Myths and truths about the postpartum that you should know if you have just given birth

 There are many myths and truths about postpartum circulating around since time immemorial. We deny the first and explain the second so that you are not caught by surprise after giving birth.

Many, after giving birth, ask themselves overwhelmed: "And now, what?". To this lack of knowledge, we must add the disservice done by the myths that exist around this period. What is true about them?

Myths and truths about the postpartum that you should know if you have just given birth

A  cesarean section does not alter the composition of the milk, although "the technique" may cost a little more than after a natural birth (because the mother is in pain).

That is why it is important to start breastfeeding as soon as possible (although some hospitals advise otherwise so that the mother can rest). After a cesarean section, breastfeeding has added benefits for both the woman (the uterus regains its size sooner) and the baby (who feels comforted in the mother's breast).

It is useful to place a cushion on the belly to support the child and thus prevent him from rubbing the scar with his feet.

It is advisable to put on a girdle as soon as you give birth to avoid overloading the lumbar area

The objective of using the girdle in the postpartum period has been strengthened (at six or eight weeks after delivery).

You cannot apply creams to the breast when breastfeeding

Currently, any anti-stretch mark or specific breast care cream sold over the counter and as a beauty product is harmless enough; That is, it will not cause any harm to the infant.

Another thing is that it can provide an unpleasant taste to the milk, which would make the baby reject the breast.

It can also happen that, if the mother has applied a lot of cream, the child's lips slip and he cannot breastfeed well. For these two reasons, it is advisable to apply the creams as soon as you finish feeding and never spread them on the nipple or areola.

The mother cannot bathe for a month

The mother should shower as soon as possible, even before being discharged.

However, it is advisable to avoid immersion baths, both in the bathtub and in the pool, for at least a month, which is the time it takes for wounds to heal. The humidity makes it difficult for them to close.

The rise of milk always produces fever and discomfort in women

The usual thing is that there is no fever or any other symptom of discomfort in the mother. Usually, these problems only appear when the child has not breastfed well and milk has accumulated abnormally in the breast.

It is advisable to start exercising the perineum as soon as you give birth

The ideal thing is to exercise the perineum before childbirth to avoid episiotomy as much as possible.

After giving birth, if an episiotomy has been performed, you must wait for the stitches to fall out before starting the exercises, which will always be performed with the doctor's approval and under his or her supervision.

If you breastfeed you don't get pregnant

Although the hormone prolactin, which is secreted during breastfeeding, alters ovulation and therefore the menstrual cycle, this does not always occur nor does it affect all mothers equally. The problem is that the woman does not know when her period will return (and ovulation occurs 14 days before the onset of her period), so it is possible to get pregnant if she does not use a contraceptive method.

It is important to expel postpartum gas without resorting to drugs

After childbirth, it is common to have gas, especially in the case of a cesarean section, because the activity of the intestine can be paralyzed by the effect of anesthesia.

It is advisable to expel them naturally, without resorting to drugs, since the use of certain relaxing medications that relieve bloating can prevent the intestine from starting to function on its own and worsen the problem. Fortunately, they are temporary discomforts that subside as soon as intestinal activity resumes.

The mother may have poor-quality milk and that is why the baby does not gain weight

The composition of the milk varies throughout the feeding: at first, it comes out more watery and then it is fattier. If a baby only drinks the first milk, but not the final milk, the overall composition of the feed may not be correct.

But that is not a problem of the mother or the breast, but of the breastfeeding technique, because the baby is positioned incorrectly or because it is removed after ten minutes to be changed to the other breast and is not allowed to finish. You have to let her suck everything she needs from each breast.

Treating the woman with iodine alters the baby's tests

Putting iodine in the episiotomy can alter the result of the first heel test, which is performed in the delivery room by taking blood from the umbilical cord. This test detects the possibility that the baby suffers from congenital hypothyroidism, and these are the values ​​that could alter the use of iodine. Just in case, its use is being discarded.

The scar is more bothersome three days after delivery

72 hours after childbirth, the tissues sutured, whether by an episiotomy or a cesarean section, begin to heal and the woman has the sensation that the wound "pulls," which can cause some pain. After this period, the healing process stops being bothersome.

As you have seen, there are many myths circulating about childbirth and postpartum that are not necessarily true, so (as always) it is best to always be well informed.