Postpartum Recovery: How Long Does It Take to Heal After Giving Birth?

postpartum recovery recovering from delivery

By E.Baloyo , Parent Herald Jan 03, 06:11 am

Photo: (Photo : ALASTAIR GRANT / Getty Images)

Postpartum is believed to start six months after giving birth and could last up to six months. During this period of motherhood, challenges on how to balance healing yourself and taking care of your newborn often arise.

This might be an intense period, and your body will go through a lot of changes, such as healing and producing milk for your offspring.

Mood swings from hormonal fluctuations are also expected during postpartum recovery. Postpartum recovery can look different for every mother going through motherhood.

There is a wide range of possible healing times. If you are on your third child and you pushed for 30 minutes, your recovery will be different from that of someone who labored for 30 hours, pushed for three, and had an emergency cesarean section.

Recovering From Delivery

During postpartum recovery, it is essential that mothers receive the support and time needed for recovery for the long-term health of both the mother and child.

Mothers who just gave birth will feel a number of things with their bodies for the first six months of postpartum. This includes cramps, constipation, swelling, soreness, and leaking milk, which are just some of the physical changes they all have to go through.

Here are some things you need to consider after birthing your child:

Healing from birth- It will be helpful to help your body receive kindness, gentleness, and time to heal from the pregnancy you just went through. Organs will need to recover from accommodating a child inside your womb. It might feel like a rough couple of months, but don't forget to give your body the time and space it needs to heal.

Sleep- Sleeping after birth can be very challenging. In the weeks and months following the delivery of your baby, you will most likely experience feelings of exhaustion. Your body will recover more quickly if you give it as much rest as you possibly can. Come up with strategies for you and your baby to get the ample sleep needed. If you feel comfortable, ask for help if needed.

Contraception- Some mothers may not want to have another baby in a couple of months or even years after they have given birth to their current child. With that, talking to your OBGYN about contraception will help you better plan for your family.

Mental Health - Reach out to the people around you and be vocal about the tides you are facing. It is common for mothers who just gave birth to experience feelings of anxiety, anger, depression, hopelessness, and irritability. When you feel like these feelings keep persisting for a prolonged period of time, coupled with harmful thoughts, it is best to consult a medical health provider.

How can you speed up the postpartum healing process?

Help your perineum heal

It is recommended for mothers' perineum to be iced every couple of hours for the first twenty-four hours after the birth begins. Before and after you urinate, spray the affected region with warm water to prevent urine from hurting the skin that has been ripped. A few times a day, try taking warm sitz baths for twenty minutes to help alleviate the pain. If you do not have access to a traditional sitz bath, you can have a relaxing soak in your bathtub instead.

Care for your C-section scar

If you underwent a c-section, once a day, use soap and water to gently clean the incision that you had. You can use a fresh towel to ensure full drying. Follow the instructions of your OBGYN if you are to cover your wound or leave it exposed to let it breathe. In line with that, it is advisable for you to not carry unnecessary heavy things.

Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods

To help you speed up postpartum recovery, it is advisable for mothers to eat a healthy diet and consume fiber-rich food. Regularly incorporate these types of nutrients into your day to day eating, as this will help you with your bowel movements.

Postpartum recovery could look different for every mother; some may be struggling hard with it while others can navigate just fine. It is important to be patient and strong through these tough times in your life.

Make sure to reach out whenever help is needed. Lastly, consult your physician if you have any medical concerns that you are experiencing.