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Let's Talk Motherhood. a Postpartum Guide

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Let's Talk Motherhood. a Postpartum Guide Let’s talk motherhood A postpartum guide Adapted from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Contents 02 Contents 03 Introduction 06 Healthy baby information 12 Healing after labor and delivery 19 Exercise and nutrition 22 Resources Congratulations on your new baby! You are about to enter an exciting new phase of life. There will be plenty of sleepless nights, heartwarming cuddles and new challenges. This guide is intended to help keep you on track as your baby’s health progresses, make you feel less alone as your body changes after pregnancy and provide resources for further help. GEHA is proud to be your partner in this new life chapter. Adapted from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month 02 geha.com/Maternity | HDHP, Standard and High plans by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Introduction Your first well-child visit should be two or three days after coming home from the hospital. Schedule of well-baby visits As a parent, you want your child to be healthy and develop normally. That’s why well-child doctor visits are so important, particularly in the first 15 months of life. Your child’s doctor can help you identify developmental milestones in your child’s physical, mental, language and social skills. Each well-child visit will include a complete physical examination. The doctor will check your baby’s growth and development and record your child’s height, weight and other important information. Tests for hearing, vision and other functions will be part of some visits. First year visits Second year visits Visits occur at ages one, two, four, six and Visits occur at ages 12, 15, 18 and 24 months. nine months. Adapted from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month 03 geha.com/Maternity | HDHP, Standard and High plans by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists INTRODUCTION Immunizations The bacteria and germs that cause childhood diseases are still around. In our mobile society, we can easily be around others who come from areas around the world where serious diseases are prevalent. Vaccinations help prevent the spread of those diseases. Each child who isn’t vaccinated can spread those germs to others who are unvaccinated. GEHA medical plans cover routine well-child visits and vaccinations at 100%. Vaccinations help protect others in your community too – like your neighbor who has cancer and cannot get certain vaccines, or your best friend’s newborn baby who is too young to be fully immunized. Immunization 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th HepB (hepatitis B) Birth 1-2 months 6-18 months RV (rotovirus) 2 months 4 months 6 months DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) 2 months 4 months 6 months 15-18 months 4-6 years Hib (haemophilus influenzae type b) 2 months 4 months 6 months 12-15 months PCV (pneumococcus) 2 months 4 months 6 months 12-15 months IPV (polio) 2 months 4 months 6-18 months 4-6 years MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) 12-15 months 4-6 years Varicella (chickenpox) 12-15 months 4-6 years Hep A (hepatitis A) 12-18 months 12-18 months Given 6 to 18 months apart. Flu (influenza) (two doses given at least four weeks apart Yearly in the first year, one dose yearly after that) Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, visit cdc.gov Adapted from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month 04 geha.com/Maternity | HDHP, Standard and High plans by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists INTRODUCTION Postpartum care visit A new mother’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy and may be at risk of serious health complications. It’s important to see your doctor between seven and 84 days after delivery. This visit can help prevent complications, and catch and treat symptoms before they become a problem. New mothers can also use this time to ask questions and address personal concerns, including postpartum depression. New mothers are at risk of serious health complications, so it’s important to see your doctor between seven and 84 days after delivery. Adapted from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month 05 geha.com/Maternity | HDHP, Standard and High plans by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Healthy baby information Sleep schedule Your new baby will likely sleep about eight or nine hours in the day and another eight hours at night, waking every three hours to feed. Unfortunately, other than these general parameters, there is no set infant sleep schedule. To make matters worse, many babies think they are supposed to sleep during the day and be awake at night. Despite these difficulties, there are a few routines you can establish that may help you reclaim a full(er) night’s sleep. A baby’s sleep pattern will evolve as he or she grows older. If your baby experiences continual difficulty sleeping or has irregular sleep patterns, consult your pediatrician. Reinforce the rhythms of night and day by opening the shades, going for a walk or doing something else lively first thing when your baby wakes up in the morning. Conversely, create a relaxing routine in the evenings that signal it is time to wind down. This might be a warm bath, reading books or keeping lights and noises low. Starting this routine at the same time each day reinforces the lessons. Preventing SIDS Putting your baby in a safe sleeping environment and position can greatly reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. Here are some tips that can help prevent SIDS. X Always place the baby on his or her back to sleep or when left alone. X Place the baby on a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress covered by a fitted sheet. X Don’t use blankets, quilts or bumper pads in the baby’s sleeping area. X Clear soft toys and loose bedding from the sleeping area. X Dress your baby in light clothing. Make sure the baby’s head is not covered, and don’t cover the baby with a blanket. X Don’t smoke or let anyone else smoke around the baby. X Don’t let the baby sleep in an adult bed, couch or chair, with or without an adult. Adapted from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month 06 geha.com/Maternity | HDHP, Standard and High plans by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists HEALTHY BABY INFORMATION Breastfeeding Weight loss during the first few days of life is common in breastfed babies. After the fifth day, your baby should gain about five to seven ounces each week. Between 10 to 14 days, your baby should be back up to birth weight. On the occasions when you can’t feed your baby, consider using a breast pump at the time when you would normally feed. This creates milk that can be used at a later time and tells your body to continue production. GEHA covers one double-channel electric breast pump with double suction capability at 100% with a physician’s prescription every two years. Learn more at geha.com/Maternity Bottle hygiene The optimal way to store breast milk is in a glass or hard-sided plastic container with a Start with cool water then gradually increase well-fitted lid. These should be washed in hot, the temperature to heat the milk to feeding soapy water, rinsed carefully and air dried. temperature. Another option is to heat a There are plastic bags specially designed for pan of water on the stove and immerse the storing human milk. container there. You may need to take the milk out and reheat the water. Refrigerated milk can be heated the same way. To prevent spoiling, save breast milk in the back of the fridge or freezer, where the Don’t heat the milk directly on the stove or temperature is most stable. Store the amount microwave. Microwaves heat unevenly and a baby takes in a single feeding – between can create hot spots in the milk that can harm two and four ounces – in each container. the baby. All thawed milk should be used Label each container with the date it was within 24 hours. It’s not uncommon for milk collected. to separate into milk and cream layers during storage. When this happens, swirl the milk Smaller amounts of breast milk are easiest gently to mix the layers. Don’t shake the milk to heat evenly, so storing it in feeding- – this introduces air bubbles, which can size portions cuts down on waste. Frozen be harmful. milk should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight or under running water. Adapted from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month 07 geha.com/Maternity | HDHP, Standard and High plans by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists HEALTHY BABY INFORMATION Bathing and water safety Babies only need a bath every few days. When you decide to bathe your baby, give them a sponge bath until the cord falls off and the belly button and/or circumcision have healed. After the baby has healed, you may want to use a reclining tub or infant bath sponge. Prior to bathing, gather all supplies and test the water temperature with your wrist. It should feel comfortably warm. Wash the baby with a mild soap containing no perfume or deodorant. This same soap may be used on the hair – baby shampoo is optional. X When bathing the baby, start at the top X Maintain a clean umbilical cord area by and work your way down. Wash the folding the diaper below the cord. Clean baby’s face using only water. Take extra the cord gently with a damp cloth if it care with the eyes, carefully using a clean gets soiled and allow it to air dry.
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