Postpartum Care: Your Follow-up Appointment
Postpartum Care: Your Follow-up AppointmentAfter you give birth, your body goes through many changes to return to its pre-pregnancy health and form.Your healthcare provider will want to check your health about six weeks after delivery.This postpartum appointment is a good time to talk to your healthcare provider about any concerns you mayhave. One of these concerns may be your weight. Some women lose their extra pregnancy pounds faster thanothers but don’t be discouraged. With proper nutrition and regular exercise, you will gradually take off the extraweight.“As you start to sleep better and the baby starts to sleep better, you will maybe be able to say, ‘Ok, nowI can start exercising.”Talk to your health care provider about how to ease back into your exercise routine or start a new one.Remember, it took nine months to put on those extra pounds, and it’s unrealistic to expect them to go awayovernight.You may want to ask your healthcare provider about your food choices and how they can affect your baby.When breastfeeding, what you eat can pass to your baby and some choices may cause fussiness or gas.There’s a lot of information available from your healthcare provider, so take advantage of it. If there’ssomething that you don’t understand, ask again.Be sure to discuss whether or not you should continue taking your prenatal vitamins.“While you’re breastfeeding, you want to continue taking your prenatal vitamins because, just like youwere growing your baby I utero, you are still supporting the growth of your baby.”If you plan to work after the baby is born, your healthcare provider can give you the final okay to return to yourjob.Sex may or may not be on your mind. Most health care providers recommend waiting 6 weeks after deliverybefore resuming sexual activity. At that time, one thing you must consider is birth control and it is a good ideato talk to your healthcare provider about your birth control options.If you are bottle feeding, your menstrual period can resume as early as four weeks after delivery or as late asseveral months afterwards. Many women who breast feed may not have a menstrual period for severalmonths, or perhaps even until they stop breastfeeding. However, you can become pregnant before getting yourfirst period, and yes, even nursing mothers can become pregnant.Birth control pills that include estrogen can decrease your milk supply, so if you’re nursing, talk to yourhealthcare provider about your options. You may want to consider an alternative form of contraception, such asan IUD, hormonal implant, progesterone-only birth control pills or condoms with spermicide.If you used a diaphragm or cervical cap before your pregnancy, and you would like to continue using one, seeyour health care provider to have a new one fitted.And finally, if you feel you are depressed or anxious talk to your healthcare provider about your emotions. Shemay recommend a support group, therapy or medication to manage your postpartum emotions.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCOB10004B EN PostpartumCareYourFollowupAppointment.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Postpartum Care: Your Follow-up AppointmentYour six-week postpartum healthcare appointment is a good time to address any post-pregnancy concerns youmay have. Before your appointment, take some time to write down any questions you may have so you canleave your appointment assured you are healing well and ready to meet the challenges of motherhood.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCOB10004B EN PostpartumCareYourFollowupAppointment.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
© The Wellness Network
