Weight Loss and Passing Out After Having a Baby

Your body after baby: The first 6 weeks

KEY POINTS

• Your body changes a lot after you give birth. Some changes are physical and others are emotional.

• Learn about common postpartum discomforts and what do to about them. If you're worried about a discomfort, call your health care provider.

• Talk to your provider before you take any medicine to treat a discomfort. If you're breastfeeding, some medicines aren't safe for your baby.

• Go to all of your postpartum checkups, even if you're feeling fine. Some health conditions after pregnancy need medical care.

Many things are happening in your body right after you have a baby. During pregnancy, your body changed a lot. It worked hard to keep your baby safe and healthy. Now that your baby is here, your body is changing again. Some of these changes are physical, like your breasts getting full of milk. Others are emotional, like feeling extra stress.

Many discomforts and body changes after giving birth are normal. But sometimes they're signs or symptoms of a health problem that needs treatment. Go to all of your postpartum checkups, even if you're feeling fine. These are medical checkups you get after having a baby to make sure you're recovering well from labor and birth. At your checkups, your health care provider can help spot and treat health conditions. Postpartum care is important because new moms are at risk of serious and sometimes life-threatening health complications in the days and weeks after giving birth.

The perineum is the area between your vagina and rectum. It stretches and may tear during labor and vaginal birth. It's often sore after giving birth, and it may be more sore if you have an episiotomy. This is a cut made at the opening of the vagina to help let your baby out.

What you can do:

Use sanitary pads until the discharge stops.

• If your breasts are leaking between feedings, wear nursing pads in your bra so your clothes don't get wet.
• Tell your provider if your breasts stay swollen and are painful.
• If you're not planning to breastfeed, wear a firm, supportive bra (like a sports bra).

Hemorrhoids are painful, swollen veins in and around the anus that may hurt or bleed. Hemorrhoids are common during and after pregnancy.

What you can do:

What you can do for incontinence: Do Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles.

Your hair may have seemed thicker and fuller during pregnancy. This is because high hormone levels in your body made you lose less hair during pregnancy. After your baby is born, your hair may thin out. You may even lose hair. Hair loss usually stops within 6 months after you give birth. Your hair should regain its normal fullness within a year.

What you can do:

What can you do about feeling stressed and overwhelmed?

Your baby didn't come with a set of instructions. You may feel overwhelmed trying to take care of her. Taking care of a baby is a lot to think about.

What you can do:

• Tell your partner how you feel. Let your partner help take care of the baby.
• Ask your friends and family for help. Tell them exactly what they can do for you, like going grocery shopping or making meals.
• Find a support group of new moms. A support group is a group of people who have the same kinds of concerns. They meet together to try to help each other. Ask your provider to help you find a support group of new moms near where you live. Or look for a support group online.
• Eat healthy foods and do something active every day.
• Don't smoke, drink alcohol or use harmful drugs. All of these things are bad for you and can make it hard for you to handle stress.

What are the baby blues and postpartum depression?

Baby blues (also called postpartum blues) are feelings of sadness a woman may have in the first few days after having a baby. Baby blues can happen 2 to 3 days after you have your baby and can last up to 2 weeks. They usually go away on their own, and you don't need any treatment.

Postpartum depression (also called PPD) is a kind of depression that some women get after having a baby. It's strong feelings of sadness, anxiety (worry) and tiredness that last for a long time after giving birth. These feelings can make it hard for you to take care of yourself and your baby. PPD is a medical condition that needs treatment to get better. It's the most common complication for women who have just had a baby.

What you can do about the baby blues:

• Get as much sleep as you can.
• Don't drink alcohol, use street drugs or use harmful drugs. All of these can affect your mood and make you feel worse. And they can make it hard for you to take care of your baby.
• Ask for help from your partner, family and friends. Tell them exactly what they can do for you.
• Take time for yourself. Ask someone you trust to watch your baby so you can get out of the house.
• Connect with other new moms. Ask your provider to help you find a support group of new moms.
• If you have sad feelings that last longer than 2 weeks, tell your health care provider.

What you can do about postpartum depression:

• If you think you have PPD, tell your provider.
• Learn about risk factors for PPD and signs and symptoms of PPD.
• Ask your provider about treatment for PPD.
• If you're worried about hurting yourself or your baby, call emergency services (911) right away.

How can you handle going back to work or school?

It may be hard for you to leave your baby with a caregiver all day, even if it's a family member or a close friend. It also may be hard to find a caregiver you trust. You and your partner may disagree about what type of child care is best for your baby. You may be upset that you can't stay home with your baby all the time.

What you can do:

• Talk to your partner about child care. Figure out how much you can spend and what kind of care you want. For example, you can have a caregiver come to your home to take care of your baby. Or you can take your baby to a child care center.
• Ask friends and family about child care they use. Maybe you can use the same person or service.
• If you're using a child care center, ask for names and phone numbers of people who use the center. Call to ask how they feel about the center's care.
• Ask your boss if you can ease back into work. Maybe you can work a few hours a day at first, or just a few days a week.

How can you and your partner get used to being new parents?

Both you and your partner are getting used to having a baby around. Your partner may be just as stressed and nervous about being a parent as you are. Rely on each other to figure things out.

What you can do:

• Learn about taking care of your baby together. Read baby-care books and go to baby-care classes.
• Let your partner help with the baby. Don't try to do everything yourself.
• Talk to each other. Talking about your feelings can help keep you from feeling hurt and frustrated.
• Make time for just the two of you. Go for a walk or out to dinner. Ask someone you trust to take care of the baby for an hour or two.
• Tell your partner what your provider says about how long to wait to have sex again. Ask your provider to talk to your partner, if you think that's helpful.

Last reviewed: July, 2018

See also:Your postpartum checkups, Warning signs and symptoms of health problems after giving birth, Pregnancy-related death, maternal death and maternal mortality, Postpartum depression, Baby blues after pregnancy, Keeping breast milk safe and healthy, Birth control, How long should you wait before getting pregnant again

Weight Loss and Passing Out After Having a Baby

Source: https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/your-body-after-baby-the-first-6-weeks.aspx

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