You may think that after delivery, you can already resume your normal routine. This period of your life, however, is both a time of adjustment to life with a newborn and a time of recovery.
It’s crucial to note that your body will need to recuperate from childbirth over time. Yes, the question you might want to ask is, “When can I start doing household work after delivery?”
What can you read in this article?
- Can you cook after giving birth?
- When can I start doing household work after c section delivery
- What are things not to do after giving birth
When can I start doing household work after delivery
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
The postpartum phase begins after your baby is delivered and concludes when your body is practically back to its pre-pregnancy form. Typically, this time lasts 6 to 8 weeks.
You will go through many changes during the postpartum period, both mentally and physically. You’re also figuring out how to deal with all of the adjustments that come with becoming a new mother.
This is the time for you to focus on taking care of yourself and regaining your strength. You’ll need a lot of rest, adequate nourishment, and assistance.
You may gradually increase your activity after 2 weeks postpartum but continue to avoid strenuous activities. Avoid heavy labor for the first six weeks.
You may also want to minimize visits with family and friends during the first two weeks of your baby’s life, as this may cause you unnecessary exhaustion and be harmful to your baby’s health.
Can you cook after giving birth
Ladies require a lot of sleep. They must, however, get up and walk around as soon as they are comfortable, whether it is after a cesarean or a traumatic birth.
This is significant because it reduces the danger of blood clots. For the first two weeks, two months, or two years, family members can assist by taking on the cooking and cleaning tasks in the home. At the very least, two weeks.
When can I start doing household work after c section delivery
The postpartum period can be one of the most difficult times for women and families. For mothers who have had a cesarean delivery, this period might be much more difficult. After a cesarean delivery, it’s critical for women to take care of themselves.
A mother must allow her body to rest and recuperate after any delivery. In an ideal world, this would entail little to no housework and no chasing after other children.
Because the postpartum period has the highest maternal death rate, additional attention to the mother’s care is required.
Take the time to learn about a new mother’s limits and the types of care that may be required. Keep in mind that a new mother’s mental and physical exhaustion is completely normal.
Here are things you should remember:
- Your activity level should be kept low until your doctor recommends that you increase it. You should avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby at first, as well as doing most housework.
- Your lochia bleeding will alter over time and may worsen as you are more active or change positions. Make use of your bleeding to ensure that you are not over-exerting yourself. Lochia’s color will gradually fade to a pale pink or dark red, and then to a yellowish or light tone.
- Any temperature or pain, which can both be indicators of infection, should be taken seriously.
- Make sure you’re getting enough fluids to be hydrated, and eat healthy meals to refuel your body and avoid constipation.
READ MORE:
6 things not to do after giving birth
1. Don’t be hard on yourself
It’s vital to schedule time to rest and take care of oneself.
If you try to accomplish too much while you’re recovering, you can notice that your bleeding gets worse. It’s critical to pay attention to your body and recognize when you need to slow down. Injury, muscle strain, and feelings of overwhelm or worry can all result from overdoing things after birth.
2. Don’t ignore any pain you’re experiencing
After birth, most people will experience some pain, although the nature and length of that pain will vary.
For example, depending on whether this is your first child, how you delivered (by vaginal or C-section), and whether you had any issues during or after delivery, your pain may be different. Pain can linger for days or weeks, and it varies from person to person, and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.
The following types of pain are common after birth:
- As your uterus shrinks back to its pre-baby size, you may experience cramping.
- a throbbing pain between your vaginal and anus
- pain in or around your stitches and incision
- aches and pains in your neck, back, and joints
- Breast engorgement or swelling causes pain.
These sorts of pain, on the other hand, are unusual and should be immediately checked by a doctor:
- a severe headache that does not improve with treatment
- Headache that interferes with vision
- Pain from a fever of more than 38°C
- Urinary discomfort that worsens over time
- a lot of blood (two pads in an hour)
- Pain in one area of your breast, particularly if it is accompanied by a fever or a reddish area
- discharge with an unpleasant odor
- Legs throbbing with swelling
- chest pain and breathing problems
Contact your doctor right away if you are experiencing pain that is accompanied by any unexpected symptoms or if the pain becomes severe.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Image by cottonbro from Pexels
After giving birth, over 80% of people experience the baby blues, which can produce significant emotions of melancholy, worry, or stress in the first 10 to 14 days after giving birth.
If you’re still not feeling like yourself after the first two weeks, it’s time to get checked for postpartum depression. Postpartum depression affects about one out of every five women.
Among the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression are:
- crying
- feeling angry
- feeling estranged from your child
- being too concerned that you might injure your child
- you’ve become estranged from your family or pals
- not taking pleasure in activities that ordinarily bring you delight
4. Don’t forget about birth control
After giving delivery, you can become pregnant again in as little as 6 to 8 weeks. As much as it may not be in your plan, it may also be harmful to your body to be pregnant again in such a short time. Talk to your doctor about other birth control options.
Some birth control methods, such as condoms, can be used as soon as you resume sexual activity. If you want to start hormonal birth control, you may need to wait a few weeks if you’re breastfeeding or have other health problems.
Photo by Alex Green from Pexels
5. Don’t forget to eat healthy
Although feeding your baby is your primary concern after giving birth, it is equally critical to nurture your own body.
Breastfeeding mothers require an additional 450 to 500 calories per day to promote milk production. This may suggest that you need to ingest 2,500 calories each day, depending on your weight.
The importance of hydration cannot be overstated. While nursing, experts recommend that you drink 16 cups of water per day.
Avoid smoking or using drugs too. Smoking is bad for your health, but secondhand smoke is a substantial risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In babies and toddlers, secondhand smoke can cause asthma and other respiratory problems. While drug abuse is less prevalent, it still puts you and your baby in danger of dying too soon.
6. Don’t put anything in your vaginal area
Regardless of how you feel, you should not put anything into your vaginal area until your doctor has cleared you. Around your 6-week postpartum appointment, this frequently happens.
The first reason is that there is a risk of infection. Your uterus is still mending from birth, and if you have vaginal repair, those areas will be healing as well. Bacteria can grow and cause illness in these sores when you use internal period products like menstrual cups or tampons.
What about sex, for example? Although there is no hard and fast rule, many doctors advise waiting between 4 and 6 weeks following delivery. The logic is similar to that of tampons, however, the risk of infection decreases after two weeks postpartum.
Another danger is that stitches from episiotomies and rips do not heal properly. The cervix is dilated to allow the baby to pass through and will take some time to return to its usual size if you had a vaginal delivery. So, once again, you should consult your physician.
Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. TheAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.