You’ve just been wheeled out of delivery, you’re being pushed in your wheelchair, or you’re walking with a bit of wobble in your step… Either way, one thing is true: you are now with your baby which is very exciting.
In this article, we explore to off the two most common outcomes of birthing your baby — Vaginal Delivery & Cesarean Delivery. While the majority of deliveries are non-complicated, in some instances this is not the case. Trust in yourself, your baby, and your team of medical professionals who are equipped to support a variety of delivery outcomes.
Vaginal Delivery
New mums can expect to be in the hospital anywhere from 24 to 48 hours. During this time, you may be provided with plenty of care items to help recovery. These can really help with afterbirth pains.
Some care items that you may receive:
- Ice packs
- Mesh underwear
- Hemorrhoid preventive cream
- Laxatives
- Sitz bath
- Maxi pads
It is common to feel uncomfortable and exhausted after delivery. For example, it is normal to have heavy vaginal bleeding the days following birth, which tend to increase the more you move around. Consult the hospital staff daily to check on your progress.
You can also expect to have a nurse rub your abdomen various times throughout the day. This helps ensure there are no blood clots and aids in the shrinking of your uterus.
Cesarean Delivery
A C-Section is generally faster and less painful as the process, however, the recovery is said to be more painful and take longer. The main reason is that new mums need to take to ensure they they are not disrupting stitches during their daily movements.
Recovery is often helped by taking things slowly and listening to your body. It is common to be recommended to walk around throughout the day to help speed up recovery but done slowly and carefully. This is something to gauge with the support of the nursing staff.
You may be anxious to hold your new baby and hesitant to lift anything. Rest assured, you may be okay to cradle your little one. A rule of thumb I was advised was to not lift anything heavier than your baby.
How you recover from birthing will depend on many factors with the delivery type normally being the biggest factor. By discussing what to expect with your healthcare team you can be more relaxed to endure this experience and enjoy the excitement and love of your newborn.
Written by Chelsea D.
Chelsea is a mum of one and pregnant with another. She writes about pregnancy, parenting, and body positivity.
All articles are provided as general information and are not intended, nor may it be construed, as medical advice or instruction. Information and opinions expressed are believed to be correct and accurate to the best knowledge and judgement of the authors. Readers should consult their appropriately qualified health care professional prior to taking any action or inaction.