A successful delivery for mother and baby brings mental and physical relief. As a rule, the first few hours after childbirth, a woman needs to rest in order to replenish the lost strength that was needed for the successful birth of the baby.
Since in the last months of pregnancy, expectant mothers were not allowed to sleep in certain positions, many of them have a question: is it allowed to sleep on their stomach after childbirth, and how can such an idea end? After all, the baby has already been born, so there should be no harm from lying in a comfortable position after the natural process. And indeed, in most cases there will be no negative effect on the mother’s health.
Changes in the body after childbirth
Some believe that after childbirth you need to rest not on your back, but just the opposite, without fear of this. The uterus needs to be cleansed of tissues that are no longer needed, restore its healthy tissue over its entire surface, and most importantly (in the eyes of the woman herself) - restore its previous size. Indeed, during this period it is very enlarged, and this makes the stomach and, accordingly, the entire figure large. Some women suffer greatly because their appearance is still that of a lady five months pregnant.
After the birth of a child, the process of involution begins in a woman’s body - organs and systems develop in the opposite direction, returning to their original state. The nervous, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive - all functioning systems are being rebuilt. The reproductive organs are reduced in size. The contraction of the uterus can be felt within a few minutes after delivery. Subsequently, it takes on a natural spherical shape and decreases to a weight of about 1000 g. Moreover, its inner surface is a continuous bleeding open wound. During contractions, postpartum discharge (lochia) is released - they are blood clots, remnants of the fetal membrane, mucous membrane. If the outflow of lochia is obstructed, stagnation will be created, and this is fraught with the development of inflammatory processes and difficulties in the recovery period for the woman in labor. But you can help contract - that’s why doctors advise resting by turning your face down.
Reasons why lying down like this is beneficial
Why should you lie on your stomach after giving birth? There are some factors that help improve health and prevent the development of complications. This condition promotes uterine contractions, which cleanse the uterus of postpartum secretions. The shrinkage of the uterus occurs due to contractions, which are very painful and resemble mild labor contractions. Her smooth muscles must lose a certain number of cells that were formed during pregnancy. With decreased tone, the size of the uterus will increase longer, but this is not as scary as the possibility of cell inflammation. And the lying position promotes the release of postpartum secretions and the reduction of the organ to normal size. In this position, a gentle massage of the uterus attached to the peritoneal wall is performed. When a woman who has recently given birth takes a vertical state after a horizontal one, she herself notices the positive effect of such self-medication.
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In this regard, during the post-rehabilitation period, sleeping on the stomach is recommended. For what reasons, in addition to those listed, can you lie down in such a way as to have a beneficial effect on the female body?
- Improvement of the digestive process. Very often, young mothers suffer from constipation due to limited movement. While the food allowed during this period according to her diet does not contribute to the activation of the intestines. If you rest not only on your back, but also periodically turn over, then there will be significantly fewer problems with digestion.
- Returning displaced internal organs to their place. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles lose their shape and stretch, so they support the internal organs less well and fix them in the right places less efficiently. It is too early to seriously address the issue of strengthening them at this stage. But you can tighten them up by lying face down. Thus, the muscular system, if it does not return to its original state right now, will at least tighten itself and put the organs in place, which will increase the self-esteem and external attractiveness of the young mother.
- Returning the back muscles to their previous tone. The back bore a huge load during pregnancy, different from what it was used to in its normal state. The lumbar muscles were particularly affected. They should retain their firmness and elasticity after childbirth, but a sharp change in load at this time does not have the best effect on the fibers. Therefore, you need to lie on your stomach to restore their strength.
- Necessary rest. Mom spent so many months in the same position, unable to turn over. If this way she gets maximum rest, if she feels comfortable, she can sleep on her stomach and relax. After all, during the recovery of the body, positive emotions are very important - they affect hormonal levels, on which milk production depends.
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Many mothers are interested in the question: how much time can they spend this way without harming their health? However, during the night we are unlikely to constantly sleep so calmly as not to change positions, and besides, after giving birth at night, many young mothers often get up to go to the toilet. Therefore, there will not be particularly strong pressure on organs and muscles through this area. When answering this question, it is enough to focus on your own feelings.
If a caesarean section was performed, difficulties may arise in this position, so it is better to use a bandage. You don’t have to worry about the seams - if you sleep face down, you can harm them without fear; the risk that they may come apart will only arise if you make sudden movements.
Accelerating the process of uterine involution
To prevent the development of possible complications after childbirth, they resort to both independent and medical methods of stimulating uterine contractions.
Therefore, when asked whether it is possible to lie on your stomach after childbirth, experts give a clear positive answer. Moreover, lying on your stomach will be an excellent way to independently help the body to return the uterus to its original state and cleanse it. Moreover, even despite the fact that on the first day after a cesarean section and natural childbirth, physical activity is significantly limited, you can already lie on your stomach after childbirth.
Maternity hospital doctors often even recommend that new mothers rest and sleep on their stomachs. But on the question of when you can lie on your stomach after childbirth, you can safely consult with the staff of the medical institution. This way you can test this effective method in action.
The reason lies in the fact that in this position a soft massage of the anterior wall of the uterus, which is attached to the abdominal wall, begins. This leads to reflex contractions of the uterus and increased outflow of lochia. If, after lying on your stomach, you take a vertical position, you clearly feel that the volume of discharge increases sharply.
