Ask Sofia: What Will My Postpartum Check Consist of?
Scheduled anywhere from two to six weeks after you deliver, your postpartum check-up provides a great chance to see how you’re doing physically and emotionally. If you had a Cesarean section delivery, you will likely see your doctor earlier to check your incision. Otherwise, this appointment will serve as an annual exam and will include a pelvic exam, time to talk and check on your overall recovery from childbirth.
Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
If you have struggled with postpartum depression or the less-recognized postpartum anxiety, you are not alone. As many as 20 percent of women experience anxiety, fatigue, loss of interest in favorite activities, increase or decrease in appetite, feelings of guilt, difficulty concentrating, insomnia or sleeping too much, or thoughts of harming themselves or their child. While most cases of postpartum depression last less than a year, they can impact mother-baby bonding, relationships and overall wellness, so this is not something to take lightly.
Sleep and the New Mom
Before you have your first child, the most common advice you are likely to receive is: Sleep now while you can. Dr. Jewelia Wagner says, “if only stockpiling sleep were that simple.”
How to Kegel Properly
Girls giggle about the Kegel when discussed in sex education classes and pregnant women perform this exercise to maintain the health of their pelvic floor, yet women worldwide often struggle to Kegel properly. A Kegel is designed to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which are critical for controlling the flow of urine and holding the pelvic organs in place.
Ask Sofia: Why Do I Have to Be Tested for Gestational Diabetes?
Characterized by high blood sugar or glucose levels and generally developing between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, gestational diabetes is different from a type 1 or type 2 diabetes diagnosis before or after your pregnancy. It occurs in about five percent of all pregnancies and is caused by increased levels of hormones in the placenta that lead to higher blood sugar levels.
Ask Sofia: What Are the Signs of Preeclampsia?
Underscoring the importance of regular prenatal checkups, preeclampsia is a condition some pregnant women develop, usually in the third trimester, marked by high blood pressure as well as a high level of protein in the urine. Most common in first-time pregnancies (as well as teens and women over 40), preeclampsia can involve rapid weight and […]
