Postpartum Changes
Storyboard Text
- Nurse, what should I know about the changes in my body after childbirth?
- Here's what you need to know....
- you will experience involution, wherein your reproductive organs return to their prepregnant state. you may develop perineal edema, lacerations and episiotomy that may lead to discomfort and pain
- The secretions from your breast called colostrum is rich in protein, vitamin and immunoglobulins and other humoral factors and provides an immunological defense for your baby
- The onset of your first menstrual period after delivery depends if you are lactating or not. If you are going to breastfeed, in most cases, it will return by 6-8 week postpartum. the duration of an ovulation relies on the frequency and intensity of breastfeeding and attributed to high serum prolactin levels
- What about my menstrual period?
- Also, your bladder wall may become edematous hyperemic, and might be overdistended without the urge to pass urine. Within 4-8 weeks, the dilated ureters and renal pelvis usually return to prepregnant state and there is an increased risk of developing urinary tract infections, that is why it is necessary for you to void every 3 to 4 hours
- In the first weeks after childbirth, there is brisk diuresis and it is not unusual to have a urinary output of 3000 cc per day since the amount of loss is usually in line with the amount of fluid retained during pregnancy
- in terms of your cardiovascular system, there is an increase in circulation of blood volume from the contractions of the uterus and an increase in preload from the relief of inferior vena cava obstruction, leading to an increase in stroke volume and heart rate resulting to a 60 to 80% increase in cardiac output, which rapidly decreases to pre-labor values in 1 to 2 hours following delivery and to pre-pregnancy values in two weeks
- You may develop flatulence or constipation due to intestinal ileus, loss of body fluids. laxity of abdominal wall and hemorrhoids. After delivery, your levels of progesterone and gastrin fall within 24 hours, and the acid reflux and associated symptoms resolve in the next 3 to 4 days
- Thank you for the information, Nurse.
- Your skin pigmentation would usually disappear in 6 to 8 weeks. Your abdominal muscles are over stretched during pregnancy and strained during labor and slowly recovers their normal tone and elasticity in about 6 to 8 weeks. You may have divarication of recti, and the striae or stretch marks over the abdomen and legs and might disappear
- i know it is a lot and there are actually more information, but I hope you learned something. It is important for you to know about these changes.
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