The birth of a child is a powerful test that women have to experience. The birth of a new person radically changes the life of a mother, and therefore it is never easy. However, the joy from the appearance of the baby is so great that this alone already pays for all the suffering experienced.
Unfortunately, the tests do not end there. Often a woman has to endure a variety of pains after childbirth. And here you need to understand what is a physiological process, and what should be alarming. Indeed, sometimes pain is a signal that portends not very pleasant consequences ...
Normal postpartum condition
The first thing that a woman in labor should understand is that immediately after the appearance of the baby, she does not instantly become the same. Childbirth is a physiological process, but it is fraught with enormous risks. The body is undergoing the greatest stress. Even the generic process, which took place classically without any complications, injures many organs.
For instance, inner surface uterus. After the birth of a baby, it is a bleeding wound. After all, the placenta was attached to it for a long time by many vessels, which were damaged during childbirth. Therefore, it is quite natural that all women have a stomach ache after childbirth. And this is accompanied by bleeding in the first three to four days.
Secondly, the uterus begins to contract, to recover, clearing itself of all unnecessary. And this process also cannot be completely painless. Often, a nursing mother has to endure sharp cramps, similar to labor pains. They often intensify at the very time when the baby begins to suckle or has to express milk. This is normal and even useful. The restoration of the body of a woman in labor in this case is faster than that of those who do not have the ability or desire to breastfeed a child.
Pain often prevents a woman from moving, as it is associated with postpartum trauma. Due to the displacement of the vertebrae, discomfort in the lower back occurs periodically during physical exertion. The pain can "give" to the lower back, to the tailbone. Sometimes she seems to "pull" the leg, crotch. Gradually these unpleasant painful sensations pass. Due to the fact that during childbirth hip joints strongly dispersed, pain in the lower abdomen and in the back can cause a woman to worry for a long time. Sometimes the recovery process takes up to six months. But this is quite natural.
A chair is not only a piece of furniture ...
The uterus is very close to the rectum. Feces, especially their accumulation in large quantities, put pressure on her. This interferes with her normal recovery. For the uterus to contract faster, you need to regularly empty the intestines. And it can be quite difficult to do this after giving birth. And very often, instead of answering the woman's question: "Why does the uterus hurt?", The doctor asks, and when was the last stool and how hard it was.
It is very important to recover as soon as possible normal work intestines. It depends not only on how quickly the stomach will be removed and the figure will become the same, but also when the painful sensations in the uterus will pass. And a normal mother's stool often guarantees the health of the baby. This is especially important for a nursing mother. Since the use of drugs and products with a laxative effect may affect the baby's condition, it is better to consult a doctor about this.
Constipation and hard stools can trigger hemorrhoids. Although this disease often manifests itself in some women immediately after childbirth - from severe overexertion. In both cases, the symptoms of this disease are by no means pleasant and painless. In addition to a balanced diet, women are helped by cool baths, cooling lotions, anti-hemorrhoidal creams.
Important! Do not take hot baths during inflammation of the anus. This can make the condition worse.
Improper nutrition can provoke more than just constipation. Calling out increased gassing, provoking fermentation in the intestines, it causes discomfort, presses on the uterus, interfering with its normal recovery. Because of this, pains and an unpleasant feeling of bloating occur in the abdomen. Usually, the elimination of certain foods (dairy, fiber containing yeast) from the diet helps to get rid of these symptoms.
Just like constipation, it is harmful for a young mother. loose stools... It can cause dehydration, weakness, and anemia. And, of course, this is also accompanied by increased pain.
That is why every woman in labor should be very attentive to her feelings and remember that a chair is not only a piece of furniture. The health of a woman and her baby depends on its qualitative and quantitative characteristics.
Sometimes lower abdominal pain is associated with urination. It is accompanied by rawness, burning. This is also a physiological process. Usually after a few days it all goes away.
When stomach pain is dangerous
It is clear that usually the physiological recovery process of the body in the postpartum period is accompanied by pain. And this is a completely tolerable state. It is caused by the contraction of the uterus and the cleansing of its cavity. If the pain is strong enough and does not stop a month after the birth of the baby, it is worth sounding the alarm. This can be a very dangerous symptom.
One of the causes of pathology is the remnants of the placenta in the uterus. Particles of a child's place sometimes stick (grow) to the uterine cavity. After giving birth, such dead pieces of flesh cannot spontaneously come out, they begin to rot inside. This is fraught with contamination.
Usually, the process is accompanied by bloating, pain, fever, nausea, and malaise. In addition to these symptoms, attention should be paid to discharge. They may contain blood clots, pus. There is also a specific smell.
If the doctor diagnoses a remnant of the placenta inside the uterus, the decision is usually made to "cleanse". Although modern medicine already has the ability in some cases to correct the situation with medication.
