Recovery from a Vaginal Birth

Frequently a doctor hears new parents remark in relief, "It's over!" following delivery of their baby. It's true the long months of pregnancy and the labor and delivery are over, but another very exciting and perhaps more challenging part of life has just begun!

In the Hospital
One of the first things you may notice after delivery is how tired you are. Some women have compared their feeling of exhaustion to how a person feels after running a marathon.After the excitement of the birth passes, it isn't unusual to be worn out. Rest and recover while you're in the hospital. Take advantage of the "built-in" room service and babysitting provided in the hospital. You probably won't have this luxury when you go home, especially if you have young children.

 

For the first hour after delivery, the nurses will check you frequently for bleeding, pain, fever, blood-pressure problems and other warning signs while you and your partner bond with your new baby. The baby is also being evaluated.

 

During this time you will probably only be allowed ice chips and sips of water, even though you may be anxious to eat some food and to drink some fluids. Restriction of food and drink is for your safety; if there are problems, such as heavy bleeding (postpartum hemorrhage), it is sometimes necessary to perform minor surgery, such as a D&C. It is safer for you to have your stomach empty if this procedure is necessary.

 

Dealing with Contractions, Pain and Bleeding
You may have thought that once you delivered, contractions would disappear. Your uterus actually continues to contract. These contractions are important because they cause your uterus to shrink to its normal size and help prevent excessive bleeding. Nursing your baby makes contractions stronger and helps control bleeding.

 

Another source of discomfort after you deliver will be in the vagina and between the opening of the vagina and the rectum. This is the area where an episiotomy was done or where tearing may have occurred with the delivery of the baby's head or shoulders. You will be offered medicine and ice packs to help with pain and swelling. Your nurse will show you how to take care of this area while you are in the hospital and when you go home.

 

Medication is available to help with contractions and pain. It is not given routinely; it is ordered for you and all you have to do is ask for it. Initially pain medicine may be in the form of an injection until you are allowed to drink and to eat. After that, you will usually be offered pain pills, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, as well as stronger pain medications, such as Tylenol #3.

 

It's normal to bleed for several days up to a couple of weeks after delivery. Your nurses and doctor will check your bleeding to make sure it is not excessive. After delivery, bleeding should gradually slow down, but you will still be bleeding when you go home from the hospital. Most often, medication is given to you at the time of delivery of the baby, by I.V. or injection, to help your uterus contract to prevent excessive bleeding.

 

If there is concern about infection, you may be given antibiotics. If bleeding is excessive, you may be given vitamins and iron. If you are Rh-negative, you may be given RhoGAM®.

 

Laxatives and stool softeners may be prescribed to help avoid constipation. An enema at the beginning of labor may also help lessen the problem of a painful bowel movement after delivery.

 

Passing urine may be uncomfortable, or it may hurt. This discomfort usually doesn't last very long and doesn't necessarily mean you have a bladder or urinary-tract infection (UTI). Just take it easy, and take your time when you have to go to the bathroom.