Many pregnant women feel that after giving birth they can finally forget about worries and relax a little. In fact, with the birth of a baby, the most exciting and responsible stage in life begins - motherhood. How will the first days after childbirth be? How to behave immediately after natural birth? When can you get up? How long will you have to wait until the baby is delivered? What else happens in the maternity hospital in the first hours after natural birth or caesarean section?

How are the first hours after the birth of a child?

Immediately after giving birth, the young mother remains in maternity ward. If the delivery process went well, without complications, then the woman will be transferred to the postpartum ward within a couple of hours. During this period of time, the doctor will examine and interview the mother, and the medical staff will observe her condition. In some clinics, in agreement with the patient, they place an IV with medications that stimulate uterine contractions.

Possible ailments in the mother in the first days after childbirth

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Despite the fact that childbirth is a completely natural process, a woman’s body is subjected to severe stress. Fatigue, dizziness, general weakness, nervous tension often accompany the first days of motherhood and are not considered deviations from the norm. The first day after giving birth, a young mother should devote to rest and caring for the newborn (we recommend reading:). Immediately after the baby is born, the following may appear:

1. pain, numbness at the suture sites (especially after cesarean section);
2. fatigue;
3. muscle pain;
4. slight increase in body temperature;
5. thirst and hunger;
6. chills.

How long before you can get up?

The process of childbirth takes a lot of energy from a woman, and it is quite natural that she wants to give her overstrained muscles a rest. However, you should not lie around the clock without getting up - motor activity promotes normal contraction of the uterus.

Of course, you can’t do exercises or actively engage in sports, but walking along the corridor and visiting the toilet and bathroom on your own is possible and necessary.

How long should you lie down? After an uncomplicated natural birth, a woman is allowed to get up after 6 hours. If the young mother feels well, the doctor will allow her to “walk” to the toilet herself even before this period expires, but for now you cannot visit the toilet room alone - you may suddenly feel dizzy and require emergency help.

If a caesarean section was performed, the woman will have to stay in the delivery room (or in the ward intensive care) for at least 24 hours after birth. A doctor will monitor the condition of the young mother during this period, and the medical staff will antibacterial therapy, blood loss is corrected, and if necessary, intestinal function is stimulated.

When do they bring the baby?

Almost every mother is worried about how soon she will have a baby. It all depends on the condition of the woman and baby, as well as on the policy of the maternity hospital. In some medical institutions children are put to the breast after natural birth, then the medical staff weighs, measures and dresses the newborns, and if the condition of mother and child is satisfactory, then from that moment they are in the postpartum ward together.

Some medical institutions allow mothers to rest for several hours after giving birth. During this period of time, the infants are monitored by a neonatologist, they receive the first vaccination (if the mother has given consent to vaccination). If a caesarean section was performed in the maternity hospital, the waiting time will depend on a number of factors:

1. after elective surgery under local anesthesia the baby is brought and can be left with the mother immediately after birth;
2. If surgery was carried out under general anesthesia, mother and baby will see each other only when the anesthesia wears off (that is, no earlier than 3 hours);
3. after an emergency caesarean section performed at night, the mother will be able to rest before meeting the newborn until the morning.

After the young mother was transferred to postpartum ward, she can already take a shower (for now only accompanied by nurse). For genital hygiene, using soap on the first day is not recommended - it is better to rinse warm water. Washing from front to back should also be done after each visit to the toilet.

Due to abundant postpartum discharge change special gaskets or disposable mesh panties will be necessary very often in the first days. In some medical institutions, the doctor may recommend using a diaper rather than a pad - this will make it easier for him to assess the amount of discharge and notice deviations from the norm in time.