Important! If particles of dead tissue are observed in the uterine cavity, this is a very serious violation of the postpartum process. It is impossible to correct the situation at home on your own; you can only significantly aggravate the situation.
With such a pathology, you can not take medications that open the cervix, use alcohol, a hot bath. These procedures can cause severe bleeding that even doctors cannot stop. You should not risk your health and life.
Severe pain in the lower abdomen may also indicate the onset of an inflammatory process in the uterine mucosa. This disease is called endometritis. Most often it is observed in women who were forced to operate - did a "cesarean section". During the operation, germs and infection enter the wound. In addition to pain, the patients also have a high temperature, the discharge is strongly colored with blood and the presence of pus in them is observed.
Peritonitis is a very serious pathology. it infection also accompanied by intolerable pain and fever.
Childbirth tears
They are especially often observed in first-borns and when a large child appears. Tears, cracks and cuts can be on the labia, on the cervix. Sometimes obstetricians use stitches. In any case, these are additional injuries, which, naturally, are not felt by a woman in the most pleasant way. The wounds sore, sometimes they deliver a pulling pain.
The most unpleasant thing is that they can get an infection. Therefore, the first rule is to be clean!
- After each urination, the perineum should be washed with warm water, possibly with the addition of potassium permanganate.
- For the first days, it is recommended to use baby soap for regular cleaning after using the toilet.
- It is recommended to lubricate the outer seams and breaks twice a day with a strong (brown) solution of potassium permanganate.
- If the stitches hurt after childbirth, it is recommended to apply cool compresses in this area.
- You should not sit down at first, especially if you feel pain. If necessary, you can use a special pad.
- You can not lift weights, run, walk a lot, make sudden movements.
- It is recommended to change the pad after each urination.
- It is categorically impossible to use tampons after childbirth before the onset of the first menstruation!
Correct discharge ensures normal recovery
The first week after giving birth is associated with the most discomfort for a woman. At the time of contraction of the uterus, blood and lochia are released. But you should not be afraid of this. Rather, you need to worry about not having them. This pathological condition is called a lochiometer. It is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen and often an increase in it, a feeling of fullness.
Important! Noticing that the pad remains absolutely clean in the first week, you need to urgently consult with a gynecologist.
The discharge accompanies the contraction of the uterus for 42-56 days. Their color gradually changes. Lochia by the end of this period is less abundant, similar to "daub" in the last days of menstruation, lighter and more transparent than those that were at the very beginning. And if a month after giving birth, a woman still “gushes out” with copious bloody discharge, which is accompanied by abdominal pain and cramps, this should not be left to chance. Surely, this condition is associated with pathology. Therefore, a visit to the doctor in this case is required.
The recovery process should be gradual. Every day the abdomen should decrease, the lochia should become less abundant, the pain should subside.
Important! If it is noticed that the process is going in the opposite direction (the abdomen is enlarged, additional pains appear, unpleasant sensations of bloating inside, foreign smells), you should not try to get rid of the symptoms on your own.
It can be an infectious disease that cannot be cured at home. Is it worth repeating that the later the patient goes to a medical facility, the more severe the consequences?
Just like too scanty lochia, too dangerous profuse discharge... Usually they are also accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen. These symptoms can be caused by a variety of infections, the onset of the inflammatory process, and increased physical exertion, stress, trauma. A woman should understand that her body is very vulnerable after childbirth. What passes completely unnoticed before pregnancy, without consequences, can now cause a serious illness. And not only herself, but also the most dear person for her - her child.
Symphysiopathy - what is it and how is it treated?
Speaking about what pain after childbirth a woman has to endure, one cannot but mention the pubic connection. It is the pubic bone that often begins to hurt in many even during pregnancy. And these painful sensations do not leave some even after childbirth.
The symphysis is the anterior connection of the pelvic bones. It is composed of cartilage and ligaments. During pregnancy, the pubic joint can withstand enormous stress. Sometimes the joint stretches very much. The process of childbirth itself contributes to this. Women with a narrow pelvis and a large fetus are especially susceptible to this. The symphysis ligaments are not very elastic, so the recovery process is extremely slow.
It is impossible to cure symphysiopathy. Recovery usually occurs over time. The doctor can only help to reduce symptoms, relieve severe pain syndromes. Sometimes symptoms of symphysiopathy appear after several years, for example, with increased physical exertion. Sometimes pain in the pubic joint occurs as a result of wearing shoes on high heels, awkward positions (for example, during yoga), injuries, cycling. It can be quite unpleasant, painful, but on general condition health is practically not reflected.
