Our body is a work of wonder, don’t you think so? A female’s body is created to accommodate the growth of a baby (or for some ladies, 4 at one go!). Muscles stretch and organs move as a new life grows in the womb. The mummy will carry anything between 2.9kg to 3.6kg by the 39th week of her pregnancy!
Just as how our body changes when we conceive, our body will instinctively continue to change after birthing, too. This is to help our body to go back to its pre-pregnancy state. To go through these processes, we can expect to experience a certain level of discomfort and surprises during postpartum.
Let’s look at some changes we might experience and how we can better manage them. Knowledge is power; understanding how and why our body acts a certain way will help with recovery.
Breast Engorgement
Soon after you have delivered your baby, your breasts will feel swollen and engorged, they can be uncomfortable and painful as the milk starts to kick in. This is the result of increased blood flow in your breasts as they get prepped to produce and deliver milk to your baby now that she is out.
However, do not worry if you don’t feel engorged immediately after giving birth as different bodies respond differently. For some, milk production may not occur until a few days postpartum! The key is to start breastfeeding as soon as possible after delivery, this will stimulate and send signals to your body to kickstart milk production.
We wrote about how to kickstart breastfeeding successfully here .
Postpartum Bleeding
After delivery, you will start to experience a menstruation-like discharge where your body removes the remaining mucus, blood clots, and tissues from your uterus. It is our body’s way of ‘cleaning’ after delivering a baby. The discharge is called lochia.
Lochia has a musty odour and is dark red in colour for the first few days, you may notice some blood clots, too. By the fourth or fifth day post-delivery, the lochia will turn a bright red and eventually, brownish in colour towards the end.
You might experience increased bleeding when you are breastfeeding as your body produces a hormone called oxytocin while you nurse, it stimulates uterine contractions and accelerates healing. A C-section birth, however, produces lesser lochia compared to vaginal deliveries. Regardless, do use sanitary napkins instead of tampons as it poses risks of infections.
Soreness and Tearing in the Perineal Area
Vaginal deliveries often experience tearing of the perineum area (the skin between the vagina and the anus). It is common for the perineum to tear to some extent during childbirth. However, to avoid unsightly tearing, usually, your doctor may need to make an incision in the said area for a wider opening to allow the baby to come through more easily. This procedure is called an episiotomy.
The after-procedure pain typically affects sitting, urinating, bowel movements, and even walking for the first week. Doctors will advise warm sitz baths to relieve discomfort. You may want to prepare a doughnut cushion to elevate the pain when sitting. Generally, perineum cuts heal within 4 to 6 weeks.
Constipation
After delivery, you may take a couple of days until your first bowel movement. This could be caused by the use of painkillers, weakened abdominal muscles, traumatised bowel due to delivery, or simply the psychological fear of tearing the stitches.
This may sound counterintuitive, but you should not worry about tearing as the stitches are not as easily torn as you imagined them to be. Being constipated for longer than you should, on the other hand, would cause more problems. To avoid that, try drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. You may refer to this article where we discussed the Chinese confinement diet or more info.
Walking helps to keep the bowel moving, too. Just remember to avoid vigorous activities and don’t carry anything heavier than your newborn. If all else fails, talk to your doctor. He or she will be able to prescribe you a stool softener to ease the discomfort.
Anxiety and Depression
Childbirth does not only affect you physically but also emotionally and mentally. At this point, your body is experiencing the shock of childbirth and the fluctuation of hormones, which may affect your mood and cause you to become anxious or depressed for no apparent reason.
As long as you don’t feel completely overwhelmed and you are able to still care for your baby, doctors generally advise against the use of medication. However, if you are experiencing episodes of panic attacks or are no longer able to function normally, it is best to talk to your doctor or your loved ones as soon as possible.
This may be a sign of postpartum depression which is a very common condition but it can be treated with early intervention.
Bouncing Back After Pregnancy
Motherhood is a life-changing event in every woman’s life. We will observe that we now look, think, and behave a little bit different; this is not at all a bad thing, it only means we are stepping into a new season in our life.
As we adjust to living with a new baby now, it is utterly important to remember to be kinder to ourselves and not hold ourselves to unreasonable expectations. However, there are a few things we can actively do in order that we may bounce back healthily!
Reasonable Weight Loss Goals
Celebrities have done it, they snapped back to their pre-pregnancy body and were able to squeeze into their size 0 skinny jeans by the time they were discharged from the hospital; so why not us, right?
