Postpartum Abdominal Pain! Pregnancy is a roller coaster ride, physically, emotionally, and mentally for a mother. You expect that after pregnancy, everything will be back to normal, and eventually, it happens. But not readily. It takes almost six weeks for your body to return to its normal, pre-pregnancy state. After delivery, the postpartum period continues for up to six weeks, when your body may remain sore, exhausted, and have various ups and downs.
During vaginal delivery, you will, of course, have a lot of abdominal cramps when your uterus contracts to push out the baby. After delivery, they may get better. But sometimes, the abdominal cramps persist in the postpartum period. In this article, we will discuss the reasons that cause it. If you have the same complaint, you must visit the best gynecologist in Islamabad.
What are the Reasons For Postpartum Abdominal Pain?
Having abdominal pain after delivery is generally is not a medical emergency. But if it persists for a long time and is severe, you should visit the healthcare provider soon. Mostly, it occurs due to afterpains, constipation, or after a cesarean section.
Afterpains
Your uterus expands much during pregnancy to accommodate your baby. However, it would not return back to its normal shape overnight. To return back, your uterus would contract, and you may feel abdominal cramps. The strong cramps usually occur in the first week of delivery and get better over time. It also happens when you breastfeed the child. When you do that, your body releases oxytocin that helps contract the uterus so that it can return to its normal shape.
You can not prevent afterpains. Indeed they are good for your body as they help get you back to the normal figure. But if they are intense, you should visit your doctor soon. Sometimes, abdominal pain can be a sign of infection or any other serious issue. To get rid of pain, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or naproxen and can have a warm compress too.
Constipation
After delivery, you may have constipation, which can, in turn, cause abdominal pain. Constipation can occur due to a variety of reasons like;
Eating a low fiber diet
- Hormonal changes
- Stress
- Reduced physical activity
- Drinking less water
- Bruised perineum or vaginal tears that occur during delivery
- Hemorrhoids that occur during pregnancy
- Medications such as iron- that you need to take to replenish its stores after delivery, or vitamins
- Anesthesia
To get rid of it, you must drink lots of water and eat fruits that contain fiber. You can also ask your healthcare provider if it is alright for you to take a stool softener or laxative to get rid of constipation.
Healing after C-section
After a cesarean section, your body needs time to heal. Therefore you should do bed rest at least in the initial stage. When stitches inside heal, you may have a feeling of discomfort and abdominal pain. You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to get rid of pain in stitches. But if the pain is intense, accompanied by pus and fever, you must visit your healthcare provider as soon as possible as it can be a sign of infection. If your stitches become infected, they can be a life-threatening condition. Therefore you should never ignore the symptoms after having surgery.
Conclusion
The postpartum period is a tough one for a mother. If you can, ask for help from someone else like your friend, mother, or sister. Also, you should keep on gathering advises and tips from mothers who have gone through all this. Postpartum may be a difficult time for you to cope with, but this is what motherhood is, take a deep breath and enjoy! If you have a complaint of fever and abdominal pain after delivery, you should visit the best gynecologist in Lahore.
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