| You may be somewhat focused on what you | | | | Sweating |
| experienced during labor and delivery and less on | | | | Swollen, painful breasts (from breastfeeding) |
| your baby. This is perfectly normal. Its a monumental | | | | Overall fatigue |
| event in your life, and there is a transition period. | | | | Try to keep in mind that the aches, pains, and |
| Dont be afraid to share your feelings with others or | | | | fatigue of being a new mother will go away on their |
| write about your experience in a journal. | | | | own quickly. If, however, you feel that there may be |
| As you adapt to your role as a mother, you may | | | | a complication or problem, such as excessive |
| find yourself feeling stressed or anxious. You might | | | | bleeding, unexplained pain, or fever, dont hesitate to |
| question whether or not youll be a good mother, and | | | | call your doctor. |
| youre probably feeling a bit exhausted and | | | | It is also very important to take care of your |
| overwhelmed. Possibly, you even feel a little let down | | | | emotional wellbeing during this transition period. Many |
| or blue. If you understand whats happening to your | | | | new mothers are surprised by how drained, sad, or |
| body and emotions, youll be much more likely to face | | | | fragile they feel after giving birth. These feelings are |
| the challenging first few months of motherhood. | | | | normal, and it is frequently referred to as the baby |
| Taking good care of your physical health is vital right | | | | blues. It is estimated that about 7 in 10 women |
| now. Schedule time to eat meals, exercise (even if its | | | | develop some degree of the baby blues, and it is |
| just a walk around the block), and rest. Your body | | | | thought to be caused by both a drop in hormone |
| has worked hard through the pregnancy, labor, and | | | | levels and dealing with the stresses of taking care of |
| delivery, and it will take another 40 weeks or more | | | | a newborn. |
| for things to return to normal. | | | | While these feelings may be confusing or even scary, |
| Immediately after delivery, your uterus will begin | | | | they will fade quickly. When you are feeling down, |
| rapidly decreasing in size. Within several weeks, it will | | | | remind yourself that you have taken on a huge |
| have returned to normal size. As well, you can | | | | responsibility being a mother. Feeling sad, angry, or |
| expect to have vaginal bleeding, called lochia, for a | | | | anxious occasionally doesnt mean that you are a |
| couple of weeks while your uterus sheds its lining. If | | | | failure as a mother, and it doesnt mean that you are |
| you are not breastfeeding, you will probably have a | | | | mentally ill. What it does mean is that your body is |
| menstrual period within 6 to 8 weeks after giving | | | | adjusting to the changes that follow giving birth. |
| birth. If you are breastfeeding, it may be many | | | | For a small percentage of women, new motherhood |
| months before menstruation returns. | | | | brings feelings of despair, hopelessness, or severe |
| You can expect that you will be experiencing some | | | | anxiety. This is referred to as postpartum depression. |
| postpartum pains and discomforts for a few days | | | | Women who have mood disorders prior to |
| and possibly weeks, especially if you had a cesarean | | | | pregnancy or who have a family history of mood |
| birth or an episiotomy. Dont try to overexert | | | | disorders are more likely to develop this condition. If |
| yourself until you are feeling, for the most part, | | | | you are prone to depression, you may want to |
| pain-free. Other common complaints of women after | | | | discuss this with your doctor or midwife before the |
| giving birth include: | | | | baby arrives. There are many good treatments and |
| Constipation | | | | counselors who can help relieve postpartum |
| Urinary incontinence | | | | depression. |