Being in " interesting position", a woman gets used to eating what she wants. Having become a mother, she must carefully monitor her diet, because... not everything that an adult likes will be useful for a baby (following a diet is important only for those who plan to breastfeed). It is recommended to include the following products in the menu from the first days:

• soup with low-fat broth or borscht (it is not recommended to eat cabbage from borscht);
• boiled low fat beef;
• pasta made from premium or 1st grade flour;
• mashed potatoes;
• rye crackers;
• vegetables – stewed or steamed;
• fruit drink;
• mineral water without gas;
• dried fruit compote;
• warm tea with the addition of large quantity Sahara.

Over time, mom will be able to make her menu more varied. The main thing is to introduce new foods gradually, in small portions, in order to have time to monitor the baby’s reaction. In general, the diet of a nursing mother should comply with the principles healthy eating– light, fractional, without hot spices and seasonings, no allergens, smoked foods or canned food, and, of course, a complete refusal of alcohol.

Breastfeeding and child care

If the condition of the mother and baby allows, then the newborn is put to the breast immediately after birth. The mother does not have milk yet, but the baby will have enough colostrum in the first hours of life - it contains all the necessary nutrients and vitamins. In addition, early latching helps to establish lactation faster.

A newborn should be put to the breast upon immediate request. It is important to remember that a healthy baby will only cry if he is hungry. If a child constantly cries and refuses to breastfeed, you need to urgently show him to a neonatologist - perhaps something hurts him. The nurse will tell you in detail how to feed the baby correctly and what hygiene rules to follow.

Possible complications after childbirth in the first days

On the first day after delivery medical staff carefully monitors the condition of the postpartum woman in order to identify and stop it in time possible complications. The doctor will often enter the postpartum room and examine and interview new mothers. When the following signs You need to urgently consult a doctor:

1. too much copious discharge– if the pad fills faster than 1 hour on the first day after delivery, or many clots appear, this is already considered a complication;
2. appearance hemorrhoids– if they greatly bother the postpartum woman, she will be prescribed rectal suppositories containing an anesthetic;
3. rashes on the face or redness of the eyes - usually this is not a cause for concern; rashes and spots on the skin appear with strong efforts, when they burst small capillaries(everything should go away on its own within 2 weeks);
4. cracks in the nipples - if the nipples begin to hurt, the skin may be too dry, and a painful crack will soon form; this can be avoided by properly placing the newborn to the breast and using special creams to treat the nipples;
5. impaired urination - if a woman was unable to urinate on her own within 5-6 hours after giving birth, she should definitely consult a doctor;
6. pain in the perineal area - pain occurs even if there were no cuts or tears, but if stitches were applied, then the doctor will give recommendations for care and pain relief;
7. pulling or cramping pain in the lower abdomen indicates that the uterus is contracting, these sensations may intensify during feeding, and if the pain is very severe, you should talk to your doctor about it.

The first weeks and months after childbirth are a difficult time. Mother and child continue to be one, while adapting to each other in new conditions. The woman focuses her energy on the baby, forgetting about herself.

But it is important for a young mother to continue to take care of her health by paying special attention on the course of recovery processes reproductive system. They're coming first menstruation after childbirth. This indicates the return of fertility. But after what time they should begin and what their nature is - it’s better to know about this in advance, so as not to give yourself an additional reason to worry.

• When will your period start after childbirth? Restoration of the MC.
• Menstruation or bleeding: when to sound the alarm?
• Delayed menstruation, cycle irregularity.

When does your period start after childbirth? Fertility restoration

The restoration of menstruation is preceded by changes in physiology and functioning hormonal system. To represent when does your period start after childbirth, you need to understand what happens to the fertile system after the birth of a child, what processes take place in the body.

After expulsion of the placenta, the uterus is an organ with a large wound surface area.

The body’s “efforts” are aimed at healing the wound and eliminating the consequences birth injuries. The first period after childbirth will not come soon - at first reproductive organs should return to their previous size, and hormonal background– restore to the “pre-pregnancy” level. There is a regression.

The uterus undergoes a process of involution - in other words, reverse development. In the first 12 days, the fundus of the uterus gradually descends. Then about 6-8 weeks go by reducing its size and weight loss. The internal and external pharynx closes: the first returns to normal after 10 days, the second after 3 weeks.

