The postpartum stage is really crucial for every new mother. During this period the body needs more rest and care to heal from its wounds, while your newborn might actually need your 24×7 attention. Balancing between the two can be really challenging for anyone.
While taking the best care for your newborn is vital, you also need to take adequate care of your own, because you might need to get back to your old life within the shortest possible time.
So, here are some vital tips that can actually help you in the process of postpartum recovery. Read on and try to follow these tips so that you can take care of yourself as well as your newborn in the right way.
Do not hesitate to ask for help
This is the first and most important tip of all. Post-delivery you need sufficient rest and there needs to be someone else to take care of your newborn at least for 8 hours of a day when you should get a sound sleep. Do, not hesitate to ask for help.
If you cannot get assistance from a relative or a friend, hire a professional person for taking care of the child, while she is being supervised by someone close to you.
Arrange your sleep time according to your baby’s sleep time
This can be highly helpful to catch the much needed rest which is vital for quick postpartum recovery. If you are planning to sleep only during the night, when your baby my stay awake, things are sure to become difficult for you.
Rather change your own routine according to the routine of your newborn and take naps as your baby sleeps, without taking a look at the clock.
Have your own space to sleep and rest
The time right after delivery might seem like a festive time to the other members of the family, but it is not certainly the same for the mother who has just delivered.
So, no matter what is going on in your home and how many guests have arrived to wish you for the child make it a point to have your own space where you can take a nap, relax or can simply pass some idle time without being disturbed by anyone.
You actually need your space to ensure better and quicker recovery postpartum.
Know your body
If you had a C-section, you have to understand that you have gone through a major surgery and you need to take care of the wound as well. It is best suggested to take a close look at the wound with the help of a mirror as soon as you get back home from the hospital.
This will help you to have a general idea about the condition of the wound and in case you find the area tender or swollen you can immediately contact your doctor for help.
Keep in mind an immediate medical help can cure the problem even before it takes the full shape and delayed medical help is often the cause of exaggeration of the condition.
Keep your surrounding clean
This is a very important postpartum tip that every new mother, particularly the ones who had a C-section needs to keep in mind. A clean and hygienic environment is vital not only to ensure the best health of the baby but also to ensure that you do not get an infection on your stitch.
Make it a point that someone is there to keep your room and toilet completely clean. Use disinfectants on the clothes and also limit the number of visitors in your room.
Make it a rule that no one should enter your room with the shoes on. A clean and hygienic environment can ensure quick recovery for you.
Follow the instructions of your gynecologist religiously
After delivery, when your primary concern should be to recover quickly, it is really important to keep in mind all the instructions that your gynecologist must have given you during your release from the hospital.
Follow each of her words and instructions religiously to take care of your body. In case, anything seems to not to go the way expected, do not wait for it to go away on its own, consult your gynecologist immediately.
Take care of your nutritional needs
What you eat after delivery has a very important role to play in your postpartum recovery. So, do not neglect your nutritional needs in anyway. Opting for a rich diet or spicy food is not certainly ideal for this stage as that can cause additional problem with bowel movement.
You should opt for a balanced and nutritious diet that is low in oil but high in both vitamins and minerals. Different types of fruits, including the dry fruits like almond, pistachio, cashew and dates can be ideal to be included in your diet during this time.
Include more leafy and green vegetables in your diet along with proteins and carbohydrates. Eat as often as you feel hungry, even if in small portions.
Also do not stop the vitamin supplements that you might be taking before delivery, unless your doctor has suggested you otherwise. Nutrition is the key to heal your inner wounds quickly, and hence compromising on your nutrition will directly mean compromising with your recovery.
Drink lots and lots of water
One thing that you actually need to do in excess to ensure quick postpartum recovery is drinking water. Dehydration is the last thing that you would want to have during postpartum recovery and hence drinking sufficient water in small intervals is very vital.
Drinking more water will help your body to work smoothly and it can actually wash out all the toxins from your body too. So, do not miss to drink sufficient water throughout the day. This simple thing can actually ensure better postpartum healing.
Take your time to relax
Relaxing not only your body but also your mind is really important for quick healing after delivery. Take some time off from all the responsibilities and just relax on your own.
You always need not to visit a shopping mall to relax; you can simply play the music of your choice or watch a movie that you love or read your favorite book that you have not read in quite a long time to relax yourself completely.
If playing a computer game can actually help you relax, indulge in that. Giving time to your hobby can also be a great way to relax.
Practice meditation
Meditation can be the best way to heal your mind and body quickly. It helps in relaxing your senses instilling new life energy in you. So, if you are feeling really tired, which is quite usual for new mothers, spend some time in meditation and you are sure to feel better within minutes.
If you have not practiced it before, try to learn it and it is surely going to help you a lot to overcome this challenging phase of life and also to heal quickly.
Take care of your emotions
Right after childbirth emotional instability is not very uncommon. Parenting a newborn is actually difficult, particularly when your own body and emotions are not at their peak.
Giving someone else more priority than your own can be actually a troublesome concept to accommodate but it is sure to sink in slowly with time. Just do not force yourself.
Postpartum, the hormonal levels in the body often varies drastically and that is the primary reason of all the emotional instabilities you feel during this time. So the best way to cope with your changing emotions is to talk about your worries and thoughts with someone who is really close.
You can talk with your best friend, your mother or with your husband, who can share your feelings and can make you feel more stable emotionally.
Be happy, things will soon change for better
This is one point that you have to keep in mind. While things might seem to be really difficult during postpartum recovery, actually it might not be all that bad at all.
The phase is temporary and within a month you will start to feel your original self again, as soon as your body will heal and your hormones will get back to their normal levels. So, do not take things, particularly your emotions very seriously during this time.
Let them flow on the surface and they will go away with time. Try to stay happy and do things that make you happy. Staying happy can actually quicken up the recovery process.