Well, for one, celebrities have a whole team of personal trainers, chefs, stylists, and social media content managers on their payroll and their job is literally, to look good for the camera. Secondly, do know that it is unrealistic to achieve such goals in such a short time frame, let alone unhealthy as it puts tremendous stress on your body.
A healthier goal then is to allow your body the time to gently go back in shape by eating well, drinking enough water, and getting quality rest.
Breastfeeding for the Win
We can’t emphasise enough how beneficial breastfeeding is for your baby and you! It protects your baby from infant-related illnesses and nutrient deficiency that will affect his or her growth and lowers the risks of breast and ovarian cancer in you.
Besides, breastfeeding is also a robust activity that burns calories and helps you lose the baby weight quickly. A workout session without actually working out? Yes, mama! Sign us up already!
Asking for Help Is Not a Sign of Weakness
As new mums, many things and factors can overwhelm us and send us into an endless loop of worries.
Is my baby drinking enough milk? Am I making enough milk? Why is my baby sleeping so long? Is she still breathing? Why is my tummy fluttering and palpitating? Why do I feel like this? What is wrong with me???
To top things up, night feedings and disrupted rest can magnify these negative feelings. Therefore, do not feel embarrassed to ask for help—be it from your husband, your family (yes, that includes your in-laws!), or friends. Even if it means having your laundry folded differently and your dishes stacked upside down.
There is a good reason why the confinement month is in place—and that is to help you to recover quickly and bond with your baby. Confinement centres are a good place to start your journey into motherhood, especially if you are a first-time mum and need all the professional help and advice you can get.
A Trusted Support – Byond28
Established in 2020, Byond28 Confinement Centre understands that this critical postpartum month requires comprehensive mother/baby care and support. It combines the best of traditional Chinese confinement care with modern medical practices for a speedy recovery.
The establishment is located in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, and is backed by a reserved forest—perfect for a tranquil, recuperative stay. It provides 24-hour nursing care for newborns. The baby nursery is structured with reference to a hospital setting and is equipped with an individual ground floor emergency exit, a two-tiered air ventilation system with HEPA filters, and a separate observation and isolation room for your baby.
Led by a team of highly experienced and board-certified medical professionals, Byond28 strives to provide the best ante- and postnatal care for mum and baby. Weekly paediatrician check-ups on the newborns and 24-hour nursing care will be carried out. Depending on the baby’s feeding needs, syringe and bottle feeding of either breastmilk or formula can be accommodated. All staff nurses are approved by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM).
Mums will be pleased to know that Byond28 Confinement is a breastfeeding-friendly confinement centre. Its NLC (Malaysian National Lactation Centre)-certified in-house counsellors are available for private consultations, ever ready to help new mums to navigate through the journey of breastfeeding. Not forgetting the team of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and nursing staff are also highly trained to guide parents through the challenges of postpartum and baby care.
The O&G and paediatrics are headed by Dr Krishna Kumar S/O Hari Krishnan and Dr Kenneth Looi respectively, both experienced specialists in their fields. Hence, parents can be confident that mum and baby are in good hands during this first month after birth.
It is comforting to note that Byond28 encourages a healthy parental relationship between mum/dad and baby through its many talks for the new parents. Mums and dads will learn from hands-on experience about breastfeeding and handling breastmilk, bathing, caring for, massaging, and soothing their baby, among other topics.
At Byond28, a new mother’s diet is of utmost priority, the meals are carefully designed to ensure maximum nutrition absorption without compromising on the delicious tastes of Chinese confinement cooking for its residents; mouth-watering offerings such as the vinegar pork trotter and yellow wine chicken are available on the menu.
Daily personalised herbal tonic soups using premium SWS 永生 herbs, bird’s nest, and essence of chicken are provided to hasten the mother’s recovery. The centre also offers a variety of free-flow herbal teas (and in-house lactation cookies!) to ensure hydration and boost breastmilk!
A Journey of Growth
Becoming a mother can be an overwhelming experience, with lots of changes taking place. But we don’t need to walk this journey alone. To find out more about your ante and postnatal needs, make an appointment today with the professionals at Byond28 by calling +6017 362 8548. Or you may visit their official website, Facebook, and Instagram pages for more updates and fellow mothers’ reviews of their stay with the centre.
Note: Byond28 serves pork-free meals upon request, schedule a meeting to find out more today.
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!