Recovery of the uterus after childbirth: the norm and deviation, how to recognize and stimulate its contraction. How long does the uterus contract after childbirth and is it possible to speed up this process

The article will allow a woman to find out what uterine involution is after childbirth, how long the uterus will contract and what to do to make it happen faster.

The female uterus is an amazing organ whose main function is to ensure the intrauterine development of the fetus from conception to the birth itself. The uterus is the first, most comfortable and reliable cradle for a new life.

An amazing organ is also because during pregnancy it is able to increase significantly and increase weight, and after childbirth, return to “pre-pregnant” sizes again.

What does the uterus look like after childbirth? The size of the uterus after childbirth

After the child is born and the placenta is expelled, the woman enters a difficult postpartum period.

The uterus of a non-pregnant woman.

IMPORTANT: Normally, a woman's postpartum period lasts from 6 to 8 weeks.

The uterus of a woman at 9 months of pregnancy. You can see how much the organ has grown.

During the nine months of the “interesting position”, multiple complex changes took place in her body. In particular, she grew, put on weight, stretched, the uterus rose. And now, when the pregnancy is over, its involution begins.

IMPORTANT: The involution of the uterus is the return of the organ to its place in the pelvic cavity and to its normal size.

The uterus of a woman who has just given birth looks like this:

Organ size - approximately 38 cm by 24 cm, transverse size - 25 cm
The weight of the uterus immediately after childbirth is 1-1.5 kg
The volume of the organ cavity is about 5000 ml
The bottom of the uterus is located approximately between the womb and the navel of a woman
Inside the organ is a continuous open wound, the most damaged area is the one where the placenta was attached
Remnants of the fetal bladder and thickened blood may remain inside the uterus
Cervical diameter - 10-14 cm

How long after childbirth does the uterus contract?

Uterine contractions begin immediately after childbirth. Their reasons:

effusion of amniotic fluid
fetal expulsion
expulsion of the placenta
female hormonal changes

In the next few weeks, the uterus will be cleansed, restore its mucous layer (endometrium), shrink and decrease in size.

IMPORTANT: Postpartum contractions of the myometrium (the muscular layer of the body of the uterus) are regulated at different levels: at the level of the central nervous system, humoral (in particular, by the posterior pituitary hormone oxytocin), at the molecular level. Surprisingly, the uterus returns to "pre-pregnancy" size not by reducing the number of muscle cells, but by reducing their size.

In general, during the postpartum period, the uterus changes as follows:

During the first three days, the organ is cleansed of the remnants of the fetal bladder and blood clots. Bloody, rather abundant discharge, lochia are observed from the genital tract. The cervix closes and can only miss 1-2 fingers
For 3-5 days, lochia becomes more scarce, light and smearing. So they will be in the next 3-4 weeks, during which the restoration of the endometrium occurs. A week after birth, the weight of the uterus is already about 0.5 kg, the size is halved
More often after 6 weeks, but sometimes after 8 weeks, the site of attachment of the placenta completely heals. The uterus returns to normal size and only slightly differs from the uterus of a woman who has not given birth. Its dimensions are again 8 cm by 5 cm, weight - from 50 g to 80 g. The cervical canal of a woman giving birth takes on a slit-like shape

IMPORTANT: How long does uterine contraction take after childbirth is a purely individual question. But it is known that in women who breastfeed, involution occurs faster.

Why does the uterus contract painfully after childbirth?

IMPORTANT: In the first days after childbirth, and sometimes the entire postpartum period, a woman may feel sipping in the lower abdomen, especially when she is breastfeeding. These are uterine contractions. But if the sensations are very unpleasant, painful, you need to see a doctor. Perhaps the restoration of the uterus after childbirth occurs with pathology.

Unbearable pain during postpartum uterine contractions is an alarming bell.

These pathologies include:

accumulation of lochia in the uterine cavity
infection
inflammation of the endometrium (endometritis)
others

Why does the uterus not shrink after childbirth?

Obstetrician-gynecologists are aware of situations when, after childbirth, a woman's uterus contracts more slowly (subinvolution of the uterus) than it should, or does not contract at all.
So, slowing down the involution of the uterus is possible for the following reasons:

multiple pregnancy
large fruit
features of the location of the placenta (low attachment)
complicated pregnancy
difficult childbirth
disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems of a woman
decreased physical activity of a woman after childbirth

IMPORTANT: If there are neoplasms or inflammatory processes in the uterus and appendages, the uterus is severely injured during childbirth or there is a kink, the woman has impaired blood clotting, and due to some other circumstances, the uterus may not contract at all.

What to do to shrink the uterus after childbirth?

Early attachment to the breast - stimulation of uterine contractions after childbirth.

In order for the uterus to contract well, immediately after giving birth to a woman:

put the baby to the breast to stimulate the production of oxytocin
put cold on the lower abdomen
additional injection of oxytocin

breastfeed the baby
lie on the stomach
move more, but as much as your well-being allows
prevent overfilling of the bladder and bowels

If the uterus contracts slowly, you can help the process by taking herbal preparations.