While the uterus contracts, the woman secretes lochia. This spotting, but they have nothing to do with menstruation: the uterus is simply cleansed, “throwing out” along with the blood the consequences of the ended pregnancy. Lochia can last up to 6 weeks.

Their character changes like this:

• the first 4 days - blood or discharge mixed with bright blood;
• 5-8 days – bloody brown discharge;
• After about a week, the lochia lighten and become much sparser.

The hypertrophy of muscle tissue acquired during 9 months of pregnancy disappears and the wound heals. During breastfeeding, the hormone prolactin is intensively produced, the content of which in the body of a nursing woman is much higher than in a woman in a “normal” state.

When answering the question of how long after childbirth menstruation begins, it is necessary to take into account many factors:

• how difficult the birth was;
• whether the woman has diseases of the pelvic organs (which could worsen after pregnancy);
• whether the mother practices natural feeding.

The timing of when your period comes after childbirth is different for everyone. The average norm can be considered 6-8 weeks, provided that the woman is not breastfeeding. It can happen like this: as soon as the process of releasing lochia is over, menstruation immediately begins - a week or two after their disappearance.

When lochia occurs, the formation of follicles may already begin. Childbirth has just passed - and the body is already preparing a new “pillow” for pregnancy next child. The endometrial layer grows and becomes lush. Therefore, you can get pregnant during this period. At the same time, the body has not yet recovered from the previous pregnancy. What to do during this period to prevent unexpected payments? new pregnancy? The answer is: you should either not start sex life, or carefully protect yourself.

Diseases, such as chronic adnexitis, contributing to various hormonal imbalances, interfere with normal. This explains the delay in menstruation after childbirth long period if the woman is not breastfeeding.

Having your period a month after giving birth is also possible. But it is very likely that this will happen; the egg does not have time to mature and leave the follicle. Only 4 weeks have passed since the birth. And yet, a woman should protect herself if she has already begun sexual activity: nature is sometimes unpredictable. The situation when menstruation began a month after giving birth is, in principle, a variant of the norm for non-breastfeeding women. But you need to observe the nature and abundance of the discharge in order to be able to distinguish it from bleeding.

Previously, women did not worry about the possibility of another pregnancy as long as they continued to breastfeed. Indeed, feeding served quite reliable contraception. Today, it is not uncommon for fertility to be restored even before the child is weaned.

• early use of complementary foods;
• breastfeeding less than once every 3 hours;
• breaks at night (6 hours or more).

Under such conditions, milk production decreases, which means the level of prolactin decreases, ovulation is not suppressed - therefore, you need to wait for your period.

How long does your period last after childbirth?

2 or 3 months have passed after giving birth, you for some reason decided not to feed the baby anymore (or more than six months passed strictly on breastfeeding, and then you introduced complementary foods) - your period should begin soon. They usually do not come suddenly - they are preceded by unpleasant sensations, a pulling in the stomach, as usual. A couple of days before they are supposed to start, you may have a headache. These often return to women who knew them before pregnancy.

But sometimes character menstrual flow changes - they can be:

• painless;
• scanty or, on the contrary, very abundant;
• with clots.

All this should not be alarming if they continue to go on for no more than 7-8 days, do not require changing pads more often than once every 2.5 - 3 hours, and do not bother you with severe pain. If you want to know how long your periods last after childbirth, remember how they usually proceeded for you; there shouldn’t be any sudden changes. Only the most can last a couple of days or, conversely, a little longer than usual. This is normal; by the next cycle, most likely, everything will “settle down.” Clots may indicate that the endometrium in the uterus is still recovering.

Absence of habitual pain – pleasant surprise- is explained by the fact that as a result birth process the uterus takes on a more physiological location.

Heavy periods after childbirth

In itself, heavy periods after childbirth should not be scary, but they can be confused with bleeding, which requires contacting a doctor. as soon as possible. Knowing how to distinguish between periods and bleeding after childbirth, you will not miss dangerous complications.

