31 – BumptUp

Mental Health During Pregnancy

If you fell and broke your leg, you wouldn’t hesitate to call your doctor and seek help. Mental health is just as important as physical health! If you think you are depressed, stressed, anxious, or sadder than normal during pregnancy, you should talk to your doctor.

One in every four pregnant women experience a mental health concern, and this is nothing to be ashamed of! That is almost 4 times more common than gestational diabetes, yet all pregnant women get screened for that and talk openly about the results. For some women pregnancy is the happiest time of their life, for others, it is a really difficult time both mentally and physically. A big change is on the horizon, and change can be stressful! Just because you feel sad, doesn’t mean you don’t love your unborn baby or that there is anything wrong with you! This can be totally normal!! Pregnancy is hard enough without the added challenge of fighting mental health concerns. There are many options for helping you to feel better and be the happiest version of yourself!

https://www.who.int/mental_health/maternal-child/maternal_mental_health/en/

Vesga-López O, Blanco C, Keyes K, Olfson M, Grant BF, Hasin DS. Psychiatric Disorders in Pregnant and Postpartum Women in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008;65(7):805–815. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.65.7.805

Cesarean Recovery Tips

Whether your cesarean section was planned or a result of a birthing complication, it’s important to remember that you’ve had a major abdominal surgery that requires eight to ten weeks or more for recovery.

Although you may not feel like doing much the first few days post-surgery, specific exercises should be started right away to help speed recovery after anesthesia, and stimulate muscle function, and promote circulation.

Check with your healthcare provider before doing any of these exercises to make sure it’s safe for you to get started.

Cough five times each hour to help clear your lungs following anesthesia. You should support your tender abdomen by holding a small pillow or rolled towel against your tummy over the incision as you cough. If you are in the hospital, you can ask the nurse for an incentive spirometer. This is a special tool designed to help with breathing after a surgery. The nurse will show you how to use it.
Log roll to get in and out of bed. Log rolling is a technique that helps to decrease pressure on your belly. Start your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the bed. As you roll to one side, use your top arm to help roll and grab the side of the bed (or at least put the hand on the bed for balance support). Once on your side, knees still bend, use your top hand to help push you up as you gently swing your legs over the side of the bed with your body moving as a single unit or a “log”. Once you are up far enough, you can use your bottom hand to help push you up. Breath the entire time. If you need help with this technique, as the nurse to teach you or request a visit from a physical therapist in the hospital.
Lie or sit in a comfortable position and slowly pull your belly in towards your spine. Use your breathing by exhaling as you draw inward and inhaling as you relax. Work up to a set of five to ten repetitions every hour.
Lie on your back with the knees bent and arms out to the sides. Imagine that your tummy is the face of a clock, and gently press down at 12 o’clock, then to the side at 9 o’clock, down to 6 o’clock and then to the other side at 3 o’clock—reverse direction and repeat. Try and work towards a smooth movement of circles in each direction.
Once your anesthesia has worn off try walking a few steps with support. You can ask for a physical therapist to come see you in the hospital if you think you may need help or if you think you may need a walker for balance. Make sure you have someone holding you as you move as you may feel dizzy or unstable. You’ll prevent fluid retention and speed the return of bowel and bladder function by getting up and walking a few minutes every hour.