RECIPE: Nettle decoction
You need: dry chopped nettle leaves - 3-4 tbsp. spoons, water - 500 ml.
Nettles are poured with boiling water, waiting for the remedy to infuse and cool. Drink 100 ml three times a day.
RECIPE: Infusion of white lamb in cold water
Needed: dry white flowers - 2 tbsp. spoons, boiled cooled water - 500 ml.
The flowers are soaked in water overnight, in the morning the infusion is drained through gauze or a sieve, they drink 100 ml 4 times a day.
RECIPE: Infusion of blood-red geranium in cold water
Needed: dry blood-red geranium herb - 2 teaspoons, cooled boiled water - 500 ml.
The grass is soaked in the evening, and in the morning the infusion is filtered, divided into 4 portions and drunk during the day.

Exercises for uterine contraction after childbirth

In order for the muscles of the uterus, pelvic floor and abs to return to normal after childbirth, you can start doing exercises after 4 days.

IMPORTANT: Even for simple exercises in the postpartum period, a doctor's permission must be obtained.

Before gymnastics, it is necessary to breastfeed the baby, empty the bladder and intestines (if necessary). You need to perform the exercises smoothly. At the same time, the room should not be too hot.

EXERCISE #1: The woman lies on her side, her body from the crown to the pelvis is a straight line, her knees are slightly bent. The hand that is below supports the head. The second hand rests on the floor (or bed, this exercise can be done in bed). On exhalation, resting on her hand, the woman slightly raises her pelvis, lingers in this position for 2 seconds, after which she returns to her original position. The exercise is performed 5 to 20 times on each side.
EXERCISE #2: For him, you need a fitball. A woman just needs to sit comfortably on it and make circular movements of the pelvis in both directions.
EXERCISE #3: The woman lies on her back, her hands are on the diaphragm, that is, on the ribs under the chest. On inhalation, slow and deep, she draws air into her lungs so that only her chest is inflated, and not her stomach. The woman exhales through her mouth, while trying to draw in her stomach.

How does the uterus shrink after the second birth?

As a rule, after the second birth, the uterus contracts faster, which can cause discomfort to the woman up to intense pain. In this case, the doctor prescribes painkillers to the woman.

How to know if the uterus has shrunk after childbirth?

A woman learns about how well the uterus has contracted at the first appointment with a gynecologist, which usually takes place 6 weeks after childbirth.

The doctor feels the woman's abdomen to assess the location, size and consistency of the uterus.
Also, she can do an ultrasound, which will show:

how well the uterine cavity has recovered, are there any blood clots left there
Is the uterus shrinking enough?
Are there any complications during the postpartum period?

IMPORTANT: If the birth occurred by caesarean section, the uterus contracts somewhat more slowly. To control this process, a woman is recommended to visit a gynecologist a week after discharge from the hospital.

VIDEO: Woman after childbirth. How is recovery going?

Postpartum involution of the uterus causes a lot of anxiety in young mothers: is everything going right? Especially if the child was born as a result of a surgical operation. It is important to know how the uterine contraction should go after a cesarean section. After all, in this case there are differences from what happens after ordinary childbirth. And there are more opportunities to get complications.

Read in this article

Postpartum condition of the uterus

The main female organ is in no hurry to acquire its former size. This is natural, because in his smooth muscles there are many cells that have now become superfluous, which gradually atrophy. The muscles of the uterus are stretched and weakened. The inner surface is a wound, she also has to.

The uterus after caesarean section has even greater features. It has a seam, longitudinal or transverse, it depends on the type of intervention performed. That is, the tissues are interconnected by surgical threads, usually self-absorbable. But in any case, the body also expends energy on healing the suture, and not just the surface of the mucous wound. Nerve and muscle fibers, vessels must grow together, which makes the involution of the uterus more complex and lengthy.

The pain that accompanies the process, due to forced trauma to the organ, is stronger than after normal childbirth.

Restoration of the organ after caesarean section

Recovery of the uterus after caesarean section has 3 interrelated aspects:

Reduction of an organ in size, accompanied by contractions of its smooth muscles.
Seam healing.
Purification of the internal space from unnecessary tissues and regeneration of the mucous membrane, occurring with the removal of bloody discharge.

All processes take place simultaneously. But the operation performed makes them slower. It can also cause complications, so the woman then stays longer in the hospital. But then an extract home follows, then the opportunity to ask the doctor about something incomprehensible is moving away. Most of all, women are interested in how long the uterus contracts after a cesarean section. On average, the process takes up to 60 days.

Allocations

The uterus, with any method of delivery, is cleaned at the end of it. A woman discovers in herself, at first plentiful, then decreasing in quantity and changing color. In the first days, and are noticed in them.

