Feeling 'Back to Normal' After Childbirth Often Takes Time
SIOUX FALLS (Oct. 1, 2008) - After making it through pregnancy, labor and delivery, new moms want to know, "When will I feel back to normal?"
"Every person recovers at a different rate," said Dr. Amal Salama, OB/gynecologist with Avera Women's Specialty Clinics in Sioux Falls. "You will get back to your normal, healthy self. Whether that happens right away or takes a little longer is really irrelevant."
Staying healthy during pregnancy is a top indicator of how well moms recover, Dr. Salama said. That includes healthy habits, and not gaining too much weight. Whether or not the birth is cesarean or vaginal makes a difference, too.
Four years ago, Kaylyn Robertson of Parker, S.D., experienced a long, difficult labor with her first child, Carter, and finally a c-section. "I wasn't prepared for that and my recovery was pretty tough," she said.
The next time around was much easier, and she attributes that to more exercise prior to and throughout her pregnancy, and getting back to regular exercise as soon as possible after the birth of her son, Colin, April 22.
Moms who experience a complicated delivery or a c-section can expect more limitations in getting back to their typical activity level. Post-partum complications in general can include anemia, urinary tract infections, incision-site infections or an infection in the breast, known as mastitis.
Moms might feel disappointed that their tummy is not smaller after giving birth. "The uterus goes from holding a 7 to 9 pound baby to shrinking down to more than half its size within minutes after delivery. To expect it to shrink down right away to its size before you were pregnant would be expecting too much," Dr. Salama said. Plus, there may be some extra weight gain that will take a little work on the mom's part to get rid of.
The emotional aftermath of giving birth may catch women by surprise. "Your hormone levels are up and down as your body is trying to get back into its normal monthly fluctuation of hormone levels," Dr. Salama said. Fluctuating hormones can cause "the blues," or even post-partum depression. A catch-22, depression can put a damper on any motivation to get back out there and be active.
Anemia, or lack of iron after pregnancy, can contribute to fatigue - something new parents are already feeling due to lack of sleep. "A lot of these factors just compound each other. And that's in the best case scenario, when everything's gone perfectly," Dr. Salama said.
"One of the toughest parts for me after our second son was trying to balance spending time with our first child and meeting the baby's needs," Robertson said. Her husband, Gerad, is great about helping out to give her a needed break. Setting a firm routine early on has also helped the entire family get more sleep, she added.
"There is no magic date when you feel back to normal," Dr. Salama said. After a post-partum check-up at six weeks, it's generally OK to get back to normal activities, starting with about half of what you were doing before. "Get a feel for what your body is able to tolerate. Get back into usual activities, but don't overdo it. An injury can set you back even further," Dr. Salama said.
And don't feel guilty about pampering yourself with a little "me" time, Dr. Salama said. "That's something that often goes down the drain after you've had a baby. If you take the time to refresh yourself, ultimately it will be better for you and your whole family."
For health information about pregnancy and childbirth, go to www.AveraWomens.org.