If a woman's pubic bone continues to hurt after childbirth, she is recommended:
- regular intake of drugs with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D;
- consumption of foods containing calcium and magnesium;
- daily sunbathing or walking in the open air;
- change in body position every half hour;
- decrease in physical activity;
- wearing special bandages (prenatal and postnatal);
- taking acupuncture courses;
- massage;
- electrophoresis;
For very severe pain, the doctor may prescribe inpatient treatment with medicines... Sometimes, in especially severe cases, surgical intervention is required.
Back pain
Very often, after the birth of a child, a woman is tormented by pain sensations that seem to be not directly related to the process of the appearance of a baby. Well, how to explain that now, when there is no fetus inside and the load has significantly decreased, the lower back continues to hurt? It turns out that this is not a pathology at all, but a natural process.
The stomach and back hurt after childbirth for a long period. This happens due to the fact that during pregnancy the abdominal muscles diverge, deform. These changes led to the formation of a "depression" in the lower back. Incorrect position of the body entailed pinching of the intervertebral nerves. Gradually, these symptoms will pass, but at first it is quite normal that a woman experiences some discomfort.
Since the spine ends with a tailbone, it can also bring suffering to a woman. Especially often they ask why the tailbone hurts, women who had a curvature of the spine even before pregnancy. Usually, during pregnancy, pain in this department, although felt, is perceived as something inevitable. And it goes without saying that after childbirth everything will go away by itself. However, the appearance of a child does not diminish the pain, but even increases it.
It can also be caused by stretching. pelvic muscles... A large fruit will provoke these symptoms. This situation is especially evident in women in labor with a narrow pelvis. Many complaints are received from those who were not physically prepared for these tests. Therefore, it is so important to do gymnastics and physical education long before deciding to become a mother.
Birth trauma is often a problem. As a result, they displace the vertebrae in the region of the sacro-lumbar spine and hip joints. And if we also take into account the change in hormonal levels, then it becomes clear why the joints hurt. During pregnancy, the cartilage becomes softer, more mobile, otherwise the woman would not be able to withstand such a load. After childbirth, a redistribution of the center of gravity occurs. All this cannot but affect the general condition of a woman. The organs will gradually take their places. But the process is long and, alas, far from painless.
Even internal organs often change their places during gestation, for example, the kidneys. They can go down or turn around. And after childbirth, dull pain in the lower back will be felt for a long time, which can be given below, for example, in the perineum and leg.
But it should be noted: overweight women and those who did little exercise suffer the most. physical fitness before pregnancy.
Why does my chest hurt?
After childbirth, lactation occurs - the formation of milk in the glands. And often women begin to suffer from unpleasant sensations associated with this process. An interesting fact is that chest pains can also occur in those women whose lactation is very weak. Yes, the baby does not have enough milk for nutrition, but it feels like the breast is just bursting!
In any case, a woman must determine the reason unpleasant symptoms... What exactly is causing the discomfort?
There may be several reasons:
- stagnation of milk in the glands (lactostasis);
- inflammation (mastitis);
- stretching of the skin and deformation of the pectoral muscles;
- cracked nipples.
Lactostasis
This pathology is observed in most women, especially primiparous. The causes of this pathology are:
- improper attachment of the baby;
- incomplete expression of milk residues from the breasts;
- tight bra;
- hypothermia;
- bruises;
- sleeping on the stomach;
- hyperlactation;
- narrow ducts;
- dehydration;
- lack of sleep in a woman;
- stress;
- overwork;
- abrupt cessation of infant feeding.
The symptoms of lactostasis are:
- severe tingling chest pain;
- temperature rise to 38 degrees and above;
- severe engorgement of the mammary glands, heaviness;
- redness of the nipples;
- the formation of seals.
Important! The temperature of a nursing woman should be measured not in the armpit, but in the elbow. Otherwise, it is guaranteed that the wrong result will be obtained due to the rush of milk.
Mastitis
Inflammation (mastitis) occurs against the background of lactostasis or due to the ingress of microbes (streptococci, staphylococci) into the cracks.
The symptoms of mastitis are:
- very high induration of the breast;
- purple skin tone;
- temperature above 38 degrees;
- severe pain in the chest area;
- distention in the mammary gland;
- pus is observed in the discharge of the nipples.
Important! It is better not to treat lactostasis and mastitis on your own, but at the first signs, consult a doctor. With timely and correct diagnosis, you can cope with these diseases with medication. When the processes are running, sometimes it is necessary to use surgical intervention.
Sprained skin and cracked nipples
These are simpler pathologies that can often be corrected at home. Usually their symptoms are not associated with elevated temperatureare of a local nature. But if the crack in the nipple, for example, is deep enough, and it is not possible to cope with it, contacting a specialist will be the best way out in this situation.
Usually, in the event of damage to the skin, it is recommended to lubricate the wound with greenery, hydrogen peroxide. Healing ointments help well. But here you should be careful: these should not be medicines that can harm the baby, getting into his mouth. And they should not taste bitter or have an unpleasant aftertaste.
