The puerperium period mainly refers to the period of time from the end of childbirth to the return of the mother's body to the pre-pregnancy state. In the normal pregnancy process, after the fetus and the placenta delivery, the uterus will be restored, the placental peel wound completely healed it takes about six weeks, so we set the puerperium period to six weeks after childbirth, that is to say, from the fetus delivered to six weeks after childbirth This time is called the puerperal period, folk customs "confinement".
How important is confinement
In the process of confinement, it is actually a process of recovery of the mother's entire reproductive system. Poor recovery will affect the health of the mother.
Prenatal pregnant women bear the nutrients needed for fetal growth and development, and a series of adaptations will occur in various systems of the mother. Uterine muscle cells maturation, proliferation, and lengthening, the burden on the heart increases, the burden on the lungs also increases, the kidneys during pregnancy also increase slightly, the ureter thickens, muscle tone decreases, and peristalsis decreases. Others such as intestinal endocrine, skin, bone, joints, ligaments, etc. will be changed accordingly.
After the delivery of the fetus, the maternal organs will return to their prenatal state. Wounds in the uterus, perineum, and vagina will heal, the uterus will shrink, the diaphragm will decline, the heart will recover, and the skin, joints, and ligaments that have been stretched and loosened will return to normal. The recovery of these forms, positions and functions depends on the care of the mother during confinement. If properly maintained, the recovery is faster and there is no subsequent trouble; if it is slightly careless and inappropriate, the recovery is slower.
Moreover, the period of "confinement" is the "eventful autumn" of the mother, and a variety of diseases that seriously threaten the health of the mother, such as puerperal infection, mastitis, uterine prolapse, adnexitis, etc., can occur during this period. At the same time, many folk stereotypes about "confinement" will also bring confusion and pressure to pregnant women.
Basic considerations for confinement
1. Make sure to eat well and rest well
Because childbirth will cause extreme fatigue to the mother's body and mind, the first thing after childbirth is to let the mother sleep beautifully, and the family should not easily disturb her. After sleeping enough, you should eat some nutritious and digestible foods, and drink more water at the same time. High-nutrition, high-calorie, and easily digestible foods should be eaten during the "confinement" period and during lactation to promote rapid recovery of the body and ensure adequate milk intake.
2. Get out of bed as soon as possible
In general, women who give birth normally vaginally should get out of bed and walk around the day after they give birth. However, care should be taken not to get cold and avoid direct blowing by cold winds. You can also do some simple exercises or postpartum gymnastics every day under the guidance of medical staff, which is conducive to recovery and maintain good body shape.
1 week after childbirth, the mother can do some minor housework, such as wiping the table, sweeping the floor, etc., but the duration should not be too long, and it is not allowed to do heavy physical work, otherwise it is easy to induce uterine bleeding and uterine prolapse.
3. Pay special attention to personal hygiene
In the "confinement", the mother has more perineal secretions, and the vulva should be cleaned with warm boiled water or 1:5000 potassium permanganate solution every day. Change the perineal pad frequently and keep the perineum clean and dry.
Due to sweating after childbirth, it is necessary to wash your hair frequently, wash your feet, change your underwear frequently, and keep your body clean. It is advisable to take a shower to avoid infection in the vagina with dirty water.
During the "confinement" period of the mother, the number of eating times is more, and the food is also more, such as not paying attention to gargling and brushing, it is easy to make bacteria in the mouth multiply and oral diseases occur. In the past, many women blindly believed in the "old rule" - they could not brush their teeth during confinement, and as a result, "sitting" once "confinement" destroyed a mouth of teeth. Women should brush their teeth once or twice a day, with the option of gently brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush. After each meal, rinse your mouth with warm boiled water.
The indoor room is often ventilated, and the indoor temperature should not be too high, nor should it be high or low. In the past, it was often said that the doors and windows were closed tightly, and no matter when the mother had to cover the quilt, it was very dangerous, especially in the summer, which was very easy to cause heat stroke for the mother.
4. Feed your baby breast milk as early as possible
Breast congestion and swelling after childbirth is obvious, early breastfeeding is conducive to stimulating the secretion of milk sweat, so that future breastfeeding has a good start; but also to promote uterine contraction and recovery. Before and after breastfeeding, women pay great attention to keeping their hands clean and the nipples and breasts clean and hygienic to prevent breast infections and intestinal infections in newborns.
5. Reasonable arrangement of postpartum sex life
If the lochia is not clean or within 42 days after childbirth, sexual life is absolutely prohibited because the wound in the uterus has not been completely repaired. If you forget the "martial law order" for the sake of a momentary pleasure, it is easy to cause puerperal infection, and even cause adverse consequences such as chronic pelvic inflammatory disease.
Women who have cleaned up early on must take reliable contraception measures when resuming sexual life, because pregnancy during puerperal period is also a common thing and should be paid attention to.
6. On-time postpartum examination
About 42 days after giving birth, the puerperium period will end, and the mother should go to the hospital for a postpartum examination to understand the recovery status of the body. In case of abnormalities, you can get the guidance and treatment of your doctor in time.
7. Do not blow wind or get cold
If the indoor temperature is too high, the mother can use the air conditioner appropriately, the room temperature is generally 25-28 ° C is appropriate, but it should be noted that the air conditioning wind can not be directly blown to the mother. Pregnant women should wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers, preferably a pair of thin socks. Mothers should not touch cold water during confinement to prevent cold or soreness.