The postpartum period (6-8 weeks after the birth of a child) is a period of physical and emotional adjustment. The reproductive organs return to their prenatal state. The family adjusts to the appearance of a child in the house. The responsibilities of each parent change to meet the needs of the baby as well.

Recovery of the uterus after childbirth

With a weak involution of the uterus, ordinary nettle can give a good result. Brew 3 - 4 tablespoons of dry crushed leaves in 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave to cool and let them drink half a glass 3 - 4 times a day.

Well helps and alcohol tincture of water pepper (pharmaceutical drug).

No less popular among the people is the deaf nettle - white nettle. Its flowers are valued. For a cold infusion, take 2 tablespoons per 0.5 liter of boiled water at room temperature, leave overnight, filter in the morning and drink half a glass 4 times a day. Or prepare a decoction: 2 tablespoons of flowers in 2 cups of boiling water, cook over low heat for 5 minutes, strain. Drink during the day in fractional portions.
You can also use the herb of the nettle. From dried leaves, exactly the same decoction is prepared as from flowers, it is prescribed in the same dosage. True, it acts somewhat weaker, but does not affect blood pressure. Lavender flowers are known to help lower blood pressure in hypertension.

A woman should be alerted if postpartum discharge remains bloody after a week. In these cases, if nettle does not help, it is necessary to turn to a shepherd's bag. An old, tried and tested remedy for any bleeding. I remind you that the usual daily dose of infusion is 3-4 tablespoons of herbs for 2 cups of boiling water, warmly wrap the dishes with infusion for several hours.

Yarutka field, also from the cruciferous family, having some resemblance to a shepherd's purse, a common weed that clogs crops, also stops uterine bleeding and is used even in uterine cancer. Two tablespoons of dried grass are brewed with a glass of boiling water overnight, filtered in the morning, taken from one teaspoon to a tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

With bleeding in the postpartum period, blood-red geranium is excellent - a beautiful, memorable plant that adorns forest edges and slopes of wooded hills. Effective cold infusion: 2 teaspoons of dry herbs in 2 cups of boiled water room temperature, insist all night, drink during the day in fractional portions.

Birch leaves collected in early May, while they are still tender and sticky, help speed up and facilitate postpartum cleansing. Dried, they can be stored for two years. The infusion is prepared from 3 tablespoons in 3 cups of boiling water. Keep in oven heat or a thermos for 2 hours, adding a pinch of tea soda. Drink a glass in a warm form 3 times a day, starting from the 12th day after childbirth - this is what Russian healers recommended doing.

Physical recovery after childbirth

The changes that occur in your body in the first weeks after the birth of a child can make you feel uplifted and energized, or, conversely, emptiness and loss of strength.

Most women experience sudden mood swings, and new moms feel tired and need to rest.

Immediately after giving birth, doctors carefully monitor your physical condition to assess how your recovery is going. Your temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate are often taken. The number and nature of lochia (postpartum discharge of mucus and blood from the uterus), the size, density and location of the fundus of the uterus, the functioning of the bladder and digestive tract are also monitored.

The uterus in the process of recovery, called "involution", returns to its prenatal size 5-6 weeks after birth. To improve uterine contraction and prevent severe blood loss at the site of attachment of the placenta, uterine massage is sometimes prescribed, which is performed by a nurse or puerperal on her own.

Feeding the baby also promotes uterine contractions.

Significant red lochia within a few days after birth gradually decreases and becomes pale pink, and in the next few weeks - whitish-yellowish, white or brown. Allocations can continue for 6-8 weeks.

Postpartum pain, unpleasant and sometimes painful contractions of the uterus after childbirth often occur when you are babysitting and, most often, if this is not the first childbirth. To ease the pain, relax and use slow breathing. Postpartum pain usually disappears within the first week.

At the final stage of uterine involution, the cervix returns almost to its original prenatal size, but the external opening of the cervix remains somewhat wider.

The vagina gradually acquires its tone, but the labia remains somewhat wider, larger and darker than they were before pregnancy.

