Vaginal bleeding: For the first three days after delivery, you may experience a bloody discharge of leftover blood, mucus and tissue from your uterus. This discharge, called lochia, is generally as heavy or heavier than a menstrual period and may contain several clots. The discharge will turn pink, then brown and finally a yellowish-white as it decreases in quantity. The bright red flow may resume when you are breastfeeding or during periods of increased activity. Normally, this will stop completely within four to six weeks.
Things to help: Sanitary pads
What to watch for: Saturating more than one pad an hour for more than a few hours or discharge that has a bad odor
Abdominal cramps (afterbirth pains): Abdominal cramps, or “afterbirth pains,” are caused by contractions of the uterus as it returns to normal. They may be more obvious while you are nursing and will gradually subside within a week.
Things to help: Change positions, empty your bladder, take Tylenol® or Motrin® (Ibuprofen)
What to watch for: Severe abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting
Perineal discomfort: The stretching and bruising of the perineum during delivery can cause discomfort, pain and numbness. If your perineum was torn or if you had an episiotomy, you will have stitches. In most cases, this area will be very tender and sore for three to four days following delivery. Your stitches will dissolve in about 15 days, but tenderness may last several weeks.
Things to help: Warm sitz baths, witch hazel soaked in gauze pads or Tucks®, local anesthetic spray, Tylenol®
What to watch for: Increasing pain, swelling or discharge
Cesarean incisional pain: If you delivered by cesarean birth, your wound will be painful and you may experience numbness or a tingling sensation when the anesthesia wears off. Medication to relieve your pain will generally be ordered by your physician. Avoid lifting anything other than your baby, and try to keep stair climbing to a minimum.
What to watch for: Fever, increasing pain or drainage from your incision site
Constipation: Your first bowel movement after childbirth may be difficult.
Things to help: Fiber (whole grains, fresh and dried fruit), drinking water, Colace®, Milk of Magnesia® or Dulcolax® tablets
Hemorrhoids: If you have hemorrhoids, they can become swollen and painful and protrude after delivery.
Things to help: Laxatives, Anusol® or Preparation H®
Infant feeding: If you are bottle-feeding, remember to wear a well-fitting bra and avoid breast stimulation. Breast engorgement will generally improve two to four days following delivery.
If you are breastfeeding, you may not produce milk for three to four days after delivery. When your baby nurses, he or she will receive a clear liquid, called colostrum. This fluid contains important antibodies. When your milk finally begins to come in, your breasts may become enlarged, tender or unusually firm.
Things to help: Nurse your baby more frequently, apply warm compresses to your breasts or take a warm shower.
What to watch for: Body aches, chills and a fever of 101⁰ or 102⁰ as these can be signs of a breast infection called mastitis. With mastitis, one breast may become extremely firm, red hot and tender.
As always, you are welcome to call our office at 804.288.4084 with any questions or concerns you may have. If you experience any of the following symptoms, please call us immediately.
- Elevated fever over 100.4
- Nausea and vomiting
- Painful urination, burning and urgency
- Heavy vaginal bleeding
- Pain, swelling and tenderness in the legs
- Chest pain or cough
- Hot, tender breasts
- Persistent pain in the perineum with increasing tenderness
- Vaginal discharge with a bad odor
- Feelings of hopelessness that last more than 10 days after the delivery
Additional Resources:
About Virginia Women’s Center
Our care team – comprised of OB-GYNs, high-risk pregnancy specialists, nurse practitioners, ultrasound technologists, psychologists and a genetic counselor – are experienced in all aspects of pregnancy and welcome the opportunity to provide care that revolves around you. We have added all of these services and specialists to our practice not only for your convenience, but also because we believe that you will benefit from a coordinated and comprehensive approach to your pregnancy care. For more information, visit www.VirginiaWomensCenter.com, or find us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
- If your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier – don’t immediately force yourself into a strict diet; start taking everything in moderation and you’ll be more likely to succeed.
