Some women choose to go home as early as six hours after birth. Others choose to spend a day or two in a maternity ward. If you decide to stay, let hospital staff know when you would like to go home. There are a number of things that need to be planned and organised before the morning of your discharge.
Adult beds are not designed with infant safety in mind. Babies can die if they get trapped or wedged in the bed or if a parent lies on them, therefore the safest place for a baby to sleep is in the cot next to the mother's bed(2,3).
The optimal position for sleeping during postpartum is on your back, surprisingly. Place pillows under your legs to support your low back, one under your thighs and one under your lower leg/feet!
For an uncomplicated vaginal birth, you can expect to stay in the hospital for at least 24 hours; however, most people stay for about two days. If you've had a C-section, your stay will be three to four days in most cases.
When it comes to letting your partner stay the night after you've given birth - hospital policies vary. Some don't allow it at all, some let the dads stay if you're in a private room, and we've even heard of some where the dads are allowed to stay - but NOT to fall asleep.
While there's no required waiting period before you can have sex again, many health care providers recommend waiting to have sex until four to six weeks after delivery, regardless of the delivery method. The risk of having a complication after delivery is highest during the first two weeks after delivery.
Don't drink alcohol, use street drugs or use harmful drugs. All of these can affect your mood and make you feel worse. And they can make it hard for you to take care of your baby. Ask for help from your partner, family and friends.
Recovery and sleep after giving birth
Your baby may not eat much at each feeding during the hospital stay. At some point, you will need to use the bathroom, and you'll want to shower. If you have an epidural, you'll need to wait for it to wear off enough that you feel comfortable walking.
Sitz baths (warm, shallow baths), regular baths, and showers are safe after vaginal delivery and can help with discomfort.
At this stage, you may be able to push the placenta out. But it's more likely your midwife will help deliver it by putting a hand on your tummy to protect your womb and keeping the cord pulled tight. This is called cord traction.
“They'll massage your uterus to help it contract down,” Bohn says. “And your nurse will press on your belly and massage it every 15 minutes for the first two hours after delivery. This can be very painful, especially if you didn't have an epidural.”
How much weight do you lose after giving birth? Once baby has been delivered (along with their accompanying placenta and amniotic fluid), most women lose an average of 10 to 13 pounds.
In the hospital, blankets and onesies are typically provided. If you'd like to bring baby his/her own clothes to wear during your stay or a special outfit, please do so, but it isn't required. Don't forget a seasonally-appropriate outfit for baby to wear home!
For an uncomplicated vaginal birth, you can plan to stay in the hospital for a minimum of 24 hours – however, most people stay for about two days.
Some mums enjoy their time in hospital. Others find it stressful and can't wait to get home. If you're both doing well, you'll usually be ready to go home somewhere between 6 and 24 hours after birth.
The first hour after birth when a mother has uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with her newborn is referred to as the “golden hour.” This period of time is critical for a newborn baby who spent the past nine months in a controlled environment.
If you had a straightforward birth, you can start gentle exercise as soon as you feel up to it. This could include walking, gentle stretches, pelvic floor and tummy exercises. It's usually a good idea to wait until after your 6-week postnatal check before you start any high-impact exercise, such as aerobics or running.
You may shower, bathe or wash your hair at any time after the birth of your baby. During your first six weeks, avoid strenuous work. You may choose to limit visits with family and friends during the first two weeks, as it may cause undue fatigue for you and could also be detrimental to your baby's health.
While six weeks has long been the traditional timeline for rest and recuperation after a birth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends ongoing postpartum care from birth to 12 weeks. Six weeks is also the standard recovery time allotted for childbirth-related short-term disability leave.
Most women will stop bleeding between four and six weeks after giving birth. Some women may bleed for longer or shorter than this.
When is it safe to leave the house with a new baby? There is no rush to go on an outing. In some cultures, women stay in the house with their new baby for a month or more. But it is also fine to take your baby outside as soon as you feel ready.
The 40-day period is called the lochial period, from 'lochia' the normal vaginal discharge of cell debris and blood after birth. The Bible says “40 days” for the vaginal discharge resulting from involution and can also be described as the red lochia, lasting 4–6 weeks [29].
Calorie Burn and Weight Loss
But breastfeeding will help to contract your uterus and shrink it back down to its pre-pregnancy size much more quickly. Breastfeeding burns up to 500 calories a day. This means that even though you are probably eating more to sustain breastfeeding, you can still lose weight.