The general condition of women after a successful birth is usually good. But it happens that soon some of the temperature rises to 38 ° C, sometimes chills occur - this is a consequence of increased muscle work during childbirth. The temperature can be slightly increased in the first days - this is the reaction of the body to the absorption of tissue decay products on the wound surface of the uterus.

After childbirth, blood pressure may drop. This is not accidental: since the uteroplacental circulation has ceased to function, the uterus is shrinking, and therefore its blood supply is reduced, the body takes emergency measures in order to get rid of an unnecessary amount of blood. The kidneys excrete more fluid, and the volume of circulating blood decreases rapidly. This is related to the change in blood pressure. As a rule, it soon returns to normal.

Even though the kidneys excrete much more urine than usual for several days after birth, it is not uncommon for women in labor not to need to urinate and they need to be reminded to urinate. Sometimes the urge to urinate occurs under the influence of the noise of water flowing from the tap or pouring warm water on the external genitalia. If you still cannot urinate, you need to resort to the help of a catheter.

On the contrary, after childbirth, many women notice that they have difficulty holding urine, especially when sneezing, coughing or laughing. This happens if during childbirth the obturator muscle, the sphincter of the bladder, is overstretched.

The following exercises help:

squeeze the vagina and after 10 seconds relax it; at the same time, the muscles of the walls of the vagina are also strengthened;

empty the full bladder not immediately, but gradually, alternating the release of small portions of urine with the contraction of the vagina. With regular exercise, the obturator muscle will become stronger and hold urine.

In the early days, not everything is safe with the functioning of the intestines. His tone is lowered, digestion is slow, there is no stool. Therefore, empty your bowels with an enema, a laxative, and an appropriate diet. A full bladder, clogged intestines compress the uterus, the outflow of lochia is difficult, and its return to normal size slows down.

Sometimes in puerperas, hemorrhoids swell and become inflamed. In such cases, lotions of chamomile infusion, special rectal suppositories, Shostakovsky's balm help.

In the absence of contraindications (difficult childbirth, perineal ruptures, caesarean section), you need to get out of bed no later than a day after childbirth and try to restore motor activity as soon as possible. This is a good prevention of thromboembolic complications (the transfer of blood clots and blockage of blood vessels). Rather, independent stools and urination will improve, the stretched anterior abdominal wall will tighten, and the function of the genital organs will be restored.

From the 1st day after childbirth, you can do physical exercises in the morning. But they shouldn't bore you.

Postpartum recovery gymnastics

Gymnastics in the early postpartum period really helps the recovery process. It is only important to observe the rate of increase in the load and the variety of exercises. The same exercises and tedious, tedious workouts, on the contrary, can cause the reaction opposite to what is expected.

Four small sets of exercises of recovery gymnastics are described below. Choose the complex that you can do calmly and without overexerting yourself.

A few additional hints:

All of these exercises remain relevant throughout the entire postpartum period, and not just in its early phase. They can and should be done within 10-12 weeks.

It is best to start exercising on the first day after giving birth.

Exercise should be performed regularly, several times a day, lying on a flat surface (take a small pillow for comfort).

Perform movements slowly, without concentrating, smoothly. By no means harsh.

The room where you practice should be well ventilated. The optimum temperature is 18-20 degrees.

It is necessary to engage in comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement.

Don't forget to go to the bathroom before your workout.

It is better to train after feeding.

Rise from the "lying" position always turning through the side.

Lying most of the time is better on the stomach, thereby supporting the involution of the uterus and reducing postpartum discharge.

Waking up early after childbirth and walking support recovery processes. Pay attention to the good setting of the feet and especially to the “rolling” from heel to toe.

1st set of exercises

Exercises for the prevention of thrombosis. You can start exercising on the first day after giving birth.

Starting position: lying on your back, both legs are bent at the knees. We straighten the legs so that the knees with their lateral parts do not come off from each other. 10 times slowly and strongly squeeze the toes (“pull in the claws”) and release again. Straighten one leg. 10 times slowly and strongly pull the sock towards you, and then back. They changed the leg. Let's do the previous exercises with both legs, without lifting