Greenslopes Maternity Your Journey 33 Going home After giving birth to your baby your body may take up to six weeks or more to feel normal again. It can be a lovely time for bonding and spending time with your baby. It is also a time when you may feel very up and down emotionally. How you feel during this time will vary according to how you gave birth, the supports you have at home and how your feeding is going. Allow yourself time to recover; accept any help that is offered and use every opportunity to rest. Things you can do at home to relax • Take 30 minutes time out just for you • Sleep when baby sleeps • Have a bath • Accept help from friends • Go for a walk • Tell people what you need. • Keep a journal to write in Pelvic floor exercises The muscles in your pelvic floor have been stretched after the birth of your baby, so it is an important part of your recovery to help them return to normal. If you have had stitches, you may feel reluctant to start exercising your pelvic floor muscles. Whether you have had stitches or not, you should be able to start your exercises between two and five days after the birth. If you have been doing these exercises during your pregnancy, you will notice that they will feel very different. Our physiotherapists will provide advice and support to you in the Maternity Ward. Postnatal depression With as many as one in five women suffering from postnatal depression, it’s essential to recognise the symptoms. Becoming a mother for the first time or adding to your family can be stressful and difficult. A few days after the baby is born, nearly all women experience feelings of tearfulness, anxiety and irritability called ‘baby blues’ which generally fade as quickly as they come. However, some women may develop a birth related depression. This can happen to any woman, at any time (even months) after pregnancy and is called postnatal depression. It can also develop during pregnancy (called antenatal depression). If you have suffered from depression before, you may be more at risk of developing a pregnancy related depression. Each woman with postnatal depression will experience symptoms that are unique to them and can be mild or severe. You might experience: • crying • trouble coping with the baby • feeling sad, anxious and irritable • low libido (minimal interest in sex) • poor appetite • avoiding contact with family and friends • trouble sleeping or sleeping too much • feelings of wanting to harm yourself • no energy or the baby. Every woman will have their own reactions to postnatal depression. This is just a guide to help you recognise symptoms. If you are concerned, try to talk openly to your carers about your feelings. Queensland Child Health Record (the red book) Your Child Health Record is given to you after the birth of your baby in hospital. It is an important record for you to use and keep for your child. It includes child health information for parents and is a record of your child’s health, growth, development and immunisations from birth to six years of age. It is important to take the Child Health Record with you when you visit the following: • Community Health nurse/centre • Local GP, hospital and all immunisation sessions • any time you are seeking advice about your baby with a health professional. We encourage you to think about contraception and discuss with your doctor the methods of contraception that are suitable for you after birth. Before you go home speak to your midwife about: • comfortably positioning your baby for breastfeeding • how you will know if your baby is getting enough breast milk • expressing breast milk either by hand or pump • formula preparation and sterilisation of equipment (if you choose to formula feed) • changing nappies • bathing your baby • how to settle your baby • exercises for your back and pelvic floor • postnatal depression • how to take care of yourself • who to call if you need help • support services close to home. Something to Remember
GPH Materntiy Your Journey Book PI499 0216
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