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Postpartum Discharge Information

Postpartum Discharge Information

On the day of discharge, we recommend you go home and rest for the remainder of the day. Recovery is a progressive process. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to return to how you felt before pregnancy. Take time to rest each day. Limit visitors for the first few weeks.

DANGER SIGNALS ABOUT YOUR BIRTH OR CESAREAN DELIVERY TO WATCH FOR AT HOME:

If you have any of the following problems, contact our office at (949) 829-5500.  Our clinic hours are 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. On weekends, holidays, or after clinic hours, please still contact our office, we have an on-call physician 24 hours a day.

WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR:

  • If you have chills or fever higher than 100 degrees
  • Severe headache unrelieved by Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)
  • Dizziness, blurry or double vision, or seeing spots
  • Pain in your belly, especially the right upper area below your ribs
  • Serious difficulty catching your breath
  • Fainting episodes
  • Difficulty or pain when you urinate, or if you are urinating frequently with only small amounts of urine each time
  • Heavy, bright-red bleeding saturating more than 1 pad per hour, Prolonged or foul-smelling vaginal bleeding or discharge
  • Swelling, redness, or severe pain in the breast
  • Pain, tenderness, redness, or swelling in your calves or thighs
  • Increasing drainage, redness, or pain from c-section incision
  • Severe mood swings
  • Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

  1. Following your delivery, whether vaginal or cesarean, our office will automatically schedule your next appointments.

    For c-sections, we will schedule your two (2) week post-op appointment, two (2) week postpartum follow-up for those who see the midwife, and six (6) week postpartum appointment for vaginal deliveries. We will also arrange the 2-hour gtt (glucose) test and the six (6) week follow-up appointment with the dietician if you are being treated for gestational diabetes.

    You will receive a letter in the mail with specific appointment information for you. You’ll also get a text/email confirmation of your appointment, as well as a text or email two days before your appointment. You may also check your patient portal for reference.

  2. For 9 months, the food you ate fueled you and your baby. But after you give birth, your diet is just as important. It helps your body recover and gives you the energy you need to care for your little one. Eating a balanced diet daily, including a variety of food from all food groups; protein, fruit, vegetable, fiber-rich carbs, and fats. Stay hydrated, drink at least three 8 oz. of fluid daily. Continue taking your prenatal vitamins for six (6) weeks or until your stop breastfeeding. If constipation becomes a problem, a stool softener can be purchased at any drug store.

  3. The color will usually be dark red for the first 48 hours; then light red from days 3-7 after birth. It is white colored by the 12th day after birth. Your flow will be heavy for the first 2 days. It is normal to see several small clots. If you have been lying down for several hours, you may experience a gush of blood when you first stand up. This is to be expected and is no cause for alarm! If, after 3-4 days, your flow becomes bright red again and increases in amount, it usually means that you have been doing too much. REST MORE!!! DO NOT use Tampons or Douche

  4. It’s not unusual to develop hemorrhoids during or after pregnancy, especially following vaginal delivery. Hemorrhoids will usually go away on their own. Depending on their size, location, and severity, this can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Use of TUCKS medicated cooling pads, sitz bath (warm water soak), or local medication from a local drug store will give relief. Avoid constipation.

  5. “After-birth” pains may be felt when breastfeeding. This is normal. The uterus contracts and shrinks back to its original size. As this happens, it can cause some lower abdominal cramps that are referred to as afterpains. These pains can feel like menstrual cramps. If they are severe, contact our office for evaluation.

  6. Breast fullness and tenderness, or engorgement, is a normal process that usually begins approximately 48 hours after delivery. Listed below are some comfort measures that you can take:

    • Wear a well-fitting/firm support bra, day, and night.
    • Wash breast with warm water only (no soap) during your daily shower.
    • Do not wash breast before or after each feeding as this may cause cry cracked nipples
    • For sore nipples, apply colostrum or breast milk to promote healing. Purified lanolin may also be applied to the nipple and covered with a breast pad. Lanolin does not need to be washed off prior to next feeding.
    • If breasts are engorged, regularly removed milk from the breast every 1.5 – 3 hours (via breastfeeding or use of a hospital-grade breast pump), take a warm shower or apply warm, moist towels to your breasts just before feeding. For additional comfort, apply cold compresses for 10-15 minutes as needed.
    • If using breast pads, change with each feeding.

  7. We recommend you wait four to six weeks following your delivery. Your body is not ready to resume sexual intercourse again until you have physically recovered from your delivery (when the perineal area is not tender and vaginal bleeding has subsided).  A reliable method of birth control is recommended.  You can still get pregnant again even if your period has not returned.

  8. Your period will typically return about six to eight weeks after you give birth if you aren’t breastfeeding. If you do breastfeed, the timing for a period to return can vary. Those who practice exclusive breastfeeding might not have a period the entire time they breastfeed. The first two periods are often irregular and may be very heavy with clots. It may take a few months to establish a regular cycle and it may be somewhat different in length from before pregnancy

  9. The stitches are absorbable and do not need to be removed.

    Hygiene:

    • Rinse area with warm water after going to the bathroom
    • Gently dry the perineal area from front to back.
    • Change perineal pads frequently.

    Comfort:

    • Use a plastic sitz bath kit or sit in tub of 6 -8” warm water for 30 minutes 1-3 times/day
    • Apply tucks when you change your pads.

    Please contact us if you have any questions or problems after delivery. We’re here to help you along the way: call (949) 829-5500 or use the patient portal for non-urgent issues.

Congratulations! You Got This!

Dear Patient,

We are here for you. Due to COVID-19 and staff shortage, you may experience longer wait times on the phone and in the lobbies. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we try to service you as effectively as possible!

Your safety and our staff’s safety are important to us, we have made changes to accommodate and provide high-quality care.

PLEASE NOTE: All patients are required to wear a face mask prior to entering the office. Please refer to our COVID-19 Page for our updated Visitor Policy.

Thank you for understanding.

In Good Health,

OCWMG Physicians