Pre And Post Delivery Care Tips

An expecting mother runs the risk of suffering from a range of complications during and after pregnancy. You were very wrong to think childbirth is about antenatal care and once the baby is born, the mother is safe from danger. Both C- Sections and vaginal deliveries take into account the hovering threat of impediments. Sudden problems like perineal lacerations, amniotic cavity issues, umbilical cord issues, abnormal fetal heart rate, and stalled labor might be experienced during giving birth to a child. Childbirth is again followed by another set of medical conditions. Postpartum Hemorrhage is one such condition that, if left unattended, can turn out to be fatal.

Postpartum Hemorrhage: An overview

Patients suffering from Postpartum Hemorrhage are subjected to loss of more than 500 mL of blood after delivery. In certain rare cases, women have been reported with a loss of more than 1000 mL of blood. Morbidity statistics say postpartum hemorrhage is the most common trigger to maternal morbidity in developed countries. Even after ensuring the efficacy of preventive measures to prevalent risk factors, lapses do exist. A loss of more than 1000 mL of blood can severely endanger your health. It may lead to hemodynamic instability. Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage should systematically concentrate on two important things; firstly, diagnosis and management of root causes resulting in a hemorrhage and secondly, dealing with hypovolemic shock along with resuscitation of obstetric hemorrhage.

Preventive Measures

An exigency situation with regard to postpartum hemorrhage can be avoided or controlled in the following ways;

1. Detecting signs of acute anemia and thus rectifying the condition before delivery.

2. Routine episiotomy should be done away with.

3. The doctor should inquire of the mother’s opinion on blood transfusions.

4. There should be frequent examinations of the person's vaginal flow and vital signs to check for slow and steady bleeding.

5. The risk of retained placenta in the third stage of labor can increase chances of postpartum hemorrhage. Active management on part of the hospital can take care of this. Regulated cord traction, early cord clamping and cutting and most basically use of a uterotonic drug soon after the delivery of the anterior shoulder can prevent a prolonged third stage thus hindering a hemorrhage from occurring.

6. Oxytocin is an advisable drug to prevent the chances of a hemorrhage. Pregnant women may or may not give their consent to its use. It has very few side- effects. Prophylactic administration of this drug is known to reduce rates of postpartum hemorrhage by forty percent.

Management: excessive blood loss after childbirth can be tackled through hysterectomy. Women who wish to remain fertile can go in for B- lynch uterine compression sutures, artery litigations, uterine packing or tamponade procedures.

While pregnancy is a wonderful time as you are anticipating the arrival of your child, it can bring many skin problems along with it. While these are nothing major, you do need to take care of these problems as they may either leave marks on your skin post-pregnancy and even cause discomfort during it. Some of these problems are discussed here.

• Stretch Marks: Pregnancy stretch marks are minute thin lines, which occur during the later stages of pregnancy on the abdomen. These stretch marks develop when the belly tries to adjust rapidly to the increasing weight of the fetus in the stomach, but the skin cannot withstand the pressure. The elastic fibers under the skin rupture and produce stretch marks.
• Affected areas: Although not common, the stretch marks can also be found in thighs, buttocks, breasts, upper arm region and the hips in some cases. During pregnancy, the marks look reddish, which gradually transform into white after pregnancy. The marks depend on how quickly you gain weight and how much you gain during pregnancy.

What can be done?
After pregnancy, the stretch marks usually disappear but only a laser surgery can eliminate them. In order to prevent them from appearing at all, the doctors suggest a healthy & balanced diet full of anti-oxidants, vitamin A, vitamin E, lots of vegetables & water from the early pregnancy stages. Doctors also suggest exercises like yoga, which will retain the elasticity of the skin.

As your pregnancy develops, you might experience severe (at times recurrent) itching around your growing belly. In order to get rid of the itching, the doctors will recommend the usage of cold moisturizers. You should avoid bathing in hot water and try keeping your skin as moist as possible to get rid of the itching. If the itching tends to be extreme, you should seek the help of a doctor.

Skin Changes
There might be other significant skin changes due to pregnancy. Doctors suspect that an elevated level of pregnancy hormones causes the melanocytes (melanin producing skin cells) to produce an excessive amount of pigments. To avoid the skin changes, the doctors might recommend a prescribed application of sunscreen lotion. Most of the skin changes tend to disappear after delivery. The skin changes that might affect you during pregnancy are:

1. There might be appearances of several dark patches around your face (melasma or the pregnancy mask).
2. Development of a dark patch in the adjoining skin between the navel and the pubic region known as linea nigra
3. There might be a significant darkening of the skin around the nipple regions from the thirteenth to the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy.
4. During pregnancy, you might also develop numerous pimples in your body.
5. Some women might experience a certain redness on their hands that tends to be itchy.

