WHAT NEXT AFTER PREGNANCY.

Child birth brings great joy, but it can be hard on your body too. Doing simple exercises and maintaining proper posture can help your body cope with the changes.

During pregnancy, the following changes occur;

• Abdominal muscles stretch. This is to accommodate the demands and needs of the fetus.
• Your limbs (hands and legs) swell due to increased fluids and reduced muscle strength for pumping.
• Back muscles tighten to compensate on the posture adapted during pregnancy and counter the weight.
• Pelvic muscles weaken and stretch.
• Ligament laxity occurs.

These are just few of the changes that take place.

After delivery, women can experience;

• Back, neck, shoulder, pelvic and joint pain.
• Urine incontinence- inability to control or hold urine till you reach the washroom.
• Reduced pressures in sexual life.
• Inability to control gas among others.
• Foot drop

This conditions can be worsened by our daily activities.

The following can help you cope with the changes;

How should you breastfeed?

• Always breastfeed while seated upright.
• Ensure your back is supported, commonly by the back of the seat.
• Hold the baby with the head resting on your elbow and the child’s gluteus on your hand.
• Support the baby with the pillow on your laps so the baby is in same level with your breast.
• Ensure the nipple and the black part is in the mouth of the child.
• Ensure you don’t cover the baby’s nostrils
• All this time ensure you’re seated upright.

Other health habits post pregnancy include;

• Avoid lifting heavy objects for the first 6 weeks. The heaviest you should carry is your child.
• Don’t carry your child on your hip, since it leads you to adapting unhealthy posture thus hurting your back.
• Do household chores at waist level, this includes washing utensils and laundry.
• If your feet are swollen, walk around as much as you can, during sleeping or sitting, use a pillow to support your feet to a level slightly higher than your heart.
• To prevent pelvic floor dysfunctions, do Kegel exercises;
  • While seated, standing or lying down, assume you’re preventing gas or urine from passing.
  • Squeeze the muscles all around the front and back passage.
  • Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat 8-10 times.
  • Repeat the exercise as much as you can.
  • This is done by both mother whether CS or “normal” delivery.
• If you underwent CS, always support the wound during coughing and defecation. Fold a piece of cloth, place it above the incision, can be done on top of your dress or shirt, apply moderate pressure, slightly bend forward and cough.
• During defecation repeat the same. This reduces the increase in abdominal pressure which can potential reopen the incision site.
• After a week, start doing abdominal exercise. This is to strengthen abdominal muscles and restore your posture.
• Seek medical attention if you;
  • feel pain when passing urine
  • your feel the gap in your abdomen is wide in the midline

For maternal weight loss and other weight loss, contact us.