Keep your baby's cord clean and dry at all times. Use a cotton wool or bud (dampened with cord spirit) to clean the cord. Always clean from base upwards each time after baby's bath or when the cord is wet. The cord will dry gradually and drop off within a week.

Caring For The Episiotomy Wound

Episiotomy is the cut made at the perineal region during childbirth. The stitches take about two weeks to heal and dissolve. The area should be kept as clean as possible by washing with water and applying procaine spirit twice a day.

Caring For The Caesarean Wound

Always keep the dressing on your operation site dry. You may remove the dressing as advised by the nurses.

You are advised not to carry or lift heavy objects for about two months. This will allow your wound to heal adequately.

Go to the nearest polyclinic or general practitioner if the wound is red or there is smelly discharge.

Lochia

Lochia is the 'bloody' discharge which begins right after delivery. During the first couple of days, the bleeding can be quite heavy but it will gradually decrease.

The colour of lochia usually changes from bright red to pink to brown, and may become yellow before it disappears completely, which is usually three or four weeks later.

Please consult your doctor should the lochia suddenly become heavy and red again after disappearing.

Breastfeeding - Care For Your Breast

You should wear a supportive nursing bra during breastfeeding. To prevent breast engorgement, you may:

Feed your baby on demand every two-three hourly, including night feeds
Massage your breast before every feed
Apply hot compress and express breastmilk every three hourly either with your hands or a pump if your baby is not feeding directly from the breast
Apply cold cabbage leaves once or twice or use cold pack on the breast in between expressing if your breast is hard and painful

Diet

Eat a variety of foods from the 4 food groups (rice and alternatives, fruits, vegetables, and meat and alternatives) to maintain a healthy diet.

If you are breastfeeding:

Continue having 2 - 4 servings of milk or high-calcium foods daily
Do no go on a strict diet to lose weight until your baby has been fully established onto semi-solid foods (at about 6 months of age)
Drink plenty of fluids
Keep to 2 cups of tea or coffee a day
Avoid alcohol and tonics containing alcohol for the 1st week after delivery or if your baby has jaundice. From the 2nd week onwards, if your baby doesn't have jaundice, you may consume up to 20 ml (2 dessertspoons) a day of alcohol or tonics containing alcohol, after you have breastfed your baby.

Rest, Relax and Exercise

It is important for you to relax and rest during the confinement period.

You should rest your back as much as possible to recuperate from the delivery. Try to catch some rest when your baby is asleep. If you have other children, you may want to engage them in quiet activities such as reading stories to them.

You are encouraged to some postnatal exercise as it will help firm up the abdomen and muscles around the hip and thighs.

Sex

You and your husband should decide how soon to resume sexual activity. You may resume as long as you are up to it.

If you are tired or feel sensitive on the perineum after a tear or an episiotomy, you may wish to discuss with your spouse and explore other ways of expressing your affection.

The information is provided by KK Hospital - Singapore's leading Women and Children's Hospital. Please visit www.kkh.com.sg for more information.