A Few Hours After Birth
- Call pediatrician to schedule baby's appointment.
- Drink iced orange juice to help restore depleted blood sugar, potassium and fluids.
- Eat food! Chipotle was wonderful :)
- Encourage the uterus to retract.
- Lay on stomach. Place a pillow on the bed and lie on it a few minutes each day to help the uterus contract, expel blood clots and get back to its normal size.
- Massage stomach.
- Nurse!
- This gets way more painful from first to second kiddo.
- Round Two: This was way more painful than actually giving birth.
- Drink red raspberry tea which will strengthen uterus muscles.
- Walk around to help restore circulation and expel blood clots.
USE POSTPARTUM CARE KIT!
- Start using postpartum care kit
- Religiously take stool softener and ibuprofen.
- Ibuprofen helps limit the release of prostaglandins. This is super important!
- Use postpartum care pads! These things were amazing!
Few Weeks Following Giving Birth
- "Afterbirth pains" are normal
- Continue to encourage the uterus to retract. See above notes.
- GET VICODIN in case of pain.
- Definitely going to be necessary for round three.
- Exercises to avoid:
- Complete knee bends
- Leg Lifts
- Sit ups
- Get social security card for baby.
- Get baby on health insurance.
- Have a list of things I would like to have help with around the house and groceries we need for people to help out with.
- Lochia is the bloody discharge that can last up to six weeks.
- Saturating 2 pads hospital size within an hour is too much and call the doctor.
- If bleeding increases you are overdoing it.
- Lovemaking is up to your discretion. Go slow and can wait up to six weeks after postpartum check up to ensure have healed.
- Stay hydrated!
- TAKE IT EASY!
- Use lanolin, ibuprofen (800 mg every four hours) and stool softener (1-2x/day).
Exercises to do the Rest of Life
- Kegels: Helps with bladder control.
- Pelvic Rocks: Especially great for afterbith "pains", backache and strengthening abdominal muscles
- Tailor Sitting: Strengthens core and back.