With the inhibited behavior of the muscles of the organ, the excretions linger inside for a longer period. Therefore, they will also go longer, while maintaining a considerable volume. But their decrease in the norm is still noticeable.

The seam

The seam on the uterus, of course, is not visible, but prevents its contractions. A scar should form at the site of the incision on the organ. That is, a section of connective tissue is formed in this area. It is more rigid than smooth muscle, stretches worse, and the movements of the uterus during contraction and relaxation cause pain. The seam should turn into a scar by the 6th month after birth. That is, in the place of the incision, an independent process also takes place.

The condition of the external seam on the skin of the abdomen, on the abdominal wall is also important. The damage caused during the operation makes these muscles weaker, which also does not contribute to the rapid reduction of the uterus.

Return of the normal size of the uterus

It is also important how the uterus contracts after a caesarean section. The same thing happens to her as at the end of a normal birth. But since the organ is injured, the sensations during contractions will be stronger. To remove them, women are given painkillers. But in the future, discomfort will still be felt, especially when feeding.

The movements of the muscles of the uterus lead to the disappearance of excess fibers, pinching of the blood vessels. And on the 10-11th birthday of the baby, the organ, despite the cesarean section, is done a little more than before pregnancy.

Possible complications due to surgery

How long the uterus contracts after a cesarean section depends on the presence or absence, which do not occur during natural childbirth, or they occur less frequently:

a significant loss of blood, making a woman weaker and more passive, and the uterus prone to hypotonia;
the introduction of infection into the cavity of the organ, which interferes with the restoration of its internal surface and muscle movements;
that violate the location of the organ, preventing contractions;
arising from exorbitant physical activity for this stage.

How to help the body return to normal

The movements of the smooth muscles of the uterus are controlled by a hormone. It is produced by the body on its own, but only if you make an effort. It consists in the desire to feed the child. It is necessary to establish the process from the first days.

The more often you put the baby to the breast, the more actively the restoration of the mother's reproductive organs takes place.

There are other methods that promote uterine contractions:

need to move despite discomfort and weakness;
several times a day you need so 20 minutes;
apply briefly to the area between the navel and pubis a vessel with ice wrapped in a towel;
prevent overfilling of the bladder and constipation.

Problems of the postoperative period

Difficulties are associated mainly with movements. Getting out of bed, coughing, walking are more difficult than after normal childbirth. And this can cause the passivity of the newly-made mother, which means that it will slow down the contractions of the uterus. The same happens for additional reasons:

accumulation of gases in the intestines due to a slowdown in motility as a result of the operation;
difficulties with lactation, because the child is brought only on the 3rd day;
external seam preventing lying on the stomach.

In addition, lochia may linger in the cavity of the organ, which will cause.

But despite all the difficulties, how much the uterus contracts after a cesarean section depends on its owner. Most problems with this are solvable. To help a woman -, careful care of the seam, the correct regimen.

Signs of normal contraction

Postpartum hemorrhage takes place in several stages, which differ in color and intensity. Signs of a normal contraction are:

copious discharge for the first four days after childbirth - bright scarlet blood;
a significant decrease in the next two weeks - the color is pink, brown or yellow;
after 10 days, the discharge becomes transparent - there are no blood impurities;
after 5 - 6 weeks, the reduction in volumes is completed.

After the birth of the baby, the weight of the uterus is about a kilogram. The expansion of the pharynx reaches 12 cm. The length of the organ is 20 cm, the width is 15. After 7 days, the weight of the uterus will decrease three times. By the end of the seventh week of the postpartum period, her weight will be 70 g, taking on the usual forms.

How long does the uterus shrink after childbirth

A number of factors influence the return to a familiar state. The contraction of the uterus after childbirth is slow. How many days it takes to recover depends on the individual.

This usually takes 6-8 weeks. The return of the uterus to its usual state is affected by:

features of the course of pregnancy;
the nature of labor activity;
physiological contractile activity;
method of delivery - natural / operative;
complications that have arisen are infectious and inflammatory processes;
features of lactation.

With frequent breastfeeding, the uterus contracts faster.

Deviation from the norm

Involution of the uterus is most accurately determined by the height of the fundus. It descends from the navel by about 10 mm daily. The uterus acquires its usual size by the end of the 8th week. The postpartum period is sometimes referred to as the tenth month of pregnancy.

Knowing how the uterus contracts after childbirth is necessary to control the recovery process. Deviations from normal indicators are observed from the genitals, mammary glands, venous system.

Recovery after caesarean section

The period after surgical delivery includes a set of measures aimed at activating contractile activity, resuming the normal activity of the body.

Antibiotic therapy - prevention of inflammation.
Bandage - prevention of uterine prolapse.
Diet - normal food is allowed on the fifth day after surgery. In the early days, water, chicken broth, low-fat kefir.
Intimate relationships - sex is contraindicated until the wound surface is completely healed due to the high risk of infection.

