Going through pregnancy and subsequently child birth is a very exciting and scary time for any new mom-to-be. While I had asked as many moms, young and old, as many questions as I could think of about going through labor and childbirth, there was one important fact that I was unaware of until after I had given birth-there is a fourth trimester, which starts the moment your little bundle of joy leaves the womb. Obviously, I had anticipated some degree of recovery as my body went back to a normal pre-pregnancy state, but there were several postpartum experiences I wish someone had prepared me for ahead of time.
Continued Contractions
While I was ready, or so I thought, for the onslaught of painful labor contractions, I was blissfully unaware that the contractions would continue for several days after delivering my son. Postpartum contractions do continue after the birth to deliver the placenta, which I had already been taught, but in the several days following labor and delivery my body continued to contract. I discovered that this was completely normal in order to allow my cervix to retract to its original size and to allow for the pelvic bones and muscles to shift back into place. I even encountered postpartum contractions whenever I nursed my son or pumped. I came to look forward to those contractions as that meant my tummy was shrinking back down to size. Although the pain of these contractions was mild in comparison to labor contractions, having prior knowledge of their existence and how long they would hang around would have empowered me by knowing what discomfort to expect.
Of course, with childbirth comes extended back pain. The core muscles in the body are very lax after childbirth and take approximately six weeks to fully regain strength and normal function. However, there are several ways to ease the back pain associated with postpartum recovery. Therma-Care Heat Wraps are a no-fuss way to apply long-lasting heat to the area. BioFreeze, BenGay, or any other muscle relaxing ointments also soothe and can last hours. As with anything absorbed by the body, be sure to check with your obstetrician before applying anything if you are nursing or pumping. A nice massage from a loved one works wonders, and of course you can always try doctor-approved ibuprofen or pain medicine. Even though newborns are a lot of work, if you have some help, staying off your feet as much as humanly possible will also help to alleviate the strain on those recovering muscles and ligaments.
Enlarged Breasts is an Understatement
Many mothers of all ages in my life had warned me of breast engorgement when my milk came in. They said it would be like having breast enlargements overnight, and my mother-in-law jokingly told me they would be up under my chin. I assumed she was exaggerating, which she was not. A couple days after my son was born, the milk came in and so did my new enhancements! Not only had my cup size increased drastically (by three sizes), but my ta-tas were literally rock hard and very painful. This, I was in no way prepared for and wished I had been pre-warned. Postpartum breasts give new meaning to the term “over-the-shoulder boulder holder”! There are several ways to reduce the pain of engorged breasts, though, and make them a little more tolerable. Cold packs or even bags of frozen vegetables will help reduce the inflammation, and standing in a hot shower while applying gentle massage will soften the tissue, thus reducing the pain. Be prepared, though. The shower massage method will also induce milk flow.
After Care “Down There”
This particular recovery issue is what I had the most trouble dealing with and of which I definitely was not prepared. I knew there would be some amount of bleeding after the birth of my son, and I knew the bleeding would last approximately four to six weeks. What I did not know, and which horrified and scared the daylights out of me, was how much blood there would be the first time I used the bathroom after giving birth. I delivered my soon at 11:58 a.m., and sometime later that evening, I called for the nurses to help me to the restroom as I was instructed. Two nurses came in, which surprised me since I thought one would suffice and initially even wondered why my husband couldn’t simply help me to the toilet, but as I attempted to stand for the first time on my own, I realized why I needed two. My legs were extremely weak and shaking, and it was a slow, focused process to walk across my rather large hospital room. Instead of simply helping me lower myself, they carefully positioned me in front of, and somewhat straddling, the commode. One nurse held me up, and the other began to pull down the mesh birthing undergarments. However, she didn’t get them down or get me over the toilet quickly enough. More than a floodgate was opened; it was like the Hoover Dam had given way. I looked down, shrieked “Oh my God,” and nearly passed out when I saw all of the blood rushing out of my body. It was all over me, the floor, the commode, and anything else in its path. The two nurses sat me down quickly and went to work cleaning me and the tiny bathroom. With terrified eyes, I asked if that was normal or if something was terribly wrong. They assured me that amount of blood loss was completely normal, and that was why I needed two medically trained nurses to help me to the restroom the first couple of times. I am thankful my husband did not see that. I soon learned that going to the restroom for the next month would be at minimum a ten to fifteen minute ordeal. The after care and clean-up required: gently patting the area, rather than wiping; cleansing myself with warm water from a convenient squirt bottle I was given; applying medicated cooling pads inside the incredibly large sanitary pad, and applying an antiseptic spray to ward off any infection around my sutures.
Childbirth truly is a miracle of life and one of the most amazing, life-changing events any woman can experience, and being fully prepared about the changes you will experience during the recovery time, aka the “fourth” trimester, will help make the recovery process more endurable and less of a struggle.