Planning on getting pregnant can involve taking steps that will help you in having a safe and fulfilling pregnancy and subsequent childbirth. It is important to indulge in preconception planning so as to ensure that you are in the pink of health and ready to go through the process of bearing and birthing a child in the best possible manner. Indulging in this stage is also a way of looking out for your unborn child and ensuring that he or she gets the best conditions during and right after pregnancy. So how can you tell if your body is ready for pregnancy? Here’s a quick list for you!

1. Type of Birth Control: In the preconception stage, it is important to ask what kind of birth control you have been using. This will make it easier for you to estimate your cycles and know when you will be due for your period once you stop the pill so that you know roughly when you will be ovulating. Usually, for most birth control pills, the time lag is about two weeks which gives you plenty of time for the menstruation cycle to get back to its normal course.

2. Vaccinations: You will need to check whether or not all your vaccinations are current and up to date. Before you start trying for conception, it will be best to get these vaccinations done as many of them cannot be taken once you have conceived, due to side effects like fever and more, which cannot be treated with regular allopathic medication once you are pregnant. Remember to especially check about vaccinations for German Measles and Chickenpox, which can prove to be fatal if they strike during pregnancy or the post-natal period, when the immunity of the body dips.

3. Chronic Medical Conditions: If you have chronic medical conditions like hypertension or diabetes or any other such ailment, then you will need to get your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar level and other such vitals to a normal level before you conceive so that you do not have to deal with the side effects of such medication that can be caused during pregnancy.

4. Supplements: You may have to change or switch the doses and medicines that you have been taking on a long term basis so as to make way for prenatal vitamins which will also help in preventing neural tube anomalies that can strike the baby if the development of the same does not happen properly in the very first month after conception.

While you are at it, you should also consider talking to your doctor about any family history of birth defects and anomalies to know your risk and chances.

Pregnancy is definitely a new and beautiful phase in a woman’s life. During this time, the woman’s body goes through multiple changes during the nine months and post-delivery, extra care is needed for the body to get back to its pre-pregnancy state. The following are some tips to care for your post-partum body immediately after delivery and through the first six weeks after childbirth.

1. Perineal soreness: The area between the vagina and the anus stretches a lot during labor and can be sore for quite a while. In some women, this area may even be cut to enable the easy passing of the baby (episiotomy). This would be more painful and can be managed with topical creams, ice packs, Kegel exercises and warm baths.
    
2. Uterine shrinkage: The uterus enlarges to accommodate the developing baby shrinks back to its original stage after delivery. This causes severe cramps, especially during the first six weeks and if required, pain medications can be taken for the cramps.
    
3. Breast fullness: The breasts fill with milk after birth to enable feeding, and the woman feels engorged. This is relieved with feeding, but if the baby is not on the mother’s milk, warm soaks on the breasts and a supportive bra can help. It will stop once the breasts stop making milk.
    
4. Constipation: This is common post-pregnancy, and so foods rich in fiber should be consumed. Lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains should be included in the diet. If required, stool softeners can be used.
    
5. Body swelling: In preparation for the delivery, the hands and feet swell due to fluid accumulation. This naturally subsides over the first week to 10 days. Lying on the left side and keeping the feet elevated can help.
    
6. Urination problem: Experiencing a burning sensation or pain while urinating and inability to start or stop a stream of urine are common urination problems, especially immediately after childbirth, which will subside in a couple of weeks. Drinking lots of water, Kegel exercises and warm baths are helpful measures that can be undertaken.
    
7. Fatigue: Taking care of the newborn can leave you drained. Get adjusted to the baby’s routine and try to sleep with your baby. Get friends and family to help you take care of your child so that you don’t feel the entire strain.
    
8. Emotional health: Changes in the hormone levels again affects your emotional health, so try and stay positive. Post-partum depression is very common in women, as they feel overwhelmed with caring for the newborn.

It is important to realize that while pregnancy is an important phase, it is a natural process. The body will adapt to these short-lived changes and allow you to bond with your baby by staying close to your child, responding to its needs, spending time together, and taking care of your newborn.

In today's world, the number of working moms all over the world is more than ever. Such women have a huge two-fold task of balancing between work and home, which includes looking after their children and managing their work at office. Balancing the two ends can make life hard for a working mother.