After some time has passed after a caesarean section, the woman is given a light massage of the abdominal area. But here it should be noted that the uterine contractions themselves after childbirth are very painful, as they are accompanied by severe nagging pain in the lower abdomen.
In the case when uterine contractions, even in the prone position after childbirth, are weakly expressed, additional injections of oxytocin will be required to stimulate the organ. Moreover, today it has found widespread use for almost all women in labor.
In what cases is it harmful?
It’s nice to finally change position, however, not everyone will be so safe lying in this, albeit favorite, position. Is it possible for everyone to lie on their stomach after childbirth or are there some exceptions and possible risks? This is influenced by the characteristics of the body’s recovery and the general well-being of the young mother. The following cases are dangerous.
- If there is a bend of the uterus. In this case, being in such a position will create an obstacle to the release of postpartum discharge, which is fraught with the development of endometritis or some other inflammatory disease.
- Heart problems. The chest, when we are not lying on our backs, is compressed and makes breathing difficult. This can lead to changes in heart rhythm.
- Overweight. A lot of pressure can be placed on this area of the body, and the consequences of such a load can be a displacement of the pelvic organs in relation to their natural place.
- Spinal diseases. The cervical and lumbar areas are especially fraught with diseases. This position over a long period of time leads to discomfort in the spine, and this in turn is fraught with an exacerbation of various existing problems.
- Pain in the uterine area. Some feel uterine contractions very acutely. To prevent this, they should not take this position for the first 3-4 days after delivery.
Overall, you don't have to make yourself uncomfortable to stimulate uterine contractions, especially if you like to sleep on your back. It is enough to roll over for 15-20 minutes every day to achieve the necessary healing effect without much inconvenience.
Read also: Is it possible to get pregnant after childbirth if you don’t have periods?
Abdominal skin care after caesarean section
Abdominal skin care allows you to:
- influence the resorption of fatty layers;
- tone the skin of the abdomen;
- speed up the process of suture resorption;
- reduce skin stretching.
Among cosmetic products, creams, scrubs, and wraps have the greatest effect. All this can be bought at a pharmacy or store, or you can prepare it at home. There are many cosmetic recipes.
It should be remembered that you should not overuse cosmetics after a cesarean section, as this can lead to inflammation and suppuration of the postoperative sutures. It is permissible to make masks and wraps only after the stitches have completely healed.
Contrast douches are effective in combating a sagging belly after a caesarean section.
Childbirth is a difficult period for a woman, both from a physiological and psychological point of view. After all, from this moment on, the connection between mother and baby, who for many months have been a single whole, changes. In the first hours after giving birth, the new mother definitely needs to lie down. But every woman who has given birth is necessarily concerned with the question: is it possible to lie on her stomach after childbirth? Indeed, during pregnancy this position was prohibited, since in this case it could cause significant harm to the baby.
In what cases is this inconvenient?
For many people, sleeping face down is very comfortable. However, after giving birth, the situation may change, and even the most passionate fans of sleeping this way may find the previously so comfortable position uncomfortable. What can prevent you from enjoying your sleep? Here are some reasons that can influence relaxation:
- traumatic birth. This process can cause ruptures of the perineum, and then every movement is accompanied by acute pain. However, you should not completely adhere to bed rest, because the body still needs to function, move, and receive stress, albeit very weak ones. Turning down can become such a minimal load on the body until the body gets used to the way of life it led at the beginning;
- C-section. Women who have undergone such an operation are afraid to make unnecessary movements in order to avoid divergence of seams, muscles, and skin edges. However, this is not something to be afraid of. Lying face down speeds up recovery, which will prevent complications from arising. The bandage will easily help you cope with the difficulties that arise when turning over from your back. So, if the stitch is normal and without complications, you can sleep peacefully without worrying about the consequences - there will be none;
- breasts filling with milk. Milk enters the woman's breasts almost immediately after the baby is born, which causes pain in this area of the body. On the stomach, the discomfort is felt even more acutely, so you still shouldn’t take this position until feeding improves. At this time, lactation will no longer be cumulative, but tidal, the mammary glands will already become accustomed to this state and will not cause so much inconvenience and pain, which is mixed with the fear of developing lactostasis. Even if your breasts interfere with sleeping face down and you won’t be able to do this for a long time, you can find a position in which they will not interfere or hurt. For example, densely stuffed pillows are placed under the lower part of the body (from just below the chest to the knees), which reduce discomfort and make sleeping or just relaxing comfortable.
When the body receives the same freedom of movement, the woman will feel additional positive emotions. If time passes and the pain does not stop, this indicates that something is not quite right in the body and it’s time to see a doctor.
Should I give in to my husband?
Basically, young mothers lack sexual desire, the reason for which is not only new concerns about the baby, but also hormonal changes. And unfortunately, not every man understands this and calmly waits for the end of the period of sexual rest after childbirth.
What to do in this situation? Should I give my husband a hard refusal or, on the contrary, follow his lead, despite the doctor’s orders? Sexologists do not recommend doing either of these. In the first case, the husband can simply go on a spree on the side and it is not a fact that he will return to the family. In the second case, there is a danger of seriously harming your own health. Therefore, you need to look for a middle ground.
For example, you can allow yourself to have sexual intercourse without direct penetration into the vagina. Try something new, give your spouse affection and tenderness, and perhaps you will be able to take a fresh look at your intimate life. This option allows you not to lose your husband and maintain your own health.
