Most expectant mothers would agree on the importance of receiving prenatal care. It allows trained professionals to monitor your pregnancy and ensure both your health and that of your growing baby. But many women fail to realize that postpartum care is just as important as prenatal care when it comes to your health.
What is Postpartum Care?
The postpartum period is described as the first 6 weeks or so after giving birth. This period can be especially difficult, as the body adjusts to all the hormonal changes that occur after birth, while still recovering from delivery. Postpartum care services encompass all the medical attention new mothers need during this period of recovery and may include both physical checks and emotional support.
This care is essential to uncovering any potential postpartum complications early on before they can become more serious issues.
What Does Postpartum Care Entail?
A significant aspect of postpartum care is addressing the medical needs of new mothers after delivery. Health care professionals will perform a physical exam, monitor incisions to ensure they are healing and do not become infected, and check for any other signs of post-delivery complications, like excessive bleeding.
Your postpartum care provider will also be able to address any mental health or emotional concerns you may be having. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to get answers to any postpartum or motherhood-related questions you may have.
External Care
External postpartum care focuses on changes to your body after giving birth. Here you will be able to address any issues you may be having with breastfeeding, like sore nipples or engorgement, which in some cases can lead to an infection known as mastitis. Postpartum care clinic practitioners will also monitor C-section incisions to make sure they are healing well.
Internal Care
Internal postpartum care helps to manage elements of your recovery that are not visible from the outside but are equally as important. For some women, this may include things like fatigue, body aches, cramping, and constipation. Your postpartum care clinic can offer techniques to manage these symptoms or provide referrals for issues that need further care.
Mental Health
A mother’s mental health is one of the most overlooked aspects of postpartum care. Hormone levels continue to fluctuate for weeks after giving birth, and these changes can have an impact on your mental and emotional health. Each year thousands of women admit to having feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, stress, baby blues, or postpartum depression. These feelings are normal, and for most women, they are only temporary. However, identifying symptoms and seeking out the appropriate care are very important to managing these conditions.
Aside from managing symptoms and monitoring recovery, postpartum care has been shown to help mothers recover faster after giving birth, allowing them to resume normal activities quicker than if they had not received care. Postpartum care is also an important information resource that can help connect mothers with other care providers for help with issues like breastfeeding or infant sleep.