In the Hospital After Your Baby's Birth

Your hospital stay allows you to relax and to regroup before you go home with your baby. Take advantage of the resources available to you there. Learn as much as you can about what to expect after delivery. Listen to and follow the advice of your doctor and the nurses at the hospital. Take good care of yourself so that you heal quickly.

Whether you had a vaginal or Cesarean delivery, you are checked closely for the first few hours following the birth and are offered medication to relieve pain. As you recover in your room, your urine output may be checked to ensure your kidneys and bladder are working. Nurses check your incision, if you had an episiotomy or a Cesarean, to make sure it heals properly. Your blood pressure, the amount of bleeding and other things will be monitored as you recover.

The nursing staff is available to help you if you have questions about your care or the care of your baby. Nurses are often very knowledgeable about breastfeeding and are happy to help you begin.

They can also show you how to care for your baby, such as bathing or diapering him. They will advise you how to deal with your episiotomy and care for your breasts. They also allow you to rest—something you probably need very much!

Eat a good meal, if you're hungry. Your body needs a well-balanced, nutritious diet for you to stay healthy and to keep your energy level up. Drink lots of fluids.

You will probably experience two main areas of pain—your abdomen and your episiotomy (if you had one). Pain medication will help with both; if your doctor does not offer it to you, ask about it, even if you are nursing.

Most women are discharged within a day or two after their baby's birth, if labor and delivery were normal and the baby is doing well.

Some researchers believe that emotional tears play a part in helping the body deal with stress. If you feel like a good cry, do it!

More on: Postpartum Health

Excerpted from:

Copyright © 2002 by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler. Excerpted from Bouncing Back After Your Pregnancy with permission of its publisher, Perseus Books Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.