- If your New Year’s resolution is to exercise more – find a partner. Accountability can go a long way in helping each other reach your goals.
- Make time for exercise – a family walk can be a great way to spend time with your loved ones and get out and about.
- Keeping up with your health care is a great New Year’s resolution. Stay up-to-date on preventative appointments and screenings.
While there is no guarantee that preterm labor can be prevented, there are some changes you can make to have a healthy pregnancy and reduce your risk of having a premature baby:
- Quit smoking, drinking alcohol or using street drugs.
- Talk to your health care provider about how much weight you should gain during pregnancy and do your best to get to a healthy weight before you get pregnant.
- Talk to your health care provider and come up with a plan to manage any chronic conditions you have.
- Make your first prenatal appointment when you find out you are pregnant. Go to all of your prenatal appointments, even if you are feeling well. Prenatal care helps your health care provider make sure you and your baby are healthy.
- Eat a healthy diet, exercise and take prenatal vitamins.
- Reduce your stress; ask for help from family and friends.
- Protect yourself from infections.
- Know the signs of preterm labor and alert your health care provider if you’re experiencing them.
- Talk to your health care provider about how long you should wait before having your next baby.
While it’s not as dreaded as the birds and the bees talk, talking to daughters about periods is not usually high on the list of parenting milestones that moms look forward to. Take a deep breath and read through these tips to help prepare you for this exciting time in your daughter’s development.
While the exact timing depends on your child and your family culture, it’s important that you start talking about puberty and menstruation before your daughter begins her period. You’re likely to see other signs of puberty – developing breasts, pubic hair and/or vaginal discharge – appear before her period. When you start noticing these changes, it is time for you to bring up the subject if you haven’t already.
On the other hand, many girls begin asking questions at a fairly young age. If your daughter asks questions, be open, honest and age-appropriate. Start fairly generic and add more details as she gets older. Try having many smaller conversations instead one tell-all session. If your daughter is resistant, don’t force the subject that day, but don’t give up! Having honest and encouraging conversations with your daughter can help pave the way for open communication down the road.
On average, girls will start their menstrual cycles between the ages of 11 and 13. However, some can start as early as eight or as late as 16. While it is important to provide accurate biological information about what happens in her body (diagrams are helpful!), your daughter will likely be more interested in the practical side.
Many girls are anxious or frightened about their periods. Some may come with several questions, but others may be afraid to ask them. Ask what your daughter has heard and correct any misinformation. Assure her, empower her and provide practical tips so she knows what to expect. Some common concerns are:
- What if I get my period when I’m at school? Be proactive. Suggest she carry supplies with her in her purse or backpack or keep them in her school locker.
- How do I use a pad/tampon? Explain how to use and the difference between pads, tampons and panty liners. Provide several options so she can choose what she is most comfortable using. Empowering her to make her own decision, rather than trying to impose your own bias, helps her feel like the woman she is. No matter her choice, stress the importance of changing pads and tampons every three to four hours.
- Am I normal? Assure her that there is no normal and what she is experiencing may be different from her best friend. There is a wide range of ages when girls can start their periods and not all periods are the same. It may take several months for her cycles to become regular.
- Will it hurt? Assure her that it will not hurt, but that some women do experience symptoms like cramps. Most of the symptoms can be eased with over-the-counter medicines or heating pads. Learn more about menstrual cramps and other PMS symptoms.
- Will I gush blood? Most girls will only have light spotting for their first periods.
- Will everyone know I’m on my period? Make sure she knows that pads and tampons are not visible through clothes. She will be the only one who knows that she’s on her period.
Most of all be positive, open and encouraging. Let your daughter know that being a female is a blessing, not a curse, and that this is an exciting milestone and not a reason to feel ashamed or upset. Enjoy the time you can spend together and encourage her to come to you with any questions. Let her know that you are here for her, no matter what. How you embrace and lead her through this transition will lay the groundwork for how she feels about her body, health and femininity.
