Giving birth is an exciting time in your life, but it is not easy. It can be especially hard for a new parent to adjust after giving birth. That's why postpartum care is as important for a parent as it is for the baby.
Postpartum care helps you adjust to having a baby in your life. It can also give you valuable emotional and physical support.
L.A. Care's Healthy Mom Program provides support for new moms to get the postpartum care that they need.
The program will:
- Educate you on the importance of the postpartum visit
- Help you schedule your postpartum visit within your postpartum period (7-84 days after delivery)
- Arrange interpreting services, if needed
- Arrange transportation, if needed (transportation is only available for Medi-Cal and Medicare Plus members)
- Reward you with a $40 gift card when your postpartum visit is confirmed
Call 1.213.694.1250 Ext. 4408 to reach a Health Education Advocate to join the Healthy Mom Program and to schedule your postpartum visit.
If you receive a text message from L.A. Care, please opt-in to our text messaging campaign to get help scheduling visits, helpful resources, and learn more about the doula benefit and the postpartum incentive!
Visits after delivery
It is important to complete your postpartum visit within 7-84 days after you give birth even if you feel fine. Your doctor or midwife may go over the following during your postpartum visit:
- Wound check
- Pelvic exam
- Pap test
- Birth control options and birth planning
- Breast exam
- Breastfeeding
- Sleeping patterns
- Depression screening (changes in mood)
- Vitals (blood pressure, weight, and heart rate)
- Blood work
- Going back to regular activities (sex, exercise)
- Complications during pregnancy, labor, or after delivery
- Medication changes
- Glucose test (if diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy)
- Baby’s health
Some people may need to visit their doctor or midwife more than once. Please contact your doctor’s office if you miss an appointment. If you need help re-scheduling your appointment, you can contact a Health Education Advocate by calling 213.694.1250 ext. 4408.
As advised by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG), it is really important for women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy to get their blood pressure checked after having their baby. If you had high blood pressure, your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure within 7 to 10 days after having your baby.
But if your high blood pressure was severe, you need to see a doctor within 72 hours after giving birth. This check is super important because ACOG tells us that more than half of all strokes that happen after giving birth occur in the first 10 days after leaving the hospital.
After a loss such as a miscarriage or stillbirth, you may not have the energy to go to your provider’s office but it is important to see your doctor after these unfortunate events. This visit can help you with emotional support, future pregnancy planning and refer you to support groups. Talk to your provider about telehealth options if you are unable to go into the office.
After Delivery Care
Feeling like your normal self after delivery might take longer than expected. Take it slow and allow others to help with your baby or with house chores. Below you will find some helpful tips of how to care for yourself after delivery and what signs and symptoms to look out for that can be life threatening.
If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms during or after pregnancy (in the year after delivery) you should seek medical care immediately:
- Headache that won’t go away or gets worse over time
- Dizziness or fainting
- Thoughts about hurting yourself or your baby
- Changes in your vision
- Fever
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain or fast-beating heart
- Severe belly pain that doesn’t go away
- Severe nausea and throwing up (not like morning sickness)
- Baby’s movements stopping or slowing during pregnancy
- Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during or after pregnancy
- Swelling, redness, or pain of your leg
- Extreme swelling of your hands or face
- Overwhelming tiredness
For more information, you can visit Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health.
Nutrition
Eat foods rich in fiber and drink plenty of water to prevent constipation. If needed, contact your provider to recommend a stool softener.
Hemorrhoids
Some people may have hemorrhoids during and/or after pregnancy. Hemorrhoids are swelling of the veins inside or outside of your rectum. Here are some tips to make you feel better:
- Lie down on your side
- Sleep on your side at night
- Try not to sit or stand for too long
- Clean your rectal area with water and soap after bowel movement
- Sit in a tub of warm shallow water for 20 minutes followed by ice packs on the hemorrhoids 2-3 times a day.
- Ask your doctor or midwife about over-the-counter medications
Vaginal discharge
You may experience heavy bleeding after delivery but as the weeks pass by it will get lighter. You will need to use sanitary pads until the bleeding stops.
Rest/Take Naps
When you bring the baby home, it may be hard to sleep while the baby gets adjusted to the day and night. Try to nap while the baby sleeps.
Physical Activity
It is important to resume physical activity once you recover from childbirth. Start with low to moderate exercise about 30 minutes 5 times a week. Talk to your provider if you would like to increase the moderation. L.A. Care offers free exercise classes for the community at our L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Centers. View a schedule of classes at our Community Resource Centers website.