Today the industry produces special latex pads that protect the nipples from damage during feeding. If the wounds are so painful that you cannot do without them, then this option is worth considering.
In order to avoid chest pains, a woman must understand that the most important thing during this period is healthy sleep, good food, walks in the air, calmness and good mood. Of course, proper pumping of milk residues, underwear that does not tighten or squeeze the breast are the basic rules of a nursing mother.
Important! Do not neglect bras at all. The swollen breasts become quite heavy. Without the support of the bodice, it will not only quickly lose its shape, which then cannot be restored, but also stretch marks, pains, diaper rash under the breasts will appear.
And every woman should begin to prepare her breasts for the appearance of a baby even during pregnancy. This is usually a nipple massage with a towel. The skin should be slightly hardened. But even here there is a rule: do no harm! You should act carefully so as not to injure the delicate epithelium, just massage, and not rip off the skin.
The body of a woman after childbirth goes through a recovery stage. This period, according to most doctors, is equal to the gestational age. Therefore, you need to be patient, calm, not nervous about trifles. But, at the same time, one cannot be carefree and imprudent. Only wise attention to your feelings, knowledge of the functional characteristics of the postpartum process, will help you stay healthy, beautiful and, in addition, become happy, raising a beloved and healthy child.
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Many women have lower abdominal pain after childbirth. If there is blood at the same time, many consider such symptoms to be the return of menstruation. However, cramping pains are not at all typical for menstruation.
How long can the lower abdomen hurt and pull? How to distinguish pathological pain after childbirth? Is it worth worrying if a month has passed since giving birth and your stomach still hurts?
Why can the lower abdomen hurt after childbirth?
The lower abdomen hurts a lot after giving birth for natural and pathological reasons... You can determine the nature of pain as a variant of the norm on your own, just know accompanying symptoms.
Unusual sensations may occur immediately after childbirth or after several months. If there are doubts about the cause of the ailment, it is better to consult a specialist and undergo a complete examination.
Physiological causes
With the birth of a child, a woman's body begins to release a large amount of oxytocin into the bloodstream. This hormone is responsible for the production of breast milk and the repair of the uterus.
The genital organ should return to its normal state in a couple of months. The uterus needs not only to restore its shape, size, but also to take its former place in the small pelvis. It is quite natural that this process causes unpleasant sensations - the uterine ligaments hurt.
Many people feel the contractions of the muscles of the uterus while breastfeeding. Oxytocin is actively produced when the nipples are stimulated, which is what happens when the baby is breastfeeding. Experts advise feeding the newborn with milk on demand, including for this reason. The more often a woman puts the baby to her breast, the faster the body will recover.
The strongest pain sensations are noted within several hours after childbirth, then the pain gradually subsides. In the first week, the pains can be so intense that they even frighten the woman in labor, since they resemble the experienced labor. Then the pain comes back periodically when the necessary hormone enters the bloodstream.
The neighboring organs, which have been under pressure from the uterus for several months, will also have to return to their previous state. This also applies to the bladder, due to overcrowding of which the lower abdomen sometimes aches and hurts. Doctors advise to empty it as often as possible immediately when you want to go to the toilet.
Those who have given birth by cesarean section will have to experience pain in the suture area for a long time. it abdominal surgerywhich requires long-term rehabilitation. A woman must follow all the recommendations of doctors and take good care of the seam. In the absence of complications, the pain will disappear in 2-3 months.
When parts of the placenta or other objects remain in the uterus, the doctor will prescribe special droppers for the woman in labor. With the help of medicines, the uterine cavity will be cleansed, but this does not always happen. Sometimes a woman needs to clean her uterus, a painful procedure performed under general anesthesia. After aspiration, the organ needs a recovery period, and the pain can be felt for a long time.
Pathological processes
The pathological causes of pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth include trauma to the pubic bone. This happens most often with petite women. The baby, leaving the mother's womb, injures the bone, but at the time of delivery, she will not feel it. The first symptoms will appear later, after 1-4 months. The woman feels discomfort and pain in the lower abdomen. In this case, the discomfort is localized not in the uterus, but in the bone. Pain syndrome often disappears without medical intervention.
Ruptures of the perineum, external genitals and cervix occur very often during vaginal delivery. Obstetricians practice a medical incision after which the tissues heal faster. Severe pains accompany the woman in labor for several days after the birth of the child. They are concentrated in the area of \u200b\u200binjury and go away on their own after a week.
Sometimes a stomach upset is mistaken for pain in the uterus. bowel disorders occur in young mothers often enough - effect experienced by stress, lack of sleep and constant fatigue. It happens that a nursing woman in caring for a child does not even have time to eat. Unsurprisingly, her stomach begins to ache. Adequate nutrition and attention to your diet will help relieve unpleasant symptoms. If the pain syndrome persists, you need to visit a doctor and find out its cause.
