What Can Mothers Expect After Childbirth

Postpartum Care from A to Z

• LEAKAGE
• INFECTIONS
• URINARY ISSUES
• HEMORRHOIDS
• BREASTFEEDING
• NUTRITION
• PSYCHOLOGY
• SKIN HEALTH

Does everything end once you’ve completed the nine-month marathon and held your baby in your arms? Actually, that’s when it all begins...

What to Expect During and After Childbirth?

A baby doesn’t stay the same as it was inside the womb. While you met all its needs—such as nutrition, warmth, and protection—while it was in the womb, once outside, it must take care of all these things on its own. However, of course, it can’t do these things all by itself, and the bulk of the work still falls on you. Just as we pay attention to many details before birth, there are certain matters we must also be mindful of after birth. Now, let’s take a look at the article specially prepared by Op. Dr. Y. Sadiye Eren, Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology; Dr. Dilara Tüysüz, Dermatologist; Didem Gürbey, Clinical Psychologist; and Berna Çil, Nutrition and Diet Specialist, all from Medistate Kavacık Hospital. Remember, all the recommendations here are designed to help you navigate the postpartum period as healthily as possible…

Postpartum Period

Discharge

In the days following childbirth, there is a red-colored discharge similar to menstrual bleeding, known as “lochia.” The discharge decreases over the course of a few days, changes from pink to yellowish-white, and eventually stops. During this period, you should change your pads frequently and wash thoroughly with plenty of water after each bathroom visit. If the discharge persists and becomes foul-smelling, or if you experience a fever and lower abdominal pain, you should consult a doctor.

Infections

If the delivery was vaginal, you may have stitches from tears or incisions. Therefore, you should take special care to keep your stitches clean. It is advisable to avoid using tampons during this period and to use sanitary pads instead. Washing with plenty of running water after using the restroom is also extremely helpful in preventing infections that may develop at the wound site.

Postpartum Period

Do not neglect your postpartum checkup at the end of the 6-week postpartum period. This examination will assess the uterus’s contraction, the healing process of any wounds, and when sexual activity can resume.

Urinary Issues

After childbirth, mothers may experience difficulties with urination. If you have problems such as urinary incontinence, inability to hold urine, inability to fully empty the bladder, or pain while urinating, you should consult your doctor. Meanwhile, urinary incontinence usually resolves on its own within a few days.

Hemorrhoids

Straining during childbirth can lead to hemorrhoids. Avoiding constipation can help hemorrhoids heal more easily. If you still have hemorrhoids after the postpartum period, you should consult a general surgeon.

Breastfeeding

“Is my milk supply enough?” is the biggest concern for mothers. Learning proper breastfeeding technique while in the hospital and putting it into practice, ensuring the nipple is clean, drinking plenty of fluids, and preventing milk from building up in the breast are the most important precautions. If the milk ducts in the breast become blocked and the breasts cannot be emptied, applying a warm cloth or taking a warm shower to soften the area, followed by expressing milk by hand or with a pump, can be helpful. If this process is neglected, an infection may develop in the breast, leading to symptoms such as high fever, chills, and abscesses.

Nutrition

From the moment of birth, caring for herself, her baby, and her home naturally takes a toll on a mother and weakens her immune system. To cope with this, pay close attention to your nutrition and be sure to follow our recommendations below:

• Onions, garlic, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, hot spices, or legumes can alter the taste of breast milk. If your baby develops significant discomfort, either consume these foods less frequently or avoid them altogether.
• Use iodized salt in your meals.
• Avoid processed foods (such as instant soup, ready-made meatball mix, etc.), fast food, and foods with unknown ingredients.
• Reduce your tea consumption and avoid caffeinated beverages.
• Since sugar is an empty source of energy, opt for blood-building molasses instead of sugar. Milk supply may sometimes be insufficient in mothers who have had a cesarean section. The mother’s rest and continued breastfeeding will increase milk production. Make sure to consume plenty of protein-rich foods at every meal. The breastfeeding period may sometimes be seen as an opportunity for weight loss. However, if you resort to calorie restriction, both milk quality and milk supply will be negatively affected. Intensive exercise in the early stages can also affect the taste of breast milk, leading your baby to reject it and causing a slowdown in their growth curve.

Avoid These Foods for the First 10 Days After Childbirth!

• Raw milk
• Raw vegetables and fruits
• Dried legumes (dried beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, broad beans, etc.) and bulgur
• Cruciferous vegetables (leeks, white cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.)
• Very cold and very hot foods and beverages

Psychology

Postpartum blues, which typically occur after childbirth, last 1–2 weeks, and are characterized by fatigue, low mood, and crying spells, usually resolve quickly with the necessary psychological, social, and physical support.

However, if postpartum blues persist for longer than 2 weeks, the mother may experience anxiety, withdrawal, feelings of helplessness, emotional instability, distancing from the baby, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts. This indicates postpartum depression. In such a situation, do not delay in seeking the necessary psychological support from specialists. Every expectant mother should accept that motherhood is a very joyful yet sometimes equally challenging task, and prepare herself for the hormonal, physical, and psychological difficulties she may face after childbirth. Do not hesitate to seek support from your loved ones when needed; you should share the difficulties you are experiencing with those close to you. Remember, no book you read or seminar you attend can fully prepare you for the sometimes demanding yet often deeply rewarding, enchanting, and complex world of motherhood. Starting a brand-new life with your baby, who is completely dependent on you, brings with it an incredible process of adaptation. Therefore, there may be times when you feel tired, overwhelmed, or helpless. Stay calm and remember this truth: there is no such thing as a perfect mother. Instead of striving to be a perfect mother, focus on being a mother who enjoys every stage of your baby’s life—one who is mentally and physically healthy and happy.

References:

• World Health Organization. (2013). WHO Recommendations on Postnatal Care of the Mother and Newborn.

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2018). Optimizing Postpartum Care (Committee Opinion No. 736).

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (Güncel). Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Güncel). Postpartum Care and Breastfeeding Guidance.

• Turkish Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism. (Guidelines on Metabolic Changes During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period).

• Turkish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics. (Updated). Guidelines for Postpartum Follow-Up and Care.

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). (Postpartum depresyon tanı kriterleri).