The main symptom is that bleeding often lasts for a long time, 10 days or more. The blood may be scarlet or brown. The temperature may rise and pain in the lower abdomen may occur. Sometimes this is how the remaining placenta comes out. Feeling of weakness, fatigue, tachycardia, loss vitality at bloody discharge- a reason to immediately call " Ambulance" There is no need to wait for such “periods” to end - this can be dangerous.

Menstruation while breastfeeding

By and large, it makes no difference how you gave birth. Fertility is restored after a natural birth and a cesarean section at about the same rate - maybe a little faster after a natural (uncomplicated!) birth.

But breastfeeding has a big impact. Menstruation after giving birth while breastfeeding can come a year later if you do not provide complementary foods and feed the baby strictly on demand. The hormone prolactin is to blame for the delay. Produced by the pituitary gland, this hormone is necessary for normal lactation. At the same time, it inhibits the development of the egg, making it more difficult to get pregnant during lactation. It is believed that if you breastfeed, the body is protected from the birth of a new life in it. But that's not true. In some cases reproductive function Women, contrary to this mechanism, become stronger, and menstruation begins. In practice, in 15% of cases, menstruation begins within 3-4 months, even with regular breastfeeding on demand.

Therefore, a woman should always be on her guard. And especially as soon as he stops putting the baby to the breast 8-12 times. The production of the hormone is reduced - and now the young mother is “combat ready” again.

Delayed menstruation after childbirth

You need to know the reasons why your periods do not come after childbirth in order to consult a doctor in time. If six months have passed, you are no longer breastfeeding or are just supplementing your baby’s feeding, but still no periods, and the test is negative, it is worth getting examined. Serious hormonal disorders, Sheehan syndrome is sometimes observed:

• absence of cyclic discharge;
• weakness;
• headaches;
• low blood pressure.

If , then possible reason amenorrhea becomes a decline in reproductive function. Increasingly, this happens to young women - then they are diagnosed with "". Menstruation does not return for a long time - a reason to worry.

At first, the cycle may be irregular: sometimes 21 days, sometimes 30. Restoring ovarian function may take several months. Sometimes my stomach hurts for a long time, like during menstruation, but it is delayed. The beginning of full functioning of the ovaries is an individual process.

What to do if you had your period and disappeared?

It happens that the first menstruation went well, but the second did not come at the “appointed” time. Reason: hormonal disorders, cycle failure. If your regular periods suddenly disappear, you should donate blood for the hormone prolactin. Its high level, which does not decrease after stopping breastfeeding, may indicate benign tumor– prolactinoma. High prolactin in combination with gives the effect of disappearance of menstruation. At the same time, weight gain and mastopathy may occur.

Menstruation does not always resume smoothly - this process may be disrupted. There is no need to wait if you haven’t had your period for a long time – a year or six months (if artificial feeding). Make an appointment with a gynecologist. Then violations will be detected and corrected in time.

It must be taken into account that the birth of a child independently and by caesarean section has some features in the influence on subsequent sexual life.

When is it possible?

All the hardships of childbirth are behind us, and now that mother and baby are already at home, it is necessary to establish a normal life in which an important place belongs not only to the child, but also to his parents.

If a woman had no problems during childbirth, medical recommendations for starting sexual activity are as follows: in 6-8 weeks After childbirth, you can begin to have a sexual life, provided that she has stopped.

Postpartum bleeding should be taken calmly. If you follow your doctor's recommendations for taking medications to restore your health, it will stop on its own.

If it stopped, and then sexual contact resumed again, this is a reason to visit a gynecologist.

We talked about a case when a woman gave birth on her own without any gaps and frequent procedure episiotomy (cutting the perineum). If you have had to endure unpleasant suturing procedures, you may have to wait until your sexual activity begins until it heals completely. Visit a doctor who, during the examination, will definitely tell you how things are going.