When pains in the lower abdomen are accompanied by hyperthermia, unnatural leucorrhoea, bleeding, there is every reason to suspect inflammatory process... It occurs due to infection with an infection during surgery or cleaning, leaving biological material in the organ cavity. In this case, the uterus does not recover as expected.
Most often, a woman giving birth is diagnosed with "postpartum endometritis". It can develop after natural childbirth, and after cesarean section. Foreign particles cannot leave the uterus on their own, and the woman will need medical help. This disease is very dangerous, as it can be complicated by peritonitis, which is sometimes fatal. The therapy is carried out in a hospital under the constant supervision of doctors.
During childbirth, a woman can injure her vertebrae or pinch a nerve. The symptoms characteristic of osteochondrosis will be felt for a long time. The main pain is concentrated in the back and lower back, but also radiates to the lower abdomen. A neurologist should deal with the treatment of pathology.
The nature of pain and accompanying symptoms, depending on the causes of its occurrence
Drawing pains, more like contractions, appear:
- with natural contraction of the uterus;
- after organ aspiration (to remove particles remaining after childbirth);
- when leaving the biomaterial in the uterine cavity.
Endometritis is characterized by:
- increased body temperature, incl. to very high values;
- symptoms of body intoxication (weakness, drowsiness, chills, vomiting);
- brown discharge mixed with pus;
- purulent odor of discharge.
Peritonitis as a complication of endometritis is manifested by severe abdominal pain and an increase in body temperature to critical levels (over 39-40 ° C). If you constantly sore lower abdomen, especially from the side, can be suspected inflammation of other parts of the genitourinary system.
In violation of the gastrointestinal tract the woman feels the pain of spastic character, not only in the abdomen, but also in other departments. You may experience diarrhea, nausea, heartburn, constipation, or flatulence.
Pain sensations localized in the genitals and aggravated by urination indicate a violation of the integrity of the tissue. With the defeat of the pubic bone, the pain increases when a woman spreads her legs to the sides or climbs stairs.
When is it worthwhile to see a doctor immediately?
It is important to see a doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:
- pain does not go away for a long time (1.5-2 months);
- intensity pain syndrome intensifies, it is constantly present;
- body temperature rises;
- there are signs of body intoxication (chills, headache, severe weakness);
- opened uterine bleeding;
- the pain is similar to labor pains, and after painful attacks thick discharge appears;
- prolonged constipation;
- you can't raise your feet while lying on the bed;
- gait became unnatural, reminiscent of a duck.
Any suspicious symptoms should be reported to the attending physician. After the examination, only a specialist will be able to answer exactly why there was pain in the lower abdomen.
Call ambulance needed when opening bleeding, very high temperature body and severe abdominal pain. The woman will definitely be admitted to the hospital for high-quality and timely therapy.
Treatment of pathological conditions causing pain
Treatment depends on the severity of the patient's condition and the diagnosis. Many medications are contraindicated for lactating women, as they pass into breast milk. The attending physician should be advised that the child is breastfed.
Peritonitis is treated only with surgery. It is impossible to hesitate, since inflammation threatens a woman's life.
The remains of the placenta must be removed from the uterine cavity, the procedure is carried out under anesthesia. After surgery, a course of antibiotics (Gentamicin, Amoxicillin) and drugs that provoke active uterine contractions (Oxytocin) are prescribed.
Damage to the bone during childbirth, if it does not go away on its own, requires treatment by a traumatologist. He will prescribe pain relievers, usually Paracetamol, as it is approved for breastfeeding mothers. To fix the joint, you need to wear a bandage and, if possible, limit its mobility.
Osteochondrosis and displacement of the vertebrae require observation by a neurologist, who will develop a treatment regimen depending on the situation. Usually, acupuncture, massage, exercise therapy and physiotherapy are prescribed. Wearing a special bandage will relieve the injured spine and recover faster.
Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are treated symptomatically. To eliminate the penetration of drugs into breast milk, you can try to eliminate the disorder naturally. With constipation, you need to eat as much fiber (fruits, vegetables), cereals, dairy products.
With heartburn, you should refuse fatty, fried, smoked and canned foods. It is important to eat in small portions, while adhering to a diet. If this does not help, you can drink Smecta. It is safe for the baby and is often used in pediatrics to treat diarrhea, nausea, and bloating. The drug also removes toxins from the body in case of poisoning.
- not tolerate if desired go to the toilet - inhibition leads to constipation and discomfort in the bladder;
- urination should be done while standing, thus bladder completely free;
- timely change pads, avoid long use (in the early days after birth - no more than 2 hours);
- wash at least 4 times a day until spotting observed (see also.);
- regularly treat postpartum seams with brilliant green;
- apply the baby to the breast on demand;
- do not chill the mammary glands;
- regularly visit a gynecologist after childbirth, take the necessary tests and follow the doctor's recommendations.
