POSTPARTUM RECOVERY: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CONSIDER TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AT THIS STAGE

When we got pregnant We begin to take care of all the plots of our life in order to protect our baby and feel physically good: food, sports, physical and mental health ... Everything revolves around our little one and in preparing, as best as possible, to The time of delivery.

But when the baby is born it is easy to forget about oneself. Breastfeeding, tiredness of the first weeks, sleepless nights ... how to take time to take care of and pamper ourselves in this very important moment? Today we give you the keys to do it, and we tell you why it is so important to feel good during postpartum.

If mom is fine, baby is fine

We must start from the basis that not all postparties are the same. There are mothers who recover phenomenally from childbirth and immediately feel energized to face this new stage of life, and others who, on the contrary, need more time for recovery.

But, in general, fatigue is usually something that all mothers experience to a greater or lesser extent, and we not only talk about physical fatigue, but also mental.

However now all eyes are on the baby born, and there are few who pay attention to the recent mother, beyond her physical recovery after childbirth or caesarean section. But the recovery of the mother does not take place for a week, ten days or even forty, and it is very important to take it into account, because if mom is well ... the baby will be too.

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Visit to a physiotherapist

As usual, medical visits after delivery They usually take place at 15-20 days (before, if it has been a C-section) and at 40 days. After this time, if all goes well, the gynecological controls will be the usual ones.

But Elena Valiente, physiotherapist specializing in pelvic floor at the clinic "Duke of Seville - Gynecology and Physiotherapy of women", insists on importance of complementing the visit with the gynecologist or midwife, with that of a physiotherapist, that not only assess the state of the pelvic floor after pregnancy and childbirth, but the general physical state of the woman:

"The importance of taking care of ourselves during postpartum is not only aimed at improving the condition of our pelvic floor, but at recover from a beastly change that has occurred in our body for nine months, and that has culminated in childbirth. "
"These changes have caused variations in muscles and bones, and it is important that a physiotherapist assess the general condition of the woman (pelvis, hips, spine ...) to avoid future injuries or poor recovery. "

Further, if you gave birth by caesarean section you must put yourself in the hands of a physiotherapist to treat the scar and its possible adhesions; something that the midwife recommends, Sara Cañamero. And we must not forget that Caesarean section is a major abdominal surgery, and that the post-surgical care it requires goes far beyond the superficial care of the wound.

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Take care of your pelvic floor, regardless of the type of delivery you have had

In addition, Elena emphasizes the importance of even women who have given birth by caesarean section, check the pelvic floor, as he tells us there is the false belief of linking problems in this area of the anatomy exclusively to vaginal delivery, and nothing is further from reality.

In this sense, Kegel exercises and hypopressive abdominal gymnastics will be a great help. The latter will not only help you tone the abdomen, and reduce the postpartum gut, but also to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

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Start exercising as soon as you can

Doing sports will not only help us keep the body active, regain our weight and feel better physically, but also to oxygenate the mind and relax. Hence, experts recommend resuming physical activity after delivery as soon as possible.

But it is essential to do it gradually, and always with the consent of our doctor, depending on the type of delivery we have had and how our recovery is going.

Likewise, it should be borne in mind that not all exercises are adequate, as high-impact sports can damage our pelvic floor, already weakened after pregnancy and childbirth. Kegel exercises, the hypopressants we mentioned before, yoga or pilates, and gentle walks are the best way to start moving.

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In addition, physiotherapist Elena Valiente recommends that whenever possible and mom wants it, the sport is done without our baby and away from home, to achieve an absolute mental disconnection. And although it is fashionable to practice running by pushing our baby's stroller or go to postpartum yoga classes in the company of our son, it is always good to enjoy some time of tranquility for us.

Rest all you can

"Sleep when the baby sleeps." This is one of the postpartum advice that new mothers always receive but that, when the time comes, we realize that it is not so easy to put into practice, and even less when we have more children.

What is clear is that lack of sleep has negative consequences on our health, both physical and emotional, so we must do everything in our power so that the rest periods are as reparative as possible.

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Among the advice of the experts is to forget about mobile phones and tablets in the hours close to bedtime, minimize the noise and lighting of the room where we are, practice colecho and, above all, rely on the couple and set shifts to sleep, so that another can take care of your baby while you rest.

Take care of your diet and hydration

Caring for food should always be a constant, regardless of the stage of life we are in. However, although during pregnancy we ensure healthy eating, it is often common to pay less attention to this point during postpartum.

The reason? The lack of time and the continuous demand of our baby, it can make us end up eating badly, fast and little, with the consequent health risk that this may entail, both for us and for our baby if she is being breastfed.

"The health of the child goes through the health of his mother. If the woman takes care of what she eats, it will have a positive impact on the quantity and quality of her milk, and therefore on her child. That is why it is important that once she has given birth, the mother continues to take care of herself "- explains Professor Ángel Gil, president of the Ibero-American Nutrition Foundation (FINUT)

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Therefore, maintaining a balanced diet and proper hydration will help us to have more energy, to alleviate some of the negative effects of postpartum (such as hair loss) and to recover our weight before, but also to avoid nutritional deficiencies and, consequently , to feel better physically and emotionally.

Pay attention to your mood

The number of women who experience some type of psychological disorder or depression after childbirth is surprising, but few ask for help. Perhaps the main reason is to think that "it will end up happening" or that "it is normal to feel this way because of the effect of hormones".

However, although the mother's emotional state is logically altered after giving birth, and it is common to go through the so-called "baby blues", it is important to know how to recognize the signs that could alert you to the presence of depression or postpartum psychosis.

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So that, if you suspect something is wrong after having your baby, the things that you were so passionate about before do not motivate you in the same way, you have negative feelings about motherhood, you feel discouraged in general and you cannot get out of that state, do not hide it and seek professional help.

Ask for help

As usual, postpartum places women in a vulnerable situation. There are too many physical, emotional and routine changes that occur, and this could eventually exceed us.

Therefore, don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it (Although the ideal would be to surround yourself with people who know how to get ahead of your needs). Postpartum is easier if you have someone who fills your pantry every now and then, prepares you a delicious hot stew, takes care of your baby so you can rest, or keeps you company when you need it.

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Search for a while alone for you

We all know that being a mother implies that we will never be alone again. And although Being always surrounded by our children will bring us many unforgettable moments and wonderful, there is nothing wrong with wishing to have some time alone for us.

During postpartum it becomes more essential, if possible, have a disconnected moment a day, which can come in the form of a relaxing shower, a telephone conversation with our best friend, some breathing exercises, reading some pages of a good book ...

Logically, at first it will be very difficult to separate us from our baby for a more or less prolonged time, which allows us, for example, to go to dinner with our partner or enjoy two hours of film without interruptions. Everything will come, but for now, the small moments of loneliness that we manage to update they will know us to glory, and will be fundamental to take care of our emotional health.