6 Weeks after birth

The Puerperium is the name given to the period of time and the changes which occur after giving birth. With the loss of that placenta, you lose one of the largest hormone-producing glands your body has ever know. The sudden withdrawal of all those hormones initiates a cascade of bodily events.

Activity

The new mother should start walking about as soon as possible, go to the toilet when necessary and rest when she needs to. She may prefer to stay in bed for the first 24 hours or longer if she has an extensive perineal repair.

Uterine contractions continue after birth and these are usually painless but some women suffer after-pains

Involution

Once you have given birth, you begin a process called Involution. This involves your uterus contracting to it's pre-pregnancy size. You will still look a little bit 'pregnant' until your uterus has returned to its normal size and this could take some time.

Some common problems in the 6 weeks after giving birth

Micturition
Bowel problems - Constipation may be a problem for a short time and stool softeners may be useful
Backache
Psychological problems - 'Baby blues' - on days 3-5, a large proportion of women become temporarily sad and emotional and approx. 10% become more severely depressed. See postnatal depression
Postnatal psychosis - Affects 1-3/1000 women and usually appears as mania or depression
Postpartum haemorrhage
Puerperal infection

Thromboembolism - occurs in 1/1000 births and more likely to occur in women who are overweight, over the age of 35 or have had a caesarean section

Excess Fluid

The fluid that your body stored up in the last months of pregnancy will find its way back into your bloodstream. There the kidneys will remove the amount not needed. For most women, that means they will urinate huge amounts in the days after delivery.

Lochia

Lochia is the bloody discharge after birth. This is the lining of the womb which will take about 4-6 weeks to fully expel. The discharge may appear red at first but later it may appear brownish.

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