Pain after delivery. Causes, treatment

Childbearing is a complex process associated with certain unpleasant sensations. However, it is a mistake to believe that after the birth of a child, they will all end at once. The most common phenomenon in many mothers is the pain after childbirth. What are they related to? What are they like? Why do they appear? And is it realistic to fight them?

What kind of pain can be observed in women in labor?

Most often, in laboring women there are unpleasant sensations in the region of the waist and coccyx. Sometimes there may be a headache, discomfort in the chest, back or stomach. At the same time, it is accompanied by unpleasant, pulsating or pulling, sharp or, conversely, blunted spasms that hinder movement. In addition, for example, back pain transfers to other parts of the body, which leads to certain problems in feeding the baby, walking, lifting objects of different weights, etc.

Should I worry when my stomach hurts?

One of the most common problems that young mothers face is unpleasant discomfort in the lower abdomen. But is it worth it to be afraid and even more so to panic when the stomach hurts after childbirth? To answer this question, it is worthwhile to consider the possible causes of this ailment, which may be of a physiological or pathological nature.

All the fault of oxytocin

There are many potential causes associated with painful sensations in the abdomen. And for each of them are characterized by various symptoms. For example, if there is a cramping or pulling pain, this indicates the active development of a special hormone oxytocin. It is he who helps the opened and enlarged uterus size to take the original form.

Sometimes a woman in labor experiences unpleasant and undulating sensations, which are intensified during the breastfeeding of a child. In this case, the cause of trouble is also oxytocin, which is secreted as a protective barrier from an external stimulus and again leading to an involuntary contraction of the uterine muscles. As you can see, in both cases the abdomen hurts after delivery for quite normal physiological reasons. As a rule, such pains do not have a protracted character and pass through 5-10 days.

When is it worth it to sound an alarm?

When the pain in the abdominal region acquires a protracted character (it does not stop more than a month), it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. Its cause may be, for example, the presence of placental residues inside the uterus that did not come out with the fetus, but, on the contrary, stick to the walls and provoke inflammatory processes in the body.

In addition, the pain after the birth in the abdominal region can occur when the pathogenic bacteria and germs get on the uterine mucosa. Most often, this occurs when basic hygiene rules are not observed during surgical intervention by physicians (caesarean section).

In a word, if the pain does not go away for a long time, but becomes complicated by inflammation, purulent secretions, fever or any other unpleasant moments, urgently consult a doctor.

Why do headaches occur after childbirth?

In some parturient women, frequent migraines are observed in the postpartum period. In most cases, they appear in those women who have had headaches and before pregnancy. Less often, migraine victims are women who abandoned the traditional breastfeeding of babies.

Among the causes of headaches can be called the most basic:

• Excess in the body of progesterone and estrogens;
• Use of oral contraceptives without prior agreement with the doctor;
• stress;
• fatigue;
• Lack of full sleep.

Why does my chest hurt?

In the postpartum period, many mothers complain that they have a sore chest after childbirth. What is the reason for this? As practice shows, often the discomfort in the area of the breast occurs due to the increase in the mammary glands (with breastfeeding), with restorative processes in the uterus and abdomen, during stress.

In addition, pain in the chest and in the chest area can be associated with the restoration of the ribs, which during pregnancy open, making room for the unborn baby.

It also hurts and, according to sensations, "pours", "becomes stone" during the rush of milk. At the same time if you do not feed the child in time, then milk stagnation will occur - as a consequence, mastitis will develop.

It is very important, when you have a chest pain after giving birth, to reveal the real cause of unpleasant sensations. For this, it is necessary to exclude external stimuli and consult a specialist.

For what reason does the back hurt?

Sharp or drawing pain in the back (waist) - this unpleasant moment many moms know firsthand. It can be either constant or "wavy", that is, it can stop, then become aggravated.

Such back pain after delivery is associated with a variety of reasons, among which is the restoration of the position of bone tissue. Recall that during pregnancy, pelvic bones diverge and facilitate the way the newborn passes through the birth canal.

In the postpartum period, the planned restoration of the original position of the bones takes place. However, the normalization of bone tissue affects both muscles and nerve endings, which causes unpleasant sensations in the lower back.

Why do postoperative sutures hurt?

In many women who survived surgery (caesarean section, suturing of the perineum with ruptures), joints after delivery are sore. Why is this happening? Most often, this pain is associated with certain actions of the parturient woman. For example, with seams on the perineum, it occurs with too frequent inclinations, squats and lifting of gravity.

Less common soreness is associated with frequent constipation. Also, it can appear with early sexual intercourse (it is not recommended to enter into an intimate relationship earlier than 2 months from the moment of the birth of the child).

If you have sore joints after delivery, redness, swelling and purulent discharge are observed, you should immediately go to the doctor.

What should I do with pain?

If, after giving birth, you have unpleasant sensations in the chest, back, abdomen or head, you first need to determine the cause. For this purpose it will be better to appear to the expert. And then you will only have to follow the advice of a doctor who prescribes an individual treatment.

For example, with pain after childbirth in the perineal region (in the place of application of sutures), it is recommended to use the wound healing cream "Rescuer". Also, women with similar problems should not eat foods that can cause constipation.

In order to minimize pain after the operation, it is necessary to observe personal hygiene and properly care for the seams. Therefore, the seams on the crotch should be regularly washed with water, applying exceptionally smooth movements. When inflammation should be alternated rinsing with plain water and manganese.

If the chest hurts because of too much overflowing milk, it is necessary to purchase a breast pump, to express and more often to put the baby to the breast. With back pain, use a cooling ointment that relieves discomfort. Help in these cases, and manual therapy, light massage and therapeutic gymnastics. It is also recommended to perform the exercise "cat" more often. To do this, you need to stand on all fours, raise your head up and at the same time bend at the waist, then lower your head down and round your back. Do this exercise three times a day for three approaches.

If you have frequent headaches after childbirth, walk more often outdoors, do yoga, get enough sleep. The pain in the lower abdomen can be associated with problems in the gastrointestinal tract, so in this case, usually prescribed a sparing diet.

In a word, with any pain and possible abnormalities, consult a doctor. And then you will manage to avoid complications.