After being discharged from the maternity hospital, the woman is registered with the dispensary. Observed by a gynecologist for two years after a caesarean section.

Atony and hypotension

In the normal postpartum phase, the genitals are freed from the remnants of the placenta in 72 hours. The lining epithelium regenerates after 21 days. The process is sometimes painful, accompanied by light contractions.

After the second birth, the uterus contracts paroxysmal. How long the decrease will last depends on the anatomical features, the weight of the baby born, and the general condition of the woman. In especially painful cases, medications are prescribed.

Pathological conditions dangerous to health:

hypotension - low-intensity compression;
atony - the complete absence of contractions.

Hypotension of the uterus is possible in primiparas, especially in minors. Causes of occurrence:

malformations - anatomical inferiority, insufficient development due to age;
pathologies - fibroids, inflammatory diseases, abortions;
scars left after surgical interventions;
complicated course of pregnancy;
violations of labor activity - weakness, rapid course, duration;
chronic diseases;
low position of the fetus.

Hypotension in the absence of the effect of ongoing therapeutic measures develops into atony. A rarely observed phenomenon causes profuse, prolonged bleeding.

Causes of atony:

bend - a condition in which the body of the uterus deviates forward, backward, to the side relative to the cervix;
birth canal injuries;
insufficient development of the penis;
inflammatory processes of various origins;
fibroma - a benign tumor;
polyps;
polyhydramnios;
blood clotting disorders.

Atony is dangerous: the female body is unable to get rid of the remnants of the placenta. This leads to inflammatory processes. Cleaning allows you to avoid pathology.

How to speed up uterine contractions

The removal of the female reproductive organ from an enlarged state is included in a certain time frame. Acceleration of healing, reductions contribute to the observance of the daily regimen, proper nutrition.

A woman should alternate activity with good rest. The key to accelerated reduction is a good sleep, daily walks. Mothers who have twins need additional help from loved ones. The use of medicines is not recommended. More often, cases are recorded when women are confused about what to do if the uterus does not contract well after childbirth. Medical intervention, special exercises, folk remedies will help.

postpartum discharge

It takes some time to return to normal. Abundant discharge is observed immediately after labor, so it is worth replacing conventional pads with absorbent diapers.

The main cause of discharge is the open surface after separation of the placental tissue. In the final period of physiological childbirth, an endometrial rejection reaction is observed. His thickening continued throughout the pregnancy. After childbirth, the reproductive organ shrinks in size.

Before discharge from the perinatal center, the woman is under medical supervision for 3-5 days. The doctor conducts a daily examination:

measures blood pressure, pulse, temperature;
examines the external genitalia;
determines the height of the bottom;
evaluates selections.

The nature of lochia will change. The most intense bleeding occurs during the first three days. Further, their intensity decreases, the color changes to a lighter one.

Allocations in the late postpartum period may be different:

mucous;
bloody;
sanious;
dark;
light;
streaked with blood.

Sometimes there is a sudden cessation of discharge. Then they resume, especially after exercise, breastfeeding. This is the norm 42 days after birth.

What complications may arise

The swiftness of liberation from the birth consequences becomes the cause of various complications. These include:

suppuration of the remnants of the placenta;
formation of inflammatory diseases;
violation of lactation - a decrease in the amount of milk, a change in composition;
the likelihood of an early pregnancy.

Postpartum depression is common. Symptoms - anxiety, irritability, a feeling of panic fear, insomnia - disappear without medical intervention after 5 days. Protracted manifestations of a painful nature require a consultation with a neurologist, gynecologist.

Recovery of the uterus after childbirth

It is not uncommon for discharge, accompanied by soreness, to last more than eight weeks. This is considered a deviation from the norm. A gynecologist can determine why the uterus does not contract after childbirth. He should be contacted if there is a problem.

The doctor will prescribe medication. It will be useful to perform special exercises. You can use traditional medicine.

Health care

To enhance the contractile activity of the uterus, an artificially created hormone, oxytocin, is prescribed. It stimulates smooth muscles, accelerating the process. The drug enhances the secretion of prolactin, which is responsible for the production of milk. Breastfeeding accelerates the processes of normalization of the female body.

The introduction of oxytocin - intravenous, intramuscular, sometimes injections are given subcutaneously. In weakened women, uterine contraction after cesarean section is achieved by a drip infusion of the drug.

The group of oxytocyons includes medicines - tablets, injections - containing various additives. The expediency of their appointment is determined by the attending physician.

ethnoscience

The absence of secretions, cramping pains in the lower abdomen indicates that the uterus is not contracting well after childbirth. Folk remedies will help the natural start of the process.

Nettle - 40 g of dry raw materials brew 0.5 liters of boiling water. Insist, cool, filter. Take orally half a cup before meals.

Lamb (deaf nettle) - pour 20 g of flowers with cool boiled water of 500 ml. Strained infusion drink 1/2 cup three times a day.

