Changes This is a time when the weight just falls off and that’s not counting the baby and placenta! All that extra fluid the body has retained throughout the pregnancy now is lost through perspiration and urination.

The uterus will start to shrink back to its normal size, around twenty five times smaller in about four weeks. As the uterus shrinks, all the body organs will travel back to their original position. Estrogen and progesterone levels drop off after delivery, hormones called prolactin and oxytocin, in combination with baby's suckling stimulate milk production.

These hormonal changes as the body moves back to pre pregnant state can leave women feeling overwhelmed. Don’t despair however, in a matter of weeks your amazingly resilient body will reverse physical changes that took nine months to develop.

Difficult Labour
This can occur because of a number of situations be it a breech birth or a long labour or more complicated medical conditions. To be forewarned is forearmed, check with your midwife or doctor about any specific complications that may occur in your situation, i.e. narrow pelvis.

It will take a while to get over so you will need your rest. Sleep when baby sleeps and accept all offers of help. If older siblings can go to Grandma or Aunty for a couple of weeks so much the better. If there is no one in the family or no friends to help there are support services out there who can provide relief for you. (Link Here to support pages)

Episiotomy
This is a surgical cut in the muscular area between your vagina and your anus (the area called the perineum) right before delivery to enlarge your vaginal opening. This speeds delivery and is used when there are complications in a normal delivery. Doctor will anaesthetise the area with a local injection and make a small cut which will be stitched following delivery.

An episiotomy is still medically necessary for your own or your baby's well-being when:

• Baby's heart rate is erratic and needs to be born as quickly as possible.
• If baby is very large and your midwife needs a little extra room to manipulate baby’s head.
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• If your practitioner needs a little extra room when using forceps to help deliver your baby.
• If it looks as though the vaginal perineal tissue is starting to bleed or not stretching well as your baby's head begins to crown.

Being cut in one place may be preferable to tearing in more than one place. Your doctor or midwife will make the call, as a few shallow tears may be preferable to an episiotomy.

Do I have a choice?
Talk to your delivering practitioner about how you feel. Make sure you understand when and why they will perform an episiotomy. Some doctors/midwives prefer not to use this method unless they have to, so make your feelings known.

Women who have episiotomies tend to have increased blood loss at the time of delivery, greater pain during recovery, weaker pelvic floor muscles at three months after delivery, and more discomfort when they start having sex again.

How can I speed recovery from an episiotomy? Stitches will disintegrate in the weeks following delivery. Use ice packs on the area immediately to reduce swelling.
Some other techniques that can speed your healing and ease soreness include:

• Bathing in salt water from 24 hours after delivery
• Use a hair dryer on the area after bathing or showering
• Get up and move around more often
• Do daily Kegels to stimulate circulation and get things back to normal on your pelvic floor Drink lots of water and eat plenty of fibre to keep motions regular and soft

Kegels
Exercises to strengthen muscles that support the pelvic floor. Named after Arnold Kegel, these exercises were developed to assist women to overcome postpartum incontinence.

There are other benefits as well, toning the muscles in his area will help you to regain your muscle control which will help your posture and will make sex more enjoyable. As these exercises increase blood flow in the area healing from tears or an episiotomy will heal more quickly

Tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor as if you were trying to interrupt the flow of urine and hold for ten seconds. Make sure it is only the muscles in this area that tighten, not your gluts or stomach muscles. Do up to ten at frequent intervals during the day.

Mastitis - What is it
Mastitis is an infection of the breast and usually happens to women who are breastfeeding.. In many cases bacteria have entered through cracks in the nipples. Probably caused by normal bacteria living on the skin’s surface, these bacteria enter the through a beak in the skin, usually the nipple.
Symptoms
Similar to those of flu. You may notice an inflamed area on your breast.
Treatment
See your midwife or doctor regarding the proper treatment.