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Discharge Instructions for Labor and Delivery, Vaginal Birth

It takes about 6 to 8 weeks for a woman’s body to fully heal after a vaginal birth. Self care and medicine can help with healing.

Steps to Take

Self Care

Bleeding may last up to 2 months. Change sanitary pads as needed.

Do not put anything into your vagina, such as tampons, until your care team says it is safe.

To ease pain and swelling:

  • Arrange for help at home.
  • Take a warm bath to soothe healing tissue.
  • Use warm or cold cloths on sore breasts.

Fill a plastic bottle with water. Squirt it over your vaginal and anal area after you use the bathroom.

What to Eat

Eat a healthful diet. If you are breastfeeding, you will need more calories each day. You may also need to avoid certain foods. Follow the advice given to you by your care team.

To prevent pressure from constipation:

  • Drink lots of fluids.
  • Eat foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes.

Activity

Rest as needed. Try sleeping when the baby sleeps.

Do any exercises given to you by your doctor to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. In general:

  • Walk to promote healing. You can return to other physical activity when the doctor says it is safe.
  • You can drive and return to work when the doctor says it is okay.
  • Talk to your doctor about family planning.
  • You can resume having sex when the doctor says it is safe.

Medications

Medicine may be given to ease pain and soften stools.

When taking medicine:

  • Take your medicine as advised. Do not change the amount or schedule.
  • Be aware of the side effects of your medicine. Tell your doctor if you have any.
  • Talk to your doctor before you stop taking any prescription medicine.
  • Do not share your prescription medicine.
  • Medicines can be harmful when mixed. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking more than one, including over the counter products and supplements.

Other Steps That May Help

Having a baby means lots of changes. Some things to keep in mind are:

  • Ask for breastfeeding support if you need it. Specialists or other mothers may have tips that help.
  • Think about joining a support group for new mothers. You may find help and learn parenting methods.

Follow-up

Your doctor will need to check on you and your baby's progress. Go to all advised appointments.

Problems to Look Out For

Call your doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

  • Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
  • Heavy bleeding, such as soaking more than 2 sanitary pads per hour for more than 2 hours in a row
  • Redness, swelling, or unusual discharge that has a foul odor
  • Pain that you cannot control with medicine
  • Swelling in your legs
  • Pain, burning, urgency or frequency of urination, or lasting bleeding in the urine
  • Breasts that feel hot or are red
  • Any cracking or bleeding from the nipple or the dark-colored area of the breast

Call your doctor if you are having depression, suicidal thoughts, or feelings of harming your baby.

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.

RESOURCES:

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org

American Pregnancy Association
http://www.americanpregnancy.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Sexuality and U—The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://sexualityandu.ca

Women's Health Matters
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca

REFERENCES:

Heat and cold therapy: administering sitz baths. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: https://www.ebscohost.com/nursing/products/nursing-reference-center. Accessed April 27, 2021.

Perineal trauma and repair in labor and delivery. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/management/perineal-trauma-and-repair-in-labor-and-delivery . Accessed April 26, 2021.

Recovering from birth. Office on Women's Health website. Available at: https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-and-beyond/recovering-birth. Accessed April 27, 2021.

Last reviewed March 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Beverly Siegal, MD, FACOG