Shepherd's bag - from 40 g of grass, 500 ml of boiling water, prepare a decoction. The dose is calculated for daily use.

Burdock - washed leaves through a meat grinder. Squeezed juice drink a teaspoon in the morning and evening.

Traditional medicine contributes to independent active recovery without resorting to artificial drugs. This has a positive effect on the health of mother and baby.

Physical recovery methods

To stimulate contraction of the uterus, the doctor performs an internal massage every 2 hours immediately after childbirth. Due to the individual organic structure, a woman becomes sick. The procedure is necessary to improve the natural state.

With the permission of the doctor, you can perform simple exercises with physical activity. They are aimed at reducing the recovery period.
Lying on your back, bend / unbend your legs at the knees, brought together.
In the same position, pull up your socks as much as possible.
Sit on a gymnastic ball, strain your intimate muscles. Raise your right leg, hold on weight for 10 seconds. Do the same with the left.
In a sitting position, perform rotational movements of the pelvis 10 times in each direction.
Sitting on the ball, swing your body to the left and right.
Squeeze your toes throughout the day.

Physical exercise is prohibited for women who received stitches during childbirth. Execution requires their complete healing.

The beginning of the 10th month of pregnancy counts from the birth of the placenta. The duration depends on the involution of the genital organs, tissues. In the postpartum period, a sense of motherhood is formed, female psychology and physical development are radically changed, at this stage a woman should be patient and carefully monitor her well-being.

Content:

The properties of this female organ are unique: during the bearing of the baby, it increases several times, but after it is born, it returns to standard sizes. How long does the contraction of the uterus after childbirth last, no doctor will say for sure, because each female body is unique in its own way. However, there are factors, means, measures and preparations that can accelerate or slow down this process.

To understand what the process of uterine contraction after childbirth is, you need to know what happens to the body during this period. Without anatomy, this issue can not be understood.

In the first time after childbirth, the organ is a wound surface. Particularly damaged is the part of the uterus where the placenta was attached, because there are too many clogged vessels in that place. The cavity itself contains the remains of the membrane from the fetus, blood clots.
Cleansing of the uterus and its most powerful contraction occurs during the first 3-5 days after childbirth.
If the body is healthy, processes such as phagocytosis (leukocytes dissolve bacteria) and extracellular proteliosis (the same bacteria are attacked by proteolytic enzymes) begin to actively proceed.
As a result, lochia begin to come out: on the 1st day they resemble blood, on the 3rd day they acquire a serous-suicidal shade, by the end of the 3rd week they become light and liquid, by the 6th they should end, which will mean completion the process of uterine contraction.
As for the size, immediately after the birth of the crumbs, the uterus weighs about 1 kg, its pharynx expands to 12 cm. At the same time, it reaches 20 cm in length and up to 15 cm in width. In a week, its weight will be only 300 g, and to 7th week - only 70 gr.

The epithelium of this organ recovers in about 3 weeks, but the place where the placenta used to be attached heals much longer - up to 1.5 months. It is very important to observe how long the contraction of the uterus after childbirth lasts in each individual case and compare the period with the standard. If lochia ends by the 6th week and there is no discomfort, you should not worry: everything is normal. If they stopped much earlier or, on the contrary, still continue after this time, you should definitely complain about these symptoms to the doctor. There are special signs by which you can judge whether everything is in order.

Wow! The standard size of a healthy uterus in its normal state, when a woman is not pregnant, is 7.5 cm high, 5 cm wide. However, by the time the baby is born, it is so stretched that it touches the lower part of the chest. After giving birth, she has to shrink back to her normal size.

Symptoms of normal contraction

Every woman needs to know the signs of a good uterine contraction after childbirth, which indicate a normal recovery period without any deviations. This will mean that you should not worry and all your strength can be directed to the child. These manifestations include:

painful, but tolerable sensations in the mammary glands;
first bloody, then yellowish-transparent lochia;
pain in the perineum;
diarrhea during uterine contraction can be observed only in the first 1-4 days, in other cases it may indicate an overdose of some drug and require medical intervention;
all these symptoms are strong enough in the 1st week after the birth of the crumbs, since the contraction of the uterus these days is most intense;
by the end of the 6th week, all these signs gradually disappear.

All the pains during uterine contraction after childbirth, described above, are quite tolerable, although with a low pain threshold in a woman, the doctor often prescribes painkillers. These include:

no-shpa;
ibuprofen;
ketoprofen (this active substance contains ketonal suppositories);
uterine contraction can be anesthetized with lidocaine injections;
naproxen;
homeopathic remedies: Bellis perennis, Caulophyllum, Sepia.

If after the first week the painful contractions remain as strong and even unbearable, this is a reason to seek medical help, such discomfort is not the norm. Since everyone's body is different, gynecologists admit that for some, the recovery period can last from 5 to 8 weeks. If it goes beyond these limits, perhaps we are talking about pathologies, so it’s better to check once again.

