After pregnancy, many new mothers are surprised to discover just how painful recovery can be during the first few weeks post-delivery. Coping with the pain of recovery can be especially difficult when a new mom is busy tending to the needs of her newborn baby. Here are the top five ways to handle post-delivery pain, how to reduce bloating and ensure a speedy recovery.
Get Plenty of Rest
During the first few days postpartum, many new moms feel an urge to jump right back into their normal routine. Unfortunately, doing too much too fast can lead to slower healing times and increases the possibility of injury. Therefore, it is important to remember that many household tasks can wait. It is important to try to sleep when the baby sleeps so the body has a chance to rest.
Delegate Chores
An inflow of well-meaning family and friends visiting the new baby can wear a mother out. Instead of spending time washing dishes and catching up on chores while their visitors sit, new moms can ask for some help with household chores. Many people are willing to help, but they are afraid to just start cleaning house. By asking for help, new moms can avoid creating more pain while performing their housekeeping duties.
Apply Ice and Heat
After delivering a baby, many women experience painful swelling and cramps throughout their body. Ice and cooling packs can be used to relieve swelling and pain caused by delivery. Additionally, abdominal cramping can continue for several weeks after delivery. Applying a heating pad to the lower stomach and back can help to ease the pain.
Visit a Chiropractor
During pregnancy, the increased pressure on the back and core muscles can throw a new mom’s back and shoulders out of alignment. This is one of the most common causes of lingering pain after delivery. Visiting a Fort Myers chiropractor can be effective for relieving the causes that contribute to back and shoulder pain during the first weeks after having a new baby. By taking care of every part of her body, a new mom can enjoy relief from pain while ensuring that she has the best chances of a full recovery after having a baby.
Follow the Doctor’s Orders
Post-delivery, a doctor will generally provide a list of activities that a new mother should avoid along with some prescriptions for handling the pain. New moms should pay attention to these guidelines and avoid activities, such as heavy lifting, until their recovery check-up. It is also important to follow the directions for pain medication to avoid having post-delivery pains that become unbearable.