Also, during pregnancy, it is necessary to prevent ruptures:
- do gynecological massage;
- perform daily gymnastics to prepare the muscles of the perineum for childbirth.
Kegel exercises will help you not only to prepare for delivery, but also to restore the uterus after it. This is a very effective complex, the effectiveness of which is confirmed by both doctors and patients.
After the birth of the baby, the mother should active image life, move a lot, walk with the baby. Exercise stress will help the uterus to return to normal faster - it will contract more intensively.
If symptoms of inflammation appear, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner treatment is started, the more likely to avoid serious complications down to infertility or death.
Postpartum contractions
During the first week after giving birth, you may experience postpartum contractions or uterine contractions. Their intensity is different for different women. They can be stronger if this is not your first baby, because the uterus has more work to do to restore its previous size and shape.
Now that your baby is with you, significant discomfort seems unfair. Do not despair. Remember, postpartum contractions are essential to your recovery. Contractions will be more intense during feeding. Oxytocin, the hormone responsible for milk secretion, also stimulates uterine contractions.
The process of returning the uterus to its original state is called involution. Around the sixth week postpartum period this process will be close to completion. Postnatal reduction can occur at any time during involution, but usually at a lower intensity than in the first days after birth. The uterus, which simultaneously contained your baby, placenta, and amniotic fluid, returns to about the size of your fist.
If the after-pains are bothersome or painful, gently massage the lower abdomen. You will be able to feel your uterus. In the postpartum period, it is easy to distinguish: it is dense and about the size of a grapefruit. Try lying on a firm pillow with your stomach to press the uterus against other organs. Another method that women involuntarily use in response to postpartum contractions is as follows: sit in a chair and, leaning forward, press the uterus with your palm. Gently massaging the abdomen helps even better.
During contractions, you can also use breathing exercises, a relaxation technique that was used during childbirth. But the most the best way - lie on your back and put the baby on your belly. Its weight and lively warmth relieve pain and sharpness of contractions in the best way. As the uterus does most work during feeding, then in the same position you can breastfeed the baby using a pillow placed under the hand with which you support the baby's head.
Postpartum discharge
After giving birth, you will have vaginal discharge, called lochia. Initially, it will be exhausting, like the menstrual flow of blood, mucus and uterine tissue. At first, it is usually very red and may contain small blood clots. Within a few days, up to a maximum of two weeks, the discharge turns pink, then brown and finally yellow-white or pure white. Within six to eight weeks, the lochia should completely stop.
To prevent excessive discharge, do not stay on your feet as much as possible for the first five days after giving birth. But best prevention bleeding is your baby. When you breastfeed your baby, oxytocin is released, which causes the uterus to contract. Blood vessels in the place where the placenta has separated from the uterus, they are clamped, reducing bleeding.
Heavy uterine bleeding is a serious complication, but fortunately it is quite rare. If on the second day after giving birth, two large pads get wet in half an hour, or a clot the size of a lemon has come out, or clots the size of a cherry are constantly coming out, call your doctor... Also call it if the selection turns red again after being brown. A discoloration may indicate damage to your uterus at the site of the placental rejection. Such damage most often occurs as a result of overvoltage. This means that you are doing too much - stop! Your doctor should determine the cause of the lochia changes. These changes sometimes indicate an infection in the uterus, which requires immediate special measures to protect the woman's health.
For the first weeks after giving birth, do not use tampons. They irritate the healing tissues of the vagina and can harbor germs and therefore cause infection. Sanitary towels need to be changed frequently. Try not to use branded gaskets. It is best to sew soft, washable cotton pads (or just use clean rags, cotton wool, gauze pads). These washable, reusable pads "breathe better", reduce the risk of infection, are more comfortable, environmentally friendly and economical than branded ones.
Don't do intravaginal douching! When washing with clean warm water, open the outer labia, rinse the entire area around vagina but not inside... Do this often. Warm water reduces pain from healing cracks, tears and stitches, so you can rinse the genital area and perineum right while urinating, as urine irritates wounds and can cause sharp pain ("tweak").
Do not forget that you need to wipe off after a bowel movement from front to back, and not vice versa.
Care of seams
If you have had stitches, ask what material was used for the stitching. If it is silk, then the sutures are usually removed on the 4th day after delivery. If it is an absorbable material, then the stitches do not need to be removed, they will gradually dissolve inside the soft tissues, and the outer threads will simply fall off, so do not be surprised if after a week or two your vaginal thread will "fall out".
