When and how is a postnatal check-up done, what is assessed in the postnatal period, and which signs mean you should seek care without waiting?
A postnatal check-up is the follow-up you carry on with your health team during the postnatal period, when your body and mood settle into a new order after birth. In this period your physical recovery, mood and general health are assessed together. There are also some signs that should not be left waiting until the postnatal check-up.
What is the postnatal period?
The postnatal period is the time after birth, generally covering the first weeks and months, in which your body and mood settle into a new order. In this period, the changes in your body, your mood and your daily routine are treated as linked with one another; your mode of birth does not change this general framework much.
When and how is the postnatal check-up done?
Postnatal care is not a single visit; it is an ongoing process. In the first weeks after birth, contact or an assessment with your health team is recommended, followed by a more comprehensive postnatal check-up. The exact timing and number of check-ups are determined by your health team according to your situation and mode of birth. If you run into a problem between these check-ups, you do not need to wait for the next appointment; you can contact your health team.
What is assessed at the postnatal check-up?
A comprehensive postnatal check-up covers your mood, baby care and feeding, sexual health and your contraception preference, your sleep, your physical recovery and your general health together with the state of any long-term conditions. At this check-up, the assessment of your womb and your general physical recovery, the course of your postnatal bleeding and, if there are any, a check of your stitches or wound are also included; the extent of each varies according to your situation.
Which changes are regarded as normal in the postnatal period?
Bleeding for a certain time (postnatal bleeding), tiredness and mood swings are generally expected changes in the postnatal period; their course differs from person to person. If any of these changes worries you, you can consult your health team without waiting for your check-up. Not everyone experiences the same things in the same way; it is important to share your own experience with your health team.
How can you share changes in your mood and your need for support?
It is not balanced either to dismiss mood changes as unimportant or to treat every change as an illness; sharing your situation with your health team helps the suitable support to be determined. Having had a difficult birth experience or not having an adequate support system is not something you should be judged for; you can share these difficulties with your health team too.
How can you support yourself?
- Give priority to rest and do not hesitate to ask for help.
- Pay attention to your eating and fluid intake.
- Give your body time to change; everyone's process is different.
- If you notice a new or changing symptom, contact your health team without waiting for your postnatal check-up.
- Do not hide changes in your mood from your health team.
- If possible, ask those close to you for help with daily tasks.
What can you ask your health team at the postnatal check-up?
- When and how will my postnatal check-up be done?
- Which subjects will be assessed at this check-up?
- What is the course regarded as normal for me in the postnatal period?
- Which symptoms mean I should seek care without waiting for my check-up?
- With whom and when can I share changes in my mood?
- Whom can I reach, and how, if I notice a problem between check-ups?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to have mood swings in the postnatal period?
Emotional ups and downs that are short-lasting and do not disturb daily functioning are common. Sadness, anxiety or lack of interest that goes on long enough to disrupt your daily tasks and baby care, however, is a situation that should be reported to your health team.
Is the postnatal check-up different if I had a caesarean?
The general framework is similar; after a caesarean, the assessment of your cut is added to it. The details of your check-up are determined by your health team according to your mode of birth and your situation.
When can I go back to my regular daily life?
This varies from person to person and an exact time cannot be said beforehand. Your progress in recovery is assessed at your postnatal check-ups.
Is contraception also talked about at the postnatal check-up?
Yes, it is talked about at a general level. Which method is suitable for you is determined together with your doctor, taking into account your breastfeeding status too.
Is postnatal care completed with a single check-up?
No. It is an ongoing process. Contact or an assessment in the first weeks is recommended, followed by a more comprehensive check-up; the timing is determined according to your situation.
If a new symptom appears between check-ups, should I wait for my appointment?
No. For new or changing symptoms you can contact your health team without waiting for your postnatal check-up.
Does the postnatal check-up look only at my physical recovery?
No. Your mood, sleep, baby care and feeding, sexual health, contraception, general health and long-term conditions are also covered.
Do postnatal bleeding and tiredness go the same way in everyone?
No. Although they are generally expected changes, their course varies from person to person. If you are worried, you can consult without waiting for the check-up.
Are all mood changes unimportant?
No. Not every change should be counted as an illness, but it should not be seen as completely unimportant either. Report to your health team sadness, anxiety or lack of interest that lasts long enough to disrupt your daily tasks and baby care.
Can I share my difficult birth experience or the fact that I did not get enough support?
Yes. These difficulties are not things you should be judged for. Sharing them with your health team helps the suitable support to be determined.
Is it suitable to ask those close to me for help with daily tasks?
Yes. You can give priority to rest and, if possible, ask those close to you for help with daily tasks.
Are my stitches or wound also assessed at the comprehensive check-up?
Yes. If you have them, a check of the stitches or wound is included in the assessment of your general physical recovery. The extent varies according to your situation.
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