Here are some effective ways to find balance in motherhood for working mothers:

1. Find good child care: While you are out for work all day, it is very important for you to get a good babysitter or nanny for your child. You can also find some good daycare or trusted family member to take care of the baby when you are not available. You could should seek references from people and find a patient and quality babysitter for your child. It is important to manage and evaluate the babysitter on all the criteria you require. An experienced and friendly sitter would make your child comfortable.
2. Keep the morning easy: Get things organized at night so that you can keep the mornings hassle free. Use the mornings to prepare your child’s lunch and laying out clothes. Plan all kinds of family schedules during this time.
3. Maintain a family calendar: You should maintain a calendar to figure out the priorities of your family. You can maintain bill payment dates, a chore calendar for your kids, a list of all important events and other required charts. This will enable you to maintain everything, in spite of your busy schedule and enable you to strike a better balance.
4. Stay connected during daytime: You should try to stay connected with your children, even when you are away. You should call them frequently or send them cute messages or voice recordings and videos. This will keep them happy and they will miss you less. They will be more comforted and feel loved that you are near instead of being away at work.
5. Keep away from distractions and time wasters: You should stay disciplined and maintain a limit on making phone calls or checking mails. Try to do these activities when your children are asleep. Cut down your television watching time and spend the evenings with your partner. When you are spending time with your children, do not multitask and give them your total attention. At work, try not to waste time and return home as soon as work gets over.
6. Arrange family activities: You must make time for your kids in order to nurture your bond and get along with them. During their growing up phase, your child requires a major chunk of your time. Make special family dinners, watch movies with your family in the home theater and engross in different games. Spending time with your partner is also very important.

Life is quite difficult for working mothers who have to balance work and family together. In order to maintain a balance, follow the above-mentioned measures and lead a happy and fulfilling life.

Postpartum is the period after one's labour and delivery. Pregnancy and postpartum are a time when a woman's body changes to a great extent in order to first accommodate the baby and then go through labour and delivery. A vaginal delivery can have many implications when it comes to the postpartum. The same goes for a Caesarean Section or C Section as well. Let us find out what your postpartum care routine should include.

1. Vaginal Soreness: Deal with vaginal soreness with the help of stool softeners and pain relievers, as prescribed by your gynaecologist. You should also make hygiene a priority at this time. Use a wash cloth and warm water to clean the area every time you urinate. Also, you can use an ice pack if the wound is particularly painful.
2. Discharge: Vaginal discharge in the postpartum period is called lochia, and it usually carries on for a few weeks after the baby is born. You must use a sanitary napkin during this period and clean up regularly. If your bleeding or discharge is accompanied by fever, then you should contact your gynaecologist immediately. 
3. C Section Wound: In case there is redness and swelling in the wound, accompanied by symptoms like pain and foul smelling discharge from the vagina, you will need to get in touch with your doctor immediately so that he or she can check for possibility of infections.
4. Movement: After a C Section, you will need to take as much rest as possible so that the wound heals properly. This includes avoiding making too many trips up and down the stairs as well. It would be a good idea to have a family member or partner around who can help as well. Gentle walks after a week or two are usually recommended for the body to come back to normal gradually.
5. Kegels: Do kegels or contracting exercises for the strength of the pelvic floor to return, especially after a vaginal delivery. This will help in alleviating pain and burning sensation during urination at this time.
6. Nutrition: Take special care to eat nutritious and home cooked food, especially if you are breast feeding. This will also help in the healing of the vaginal or C Section wound. Also, a high fibre diet will help in better bowel movements which will lessen the pain while visiting the bathroom.

Taking care of your body in postpartum is a matter of bringing it back to normal gradually even as you deal with the side effects of delivery. Ensure that you are in touch with your doctor.

Childbirth is a very strenuous procedure, one has to undergo. Just like pregnancy, vaginal childbirth can take a toll on your health. But, there are certain simple tips and tricks you can have up your sleeves which can ensure you stay in optimal health post child birth.

Listed below are a few steps one can undertake to take care of your body after childbirth:

1. A healthy meal: Since childbirth, both vaginal and C-section, are strenuous procedures, you should choose to eat healthy and balanced meal which provides your body with the necessary nutrients and energy. Since, you are also breast-feeding, you need the required nutrients to pass off to your child.

2. Good rest is a must: You need to sleep on time and rest to relax your body. If you do not rest enough, you will be able to see the negative effects on your skin, manifesting in the form of puffy eyes and reduced energy levels. This puts extra strain on your body. Hire a nanny if you must; but, make sure you sleep on time to give your body the desired rest.

3. Work-out: You definitely cannot work-out in full flow after you have just had a child as your body is still healing. However, what you can do is engage in mild forms of Yoga stretches and breathing exercises to relax your body. Working out will help you relax your muscles and lose the fat, your body has gained during pregnancy. It also releases ‘endorphins’, the ‘happy hormones’ which make you feel better, both physically and psychologically.

