Your partner’s body has gone through something as similar to a cataclysm. She may not be her normal herself for a while (1 month at most). What she is looking for most is comfort and peace, so get ready for your closet to get mugged of all the hoodies, sweatpants and baggy shirts.
Head & Face:
Mood swings are back and this time they may be worse. PPMS (Postpartum mood swings) is accompanied by hormones+pain (uterine contractions+breast pain)+responsibility of a baby.
Baby blues are common with around 80% of the women experiencing them. What you need to worry about is postpartum depression which affects more than 10 million women in India every year. One of the most common signs of postpartum depression is when your partner doesn’t feel bonded with the child. If she at any point shares this feeling with you, it’s best to take her to the therapist as soon as possible.
Her face might have acne and her hair will start to fall out. She might experience occasional dizziness and loss of appetite. Make sure that she is having her macros (Protein, Calcium, Iron and Folic acid). Plan small meals throughout the day if having too much makes her nauseated.
Her eyes might be more red than usual. This is due to the broken capillaries that happened due to painful contractions and pushing.
There is excessive sweating and she will experience both hot and cold flashes at the same time.
Breasts:
Breast pain, soreness, engorgement and cracked nipples are very common and will go away probably in a week or so. Your partner is already prepared for all this. If not, ask her if she needs anything. Your knowledge of all these things might decrease yelling from mood swings a little bit.
Uterine cramps:
These cramps can be very painful especially for the first week or so. They are same as menstrual cramps. Breastfeeding releases hormone called oxytocin which is responsible for the uterus to shrink back to its original size. These contractions are really important for the body’s recovery after childbirth.
Hand numbness and Hand tingling:
This is very common during the postpartum period and is not a source of discomfort on minor levels. Increasing the intake of foods containing Vitamin B6 like bananas, salmon, potatoes, hazelnut, spinach etc. will reduce or eliminate this completely.
Wear properly fit maternity bra/nursing bra. Ask your partner to do some comfort lingerie shopping. This will take off the pressure from her rib cage and breastbone which, in turn, will relieve the pressure on the median nerve, the one responsible for the tingling.
Vagina:
There will be heavy bleeding(LOCHIA), especially for the first 1-2 weeks. This bleeding is nothing as that of menstrual flow. The amount of blood coming out will be massive but that’s okay. The body gains 50% extra blood than required during pregnancy. And lochia helps relieve all the swelling and haemorrhage risks from the body. Make sure that your partner has high absorbent maternity pads in her hospital bag and at home too.
The lochia will slow down in a week but don’t let your partner put any physical strain on her body. Help her in any way possible and don’t let her exhaust herself. If she puts any discomfort on her body physically the lochia will worsen and make her weak. This will slow down the recovery process and can cause several other medical issues. Lochia will change the colour from red to pink to white. It lasts for around a month but will slow down in a week. At the end just wearing panty liners will do.
Her vaginal area might not look or feel the same for at least 3 weeks. The time duration could be more depending on the degree of tear she had during delivery. There might be a little swelling down there because of lochia that can lead to discomfort. This is completely normal. Vaginal blisters can also occur and in this case you need to take her immediately to the doctor. The doctor would diagnose it depending on the area and severity of the blister.
Urinary incontinence (peeing without knowing) is also very common especially right after delivery. It will go away soon but if your partner experience symptoms such as peeing a little bit while coughing, laughing or sneezing, ask her to do kegel exercises.
Haemorrhoids are also something unavoidable but then again the intensity matters. Her first poop will be very painful and there is nothing you can do about it. Be there for her especially for 48 hours after delivery. And by that, we mean the FULL time.
Haemorrhoids can last for about 3-4 days. This can make going to the washroom very uncomfortable. The doctor would have already prescribed a topical lotion for them. You can also use witch hazel pads which are safe to use not only during postpartum but also during pregnancy. Cool them in the freezer before your partner uses it. It will provide more comfort that way.
Constipation can be an issue at this time. So you have to make sure that there is more fibre rich food in the house like lady finger, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, flax seeds, berries, whole grains (wheat, barley, bajra) etc. Consuming them will get back the digestion on track soon.
Aching legs and swollen feet:
Your partner will experience a lot of pain in her legs and feet. The swelling of feet from pregnancy will take almost a week to go away.
It’s a matter of concern only if it continues beyond a week.
In the first week this can cause major discomfort but here are some things which you could do to help her.
- Make sure her legs are raised at all times ( at an elevation above the hips). Even if you are sitting on a dining table for a meal put another chair in front of her so she can rest her legs on that. This will cause the blood flow due to gravity to stabilise.
- A foot massage with movements from the foot to the knee can be very helpful. Use warm oils such as coconut oil, olive oil etc. Don’t go for those special aromatherapy massage oils.
- Reduce the intake of salt or any other processed food since these can cause water retention and hence exacerbate swelling.
- Soak her feet in warm water with cypress, lavender and chamomile salt in it.
- Reduce caffeine as it constricts blood vessels. This will decrease the blood flow and can lead to slow recovery.
- Try doing compresses with cabbage leaves. Wipe(and not WASH) the leaves before putting them in the fridge. Cabbage leaves compress are also a good home remedy for breast engorgement and soreness.
- Book a professional foot reflexology near your house. It will really ease the pain and discomfort. Foot reflexology massages are also great for pregnancy feet swelling.
These are the major list of problems which almost every new mother goes through. But, as they say, love and support can heal almost anything and everything in no time. Now is the perfect moment to have those movie dates and dinner dates while snuggling in bed. Don’t worry your newborn will be sleeping for around 16-18 hours of the day. So, go ahead. It’s CUDDLE TIME.