Any external (perineal, not vaginal) stitches require maintenance. In addition to keeping the seam clean, often leave the crotch area open so that the seams do not get wet, but dry out. For better healing tissues use homeopathic arnica ointment (on a petroleum jelly basis) or solcoseryl: first jelly, and after 2-3 days ointment. They are applied to a sterile gauze pad and applied to the perineum. The same can be done to heal small cracks or small tears that do not require suturing. A napkin with ointment is changed as it gets wet and after a bowel movement, but at least twice a day (morning and evening). In the maternity hospital, the seams are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or iodinol.
In the first week after episiotomy or sutured external perineal laceration, it is not recommended to sit so as not to stretch the perineum. It is better to sit down slightly on one side, on the thigh or on one buttock. For small gaps, these conditions are not required.
An excerpt from the book A. Akina, D. Streltsova “Nine months and all life. Birth of the New Millennium ”. - 2nd ed., Rev. and add. - M.: Genesis, 2009 .-- 637 p. (Series "Happiness as a way of life")
About the book:
This book is about conscious conception, healthy pregnancy, natural birth and conscious parenting. The book examines the issues of preparation for the birth of a child as a great mystery, to carry out family members and their relatives. The authors approach such a complex problem in a balanced way, inviting parents-to-be to determine for themselves where and how their child will be born. Two approaches to childbirth are considered - soft, physiological natural and clinical. Great attention is paid to breastfeeding child.
According to the authors, how a person is born depends largely on his future life... A child born in love and joy in a family that has consciously made its choice will be able to stay in harmony with itself and the world and prevent its destruction.
In the publication you will find stories about childbirth and other problems of parents. The book will be interesting to the widest circle of readers and will not leave anyone indifferent.
The body of a woman in labor in the postnatal period does not stop working: multiple hormonal changes are underway, lactation occurs, and the uterus itself continues to contract. The complete thing does not happen in one month. But, when it hurts after childbirth, is it worth worrying? What is considered the norm, and when do you need to urgently call an ambulance?
The first month or two after giving birth, the woman in labor is in a difficult emotional and physical state. The birth has taken place, but the processes of the body's regeneration continue. This is a natural and natural period, which is just worth going through. However, some situations raise frank fears. In particular, when there is cramping or aching pain in the uterus after childbirth, is this considered a normal postpartum process? What symptoms should alert you, and when is it really worth worrying about your health?
Uterine shortening of the postpartum period is a must, and even more so, a necessary phenomenon that should not cause concern for a woman in labor. Thanks to such contractions, it frees its cavity from the remnants of blood clots, the placenta, and the sensation of spasm is associated with the contraction of the muscles of the organ, which, after release, should again return to its previous shape and size. But, to say that such contractions are very painful, it is impossible. Strong pain in the abdomen, back, inner sides hips should cause concern in the woman in labor. After all, such a manifestation of painful symptoms may indicate the presence or formation of complications.
Interesting!
Less pain after childbirth (uterine contraction) is felt by women in labor who gave birth naturally without the use of additional anesthetics. Women in labor who gave birth by cesarean section are prone to stronger contractions after the birth of the baby, especially in the first 5 days.
The main causes of pain
To find out, is it normal that it hurts the uterus after childbirth, it is necessary to clarify the reasons for which such a feeling may arise.
Uterus hurts: natural causes
Contractions after childbirth do not have such a strong localization as during labor. Nevertheless, such sensations are noticeable and quite tangible. However, a woman should not worry about this. On the contrary, the absence of contractions immediately after the birth of the baby should cause alertness. This can lead to serious complications and stimulation of contractions with medication.
The more and more to put the newborn baby to the breast - the faster will be able to cut the uterus, the better for new mothers.
Natural causes of uterine pain after childbirth that are not of concern include:
- Oxytocin reaction. The uterus contracts as soon as the baby and birthplace (placenta) are removed. This becomes possible only if the right amount oxytocin, which is produced female body... Mild but bearable pain can be observed clearly in the first 5-7 days. These are currently cuts that even maternity can be seen: the compression of the uterus occurs when feeding, the stomach is literally vibrating.
- Wound surface. The uterine cavity is a solid muscle, which immediately after childbirth is literally open wound... When contracted, such a muscle, like any wound, hurts, this is normal.
- Intestinal. After pregnancy, the stomach, liver, pancreas again "learn" to work in the same rhythm, returning to the same place. Therefore, manifestations such as colic, stomach cramps, nausea, fermentation often occur.
- Contractions of the neck. The cervix opens up to 10 cm so that the uterus can pass the baby's head at the moment of pushing. After pushing out (especially if you do not push correctly), tears may appear in the part where the child passed. After childbirth, the obstetrician examines all organs, if necessary, sutures. Of course, for the first 5 days (before discharge), the uterus will ache and ache. After this period, there is a decrease in pain.
