The birth of a baby is one of the most beautiful chapters in a woman’s life. Unfortunately, all the ecstasy and excitement also come with stress and sorrow, no thanks to some of the common postpartum woes new mamas experience.
Let’s see what are these and how you can fix them:
1. Hair Loss
Excessive hair shedding? Your pregnancy hormones may be to blame. To deal with this, go easy on your hair: shampoo only when necessary and use anti-hair fall shampoo. Say ‘No’ to chemical-based treatment for the meantime. Have a balanced diet, which includes follicle-stimulating foods—fish oil and food rich in zinc—to help with hair growth and repair.
2. Acne
Postpartum breakouts may happen because of stress, dehydration, and fluctuation in hormones. This is normal, mama, as your body changes during pregnancy—and this includes your skin.
Use a gentle face wash and water-based moisturizer. You should also avoid foods that can cause acne, such as dairy products, peanuts, and refined grains and sugar. There are oral acne medications that you can take if you are not breastfeeding. But if you are, be careful with what you take. Topical treatments are preferred for nursing moms.
3. Edema
Women who just gave birth may experience puffiness and swelling in their hands, feet, legs, and face due to water retention or excess amount of fluid in the body tissue.
The swelling will get better within the first week of pregnancy as the body flushes excess water from the swollen areas. You can speed this process up by staying hydrated, eating healthy foods, and getting ample rest. Avoid standing for a long time and elevate your legs to improve circulation.
4. Varicose and Spider Veins
Ahh, bodily changes during pregnancy and after giving birth. Notice swollen blue or purple veins that may bulge near the surface of the skin in the back of your calves, legs, ankles or feet? They’re typically harmless.
To lessen the discomfort, wear compression leggings or stockings to stop the swelling. Keep your legs elevated and avoid crossing your ankles. You can also do light exercises that can boost your blood circulation.
5. Depression
Having a baby can be stressful too, what with all the sleepless nights. For some new moms, this can be overwhelming. It’s important to note that this is not your fault, mama. Not sure if it’s baby blues or postpartum depression? An expert talk about what symptoms to watch out for and how treatment will be for those experiencing this.
