Tiredness, pain and even easy crying are common in the mother after having a baby and are normal. But nevertheless, There are certain signs that tell you that something could go wrong in the postpartum And, if we are no longer in the hospital, we should see a doctor.
These are not immediate postpartum risks but usually arise a few days after giving birth, even when the mother is already at home with the baby. They are not common situations but we must be careful so that they are diagnosed in time and no major complications arise.
If there is a sudden increase in lochia or a bad smell of these. The lochia are the result of a natural physiological process and its smell is similar to that of menstrual secretions. They decrease in quantity as the days go by. If it is observed that these points are not fulfilled, you should see a doctor.
Fever of 39 ° C or more, symptom with several possible explanations to be determined. For example, fever may be indicating infection in the area of the episiotomy or caesarean section or in other areas, in what is known as puerperal infection (accompanied by chills, muscle aches ...) or a mastitis, of which we speak below… You have to go to the doctor if the fever is 39ºC or more and if it persists for more than 24 hours.
Intense and persistent pain for several days in the lower abdomen or lower abdomen. At the beginning, in the immediate postpartum the pains of the entuertos are normal for the uterus to invoke and recover its size, but if the pain is intense and persistent there may be some reason, such as the total non-expulsion of the placenta.
Redness, hardening or heat in the area of the episiotomy or caesarean section, which could indicate a wound infection. They are also symptoms that have to alert us to the bad smell, a bruise, suppuration or bleeding of the wounds. In the hospital they will make the necessary cures and explain how to do them at home, being able to ask all your questions. We recommend a daily shower with soap and water and keep the scar clean and dry so that it does not get infected.
The pain or burning when urinating could indicate a urinary infection, when in addition the woman feels the need to urinate frequently and the urine has a very dark color ... It is a type of frequent puerperal infection, when the bladder becomes infected and inflamed due to bacteria and it needs to be treated to avoid complications.
Intense pain in the breasts, redness and hardening They can be a sign of mastitis or breast inflammation, accompanied by general malaise and fever as we have mentioned in a previous point. Remember that the first indication that something is wrong is breast engorgement the first days of breastfeeding, which can lead to mastitis if it is not resolved.
Intense feelings of sadness or fear that make you feel unwilling to move on or want to separate from the baby. While it is normal to feel some postpartum sadness or "baby blues", as soon as negative feelings appear, including those related to hurting oneself or the baby, you have to go to a specialist since we would be talking about a risk of postpartum depression (the extreme case of psychosis is more unlikely). In this case, it is the people close to the mother who should realize, be attentive to all the signs of postpartum depression and act.
After birth, the mother's body and mind undergo many changes and are usually normal, but if you suffer any of these seven signs go to the doctor in the postpartum. Do not forget, later, the puerperal visit to verify that everything is still well.
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In Babies and more | Immediate risks of postpartum: uterine atony, inversion of the uterus, Ten questions that moms ask during postpartum