Very important is attention to one's own feelings. You, like no one else, feel best what is happening inside. Because if painful sensations Yes, it’s better to explain this to your loved one.

Women often worry and about dryness in the vagina, in which sexual life can turn into torture. The hormone estrogen, or rather its deficiency, is “responsible” for this state of affairs. Don't worry - its level will return to normal.

The way out of this situation is quite simple. There's quite a lot in stores now large selection of intimate lubricant gels, among which it is worth choosing a warming one. They are harmless, and their action will help you relax and enjoy communicating with your loved one.

Also an excellent action that stimulates additional production of natural lubrication is active petting. Ask a man to give you an erotic massage, do not disdain aphrodisiacs in the form of incense.

Pose for intimate life after childbirth they have some restrictions, which, however, you can set yourself. As some women indicate, after giving birth it is difficult for them to perform “acrobatic tricks”, so you can start with missionary position or man-from-behind poses. This minimizes the load on weakened abdominal and thigh muscles.

But be mindful of your feelings.: The pressure on different vaginal walls is different in different positions, and try to choose one that does not cause pain.

Sex life after caesarean section

A week after natural childbirth, many women are ready to move mountains, and those who survived a caesarean section are still walking, bent over and holding on to the wall.

Abdominal surgery, which is what it is, makes you think about anything, but not about sex. However, gynecologists also exhibit abstinence period is approximately 6-8 weeks. During this period, the bleeding should completely stop and the stitch should heal.

There are some nuances with the onset of sexual activity after childbirth, as reported by women who have undergone surgery.

In principle, they are familiar with all the same problems - dryness, muscle flaccidity, pain “like the first time”. But because of the incision in the peritoneum and uterine area, it is more difficult for them to find a comfortable position for making love.

In some ways, they were lucky that the vagina did not suffer stretching during childbirth, but even women who gave birth themselves do not confirm the myth that birth canal expanded to immense proportions.

But cesarean does not leave injuries on the walls of the tract, which significantly reduces the period of abstinence. Also useful for training and contracting the vaginal muscles.

Regarding poses: for such women, it is best to recommend those where the man actively moves without putting pressure on the stomach. But the position when the woman is on top will be initially unpleasant due to the need to move the lower back and hips. This can cause the seam area to become very sore.

There is another delicate problem that women face after surgical delivery: orgasm is too painful. If any remain, It's better to wait a little with intimate life so as not to cause bleeding.

Let's talk about contraception methods

Not all couples dream of similar children, and this fear often prevents a woman who has recently given birth from being sexually active. It is worth saying that there is a wide variety of contraceptives suitable even for nursing mothers.

As a rule, most common method– barrier. On the one hand, it’s safer to use a condom, but on the other hand, many men and women complain of discomfort after using it. You may also be surprised to discover that they appeared precisely after childbirth.

Don't worry, they exist now hormonal drugs, applicable even during the lactation period. Your doctor will definitely tell you which ones are right for you and how to work out a schedule for taking them. Feel free to use them, overcome the fear that it won’t “work.”

It is also possible to install a spiral, but many doctors indicate that this is only possible after five months after birth. You should not wait this long if you want to resume sexual activity after childbirth as soon as possible.

But You shouldn’t believe the well-known myth that breastfeeding prevents pregnancy, as well as trust and traditional methods interrupted sexual intercourse.

As he says medical practice, a woman is able to conceive within a month after giving birth. Yes, the hormone prolactin, produced during constant and frequent feeding, prevents pregnancy for some time, but as soon as its level drops even a little (they began to feed less often, supplementary feeding was introduced), its effect stops.

Women who feel the best when it comes to choosing contraception various reasons introduced artificial nutrition for children. They may well choose hormonal contraceptives, applicable for any woman.

Psychological aspects

Even if you are physiologically completely ready to resume your intimate life, your fears and self-doubt may still prevent you from enjoying it. In this regard, the help and support of your loved one is very important.

