Post-delivery, every mother looks forward to meeting the soul she carried in her womb for nine months. Many women opt for a caesarean section, willingly or unwillingly. It is a procedure that requires time to recover. The following tips might help in a quick recovery.
Plenty of rest
Caesarean section, being a major surgery, requires hospitalisation for 2 to 4 days, which might extend if complications arise. It takes almost 6 to 8 weeks for the wound to heal completely.
Take it easy, as the popular saying goes, “Sleep when the baby sleeps,” i.e., follow the baby’s sleeping routine.
Always ask for help, whether changing the baby’s diapers or doing household chores. Rest whenever possible.
Pay special attention to your body.
Special care is required for the body to heal faster.
Do not climb stairs or sit on the floor. Any kind of pressure on the abdominal muscles should be avoided.
Frequently used items such as diapers, food, and snacks should be kept within reach.
Avoid lifting things heavier than the baby and ask for help whenever required.
Hold a pillow over the belly to avoid pressure while sneezing or coughing.
It can take up to 8 weeks to return to one’s usual routine. A doctor’s consultation is a must for all activities such as exercising, driving, or starting work.
Walking is recommended for the body to heal faster and for the prevention of constipation and blood clots.
Avoid physical contact as well as the use of tampons and douches.
Relieve pain
Only a doctor’s prescribed pain medications are to be taken, especially while breastfeeding.
A hot bag may be used to relieve discomfort, while special care and hygiene must be maintained.
Postpartum bleeding should be monitored. If it continues beyond 6 weeks, consult the doctor.
Good Nutrition
The mother should drink lots of water while breastfeeding to promote milk supply and avoid constipation. This reduces pressure on the abdomen and the chances of injury. Additionally, a variety of fruits and vegetables are to be consumed for the body’s recovery.
Postpartum check-ups are a must
Visit the doctor regularly for post-delivery check-ups. These help in the diagnosis of physical and mental health, energy level, chronic diseases, and other pregnancy-related complications like hypertension, diabetes, etc.
Time to call a doctor.
Some degree of pain, bleeding, or discharge at the incision site is usual within 6 weeks of a caesarean section.
The doctor should be consulted immediately if the following symptoms occur, as these could point to an impending infection:
Redness, swelling, pus discharge, or pain at the incision site.
Temperatures above 100.4°F (38°C)
Foul-smelling discharge of or heavy bleeding from the vagina
Redness, swelling, or pain in the leg.
Difficulty breathing or chest pain.
Also consult the doctor if the new mother feels sad, depressed, or feels like hurting the baby or herself.
Dear MoMsters don’t compare your own recovery with others’, as it varies with every individual and their body.
Focus on your self-healing by giving your body the time it needs to recover.
According to Unicef, approximately 67,385 babies are born in India each year, accounting for one-sixth of all child births worldwide. The journey from being pregnant to giving birth is different for every individual, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
There are a number of studies on how prenatal emotional anxiety and stress can affect the foetus development as well as the later stages of a child’s behavioural growth. And yes, most individuals may go through this tough phase in life. “Pregnancy is not only about the physical changes in your body; it’s also about the emotional phase.”
Effects of stress
Severe stress is bad during pregnancy. Stress is common during pregnancy, as a pregnant woman experiences a lot of changes. Cortisol is the hormone that is normally released in response to stress, which is high in the morning and low in the evening. It is found that the placenta acts as a barrier to cortisol.
A sudden increase in progesterone and estrogen levels is seen in pregnant women. The changes in hormone levels will lead to mood swings. High levels of stress may cause health issues like high blood pressure, increase the chances of a premature baby, and lower the body weight of the baby.
The babies’ brains may be shaped by the levels of stress experienced by the women during pregnancy.
A research article suggests that when stress hormone levels increase, women are less likely to conceive and more likely to miscarry.
The common causes of stress during pregnancy
Hormonal mood swings, morning sickness, tiredness, complications during conception, some health issues prior to conception, overthinking the delivery, postpartum, the people around you, if you work, then handling most of the things, pressure, and so on can all cause stress.
Treatment
Pregnant women should try to stay calm as much as possible. Be positive. Always keep in your mind as “YES I CAN HANDLE”. Discuss your feelings with others; the best person is your husband to open up yourself. If not, talk to people with whom you feel comfortable.
Yoga and meditation: Yes, meditation is not only good for you; even the foetus in the womb can have positive effects.
The best stress relievers are books: Read the books; both you and the kid will benefit.
Stop smoking and drinking: It not only adds to your stress, but it also has a long-term impact on your child’s development.
