Obstetrics relates to pregnancy, childbirth, and the post delivery period, as a medical specialty. Our services cover consultation on all complex pregnancy related conditions and treatment offered to women is quality and evidence based and has been sharply refined by the vast training and the world class international working experience
A postpartum (or postnatal) period begins immediately after the birth of a child and extends for about six weeks, as the mother's body, including hormone levels and uterus size, returns to a non-pregnant state.
• You need special care for your body after giving birth to regain the energy and strength..
• Lots of things like lack of sleep, taking care of baby, anxiety over baby’s health, hormonal changes, wondering and worrying about your body shape, other physical discomforts like vaginal discharge, cramps etc. may affect you during this post-partum period.
• The post-partum period is usually six to eight weeks from the day of your delivery.
• This period is considered as a highly sensitive period and all the post- partum care systems as per the Indian culture, place a great emphasis on encouraging fast healing, boosting immunity, and improving the production of milk.
• A typical episiotomy or second-degree tear involves skin and muscle. These usually require stitches and heal in two to three weeks. (The stitches dissolve on their own during this time.) Some women feel little pain after a week, while others have discomfort for a month
• Healing times vary, but in general, the deeper the cut or tear, the longer the recovery time. A small, or first-degree, tear involves the skin only (not muscle), and stitches may not even be necessary. These tears generally heal quickly with little discomfort.
• A typical episiotomy or second-degree tear involves skin and muscle. These usually require stitches and heal in two to three weeks. (The stitches dissolve on their own during this time.) Some women feel little pain after a week, while others have discomfort for a month.
• We will give you detailed instructions on how to care for yourself. It may help to:
• Apply an ice pack with a soft covering to your perineum right after you give birth to reduce swelling and discomfort. Ask for a new ice pack every few hours over the next 12 hours or so.
• Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief. (Don't take aspirin if you're breastfeeding.) If you have an extensive tear, you may need prescription pain medication.
• Change your sanitary pad every time you use the bathroom.
• Use a squirt bottle to pour warm water on your perineum while you're urinating. The water dilutes your urine so it doesn't burn as much when it comes in contact with your skin. Cleanse the area with another squirt afterward.
• Pat yourself dry from front to back to avoid introducing germs from the rectum into the vaginal area.
• Don't sit for long periods of time while your perineum is still very sore.
• Start taking warm soaks or sitz baths 24 hours after you give birth. Do this for 20 minutes, three times a day.
• For a sitz bath, you fill a shallow plastic tub with warm water and sit on it, with your perineum in the water. This way, you can soak your perineal area several times a day. Most hospitals will provide you with a sitz bath basin, and they're also available at most drugstores.
• Start doing Kegel exercises the day you give birth. These help restore muscle tone, stimulate circulation, and speed healing. (Contracting your pelvic floor muscles supports the wound so you'll feel less of a pulling sensation on your stitches when you move.)
• Get plenty of rest, and don't take on any unnecessary chores. Save your energy for taking care of your baby and yourself so your body can heal.
• After a caesarean section, you may experience pain at the surgical site and have to stay 2 to 3 days in the hospital.
• The medications administered for a C-section may make you feel nauseous or itchy and the surgical site may hurt while you nurse your baby. Ask for help if you find it difficult to nurse
• Your blood pressure, bleeding and heart rate will be monitored regularly. The size of your uterus and firmness will be checked
• Your doctor will prescribe medications to relieve pain
• Try sitting up and moving around several times a day to promote healing
• Bowel movements are painful after childbirth so it is important to include a high fiber diet or stool softeners to soften the stools and allow easier passage
• You may experience skin changes and hair loss due to hormonal changes. This is normal and will get better after a few months
• It is important for your baby to continue to breastfeed; seek help if you experience discomfort, breast soreness or infection
• You may feel sad and depressed post-delivery. This is called ‘postpartum depression’ and can be very serious, impacting your ability to care for your new baby. Seek help if you are unable to care for yourself or the baby as treatment is available to make you feel better
• Inform your doctor if you experience deep vein thrombosis or blood clots in the legs
• You should exercise regularly as instructed by your doctor to help healing, improve mood and to regain your pre-pregnancy body weight’
• Around one in 550 women experience ongoing patches of numbness on the back near the injection site.
• Very rare complications include infection, blood clots and difficulty breathing.