Additional Resources:
Be sure and visit Richmondmom.com each week to see our Weekly Health Tips from Virginia Women’s Center too!
About Virginia Women’s Center
Virginia Women’s Center is a full-service women’s health care provider specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, urology, high-risk obstetrics, obstetrical genetic counseling, ultrasound, in-office procedures, mammography, bone health, psychology, nutrition and clinical research. The practice sees patients in four locations in the Richmond area and has additional offices in Kilmarnock and Tappahannock. For more information, visit www.VirginiaWomensCenter.com, or find us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
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Grief is the emotion we feel when we experience a loss. All deaths may be traumatic in some way, but a sudden death is always traumatic. Not only do we suffer with sadness, but our minds are reluctantly trying to integrate a new reality – one that is different from the way reality should be.
We also grieve when our loved one’s death was expected and we were able to say goodbye. We miss the person and their presence in our life, especially the times spent together such as holidays or birthdays.
The holiday season, in particular, can trigger the emotions of grief. Learn more about grief and ways to cope here: http://www.
Virginia Women’s Center is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
]]>By: Virginia Women’s CenterWomen who experience unusually heavy bleeding most months may have menorrhagia. Menorrhagia is the medical term used to define menstrual periods in which bleeding is abnormally heavy or prolonged. Heavy bleeding is defined as a woman soaking through a pad or tampon every hour during the heaviest days in her cycle.
There are many causes for heavy bleeding as well as a variety of treatment options. Oftentimes, medications or an intrauterine device (IUD) may be used to help reduce heavy bleeding. However, for some women who have not had success with these options, an endometrial ablation might be recommended. An endometrial ablation destroys the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus, and often can reduce or stop menstrual bleeding. There are different ways that endometrial ablations can be performed. The NovaSure® Endometrial Ablation is a procedure that can be performed in our Virginia Women’s Center offices in just a few short minutes. There are no incisions used and the recovery time is typically a day. NovaSure® is designed for women who are premenopausal and experience heavy periods due to benign causes and who do not wish to become pregnant in the future.
Learn more: http://www.virginiawomenscenter.com/blog/gynecology/in-office-treatment-option-for-heavy-bleeding/
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While the exact cause of preterm labor is often unknown, there are some risk factors that increase a woman’s chance of having preterm labor. However, it is important to remember that preterm labor can happen to anyone and many women who experience a premature birth have no known risk factors. Some of the risk factors include:
- Preterm labor or preterm birth in a previous pregnancy
- Being pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets or more)
- Certain problems with your uterus, cervix or placenta
- Having little or no prenatal care
- Smoking or drug use
- Abdominal surgery during this pregnancy
- Too much amniotic fluid
- Bleeding or infection while pregnant
- Being underweight or overweight
A preterm labor typically begins unexpectedly. The signs of preterm labor are often no different from regular labor, except that they happen before the 37th week of pregnancy. If you experience any of the warning signs listed below before your 37th week of pregnancy, call your doctor. Sometimes, preterm labor can be stopped. However, there are certain situations and complications that make an earlier delivery safer for the mother or baby. The warning signs for preterm labor include:
- Contractions, where your abdomen tightens like a fist, every 10 minutes or more often
- Change in vaginal discharge, such as a watery, mucus-like fluid leaking from the vagina, or bleeding
- Pelvic pressure; the feeling that your baby is pushing down
- Low, dull backache
- Cramps that feel like your period
- Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea
Women who are at risk for preterm labor may be advised to take certain steps to prevent preterm birth. At Virginia Women’s Center, we have three maternal-fetal medicine specialists who collaborate with our OB-GYNs in the care of high-risk pregnancies. Read this blog post to learn more about our maternal-fetal medicine specialists and the care they provide to women who are experiencing high-risk pregnancies.
Virginia Women’s Center is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
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