Postpartum Care -- Don't Try And Be Superwoman!

Postpartum care is vital if you want to be able to care for your baby in the best way possible. After all you need to look after yourself before you can properly look after anyone else! The postpartum is a time when you may be feeling very tired, moody and sometime depressed, or you may also be experiencing physical complications which often arise as well. We'll have a look at some of these below to help you understand these things and how to best handle them.

Postpartum is the period of about six weeks from the time of birth until your body makes the adjustments it needs to return to normal. If you're aware of some of the things that can go wrong, you'll be better prepared to deal with them.

Postpartum hemorrhage ~ This may happen straight after the birth, but sometimes up to several hours later. There is a significant loss of blood which can be serious and needs instant treatment. Fortunately postpartum hemorrhage is rare, affecting under 20% of all births. Some blood loss is quite normal during this period and is nothing to be concerned about.

Postpartum preeclampsia ~ Although this is mainly a symptom of pregnancy, preeclampsia can happen after giving birth as well. Preeclampsia symptoms are high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine. The signs that you may have this condition are recurring headaches and/or blurred vision. Preeclampsia is serious if untreated. Fortunately it can be successfully treated if caught in time.

Postpartum depression ~ This is a very common complaint and can vary from mild to extreme. It's mainly caused by hormonal changes in your body. A feeling of loss of identity may also cause you to feel depressed.

What are the postpartum depression signs? Well you may be feeling overwhelmed, sad, excessively tired, uninterested and above all, guilty that you're feeling this way, Because, after all, this should be a happy time, shouldn't it?

These feelings are perfectly normal. They are experienced by many women and have been since time began.

Understand that your body has been through a tremendous amount of stress and that it will take some time to recover. Giving birth poses both physical and psychological changes both at the same time. You may also be feeling excluded when family and friends are making a fuss of your baby and you're no longer the main attrraction. This feeling of loss of identity is quite normal and you're just being human.

You also have the huge responsibility of caring for a newborn while dealing with sleep deprivation at the same time. No wonder your feeling exhausted, scared and anxious. This is perfectly normal and will probably last for a week or two. If it persisits or gets worse, you may have to visit your doctor.

Although postpartum depression is a form of depression, it has a clinical cause so be wary of prescribed depression drugs. These have a low success rate and are totally unsuitable if you're breastfeeding. Here is an important natural remedy for handling postpartum depression.

Take Omega 3 supplements. You can get your Omega 3 by eating fish, but due to the high mercury content in some fish these days, you may be safer taking supplements. Omega 3 is a great way to boost your mood and is good for your and your baby's health as well.


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Postpartum care is a necessary but neglected part of women's health. Whether it's postpartum depression or assisting your body back to normal, vist Postpartum Care to find out about natural ways to help postpartum recovery and enjoy this special time in your life. Wendy Owen (HH Dip) is a holistic health therapist with an extensive knowledge in homeopathic and herbal remedies.