Pregnancy is nothing short of a milestone for women. The feeling of having a life growing in you is pure and beautiful. The 9 months of pregnancy are full of ups and downs. Not only are there a lot of cramps and painful experiences, but illnesses strike randomly, and you have got to be ready for everything.
One may think that the tough part is over as soon as the baby is delivered. However, a mother might also experience cramps after delivery. This is known as Postpartum cramping. According to Babycenter, it happens because the uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size after delivery.
Postpartum cramps are mild after the first child’s delivery but can get worse with each delivery. The uterus weighs about 1 kg during the time of pregnancy and it comes to about 60 grams during the next six weeks. It also helps in narrowing your blood vessels so that you don’t lose too much blood after delivery. The cramps can be most painful one or two days after delivery but they can go on for several weeks after as the uterus can take longer than expected to reduce in size.
Some ways to minimize the pain are:
Breastfeed every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours during the night. This will regulate your milk supply and reduce blood loss by increasing contractions and helping the uterus to reduce in size.
Try to pee often. This will help your bladder stay empty and the contractions would take place better and cramps won’t be as intense.
Practice deep breathing and other forms of relaxation to distract yourself from breathing.
Massage your lower belly gently.
A warm heating pad under the lower belly while lying down can also work.
Taking over-the-counter pain relievers can help with reducing pain. Go to the doctor if, in addition to cramps, you have experienced fever, pain or burning sensation while peeing or foul-smelling discharge.
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