Postpartum Warning Signs You Should Know and Look Out For

Postpartum Warning Signs You Should Not Ignore

It is easy to ignore early postpartum warnings signs.  As a new mom, you are finally getting to meet your baby after nine LONG months of pregnancy. Being a new mother is a wonderful experience. Everyone knows that childbirth can leave you feeling weak, tired, and in pain for days after delivery. While weakness and pain are normal postpartum experiences, certain other signs require a doctor’s attention.  If you recognize the following postpartum warning signs, please contact your doctor.

After childbirth, the focus will shift from you to your newborn, so it’s easy, and may even feel natural, to ignore your body’s health. It’s important that you pay close attention to your body and the changes that are happening following birth. That’s because childbirth causes changes in your body that may lead to health complications if not addressed in a timely manner.

Postnatal warning signs you should look out for after delivery include:

1. Severe abdominal cramps 

If you experience severe abdominal cramps after delivery, call your doctor immediately. I know you don’t want to leave the house again. I know you just got back from the hospital. But if you are feeling severe abdominal cramps postpartum, you don’t want it to get worse. Severe abdominal pain might be a sign of HELLP syndrome. Though this condition is rare, it is better to stay safe and alive than sorry. 

HELLP syndrome can lead to death as it attacks the liver and hinders the blood’s ability to clot. It often begins during the pregnancy and continues after childbirth. Other symptoms of HELLP include headache and nausea. If any of these symptoms seem to be familiar to you, make sure you tell your doctor.

2. Postpartum hemorrhage

Bleeding after giving birth is normal, but in small amounts. A normal amount of postpartum bleeding is around 500 milliliters, which is about two and a half cups. If you notice you are bleeding too frequently or too heavily after giving birth, you need to see your doctor. Heaving bleeding can be a sign of postpartum hemorrhage, it occurs when the uterus does not contract properly after the placenta has been pushed out. It can also be due to a tear or laceration in the vagina, cervix or uterus. It then triggers heavy bleeding and can cause you to change your pads more frequently than you should. It’s difficult to know where the blood loss is coming from if you’re doing a self-examination. Let a doctor examine you if you are concerned.

If you start bleeding heavy one or two weeks after delivery, the moment you notice it, reach out to your doctor. Postpartum hemorrhage can lead to shock, anemia, and even death so bleeding should be taken VERY SERIOUSLY! 

3. Postpartum Fever 

While birthing a child comes with extreme discomfort, a fever is not typically one of these discomforts. Fever after birth is not normal and should be reported instantly. Fever can be a sign of Sepsis. Sepsis often starts as a fever after birth. It occurs when an infection gets into the body and spreads, resulting in high fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit). For new mothers, this can be because a poor aseptic technique was used during delivery – either during the incision stitching or through the vagina. 

 If you have a fever greater than 100.4 in the first couple of weeks postpartum, you need to consult your doctor. This may be a sign of infection, which needs to be addressed right away. When delivering your baby, the hospital staff tries their best to ensure sanitary conditions. However, if you are experiencing a fever postpartum, be sure to ask your doctor how to proceed.

The fever might show itself as shivering, hyperventilation, or breathing difficulties. The moment you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor ASAP!

4. Postpartum Hemorrhoid

Most women will experience hemorrhoid or constipation after delivery. Postpartum This is because your growing bump puts a lot of pressure on the lower abdomen. It’s recommended that before and after delivery, mothers eat foods rich in fluid and fiber to aid bowel movement. To help relieve the soreness and discomfort with hemorrhoids, use our CODDLE perineal balm. It’s one of the products in our postpartum recovery box, made with soothing peppermint and witch hazel for a cooling soothing effect.

5. Incision Not Healing

If you had an episiotomy or C-section during birth, and it’s not healing, be sure to check in with your doctor. Have your partner examine the incision regularly to ensure that there is no infection. Pain and discomfort are common with incisions, but extreme pain and discomfort are not. If you experience this, call your doctor to see if your postpartum incision is healing correctly.

6. Depression

Feeling anxious after having your baby is quite normal. That’s because there are natural hormonal changes taking place in your body.  This, with the new set of responsibilities that comes along with motherhood, makes your body respond differently than when you were pregnant.. But if anxiousness switches to major mood swings, anger, or even violence, you might be experiencing PPD – Postpartum Depression.  

So many women experience PPD for weeks or months after giving birth. Its symptoms include an overwhelming feeling of guilt, fear, anger, and loneliness. PPD can be triggered by an inability to take care of a child due to the pain of delivery. Most mothers who experience PPD might lack a feeling of attachment to their baby or have violent thoughts towards their baby. 

PPD is nothing to be ashamed of or to hide from your doctor. In fact, it’s better to tell your doctor than to hide it. They should know about PPD and not judge you. According to research, one in seven women experience PPD. If you notice any of these signs mentioned above, reach out to your doctor immediately. Hiding PPD is not be the safest option for yourself and your baby.  

7.  Pain in Your Chest

If you are experiencing pain in your chest, take it seriously! You may have postpartum preeclampsia. This is a serious condition that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Don’t try to power through this one. Call your doctor. Postpartum preeclampsia occurs when a woman has high blood pressure and her organs, such as her kidneys and liver, may not be working normally after giving birth. If you ignore the early warning signs, this could lead to long term problems.

Chest pain is always something to take seriously. But for a postpartum mother, this condition needs to be taken even more seriously. Your body just went through an extremely taxing experience and is weaker than it typically would be. Don’t mess around with chest pain. Your body needs extra attention after birth, so look for the signs. It’s easy to lose yourself, and neglect your basic needs, to the care of your newborn. So, if you are experiencing pain, ask your doctor to walk you through the next steps to see what may be causing the pain.

8. Pain in Your Leg

Though rare, if you have a pain in your leg postpartum, this could be a sign of deep vein thrombosis. This occurs when a blood clot forms in a place such as your lower leg or thigh. Consult with your doctor if you feel a pain in your leg in the 12 weeks after having your baby.

9. Headache

Headaches can be normal in postpartum women. You’re most likely not sleeping, eating, or drinking enough to keep up with the demands of baby, which can cause a headache. If a headache is persistent or severe, however, let your doctor know. This could be an early warning sign of something serious such as eclampsia.

10. Seizures or Fainting

If you have experienced seizures or fainting postpartum, this is not normal and must be addressed by your doctor. If you have preexisting conditions that cause seizures or fainting, consult your doctor with how to best care for yourself during this stressful time. Added stress and the lack of sleep can trigger both seizures and fainting in those that are predisposed. However, these can also happen to a postpartum woman that has never experienced either a seizure or fainting.

The repercussions of seizures or fainting can be catastrophic. People can drop or squeeze their newborn when experiencing these conditions as well as harm their own bodies. If you have experienced either a seizure or have fainted postpartum, contact your doctor immediately.

There can be a natural feeling to avoid leaving your house after giving birth. Which is totally understandable. But if you feel like something isn’t right, please say something. We at Coddle know that you want to be the best Mom you can be and you might think that means being there for your new baby every second. You just went through so much pain to bring this child into the world. You can handle some more discomfort. But think long term. If you wait too long to check in with your doctor when experiencing any of the postpartum warning signs above, you might not live long enough to regret it. It’s that serious.

With the new ACOG recommendation made regarding postpartum visits, which is a continuous visitation schedule from 3 weeks postpartum up to 12 weeks, you and/or your doctor should quickly spot any of these warnings mentioned early enough to prevent harm.