Recovery after childbirth: how long does it take? How can I take care of myself?

Postpartum times and recovery after vaginal delivery or C-section vary from woman to woman Photo: Shutterstock

Your baby has just been born: you are exhausted, excited and with many questions. You finally have that beautiful piece of flesh and bone that you carried in your womb for nine months. You and your partner will give everything to take care of him for the rest of your lives, but regardless of your baby’s needs, on the first days, weeks and months you also need to take care of yourself and to focused your energy in the recovery after childbirth.

How long will you be in hospital after giving birth?

Dr. Mercedes Álvarez Goris, a specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, explains that if you have a vaginal delivery, without any complications, the minimum you will be in the hospital is 24 hours. “If there is no risk factor, I mean, that the woman doesn’t suffer from hypertension or diabetes, she must mandatorily be 24 hours in hospital, although she can be up to two days to get help with the baby or anything”, says the expert.

When it is a surgical or C-section delivery, you can stay a few more days, “As it is an incision, they can stay a few more days for pain management and it can vary from 48 to 72 hours”.

Many years ago, women stayed up to a week or ten days in hospital, but those times are over. Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages, there are people around you who take care of you and help you solve situations with the baby, but you are not in your environment, you do not have any of your things, and that can be a bit suffocating.

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General recommendations when leaving the hospital

When you leave the hospital your first impulse will be to be 101% caring for your baby, but may I tell you something? If you are well, your little one will be too, so it will be important that you follow the general recommendations for your care.

According to the gynecologist, the stage after childbirth is called the puerperium and the recommendations, whether after having a vaginal or surgical delivery, may vary from woman to woman, but in general terms they are:

Have a good diet: fruits, vegetables and proteins, avoid fats.
Relax: Absolute rest should be avoided. I mean, walk or move a little since lying down can cause coagulation problems and the risk of developing clots in the legs increases.
Rest: To the best of your ability, sleep. Your baby will also spend his first days sleeping, take advantage and recover.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water.
Hygiene: Take showers carefully.
Take your medications: especially if it was a C-section delivery. Antibiotics and painkillers are usually prescribed.

"The girdle: although there is no real evidence that it helps, there are women who feel very safe wearing it", she adds.

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When will my body return to normal?

The puerperium stage is well established medically, it lasts 42 days and it is known as quarantine. In this time, says Mercedes Álvarez, the body will begin a period of adaptation.

There is a redistribution of fluids and recovery begins
The uterus gets smaller in the first 24 hours
In the first 48 hours, the woman feels swollen, a little plumper, but this decreases over the days
Lochia, which is bleeding after childbirth, goes from being very abundant to scarce and changes color.
Lactation starts
The body loses its pregnant shape and returns to its original one

However, although in the puerperium stage you begin to recover, full recovery will come months later.

“Many women believe that once they give birth, their body returns to what it was like before pregnancy, but is not like that, it is a slow process, especially regarding the body composition, but everything returns to normal. There is no set time, it depends on each woman”, explains the doctor.

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Full recovery, up to a year later, research states

In a research by the University of Salford in Greater Manchester, England, Dr. Julie Wray interviewed several groups of women to get a broad view of postnatal recovery. In her conclusion, the scientist suggested that the body requires at least 365 to return to normal. In addition, she revealed that new mothers are dissatisfied with postnatal services, saying, according to Wray, that the six-week recovery time was a “fantasy”. Each woman is different.

The truth is that postpartum recovery takes time. You have to take it with patience and responsibility. Take care of yourself!

Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: Here