4. Drink a lot of fluids: It is advisable for you to consume fluids after childbirth. The fluids relieve your body from toxin build-up and help in detoxifying and relaxing your body. Opt for vitamin based drinks and smoothies which impart sufficient nutrition to your body.

5. Heal your perineum: The best way to take care of your perineum is by cleaning it with lukewarm water and  a few drops of aromatherapy oils or bath salts. Invest in a hazel pad if required as the gentle squirts of water help in cleaning the bacteria and blood off your perineum.

 In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

There are certain changes that are noticed in the body post-pregnancy. One such change that might affect you is an overactive bladder. Usually, depending on the amount of liquid that goes into the body, an individual urinates eight to ten times a day. But post-pregnancy this statistic might increase to around ten to twelve times a day. While urinating helps the body to get rid of excessive body wastes, extreme urinating would also get rid of the necessary minerals and liquid that the body requires for its proper functioning. However, overactive bladders are quite common in women who have delivered and can be treated smoothly. Here are some of the top ways in which you can treat your overactive bladder post your pregnancy:

1. Losing Weight: A woman gains a lot of weight post pregnancy. This weight needs to be reduced through simple exercises and a proper balanced diet. Reduction of the post pregnancy weight helps in controlling the overactive bladder to a certain extent.

2. Avoiding Alcohol, Spicy and Acidic Food: Alcohol, spicy and acidic food actually creates havoc in the excretory system. Their compounds are such that these enable the body to get rid of water and necessary elements from the body. In fact, the power of urine itself is reduced, making discharging urine with high water content. This would make you more thirsty resulting in over-urinating at times. Similar conditions arise in the body when you consume coffee which contains caffeine and chocolate. Although, having a little bit of chocolate now and then does not really affect the system to quite an extent.

3. Exercises: Each exercise is carefully tuned to help a particular part of the body. For reducing the over activeness of your bladder, pelvic exercises are the best that you can carry out even for thirty minutes a day. Exercises would help you to remain active, shed the excess weight as well as manage your urination.

4. Avoid Smoking: Out of the many health hazards that arise out of smoking, one of them is the extreme urge to urinate often after pregnancy. Thus, to avoid over urination it is advised to refrain from smoking for some time.

Thus, these are some of the easiest ways to control the situation. In case you are embarrassed to go out in the public like this, you can always use incontinence pads. However, if the problem persists even after trying out all the said methods, then it would be in your best interest to take expert advice from the doctors.

Dark circles are also known as peri orbital dark circles. Dark circles are dark blemishes which appear around the eye. Dark circles can appear at any age although older people are more likely to develop it. They may appear due to anemia, fatigue, medications, allergies, ageing or due to genetic problems. Dark circles may be treated either naturally with various home remedies or through artificial treatment. 

The nine remedies stated below are some of the ways to cope up with the problem of dark circles.

1. Massage a few drops of almond oil mixed with a few drops of Vitamin E oil to the affected area and leave it overnight. Wash it off in the morning with cold water. Follow this routine for one or two weeks to witness the difference.
2. Cucumber has skin- lightening properties along with mild astringent properties which help to reduce dark circles. Cut two round slices of cucumber and leave it on top of your closed eyelids for ten to fifteen minutes. Repeat this as often as possible.
3. Tomato has bleaching properties and reduces dark circles. Mix one tablespoon of tomato juice with half tablespoon lime juice, apply to the affected area and leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes.
4. You may also use refrigerated green tea bags and leave them on your eyelids for about fifteen minutes. It not only reduces dark circles but also rejuvenates the skin.
5. Cold milk is also an effective agent for removing dark circles. Soak a cotton ball in a cup of cold milk, place it on the affected area for fifteen minutes and wash off with water.
6. Rose water is also considered to be very useful in removing dark circles. Soak cotton balls in rose water and leave it on top of your eyelids for ten to fifteen minutes.
7. Chemical peelings performed by dermatologists also help in removing dark circles. It exfoliates the damaged layer and leaves the skin rejuvenated.
8. Intense Pulsed Light Treatment and laser treatment are also very effective in removing dark circles. Intense pulsed light treatment destroys pigment cells responsible for discoloration. It is a process where high energy light waves are used to reduce dark circles. 
9. Creams with alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) are also proved to be beneficial in removing dark circles.

Stress, lack of sleep and disturbed lifestyle are also responsible for dark circles. So, along with the above mentioned remedies following a healthy lifestyle will help you to combat the problem of dark circles. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.