Include protein foods 2-3 times per day such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, nuts and seeds. Eat three servings of vegetables, including dark green and yellow vegetables per day. Eat two servings of fruit per day. Include whole grains such as whole wheat breads, pasta, cereal and oatmeal in your daily diet.
Apricots and dates
Eating apricots and dates can increase prolactin, which is the hormone that tells your body to produce milk. Apricots contain essential nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. Fresh is better than canned.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, salad, wholegrain cereals and wholemeal bread, and drink plenty of water. If you've had stitches, it's very unlikely you'll break them, or open up the cut or tear again. It might feel better if you hold a pad of clean tissue over the stitches when pooing.
Most women will stop bleeding between four and six weeks after giving birth. Some women may bleed for longer or shorter than this.
It takes six to eight weeks for your uterus to return to its normal size, but for some moms, it may take much longer for their post-pregnancy belly to return to "normal." For other new moms, they may find that their bellies take on a permanently different new appearance.
It takes about six weeks for your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy weight and size.
In those first few weeks postpartum, your cervix is still somewhat dilated, regardless of whether you had a vaginal delivery or a c-section. There's a theory – though no research has confirmed this – that tub water could travel into your uterus, introduce bacteria, and cause an infection.
Limit your activity to caring for yourself and your baby. If you had an exercise routine during pregnancy, ask your health care provider when you can begin again. You can start the gentle postpartum exercise routine described below the day after you give birth.
Caring for your wounds and stitches
Sitting on the toilet backwards can ease stinging caused by urine passing over the injury (it sounds strange but it can really help!)
Prepare for the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed. This gives you a solid two weeks of focused intentional rest. It also helps to get your priorities in order when it comes to those eager visitors. They will get to see the baby, but they don't get to make the rules.
If you had a straightforward birth, you can start gentle exercise as soon as you feel up to it. This could include walking, gentle stretches, pelvic floor and tummy exercises. It's usually a good idea to wait until after your 6-week postnatal check before you start any high-impact exercise, such as aerobics or running.
The cut may bleed quite a lot at first, but this should stop with pressure and stitches. Stitches should heal within 1 month of the birth. Talk to your midwife or obstetrician about which activities you should avoid during the healing period.
How much weight do you lose after giving birth? Once baby has been delivered (along with their accompanying placenta and amniotic fluid), most women lose an average of 10 to 13 pounds.
If you delivered vaginally, you may drive when you feel comfortable and have stopped taking pain medications. If you had a cesarean section, wait at least two weeks before driving. Sitz baths (warm, shallow baths), regular baths, and showers are safe after vaginal delivery and can help with discomfort.
Try taking a warm bath in a clean bathtub, unless your health care provider tells you otherwise. Sitting in a shallow bath with warm water can help soothe, clean and heal your perineum. You can do this twice a day for up to 20 minutes at a time. Use clean, warm water with no soaps, oils or bubble bath.
Some new moms wonder whether they should bring their new baby to the OB appointment. If you prefer to leave baby with your partner or a grandparent, that's fine—the OB generally doesn't need to examine the little one. That said, feel free to bring baby along.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends women take at least six weeks off work following childbirth.
The cervix generally doesn't close fully for around six weeks, so up until that point, there's the risk of introducing bacteria into the uterus and ending up with an infection, Pari Ghodsi, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn based in Los Angeles, tells SELF.
Your belly will gradually slim down as your uterus shrinks back to its usual size and excess fluids are flushed out of your body. Your stretched-out abdominal muscles and lax skin will most likely begin to firm up.
“A small number of women will be able to get a flat stomach again, but for the majority, it may take a lot of time or not happen at all,” says Alissa Rumsey, R.D., certified strength and conditioning coach and spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.