Have a healthy diet: lots of fruits, veggies, and dry fruits.
Focus on being happy: If something bothers you, simply go for a walk. The view of nature can actually calm you down.
Visit the gynaecologist on a regular basis to learn about the foetus’s growth.
Listen to the good, calming music: There are a number of musical styles that actually feel better.
Don’t think about the negative incidents that occurred. The past will be the past. Focus on the future, baby.
Relax, take a lot of rest, and practice breathing exercises.
The physical exercises (under guidance) are good.
“Dear MoMsters incorporate our tips and stay healthy.”
To encourage us, kindly share your views in the comments section below.
Hello dear MoMsters, is your baby now 8 months old? Then it is important to maintain the growth and development of the body tissues, organs, and metabolic system for proper functioning right from infancy. Provide a healthy diet such as cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruits.
At this stage, slowly increase other feeds and decrease the frequency of breastfeeding. Per day, the calorie intake of your baby would be 750–900 kcal. About 400 to 500 calories should come from the mother’s breast milk.
Few points to be taken care of while feeding semi-solid food.
Use stainless steel or silver cup for feeding; do not use any plastic product.
Make sure that your baby’s feeding utensils are clean and sterilized with hot water, because your baby’s immune system is still weak and the baby is vulnerable to infection, hence maintain hygiene.
Prefer homemade foods over buying packaged or ready-made foods available in the market, because homemade is the safest and the healthiest.
While feeding avoids giving gadgets like mobile or other radiation-emitting substances, which is not good for the baby’s overall development.
All about food tips:
You should introduce one new food at a time for your baby, and wait for a minimum of 2 to 3 days before starting another item. This will also help you to understand any food item that is causing allergy/indigestion in your baby.
Everything should be made in a form of paste.
You can start adding ghee to foods in small quantities.
Non-veg should be given only after 11 months.
Don’t let her eat alone. Encourage eating with family members. Do not distract her while she’s eating by showing her toys etc., she should concentrate on her food.
Avoid biscuits, sugar, salt, honey, and cow milk till 1 year.
Do not mix 2 fruits or 2 veggies.
After feeding food, give warm water; do not give water from feeding bottles. Use a small cup or glass.
How do you know that your baby has an allergy to a particular food?
If a food doesn’t suit your baby, your baby may show the following symptoms:
Diarrhea
Runny nose
Rashes
Constipation
Vomiting
Colic (stomach pain)
If any of the above symptoms are seen, stop using that food and consult your child’s doctor.
At the age of 8 months, your baby will let you know that he or she is ready for finger foods. (What are finger foods? Any pieces of food that the baby can pick up quickly and eat by themselves are called finger foods.) Finger foods encourage the baby to self-feed, and they understand different textures while touching the food! But supervise the baby when they eat finger food, to avoid the risk of choking! Hence, you should include finger foods such as soft-cooked carrots, peeled apples, papaya pieces, bananas, and boiled potatoes.
And don’t force the baby to eat finger food, as each baby is unique and adopts eating habits at its own pace. Just keep trying your best to encourage his or her eating habits.
Quantity of food:
Fruit or veg puree – 1/2 cup.
Cereals – 1/2 cup.
It’s always better to be guided with your baby’s hunger, as appetite varies from day to day
“Dear MoMsters these are just guidelines that might give you an idea about introducing solid food, when & what to feed. And these are hourly routines, check the appetite of your baby and feed accordingly.
If the baby doesn’t like food, wait for a few weeks before introducing it again. Don’t force your baby to complete the entire cup.
Go through our tips, Stay healthy and Stay Happy.!!
The baby should only be fed breast milk for the first six months since breast milk contains an adequate amount of water. Breast milk has a water content of over 80%. Start nursing the infant even while they are having hiccups, and then properly burp the child for at least 8 to 10 minutes. (A baby under six months old should never be given water to relieve hiccups.)
Now let’s talk about the why?
Up to the age of six months, a baby’s kidneys cannot handle water. In general, water can disrupt a baby’s electrolyte balance for infants less than 6 months, which can ultimately result in seizures. A baby who becomes intoxicated by water runs the risk of having serious health consequences and having their growth and development stunted. Consequently, six months is the recommended age for introducing water to a newborn (at that time, you should still only offer your baby a little bit of water). But as your child gets older, his or her kidneys develop. It might also be unhealthy to add too much water to baby formula. Always stick to breast milk or correctly prepared infant formula to prevent these issues. Visit www.caringmomster.in for more pregnancy and parenting advice.