As a rule, women cite their own unattractiveness as the first reason for refusing sex. Sagging belly, shapeless breasts, overweight- all this does not contribute to the desire to show your husband without clothes.

Don't panic, this will go away, you just have to take care of yourself a little, actively involving his father in caring for the child. Then you will have time to go to fitness, get a mask or pedicure.

Also, many people note that they simply do not want to have sex after childbirth. In this case, we can advise you to try to put yourself in a romantic mood: make time for a date with your husband, watch romance films, or something more frank. Over time, the desire will return to you.

As you can see, restoration of sexual activity after childbirth requires some effort and time, but it will definitely lead to the fact that you will again enjoy communication with your loved one.

Hello, dear mothers! Today we will talk about how long it takes to recover after a second birth. Is it happening faster or slower than the first time? Will you experience the same sensations or not? Will it hurt more or less?

General and specific

It is possible to more or less recover after a second birth in 2-3 months, but this is with a natural birth that took place without serious complications. If there was a cesarean section, the process will take longer - up to six months or even more.

The main problem is that no one will give you an accurate forecast: will your body and body return to normal faster or slower. I came across a bunch of examples where the first time it took a girl a month, and the second – seven. And, on the contrary, after the first birth, the recovery process was painful and long, and after the second, mommy didn’t even have time to blink an eye.

Therefore, remember the main rule - do not set yourself up for clear deadlines, and do not try to accurately predict: in a couple of months I will be like a cucumber. Don’t answer the question “How long will I have to wait?” in advance to avoid disappointment later.

By the way, you can find out how long it will take for your figure to recover in my separate section.

What is involution?

You've probably come across this beautiful word– involution. Biologists and doctors call it the process of returning to its previous state. It concerns both the body as a whole and individual organs.

It is involution that starts after the birth of the baby, that is, all the organs and systems that were rebuilt for 9 months to carry, give birth and feed the child must now return to their previous state and begin to work as usual.

Reverse restructuring

It’s difficult to even say what exactly in our body is not affected by the pregnancy process. It seems that everything has changed - from the figure and skin to internal sensations and perception of the world. How will a typical involution proceed, and what organs and systems will be included in it first?

Breathing and lungs

You definitely noticed how easy it became to breathe. This is connected not only with psychological state happiness, but also with the fact that the huge uterus is no longer trying to push the lungs out of the chest. Gradually they “straighten out” and take their rightful place, and along with this shortness of breath and heaviness go away.

Circulatory system

The amount of blood your heart had to pump through your vessels during pregnancy decreases after your baby is born. Now circulatory system It is necessary to support the vital activity of only one organism, because the newborn baby has its own heart and its own blood vessels.

But blood volumes will not decrease overnight, so at first you may suffer from swelling and high blood pressure.

Nature has provided that in the first days after the birth of a child, blood clotting is as high as possible. But such a safety net is dangerous due to thrombus formation, especially during the second pregnancy, when the elasticity of blood vessels is slightly worse, and you are older.

Therefore, to prevent and because of the threat of increased risks of blood clots, doctors may recommend compression stockings. , I talked about stockings after childbirth, I recommend reading it.

Uterus and discharge

How quickly will the uterus contract? On average, this takes from 6 to 8 weeks (longer for cesarean). Immediately after the birth of the baby, the uterus looks like a ball weighing up to a kilogram. After 2 months, she should become “prenatal”: take on a pear-shaped shape and “lose weight” to 80 grams. Just imagine - from a kilogram to 80 grams!

Breastfeeding helps speed up the process of uterine contractions, during which oxytocin is released. The more it gets into the blood, the more often the uterus will contract.

At repeat pregnancy Postpartum contractions are more often felt, occurring around the 3rd day. Contractions after the second birth are usually stronger, as the uterus tries to recover faster, and with it the muscles and ligaments.

You can understand that the uterus has returned to normal by the cessation of discharge (doctors call them postpartum lochia - read more about them in a separate post).