Contraction of the uterus after childbirth and dangerous symptoms
Lower abdominal pain in the first few weeks after delivery should cause alertness if, along with these symptoms, the following signs appear:
- an increase in temperature (as a rule, an increase occurs instantly, and it is virtually impossible to bring down the temperature);
- purulent discharge or blood with the smell of rotten fish, purulent odor;
- there is no reaction to light (the pupils do not narrow);
- the abdomen on palpation is hard, painful, tight (possibly hot to the touch);
- vomiting, nausea, headache;
- contractions of the uterus acquire an increasingly painful spasmodic effect;
- swelling of the breast, painful to the touch of the nipple.
All of the above symptoms are life-threatening for a woman in labor. For example, endometritis symptoms develop in just a few hours. As a rule, there may be such problems with the presence and development of infection, which after childbirth are deadly diseases.
The increased mortality of women in labor who decide to give birth at home is associated with the development of peritonitis. 80% of diagnosed complications of home birth are fatal
What to do
If the cause of a serious illness is an infection, remnants of the placenta in the uterus, blood clots, then only an early hospitalization will help preserve the health and life of the woman in labor.
If the disease after childbirth is not identified, and doctors after childbirth associate a painful condition in the lower abdomen with natural contraction processes, then you can only relieve the pain using simple methods:
- cold compresses immediately after childbirth down the abdomen (nurses bring);
- lie on your stomach (especially the first few days after childbirth);
- do not take hot showers;
- carry out constant rubbing of the external genital organs;
- make breathing exercises during the period of pulsation;
- do not lift a load heavier than the weight of a child;
- do not endure out of need, urinate regularly;
- do the exercises .
It is important to remember that the most noticeable painful manifestations occur during the first days when the baby is attached to the breast. After an intensive contraction, the pain will go away, and mommy will not respond to the constant internal contractions of the organ, which continues to contract for another 2 months.
Very often, after childbirth, a woman is faced with the problem of pain in the lower abdomen.
There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. Some of them are physiological in nature, some are associated with certain pathological conditions. Let's take a closer look at them and try to understand why the stomach hurts after childbirth, how it hurts and how long these pains can last.
Causes of abdominal pain after childbirth
Pain in the lower abdomen of a cramping character is associated with the fact that after childbirth the uterus still continues to contract, and this is a completely natural process. Doctors perceive complaints of this kind of pain positively. This is because after the birth process, a large amount of oxytocin, a hormone responsible for uterine contractions, is released into the blood. This hormone regulates labor pains.
These pains continue until the uterus returns to its previous state. After all, from the size of a large ball, it should decrease to the size of a cam.
These pains can get worse when a woman starts breastfeeding her baby, because during this physiological process, an increased production of oxytocin also occurs, which leads to an activation of uterine contractions.
Typically, such pain in the lower abdomen persists after delivery for 4-7 days. Special exercises can be done to reduce painful sensations. If after childbirth the stomach hurts very badly, then you should definitely consult with your doctor about the appointment of pain relievers.
The lower abdomen after childbirth hurts and after the operation. This is also a variant of the norm. After all, after every surgical intervention painful sensations persist at the incision site for some time. In such a situation, a woman needs to monitor the condition of the seam and observe hygiene. After a certain time, the pain will stop.
It also pulls the lower abdomen after curettage, which is done if, after childbirth, the remnants of the placenta are found in a woman. After that, the woman feels pain in the lower abdomen for quite a long time.
If a woman had tears during childbirth, the stitches may hurt. Moreover, the pain from the perineum can go to the lower abdomen. In such a situation, there is also no cause for concern, since such pains disappear as the sutures heal.
Another reason for abdominal pain of a physiological nature is that after childbirth you have to re-establish the process of urination. At first, this is accompanied by a sore pain and burning sensation, but then everything returns to normal and the pain goes away.
All of the above causes of abdominal pain after childbirth are natural, and it does not make sense to worry about them.
Pathological abdominal pain after childbirth
But it also happens that abdominal pains can be caused by certain pathological changes in the body, which are worth paying special attention to.
These changes include - inflammation of the endometrium - the layer lining the uterus. It can occur after childbirth by caesarean section, when pathogens enter the uterus. With endometritis, abdominal pain is accompanied by fever, bloody or purulent discharge.
Sometimes the cause of pain can be exacerbation gastrointestinal diseases... In this case, you need to try to adjust the diet. You should eat a little, but quite often, and drink more fluids.
Very often, after giving birth, a woman loses her appetite. Eating as needed and constipation as a result can also provoke abdominal pain. Therefore, the nutrition of a woman who has given birth to a child should be complete, regular and balanced.
When symptoms occur pathological conditions it is very important to consult a doctor in a timely manner in order to prevent complications of diseases.
