5 (More) Questions to Ask Your Provider After Birth
This blog post is a follow-up to this post, where I shared an additional five questions to ask various postpartum care providers. I hope you find these suggestions to be helpful and that they lead to an empowering, educational, and productive visit with your provider.
Who can you refer me to for education regarding scar tissue healing, core muscle strengthening, and returning to my exercise of choice? No matter the type of birth you experience, scar tissue is likely to form either from a perineal tear or a cesarean. It’s not just something you have to deal with, but there are ways to heal through it. Hopefully, you have a provider who is well-connected in the area and can refer different specialists to you as you get used to your new body after baby.
Can I sign a release so you can collaborate with my ___ on my care? This could be a pelvic floor therapist, mental health provider, postpartum doula, chiropractor, etc. Having care providers who are connected and able to discuss your various modes of care is an invaluable asset to holistic healing. Don’t assume that all of your providers, even if within the same health system, will correspond about your care. Physicians and midwives can get work in silos, even unintentionally, and can easily forgo the input and opinion of others on your wellness team.
Will you please educate me about birth control options for when I choose to return to sexual activity? For those with heterosexual partners, returning to sex is a hot topic. Male partners might be feeling deprived when you consider that many pregnant people aren’t very interested in sex at the end of pregnancy and they’re advised not to have sexual intercourse for at least six weeks post-birth. It’s wise to have an open conversation with your healthcare provider about the safest ways to return to sexual intimacy with your partner once you’re ready. Keep in mind that it is totally acceptable and normal if you don’t have an interest in sex just a few weeks after having a baby. Don’t let a partner, society, or a medical provider rush you into doing anything before you feel totally ready emotionally and physically. There are plenty of other ways to have an intimate connection with your lover that don’t involve penetration and/or the very real possibility of becoming pregnant again before you’re ready.
What are the next steps I should take in the healing journey for this fourth trimester throughout the first year postpartum? Your uterus might be back to its normal size and you might have stopped bleeding, but there is still a lot of healing yet to be done. Recovering from nearly a year of growing and nourishing a human being is a major adjustment. If you experienced a cesarean birth or any kind of birth trauma, the six weeks we often associate as healing weeks postpartum are extended to a minimum of eight weeks. It can take years before your body feels like it has fully recovered and that’s okay. Having an open dialogue with your healthcare provider about this as well as other trusted confidants in your circle of trust will mitigate questions of normalcy and doubt and shed light on what it is to transform after giving birth. The way you choose to nourish your body - the foods and drinks you consume as well as how you choose to care for this new version of yourself - during the postpartum period affects your life deeply.
What do I need to know about spacing between pregnancies? In most cases, it’s advised to wait eighteen months or more before getting pregnant again. Pregnancy, and if you choose to breastfeed, can drastically deplete nutrient stores, especially folate and iron which are vital in growing a healthy baby to term. Inflammation is very common throughout pregnancy whether that be the GI tract (think about all the nausea, vomiting, and/or heartburn that many pregnant folks experience) or inflammation of the joints from weight gain throughout pregnancy. Waiting to conceive for a year and a half or more allows the body to have more time to recover from the last pregnancy before the hard work of carrying life again. While it’s not true for all people, subsequent pregnancies can be harder on the body.
When it comes to your body and your health, always speak up.
Take up space and request the time and respect from your providers that you deserve. Never feel shy about asking questions to fully take control of your health.
No one will be as good an advocate as you can be for yourself.