Here's how they will change:

• the first few days - very heavy periods;
• then the severity of bleeding will begin to decrease;
• in a week - they will become light, but will contain remnants of blood clots and mucus.

Evaluate appearance and the amount of lochia is necessary, because deviations may indicate various pathologies:

• uterine bleeding;
• inflammation as a result of stagnation of secretions, including endometritis, in which the uterine mucosa becomes inflamed.

Menstruation

Recovery menstrual cycle depends on many factors - individual characteristics body and the regime of discharge before pregnancy, natural or artificial feeding.

Usually doctors say that menstruation returns:

• if a woman does not breastfeed – after 2 months;
• if the child is mixed-fed - after 6 months;
• with full attachment to the breast, the “pleasure” is delayed for a period of six months to 2 years.

If there is no menstruation within 2 months from the date of cessation of lactation, you need to go to an endocrinologist.

Genitals

The genitals and cervix are subject to significant deformation after childbirth. Kegel exercises will help speed up vaginal recovery and prevent the problem of urinary incontinence - you can do them before pregnancy, during it and after childbirth (read more about the Kegel system).

Unpleasant sensations dryness, itching and irritation in the genital area after the second birth sometimes drag on for a year. They are caused by the fact that the body produces less estrogen and progesterone after the birth of a child. These hormones are also suppressed by prolactin, which is produced in large quantities when breastfeeding.

On average, by 4 months the cervix will complete recovery, but it will never be the same as before childbirth:

• before pregnancy – round in the form of an inverted cone;
• after childbirth - slit-like and cylindrical.

Breast

You can only think about returning to your previous breast shape after stopping breastfeeding. The final form will not return until a month and a half after the last feeding.

Features of recovery after cesarean section

If the second birth took place using a cesarean section, then recovery is slower and additional features appear:

• uterine contractions are stimulated by injections;
• bleeding is more profuse and prolonged;
• restoration of the uterus takes at least 2 months;
• it is necessary to restore the disrupted functioning of the intestines, which are temporarily paralyzed (hence constipation);
• V abdominal cavity a so-called adhesion occurs.

I think that now you can estimate how long it will take to recover after the second birth. I say goodbye to you before new topic. Share your experience in the comments.

Carrying a child and his birth - important stage in the life of every woman. However, for a young mother’s body, the process of pregnancy and childbirth is a rather difficult, stressful period, after which it is difficult for a woman to return to her original shape.

The changes concern not only external characteristics(figure, breast shape), but also functioning internal organs and systems, primarily cardiovascular, reproductive, endocrine. Every young mother is concerned with questions: how to recover as quickly and fully as possible? How long does it take for the body to recover?

Recovery time

Since ancient times it was believed to come to normal condition, the body of a woman in labor requires about 40 days (this is what is connected with the belief that a woman who has undergone childbirth should not enter church for 40 days after the baby is born). In each specific case, the time of postpartum rehabilitation is purely individual; how long the recovery will last depends on various factors, such as:

Where to start rehabilitation?

In the first days and weeks after the baby is born, a woman feels tired and depressed. This is due to hormonal changes, fatigue after a difficult birth process and caring for a newborn child, and negative changes in figure. Against this background, many young mothers experience such a common phenomenon as postpartum depression. This condition is considered normal, because in a woman’s life there has been a qualitative new stage, the transition to which is accompanied by severe stress. At this time it is important to accept everything necessary measures to alleviate your condition.

First of all, it is important to realize that the birth of a child is a great joy, the most significant event in the life of any woman, and some difficulties that will arise from time to time will not be able to overshadow the joy of motherhood. In addition, a woman needs the support of family and friends, but if postpartum depression manifests itself intensely, you can seek advice from a psychologist.

It is important to understand that the process of recovery after childbirth is not immediate; it requires a lot of time and patience. First of all, you need to:

Restoration of the cardiovascular system

During the process of bearing a child, cardiovascular system undergoes significant changes. In particular, the volume of blood circulating in the body increases expectant mother. The normal volume is restored some time after the baby is born, however, this process does not occur immediately.

