Patient education
Vaginal delivery
Sexual intercourse
Cesarean delivery
Routine Postpartum Care
The immediate postpartum period most often occurs in the hospital setting, where the majority of women remain for approximately 2 days after a vaginal delivery and 3-4 days after a cesarean delivery.
Sexual intercourse may resume when bright red bleeding ceases, the vagina and vulva are healed, and the woman is physically comfortable and emotionally ready. Physical readiness varies greatly among women but may take several weeks. Birth control is important to protect against pregnancy because the first ovulation is very unpredictable.
After a vaginal delivery, most women experience swelling of the perineum and consequent pain. This is intensified if the woman has had an episiotomy or a laceration.
The woman who has had a cesarean delivery understandably will experience post-op pain at the abdominal incision. This, too, can be treated with heat or ice to the incision site, abdominal binder support, and use of systemic pain medication. Activities of daily living should be resumed as tolerated but without unnecessary delay.
Substantial education takes place during the hospital stay, especially for the first-time mother. The mother (and often the father) is taught routine care of the baby, including feeding, diapering, and bathing, as well as what can be expected from the baby in terms of sleep, urination, bowel movements, and eating.
