Serious Postpartum Symptoms
(you need to be aware of)
In the informative book "Baby's First Year" by Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones the authors stress a series of symptoms relating to Postpartum post-birth period.
This is a time of significant adjustment by the body after giving birth including physical, hormonal and mental healing.
Most of the time women experience little or no unusual difficulty during this period and the healing process continues uneventfully.
However, every woman should be aware of certain potentially dangerous symptoms of Postpartum should they occur.
The book's authors have listed several serious Postpartum symptoms and there possible causes and consequences.
The following exerts from the authors book are included here as a guide only and should not be used to diagnose any condition.
If you think that you may be experiencing any of the listed symptoms below, you should contact your physician immediately:
- A fever of 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) or higher may be a sign of a uterine, breast or strep infection.
- Serious bleeding. You soak more than one pad an hour after the first 2 days, or the amount of blood seems to be increasing.
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge. This could be a sign of infection, or that you have not entirely expelled the placenta.
- Severe pain in the vaginal or rectal area. This could signal infection or damage.
- Swollen, hot incision. If you had an incision and stitches following an episiotomy or c-section and the area becomes swollen, the incision reopens, or there is discharge from the wound.
- New pain, swelling, tenderness, or hardening in your legs. This could be a symptom of an inflamed leg vein or a forming blood clot.
- Problems urinating. Pain or burning during urination or an intense need to urinate with nothing coming out could all be signs that your urinary tract was damaged during delivery or that you have an infection.
- Increased vaginal pain. This may be a sign that your stitches or tears aren't healing properly.
- Coughing, severe chest or abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. These could signal a serious complication, a glandular problem, or an allergic reaction to a medication.
- Swelling in your face and hands, a headache, and/or blurred vision.
The symptoms below don't signal an immediate emergency, but you should report them to your healthcare provider during normal office hours:
- Breast pain or inflammation. If your breasts feel hot to the touch, lumpy, or look red, or if you have cracking or bleeding from your nipple area, you could have a plugged duct, mastitis, or a yeast infection.
- Depression. Talk to a professional if you experience weepiness, sadness, and feelings of helplessness that don't go away in a few days. If you have the urge to harm yourself or your baby, seek help immediately.
Note: If you are uncertain as to the seriousness of your symptoms it is best to err on the side of caution and to contact your physician.
"Baby's First Year" is a wonderful resource for new moms with helpful health, nutrition, growth and development tips...and much more.
You can get your copy now at the discount rate by clicking the icon below...
Stay healthy and God Bless!
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