Normal Changes During the First 2 Days After Delivery

Tiredness

What you can do:

• Rest or nap when your baby is sleeping.
• Take a warm bath to relax.
• Eat healthy snacks.
• Drink water or juice if you are thirsty.
• Do only the tasks you need to do.
• Leave the housework.

Crying

You may cry easily or for no reason. This need to cry is usually caused by hormonal changes in your body. The feeling may last for up to two weeks.

What you can do:

• Remember that crying is normal and that this feeling should pass.
• Accept help from other people.
• Rest and relax as much as possible.
• If you feel you cannot care for yourself or your baby, call your doctor for help.
• Talk to someone.

Full or tender breasts

What you can do:

• Wear a well-fitting bra, not tight.
• Take a warm shower or apply warm wet towels to your breasts.
• Feed your baby often if you are breastfeeding.

Bleeding

You will have a heavy flow of dark red blood for the first 2 to 3 days. This flow will be heavier than your normal menstrual flow.

• The flow of blood will be lighter and pink in color after 2 to 3 days.
• You may have a gush of blood when you stand up from sitting or lying down.
• You may see a few blood clots. These blood clots are usually the size of a dollar coin (“a loonie”) or smaller.

What you can do:

• Wear a maxi pad. Change your maxi pad at least every 2 hours.
• Fill a squeeze bottle with warm water and use it to clean the area between your legs.
• Rest or nap when your baby is sleeping.

Pain between your legs

The area between your legs may be sore, bruised and swollen. If you have stitches, you may feel more pain.

What you can do:

• Wet a clean maxi pad and freeze it. Put the frozen maxi pad in your underwear.
• Take a warm bath.
• Take medicine for pain, if needed.
• Rest

Afterpains (cramps)

You may have cramps that feel like bad menstrual cramps. You may feel these cramps more when you are breastfeeding. If this is your first baby, you may not feel cramps.

What you can do:

• Take a warm bath.
• Place a warm blanket or heating pad on your tummy.
• Take medicine for pain. If you have questions, talk to your doctor.
• Use deep breathing to help you relax.

Sweating

You may sweat more than normal, especially at night.

What you can do:

• Wear cotton pyjamas (night clothes).
• Take a shower or bath.

Puffy feet and ankles

You may have puffy feet and ankles for two weeks or longer after delivery.

What you can do:

• Put your feet up on a stool when you are sitting.
• Wear support hose (stockings).
• Do not wear clothes or socks with tight elastic.
• Do not cross your legs when you are sitting.
• Wear comfortable footwear.

Urination

• You may urinate often.
• You may find it hard to start urinating.
• It may sting when you urinate.

What you can do:

• Pour warm water over the area between your legs when you pee.
• Urinate in a warm shower or in a warm bath.

Bowel movements

You may not have a bowel movement for 2 to 3 days after your baby is born.  It may be hard or painful to move your bowels.

What you can do:

• Drink lots of water or fruit juice.
• Eat food that has a lot of fibre, for example; bran cereals, bran muffins, fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Take short walks (inside or outside).
• A stool softener may help. Ask your pharmacist.

Hemorrhoids

You may feel grape-like lumps around your anus (bowel opening). These lumps may be painful or itchy.

What you can do:

• Wet a clean maxi pad and freeze it. Put the frozen maxi pad in your underwear.
• Use a hemorrhoid cream.
• Lie down when you can. This will take the pressure off the hemorrhoids.
• Avoid constipation.

Big Tummy

What you can do:

• Wear maternity or loose clothes.
• Try to do easy exercises for your tummy. Ask your doctor or nurse what exercises you can do.
• Breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding helps you lose some of the extra weight.
• Walk.

C-Section

• You will have a cut on your lower tummy. This area will be painful.
• You may see a little bit of blood or pink fluid come out of the cut.
• You may feel afterpains (cramps).
• You may feel gas pains.

What you can do:

• Hold a pillow to your tummy when you stand up or move in bed.
• Take slow, deep breaths when you move.
• Take short walks in your home.
• Take a shower. This will help keep the cut area clean.
• Take medicine for pain.