The Fourth Trimester: caring for your newborn baby and yourself
Pregnancy and childbirth can bring great joy with the arrival of your baby and the realisation of what the female body can achieve. Once your child is born though, your body is still recovering so you need to take care of yourself as well as your baby.
“The fourth trimester” as we often refer to it, can be an unknown and uncertain time for mothers and their families. At Nurture we know more than anyone that it takes a village to raise a child and we see it as our job to care for not only the baby but mum and dad too.
Following childbirth, there are a number of health services mum, dad and baby will likely need, across physical, psychological and general health.
Physical
The female body goes through significant change during pregnancy and childbirth. It is amazing to say the least. In order to give your body the best chance at a smooth recovery, you need to listen to your body and your doctor or physio. Focus areas for many women are weak pelvic floor, weak core, back pain and prolapsed pelvic organs.
Pelvic floor
The pelvic floor is the group of muscles that support the pelvis and help with bladder and bowel control. Women who have a weak pelvic floor, usually from childbirth, may be at risk of incontinence or prolapse. This is why it is highly recommended you do regular pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy, and continue after your baby is born.
To ensure you are doing your pelvic floor exercises correctly, its importance to seek help with a qualified women’s health Physiotherapist.
Abdominal muscles
Your abdomen also goes through quite a bit of change during pregnancy, with many women finding their ab muscles have separated. While it can be tempting to get back into your pre-pregnancy exercise routine, your post-natal body is still very much in recovery. To avoid doing damage and to return to exercise safely, talk to your postnatal physio. They will assist by giving you specific pelvic and core exercises, which you can then do daily to speed up recovery.
Back pain
Pregnancy hormones can affect your ligaments – the bits that connect bone to bone – for up to 6 months after birth. Softened ligaments cause the joints to become unstable, which can lead to pain. Intense exercise with a weakened core can also cause back pain. Work to rehabilitate your abdomen, and be careful bending over to pick up your baby, bend with the legs, not the back.
Make a postnatal appointment with your physio, ideally between four to six weeks after your baby is born. Your physio will assess your abdominal muscles, discuss any pelvic floor issues you are experiencing, how to avoid a prolapse, and answer questions you may have about returning to exercise.
Psychological
Research shows most couples experience difficulty after having a baby, and with a changed home dynamic, sleep deprivation and other factors, it’s easy to understand why. Introducing a new baby into your life is a big change, whether it’s your first or your fifth.
Nurture Family Health Centre psychologist Dr Emma Black has a special interest in supporting women with the adjustment to motherhood. Common experiences to look out for new mums are: feeling isolated; neglecting yourself to put all your energy into caring for your baby; fighting with your partner; and feeling like you’re failing.
Dr Emma’s tips to help you through a difficult day, are: 1. Practice self-care, get that shower or cuppa when you can. 2. Ask for practical help from people in your life – you don’t have to do it all, all of the time. 3. Be honest about – if every mother puts on a brave face, it just makes it seem like everyone has it together all of the time. 4. Seek support and talk to others, even if you don’t feel like it. Sometimes formal supports can help, such as Parentline, Australian Breastfeeding Helpline or Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia.
If you feel like things are getting too much or you are having difficulty coping, consider making an appointment with Dr Emma or your psychologist.
General Health
Babies don’t come with manuals, so it is important for parents – mums and/or dads – to talk to their GP when you feel you need help with the ins and outs of raising a baby.
Dr Deirdre Van Der Merwe has a diploma in child health and can assist in the growth and development of your child as well as general medicine, including childhood immunisations. We also offer specialist midwifery and lactation support.
Nurture Family Health Centre is designed to care for your entire family unit, across multiple health disciplines. The centre offers Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, General Medicine, Speech Pathology, Psychology, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy and Pilates, including prenatal pilates and mums’n’bubs pilates classes.
