Baby and Maternity Period

We recommend that you check out the following links about pelvic floor recovery. Timeline of a normal recovery and post natal exercises for the abdomen and pelvic floor.

Your breasts change during pregnancy and continue to do so after the birth. Even if you are not breastfeeding you can experience breast engorgement. Should you choose to breastfeed, these are some of the most common complaints; sore nipples, cracked niples, engorgement, hard spots, breast inflammation. Besides our care during the first week you can request extra support from a lactation specialist concerning any feeding issues.

Many women need stitches when there is a tear or cut to the perineal area during the birth. These stitches are always dissolvable so they don’t need removing at a later stage. The wound can still be painful and swollen for the first few days. It is recommended to take paracetamol and keep the wound clean with fresh tap water and let it dry naturally by lying down without wearing underwear. Sometimes a cold compress can provide relief. If after the first 2-4 days the swelling has gone down, start moving around again and try to sit on a hard chair. Do not sit on an inflatable. By moving around you stimulate the blood flow, which benefits healing of the wound. After 6-7 days, the wound may start to ‘pull’ a little, this means the wound edges are pulling together and healing!  If you are still experiencing a ‘pulling’ sensation from the stitches after a week, we can remove them for you.

After a caesarean you will have stitches in your abdomen which usually dissolve on their own. An abdominal wound remains painful for a longer period of time, so moving can be difficult for the first few days. In any case it is important not to rush your recovery, do not exhaust yourself. Getting out of bed and going to the bathroom on your own is already quite an achievement!

For a wound to fully heal it will take at least 6 weeks, so keep building up your activity during the first weeks and do not force anything if you experience any discomforts.

It is a big deal, becoming a mummy, living your life to a new rhythm, processing the experience of childbirth and accepting the physical discomforts. Your hormones will also be out of balance after giving birth. For many women, this imbalance peaks on the 4th day. You can be emotional, depressed or feel down for a while. But, don't panic! Let all emotions come out and talk about them especially with your partner, loved ones, maternity nurse and / or us. You will often notice that your mood will improve again within a few days. If you or the people around you believe you are struggling with balancing your emotions, please talk to us! Persistent low moods or acting out of character are signs you may need some help. Postnatal depression happens to 10-15% of all new mothers and is therefore not a rare occurrence. So do not feel ashamed to ask for help, from us, your doctor or check out Babublues-domstad or Mama-en-meer.

There is the possibility that you had your baby trough a cesarean section. Maybe you knew this befor birth, maybe the desicion was made during bith. The recovery after a cesarean is more intens and takes more time than after a vaginal birth. So take your time, don't push your body to the limit and make sure you lay down enough during the first 6 weeks. Some link below with extra information (no englisch brochures unfortunataly)

• Keizersnede - informatiepagina WKZ
• Ik ben bevallen met een keizersnede