It is all too easy to think of the dangers of childbirth as ending when the baby is born. This isn’t the case. There are some issues that can creep up after the birth. These can be just as serious as those that do happen during labor and delivery. All women who are preparing for childbirth should find out some of the basic things to expect in the days following birth.
One of the first things that will happen after birth is that the doctor or midwife is going to check you to make sure that nothing is amiss. They are going to evaluate the placenta to ensure that all of it came out. Any piece of the placenta remaining in your uterus could lead to an infection, so it is imperative to make sure that nothing is left. You will also be evaluated for hemorrhaging, which can be a life-threatening issue.
In the first hour after birth, you will likely be able to hold your baby. This is a good time to try to get started on breastfeeding if you plan on doing this. At some point, your baby will be taken for an evaluation and to be cleaned up. This might happen in the room with you, but some hospitals do require the baby to be taken to the nursery.
During the time that you are in the hospital after the birth, you will be checked frequently for signs of infection and other problems that might occur. Your nurse will take your vital signs.
While you might be tempted to just trust that the nurses know what is going on and what to do, this might not be a good idea. Be willing to speak up if you think something is wrong. It is possible to have very serious issues after birth. Nurses should be prepared to spot these, but they might miss them. If you suffer harm due to nursing malpractice after birth, you might decide to seek compensation.