Sometimes it happens! There were cases when 2 uterus were found in women, each of which was a full-fledged, functioning organ. And some of them successfully gave birth to healthy babies. One of the organs participated in the process of gestation and childbirth.

Rapid uterine contraction

Women who are cleared of childbirth effects within 3-4 weeks are usually happy with such a quick recovery and proudly tell everyone about it. Few of them think that such swiftness is not the norm and can lead to the most negative health consequences. In most cases, the rapid contraction of the uterus after childbirth can be fraught with the following complications:

lochia (remnants of the placenta, blood clots, bursting blood vessels, dead endometrium, waste products of the child when he was in the womb) cannot come out in full in such a short period of time: this means that part of all this remains inside the uterus; this most often leads to their suppuration and the onset of the inflammatory process;
violation of lactation: the amount of milk produced can decrease dramatically, and its composition can change, which is often very disliked by the baby - to such an extent that he can stop breastfeeding;
the risk of an instant second pregnancy increases, while the body is not yet physically ready for such a shock.

Given these factors, you should not be happy if the postpartum discharge has stopped very quickly. To prevent this from happening, you need to try to improve uterine contraction after childbirth so that it occurs within the normal range and does not go beyond them. To do this, you need to observe (if possible) the regime of the day, eat well, rest in sufficient quantities, get enough sleep and breathe fresh air. The use of medicines and folk remedies is not required here. However, there are not so many such cases: the problem of too prolonged uterine contraction is much more common.

Slow uterine contraction

Very often, postpartum discharge and pain are delayed and do not stop even after the 8 weeks specified by the norm. In this case, the whole problem arises, how to accelerate the contraction of the uterus after childbirth and help your own body recover faster. First, you need to contact the observing gynecologist and follow his advice. Secondly, with his permission, perform various exercises specially designed for this purpose, and use folk remedies.

Health care

If in the first 1-3 days after the baby was born, the woman did not begin to discharge and there are no painful, cramping sensations, this indicates that for some reason the process does not start. In this case, the doctor decides what to do to reduce the uterus after childbirth: inject injections or prescribe pills.

Oxytocin

In order to accelerate uterine contractions after childbirth, prevent severe bleeding and normalize lactation, oxytocin, an artificial hormone, is prescribed. It is administered by injection, most often by injection. But if a woman is very weak after childbirth, a drip may be prescribed, especially after a caesarean section.

Uterine oxytocins

Very often drugs are prescribed for uterine contraction from the same group of oxytocins, but not in its pure form, but with pharmacological additives that enhance and weaken the effect of the main substance. These include hyphotocin, demoxytocin, dinoprost, dinoprostone, cotarnine chloride, methyloxytocin, methylergometrine, pituitrin, ergometrine, ergotal, ergotamine hydrotartrate. It can be tablets or injections.

Any medicine is prescribed only if a poor contraction of the uterus after childbirth is diagnosed (no discharge and cramping pain in the lower abdomen). However, the attitude towards oxytocin, even among doctors, is ambiguous. Most of them believe that this process should start naturally. Therefore, some gynecologists recommend seeking help from folk remedies.

Folk remedies

There are also folk remedies for uterine contraction. However, you should not get carried away with them and it is recommended to use them only with the permission of a doctor.

Nettle

Dry nettle (4 tablespoons) is brewed with boiling water (500 ml). Infused until cool. Drink 100 ml three times a day.

White lamb

Pour the flowers of the plant (2 tablespoons) with cold boiled water (500 ml). Leave overnight. Strain. Drink 100 ml 3 (can be 4) times a day.

Shepherd's bag

Grass is brewed (4 tablespoons) with boiling water (2 cups). Wrap, leave in a warm place, strain. Drink the entire prepared dose throughout the day.

Yarutka field

Brew a dry plant (2 tablespoons) with boiling water (a glass), leave overnight, strain. Drink 1 teaspoon 5 times a day.

blood red geranium

Pour 2 teaspoons of herbs with 2 cups of boiled, but already cold water, leave for the night, drink everything during the day.

Folk remedies for uterine contraction are good because they force the body to actively recover in the postpartum period on its own, without the use of synthetic drugs, the effect of which on the child (through breast milk) and on the health of the young mother has not yet been fully studied.

Massage

In some cases, uterine contraction is stimulated from the inside, when the doctor gives the woman a special massage every two hours in the first two days after childbirth. With smooth movements, pressure is applied to the uterus. Depending on the individual characteristics of the body, this procedure can be very painful, but useful.

Homeopathy

In order for the uterus to contract faster, homeopathy is used, the main advantage of which is that it mobilizes the body's own forces and does not contain any synthetic, chemical substances.

Among the well-proven drugs are the following: Millefolium, Hina (heavy bleeding), Ergot (perfectly reduces the uterus, but can provoke the development of thrombosis, phlebitis, abscess), Sabina (no side effects differ), Ipecac (helps to cope with weakness after childbirth ), Sekale, Phosphorus, Hamamelis, Ferrum phosphoricum, Staphysagria (promotes healing of the uterus).

