The 'puerperium'

This is the period from the birth of the baby until your body has returned completely to normal. When labour has finished you will find that your womb is still quite big. If you feel your abdomen you feel the uterus almost up to the level of your navel, about the size it was at four months of pregnancy. It continues to contract from time to time, in order to remove the remains of the lining. You may feel some cramp like 'after' pains during the first three or four days after delivery; they sometimes happen while you are breast-feeding, because a hormone is released into your blood at that time and it causes a contraction. Do not be worried about these pains, they are helping your uterus to return normal quickly.

You will notice a blood-stained discharge from the vagina this is called the lochia. At first, it will be almost pure blood but it will become progressively browner and finally disappear about two weeks after your delivery. If you should ever notice a gush of blood or if bright blood should return, you must report this at once to the doctor. Very occasionally, a small amount of placenta is left in the womb and will cause some bleeding; the doctor will know whether anything needs to be done about it.

Depression

The first few days of the puerperium can be a trying time for you. You will feel physically exhausted after the labour and will probably sleep for many hours. The care of the baby, and learning how to feed him, take up a lot of your time. It is very easy to get upset and worried at this time particularly about the baby. Part of the feeling may be an emotional let down after all the excitement of labor; but the hormone changes in your body, which occur in every woman after delivery, also lead to a feeling of depression. Do not be surprised if you feel weepy or miserable, but rely on the staff and your husband for their help.

Use the time in hospital to get as much rest as you can. Try and be with your baby as much as possible, to understand the meaning of his cries and to learn to love him or her.