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Postpartum Recovery Tips For the Bum and Below
Muscles that you didn’t even know you had are going to be sore! It’s amazing how many inner core muscles you will use to push that baby out! I was surprised at how sore my butt region was after giving birth. I was fully expecting that my vagina would be sore, I mean hello! But my butt? That was a big surprise! But basically, everything feels really sore because it takes so much force to get that baby out!
My biggest tip is to give that bum a rest! Sleep and rest on your tummy! After all, you just spent months not being able to sleep in that position! So roll over and enjoy it!
Tears
If you are recovering from tears you might want to try Dermaplast. It is a numbing spray that contains aloe, lanolin, and menthol. It cools and numbs your nether regions which will feel really good for those minor tears and soreness!
Hemorrhoids
If you delivered your baby vaginally it is very likely that you will be recovering from hemorrhoids. Many women also get hemorrhoids during their pregnancy as well! These Tucks medicated cooling pads will provide SO. MUCH. RELIEF. for the burning and itching. You are going to want to have these on hand for after delivery (and possibly even before!)
If you are feeling very uncomfortable due to tears, an episiotomy, or hemorrhoids you might want to try soaking in a sitz bath. This Sitz Bath Soak is amazing! It has witch hazel, lavender, and Epsom salt! It will help soothe so many of your postpartum issues! Finding the time to take a sitz bath when you have a newborn can be challenging. If you want to remove the challenge of having to clean the bath after every use you could pick up these disposable sitz baths from Amazon.
Bleeding
Did you know that bleeding post delivery lasts up to 6 weeks! That is such a long time! In the first few days, you will likely have a very heavy flow that could contain blood clots as large as a tomato. For the early days, I really preferred to use adult diapers. Yes, adult diapers. I liked using the adult diapers because they could hold a lot of blood and I didn’t have to worry about leaking all over my underwear, clothing, or the bed. I used these diapers for probably 4-5 days post delivery. I probably went through 3-4 a day, mostly for cleanliness sake and not because I had fully filled them. After that, I switched to these extra large pads for a while, then regular pads, and then finally panty liners. Some days it felt like the bleeding was never going to stop!
If you read my post 5 Things New Moms Should Know Before Bringing Home Baby, then you already know that the best piece of advice I got when pregnant was to have a handheld showerhead installed. I was so thankful to have my handheld shower head the first weeks and days postpartum. In between shower trips you are going to need to rinse every time you use the bathroom. The hospital or your midwife is most likely going to give you a peri bottle for rinsing but if they don’t you can pick up The Fridababy Fridet.
Postpartum Recovery Tips For the Back
Back Pain
After delivery, your back is probably going to be sore! From hunching over pushing, to hunching over trying to learn how to nurse, and from the strain of being 9 months pregnant you are bound to have soreness in your back! Luckily since you are no longer pregnant you can take hot, HOT showers to ease that sore back. You might also want to use a heating pad! I use this heating pad on the regular. It’s such a nice thing to have on hand!
Postpartum Recovery Tips For the Tummy
Cramping
For several days after delivery, you will feel cramping and discomfort in your tummy as your uterus contracts and returns to prepregnancy size. This is called uterine involution which is the process in which the uterus goes from pregnant to a non-pregnant state.
These pains can feel worse while breastfeeding. The pains can range from mild period-like cramping to stronger cramps. It’s likely that cramping will be worse if you have already had children. For these pains, I highly recommend using a heating pad just as I suggested for relieving back pain and also taking an over the counter pain relief medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Note: Asprin is not recommended in women who are breastfeeding as there is a concern about it being passed to the baby in breastmilk. Asprin use on babies (and children under the age of 12) can increase the risk of developing a rare condition called Reye’s Syndrome.
Stretch Marks
You might have stretch marks already or if you are like me your stretch marks might appear AFTER the delivery of your baby! I was so happy walking into the hospital with no stretch marks but sadly walked out with a few scattered across my belly. I still don’t fully understand why this happened after delivery. If you do know, leave me a comment below and tell me why! I am so curious! Continue treating your belly with the tender care you did while pregnant and smear on some stretch mark cream. I love this cream because it contains all organic extracts, is paraben free, and smells amazing!
Postpartum Recovery Tips for the For the Boob
Despite my daughter having an excellent latch right off the bat, I still experienced nipple pain in the first two weeks of breastfeeding. Luckily it went away as my nipples toughened up (lovely thought) over time. I used this Medela Lanolin on my nipples immediately after breastfeeding and it really seemed to help. The nice thing about lanolin is that you don’t need to wash off before nursing! Very convenient when you are nursing so frequently!
You can also alternate using ice and a heating pad if you are feeling pain due to engorgement. These Breast Therapy Gel pads can be used hot or cold and they are awesome!
Lastly, if you feel that you are developing a clogged duct read my post Treating Clogged Milk Ducts and Preventing Mastitis to learn how I treated my clogged duct 100% naturally!
There you have it! My tips and tricks for a speedy postpartum recovery! You can read my entire birth story here!