Exercises

If the doctor has allowed, from the first day after childbirth, you can perform simple, but very useful physical exercises to reduce the uterus after childbirth, which will not require a lot of time and effort from a woman. The sooner you start to perform them, the lower will be the risk of a protracted recovery period.

Lie on the floor on your back. To relax. Bring your legs together. Bend and unbend them at a calm pace. Do 10 times.
In any free time, tighten and relax your toes.
Lie on the floor on your back. To relax. Straighten your legs. Stretch your socks towards you as much as possible.
Breathing exercises help to reduce the uterus, which can be done several times daily. Lie on your back. Bend your legs. Breathe deeply and evenly. Connect the abdominal muscles to this process. Raise the abdominal wall as you inhale and lower it as you exhale. Help yourself with sliding movements of the hands to the pubic bone from the navel.
Exhaling, squeeze the muscles of the pelvis, pull the navel as close to the chest as possible. Concentrate on the sensations in the lower abdomen. Hold your breath for 10 seconds.
Such exercises must necessarily include and: alternately strain (squeeze as much as possible) the muscles of the anus and vagina.
Exercise regularly for postpartum uterine contractions. Get your exercise ball ready. You will need to perform the exercise on a non-slip floor. Sit on the ball, squeeze intimate muscles. In this position, raise the leg, hold it in weight for about 10 seconds. Repeat the same movements with the second leg.
Sitting on a gymnastic ball, perform circular movements with the pelvis in both directions.
Sitting on the ball, swing in different directions.

You can not perform exercises to quickly contract the uterus after childbirth for those who have had stitches. First you will need to wait for their complete healing.

Special cases

In some cases, postpartum uterine contraction is distinguished by features that it is better for a woman to know about in advance so as not to be frightened and be prepared for surprises.

After the second birth

Most often, the contraction of the uterus after the second birth is much more intense. Therefore, in the early days it can hurt a lot and burst the chest, especially at the time of feeding, and also breaks the lower abdomen and perineum. The sensations can be so painful that the doctor prescribes painkillers. It is not recommended to select medications and folk remedies on your own, as they can adversely affect lactation.

After artificial birth

Causes some anxiety and contraction of the uterus after artificial birth, as the body does not perceive them properly. Therefore, in most cases, medications are prescribed or folk remedies are used to speed up the process.

Another danger lies in heavy bleeding, which is not the norm: they need to be stopped as soon as possible. After the recovery period depends on the period at which the pregnancy was terminated. Usually, the time for uterine contraction is from 3 days to 2 weeks, no more if everything went without complications.

The female body, despite the modern development of science and medicine, is still a mystery. The uterus is one of his most amazing organs. Only she has such amazing elasticity and can change sizes on such a scale. To help her recover faster, you need to perform various physical exercises and consult a doctor in a timely manner. Folk remedies that help enhance uterine contraction during this period should be used with extreme caution. There are norms with which you need to constantly compare your feelings, the composition of the discharge and the timing.

Significant changes after childbirth occur in the entire reproductive system of the mother, and most of all in the uterus. After the birth of a baby, the female body returns to normal for a long period of time. In the first postpartum weeks, the uterus resembles a huge stretched muscular sac. Gradually, all internal mechanisms and organs are restored. But it should be understood that this process can continue for several months and even a year or two. Therefore, proper care, daily hygiene, the control of an obstetrician-gynecologist and an optimistic attitude should become your daily rule.

It is not always possible for a woman to give birth to a child in a natural way. Today, the number of women in labor who gave birth to a baby by caesarean section is increasing. This operation is no longer complicated, the surgical intervention can be carried out with the help of both full and partial anesthesia. But after a cesarean, a woman will have to be patient, because the restoration of her body, especially the uterus, will take more than one week.

Condition of the uterus in the postpartum period

Immediately after childbirth, the uterus of every woman is enlarged in volume, stretched in size and resembles a continuous bleeding wound. Its bottom is located approximately 4-5 cm below the navel, and the diameter is 10-12 cm. Gradually, uterine contractions contribute to its reduction and healing of the inner surface.

Both after and after cesarean section, contractions of the cervix are very weak and intensify until the end of the postpartum period. However, in a woman who has undergone surgery, the uterus recovers more slowly, its weight decreases gradually. For some time, slight postpartum spotting is observed from the uterus, which are scientifically called lochia.

The postpartum period after caesarean section lasts up to 60 days. Why is the uterus not in a hurry to contract? After the operation, the integrity of the muscle fibers of the uterus, its vessels and nerve endings is violated. That is why the rate of contraction, or involution (this is what doctors call this process), slows down. If necessary, the woman is prescribed special drug therapy. Medicines should stimulate the contractile activity of the muscles of the uterus, as well as reduce bleeding from vessels damaged during incision.

