Healing Body after Vaginal Delivery
Image from hubpages.com
It is a truly incredible process when the body of a “just-delivered” woman comes back to its normal pre-pregnant state. The body reverses all the changes which took place in the last nine months with a matter of weeks. Here are some of those changes:
Postpartum “rainfall”
Take 7-9 pounds of the baby, add a pound of blood and amniotic fluids and add another 2 pounds of the placenta. Now subtract this from the weight of a pregnant woman, and you get the weight of a postpartum body. About 12 pounds is lost at the time of delivery itself. And some more is lost through sweating and urinating frequently because, during the pregnancy, the cells in your body had retained a lot of water, which is not needed after ‘two’ become ‘one’ again.
Changes in the uterus
The uterus grows to around 25 times in size in the last stage of pregnancy, as compared to the pre-pregnancy size. It tries to come back to its original size and in order to achieve that, it shrinks causing cramps that are known as after pains. The progress of the shrinking uterus is amazing – within a week, it shrinks to half its size, in two weeks to around 11 ounces and in the fourth week, it is back to its pre-pregnant state. There is also menstrual-like discharge called lochia which is caused because the innermost uterine layer isn’t needed anymore and hence, it thrown out. The discharge it blood red (because it does contain blood) at first, then gradually fades to yellow or white and then disappears.
Condition of the hormones
Here are the effects of the sex hormones:
- Estrogen: it causes the body cells to stretch and retain water. And after it disappears from the bloodstream, the tissues become soft and soggy.
- Progesterone: it keeps a check on the uterine muscles and shuts down some natural processes such as hair fall and aging. These processes resume as its level goes down after delivery.
- Prolactin and oxytocin: these causes changes in the breasts and make them ready for breastfeeding.
- Also, changes in the hormone level causes mood swings up to two weeks of delivery. If it continues any further than that, contact you’re doctor because it is a sign of postpartum depression.
Internal organs are “moving”
The expanding uterus caused your stomach, heart and intestines to “move up” from their original position. After the delivery they come back to where they belong. The repositioning may cause bladder and bowel upsets. It heals within a very short span of time.
Having a baby is really a gift and a welcome distraction from your painful but healing body. Taking proper rest after the delivery helps in healing faster.
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Filed Under: Health & Diet
