Postpartum Essentials – Recovering After Birth

Young woman in her apartment post adoption

Delivering a baby is not easy, and neither is your recovery after the birth. Childbirth is an experience that can be difficult both physically and emotionally, regardless of whether you had a C-section or gave birth vaginally. No matter what your delivery looked like, your body has been through trauma. It is going to need time to recover.

Your body has just done one of the most amazing things it will ever do: grow another human being. To ease your recovery after birth, we have put together some postpartum essentials that you’ll find below. These are guidelines, but it is important to check with your doctor or medical professional if you are experiencing anything that concerns you.

Feelings of grief and loss can be a big part of the adoption experience. After giving birth and placing your baby with their adoptive family, you will probably feel a combination of emotions. Some of these emotions may include grief at not being able to raise your baby and joy knowing that they will grow up with the loving parents that you picked.

Counseling Options

Lifetime Adoption has an amazing network of support for our birth mothers, including counseling, referrals, and peer support. You can even learn from women who placed a child for adoption just like you. Take time to seek out the help and support you need today by calling or texting Lifetime at 1-800-923-6784.

Never hesitate to call your doctor for advice. If you feel something is wrong emotionally or physically, reach out for help. Trust your instincts.

Postpartum Essentials To Help With These Issues

Issue:

Engorged Breasts

Solution:

Apply ice packs or cold compresses to your breasts.
Take acetaminophen.

When to call a doctor:
Watch for signs of infections such as redness, red streaks, fever, pain, swelling, or hardness.

Issue:

Pain from Episiotomy

Solution:

Avoid sitting for long periods of time, and when you do sit, try sitting on a rubber ring.
Apply ice packs or warm compresses.
Take a warm sitz bath.
Keep the area clean and dap with sterile gauze soaked in witch hazel.
When urinating, squirt water on the area to prevent stinging.

When to call a doctor:
Call doctor if incision feels swollen, not, or produces pus like fluid.

Issue:

Pain from C-Section

Solution:

Take the pain medication recommended by your doctor.
If about to cough or sneeze, hold something soft, like a pillow, against your incision area.

When to call a doctor:
Any sign of infection should alert you to call your doctor. This would include fever, redness around the incision, or discharge from the incision area.

Issue:

Constipation

Solution:

Drink a lot of fluids such as water and juice.
Eat a lot of high-fiber foods like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
Ask your doctor about taking a stool softener.

When to call a doctor:
If you are in severe pain, you should call your doctor immediately.

Issue:

Afterpains

Solution:

Warm compresses or a heating pad often help with afterpains.
Lie on a pillow on your stomach.

When to call a doctor:
If you still have pain after a week that over-the-counter pain medication does not help, call your doctor.

Issue:

Hemorrhoids

Solution:

Avoid constipation so you don’t strain during bowel movements.
Take a warm sitz bath and try warm or cool compresses.
Wipe the area with witch hazel compresses.
Don’t sit or stand for too long.

When to call a doctor:
If you start to bleed or have no improvement after a few days, let your doctor know.

Issue:

Emotional Pain

Solution:

Call your adoption coordinator and request counseling.
Share your feelings with friends or family that are understanding and supportive.
Eat healthy and do what exercise you can.

When to call a doctor:
If you are not feeling any better in two to three weeks, let your doctor know as you could also be suffering from postpartum depression.

If you have any questions, please contact us and we will get you the help you need.

Accreditation

Lifetime Adoption, Inc. is a Licensed Child Placing Agency in both Florida and Arkansas. (License FL #100096562 & AR #00050809)

We are a Safe Haven Approved Agency.

Accreditation

Lifetime Adoption, Inc. is a Licensed Child Placing Agency in both Florida and Arkansas. (License FL#100084254 AR#00050809)

Lifetime Adoption, Inc. BBB Business Review