The uterus contracts slowly, so the woman does not recover very quickly. This may cause the mother and child to be discharged from the hospital a little later after a caesarean section. At home, another discomfort arises: it is difficult for a woman to roll over on her side, it hurts to cough and sneeze, stand up, walk. Intestinal gases torment, the stomach swells, sometimes there is a sharp pain. Such discomfort leads to difficulties in breastfeeding, because it is extremely difficult to find a comfortable position.

Possible complications after caesarean section

If during natural childbirth a woman loses up to 300 ml of blood, then during a cesarean section, the volume of blood loss increases to an average of 500-1000 ml. In the first case, the mother's body independently restores the lost volume of blood, while in the second case, it cannot cope with the problem on its own. That is why during and after the operation, a woman is injected with blood-substituting solutions.

It should be understood that a caesarean section is the same operation as the others, and some complications are possible after it:

the integrity of the intestinal peritoneum is violated;
spikes occur- adhesions between intestinal loops and other internal organs. This causes pain in the abdomen, discomfort when sitting, walking, and any other movements;
endomyometritis- inflammation of the uterus. During the operation, there is a direct contact of the uterine cavity with air, which is difficult to achieve complete sterility. To prevent endomyometritis after surgery, the mother is prescribed antibiotics;
subinvolution- Violation of uterine contraction. In this case, the doctor prescribes a 2-5-day therapy aimed at improving the contractility of the uterus.

Recovery of the uterus after caesarean section

Whatever the birth, in any case, they can be compared with hard work, after which the female body needs a good rest.

After the operation, the mother stays in a special postpartum ward for the first day. Doctors are constantly monitoring the woman in labor. The nurse daily treats the postoperative suture with an antiseptic solution, changes the dressings. An ice pack is placed on the mother's stomach: this stimulates the uterus to contract and helps stop bleeding. Also, a woman is prescribed painkillers that promote uterine contraction, and drugs to restore the function of the gastrointestinal tract. Mom must remember that her body must fully recover, and a strong scar must form on the uterus. Therefore, doctors recommend resuming sexual activity after a caesarean section two to three months after the operation. It is better to plan the next pregnancy in a year or two, but not earlier. It is believed that the scar is finally formed by the end of the first year after caesarean section and does not change further.

Visit your gynecologist, get an ultrasound to make sure that the body's recovery process is proceeding normally, ask about acceptable methods of contraception. If you are planning another pregnancy, the doctor will advise you to do a hysterography - x-rays in frontal and lateral projections obtained after the introduction of a contrast agent into the uterus. You can also undergo hysteroscopy - this is a visual examination and study of the scar on the uterus, which is performed using an endoscope inserted into the uterine cavity 8-12 months after the operation.

Recovery of the uterus after surgery largely depends on how the pregnancy proceeded, on the age of the woman, physique, and even the conditions under which the operation took place. Unfortunately, every mother who gave birth by cesarean should be psychologically prepared for the fact that she will have to endure pain for some time. Unpleasant sensations may occur due to internal wounds and uterine contractions.

Suture on the uterus after caesarean section

During childbirth by caesarean section, doctors use several. There are currently three types:

transverse section of the uterus. Most often practiced and produced in lengths of 10-12 cm in the lower segment. It is less traumatic, with less blood loss, and also facilitates wound healing, reduces the risk of postpartum infection. The scar almost does not affect subsequent pregnancies, and childbirth can occur naturally;
classic cut. It is carried out vertically in the upper part of the uterus, where a huge number of blood vessels are located, and therefore is accompanied by heavy bleeding. For this reason, doctors rarely do it;
vertical cut. It is performed only in extreme cases, with some abnormal development of the uterus and premature birth.

No less important is the operation to suture the uterus after the incision

The incision on the uterus is usually sutured with a single-row or double-row suture without interruption. At the same time, doctors use special materials that completely resolve on their own over the course of several weeks to 3-4 months. It can be Dexon, Monocryl, Vicryl, Caproag and other sutures. After childbirth, doctors control the wound healing process and make sure that the suture after a cesarean section does not become inflamed.

The postoperative scar will heal longer: up to six months, and for some women - up to a year. Again, this is a lengthy process, and it is due to the fact that during the surgical incision, the integrity of the nerve endings was violated.

After the operation, you should take painkillers for several days, as the suture delivers pain. A skin scar is formed in about 6-7 days, so a woman can take a shower on her own only after a week. To alleviate discomfort, women are advised to bandage the stomach with a diaper or wear a special postpartum bandage.

Physical activity can be started no earlier than 2-3 months after childbirth. Exercises should not be heavy and painless. And remember that after a caesarean section, you can not lift any weights! If you overstrain the abdominal muscles, this can affect the healing process of the postoperative scar, up to the formation of hernias. Take care of yourself and your baby!

Specially for Nadezhda Zaitseva