In addition, childbirth accompanied by heavy blood loss (especially if the birth of a child occurs through cesarean section) leads to an increase in blood clotting. This in turn increases the risk of blood clots, especially in small blood vessels legs Therefore, in the first time after childbirth, it is advisable for a woman to wear compression stockings.

Restoration of the reproductive system organs

Pregnancy and childbirth have a significant impact on the condition of the uterus, its cervix, and vagina. The menstrual cycle is disrupted.

Uterus

Recovery of the uterus occurs after 6-8 weeks. All this time, the woman experiences specific bloody discharge – lochia. This is fine. In the first 2-3 days after birth, lochia resembles heavy menstruation. Over time, the discharge becomes less intense, its color (discharge becomes lighter) and consistency changes (mucous discharge and blood clots appear). Important! If the birth took place using the cesarean section method, the period of uterine recovery and duration postpartum hemorrhage increases.

The recovery process is accompanied by contractions of the uterus, during which the woman may experience intense pain. This is also a normal condition. The uterus, contracting, returns to its normal state, its size and volume are restored. If immediately after birth the organ weighed about 1 kg, then after 1.5-2 months its weight is 60-80 g, the original pear-shaped shape returns (after the baby was born, the shape of the uterus was spherical). Contractions of the uterus are caused by the release of the hormone oxytocin into the blood, the production of which increases when the baby is applied to the breast. That is why during breastfeeding the process of restoration of the uterus occurs more intensively.

For many women, after childbirth, the uterine tone. This phenomenon can lead to very adverse consequences, such as uterine bleeding, stagnation of lochia with subsequent development inflammatory process, endometritis. The development of complications is accompanied by a change in the nature of postpartum discharge, its color, volume, and smell.

Cervix

This area of ​​the reproductive system takes the longest to recover. And even after expiration rehabilitation period time, the cervix will no longer return to its original shape (therefore, during gynecological examination the doctor can easily determine whether a woman has given birth or not). This is typical only for natural childbirth. So, if before pregnancy the opening of the cervix was round, after childbirth it takes on a slit-like shape. The cervix itself becomes like a cylinder (before childbirth it had a cone shape). The duration of the rehabilitation period for the cervix is ​​about 4 months; if there are complications during childbirth, this process can be extended.

Vagina

After pregnancy and childbirth, the tone of the vaginal muscles decreases (over time it increases, but will never be the same). How quickly will I recover after childbirth? To do this, it is recommended to regularly do Kegel exercises, which will not only lead to muscle tissue to a normal state, but will also allow you to avoid such unpleasant manifestations of hypotension, such as urinary incontinence, which is observed in many women in labor.

In addition, a woman experiences vaginal dryness, which occurs as a result of increased secretion of prolactin (a hormone breastfeeding, against the background of a decrease in the level of sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone). Over time, hormonal levels return to normal. This finally happens when breastfeeding ends.

Menstrual cycle

A signal that the process of postpartum rehabilitation is completed is the normalization of the menstrual cycle. Usually the cycle is restored after 7-8 months However, the appearance of normal periods may occur later. How long the cycle normalization process will take depends on the presence or absence of certain unfavorable factors, such as:

1. general weakness of the body;
2. pathological course of pregnancy and childbirth;
3. presence of diseases in chronic form currents;
4. poor nutrition;
5. physical and emotional fatigue;
6. age (the older the woman in labor, the longer the period required for her body to recover).

Figure restoration

During the entire pregnancy, a woman gains approximately 10-12 kg of weight, which includes the weight of the fetus, amniotic fluid and membranes, and the weight of the increased blood volume. Almost all of this weight goes away after the baby is born. However, dietary changes and decreased physical activity a pregnant woman is led to visible changes in her figure.

For more quick recovery it is recommended for a woman: