Gentle Hands Midwifery Services
Serving Michigan & Indiana's Home Birth families
“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.“
Psalm 9:10
Remember that I will be there with your for at least 2 hours after the birth. I will stay as long as needed.
I will have you begin eating, esp a protein meal after giving birth. You need to build back up your strength. You should have some things that are easy to prepare for right after the birth.
I will have you drinking plenty of fluids.
You will begin nursing right away. The first two hours after birth is very important to help get the baby off to a good start.
After about 1-2 hours after delivery I will get you up to urinate, to keep your bladder empty. Mothers often do not have the sensation to urinate right away. It is important to keep your bladder empty, as this also helps to reduce a reason for increased bleeding. A full bladder gets in the way of a contracting uterus.
I will have you use a squirt bottle to squeeze warm water onto your bottom to help keep your perineum clean. You may put essential oils or herbs in the water.
I would like you to have a herbal bath right after the birth. It is very healing and soothing.
DAY 1-7
Your bleeding should lesson each day. You should not soak a pad in 20-30 minutes. Remember that the bleeding should be red, and you may pass some clots that first few days. The bleeding will continue for up to 10-16 days. It will be red at first then it will become darker brownish, and then more of a yellowish brown, then finally you will stop flowing. If you begin again at any time with red flow, especially bright red blood, you are doing too much. Remember where the placenta detached, needs to heal. This takes about 3 weeks to heal over. If this spot was on the outside of your body where you could see it, you would protect is more. Just because it is on the inside, and you cant see it, sometimes we tend to do too much activity. Take it easy.
Your uterus should stay firm and should be checked by you and your husband each hour you are awake for the first day. After day one, you should check it at least twice a day for the next 5 days.
You need to eat healthy.
You should have someone in the home with you for the next several days. I do not want you to be alone. You should NOT be cooking, cleaning or taking care of any other children. You need to have time to heal, and take care of your new born only.
You should begin having bowel movements the next day. Some mothers do not until 2 days after the birth. To avoid becoming constipated, you need to drink a lot of water and eat fiber.
When baby sleeps you sleep.
You should nurse every 2-3 hours during the day hours, and at night if your baby is sleeping, then it is ok to go longer than that (IF you are nursing well during the day). Allow about 4-5 hours at night but no more. Be sure to nurse during the day on demand. If baby is not "demanding" it at least every 2-3 hours then wake him/her up and nurse!
Keep taking the vitamins you were taking before.
DAY 8 to 6 weeks
You can begin doing a little more after day 8, if you are up to it. By a little more I mean standing for a while at the sink to do dishes is ok, but doing laundry, carrying heavy clothes baskets is not. Wet clothing is heavy.
If you have a toddler that wants to be held a lot, sit down on the couch and allow the child to climb up to you. Don't pick up the child.
Remember that you will begin bleeding more if you are doing too much.
Remember that you can get pregnant even this early.
Resume sex only when you feel that you are ready. You should let your body heal for at least the 6 weeks.
