All Childbirths do not happen in the same way, some of them take place in the best conditions, others are much less, but in any case, it is a big test for a woman, a test that will have a considerable impact on his body. So the question we should ask ourselves is how long does a woman need to recover from a birth and resume a normal life?
Of course, every woman, every birth and every postpartum recovery process has its own peculiarities but there is, according to specialists in the field, an average recovery time that every future mother will have to know, if only to have an overview of what awaits her once she gives birth to her baby.
What happens during the recovery period?
It takes between six and eight weeks for a woman's body to recover after a birth. This is the time it takes your body to get your uterus to contract back to its original size. A woman should suddenly expect to experience the following changes:
- Contractions, also called "posterior pains"
- Muscular pains, especially in the arms, neck and jaw
- bleeding
- Vaginal discharge for a duration of 2 to 4 weeks, they can even last up to 2 months after childbirth in extreme cases
- Vaginal pains
- Breast engorgement announcing the rise of milk
- Lower abdominal pain in women with caesarean section for up to two weeks
- Delay of the rules from 6 to 8 weeks. If breastfeeding, they may take several months to resume their normal course
Additional changes may occur in some women
Some women may have swelling of their hands and feet, some may also be constipated or have generalized pain all over the body, all of which depend on the childbirth process. Knowing that in case of cesarean section, a woman will have to deal with the wounds and after-effects of the abdominal surgery she has undergone.
According to Janis M. Miller of the University of Michigan School of Nursing, 6 weeks is the minimum time a woman may need to recover from childbirth based on research she herself has done. conducted: "Our data show that a woman needs a long enough period of time to recover from a very difficult childbirth. Unfortunately, nowadays this need is not always taken into consideration and women are not allowed to have more time. "
In other words, this duration of 6 to 8 weeks is not a general or absolute rule. If you need more time to feel as before, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
There are also psychological changes to take into account
We've talked about physical recovery so far, but what about the psychological impact? A point that many people do not take into consideration. It is actually a change motivated by both the hormonal upheavals that can provide multiple emotions and the feeling of motherhood that can be a challenge on its own.
Dr. Julie Wray, from Salford University, interviewed women after giving birth and noticed that their experiences were very different. She also explains that our contemporary society needs to take a more realistic view of post-birth experiences: "Women generally think they need more than the estimated 6 to 8 weeks. They also think they need support well beyond this period of time. "
What is important to remember is that the period of recovery, its duration, and the changes that occur in it vary from woman to woman depending on a variety of factors. It must be kept in mind that this is the case for labor and childbirth, the postpartum journey of each woman is his own. No need to compare, it is time to recover.
