increases milk production and milk release.

  • The more the baby suckles, the more milk the mother produces. It is necessary to drink plenty of fluids as the body loses fluid.

  • A breastfed baby does not need any additional nutrients other than vitamin D.

  • Every mother has enough milk for her baby.

  • Giving the baby additional fluids or nutrients reduces the mother's milk production.

  • Babies who are exclusively breastfed in the first 6 months do not suffer from infectious diseases, especially diarrhea. Breastfeeding has a positive effect on the psychological development of the baby.

  • Breastfeeding helps the mother's body return to its prenatal state faster.


Steps to breastfeeding

  • Before starting to breastfeed, hands should be washed and armpit sweat should be wiped off.

  • A comfortable position is taken (lying on the side or sitting) and the baby is hugged.

  • The baby is held so that its face and body are parallel and very close to the mother.

  • The baby's head is placed on the arm on the breast that he or she will breastfeed on.

  • The breast is held with the thumb on top and four fingers down.

  • The nipple and the entire brown part surrounding it are placed in the baby's mouth and the baby's nostrils are kept open with the thumb.

  • If the baby has difficulty latching on to the breast, his lips and cheeks are gently stimulated and, if necessary, his mouth is opened and the nipple is repositioned.


Things to know about breastfeeding

  • The baby should be breastfed whenever he/she wants. Once the breastfeeding is completed, the baby should be held in appropriate positions and burped.

  • The first milk coming from the breast is watery, the fat content of the milk in the breast increases as you breastfeed.

  • It makes the baby feel full. Therefore, only one breast should be used at each feeding.

  • The frequency of breastfeeding should be left to the baby's wishes.

  • The baby should be breastfed whenever he or she cries, provided that his or her diaper is dry and there is no gas.

  • In the first weeks, the baby gets hungry often because his stomach is small.

  • During breastfeeding, the breasts should be supported with a suitable cotton bra and a pad or clean ironed cheesecloth should be placed for the milk leaking from the nipple.

  • The breasts may be painful, full and swollen in the first few days, which may bother the mother. These complaints can be relieved by correctly positioning the baby at the breast and breastfeeding frequently.

  • During the postpartum period, a shower should be taken every day if possible to eliminate bad odors due to sweat and discharge, and to clean the breasts and keep them fit.

  • While breastfeeding, pacifiers and feeding bottles should never be used for the health of the baby.

  • For nipple cracks, cleaning the nipple with breast milk before and after breastfeeding and effective breastfeeding are sufficient.


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