After birth - When the fetus is delivered, the placenta is delivered after-wards (and for this reason is often called the afterbirth). After delivery of the fetus the umbilical cord is usually clamped and severed prior to the delivery of the placenta or may be left attached to fall off naturally which is referred to as a Lotus Birth. The placenta is delivered mainly by uterine contractions, but the umbilical cord can be gently pulled while pressure is placed on the abdomen, to speed its delivery. Usually the placenta delivers in 2-10 minutes after delivery of the fetus, but it is considered normal as long as the placenta delivers within 30 minutes. If the placenta fails to deliver in 30 minutes, manual extraction may be required, and in some cases a curettage is necessary to ensure that no remnants of the placenta remain. Risks of retained placenta include hemorrhage and infection.

 

After pains - Uterine contractions that continue for a few hours to a few days postpartum.  They are triggered by the baby latching onto nurse.  These pains often increase with the number of births that a woman has.  These are normal and useful in helping the uterus return to its prepregnant size.

 

bilirubin - an orange-yellow pigment in the bile that forms as a product of hemoglobin; excess amounts in the blood produce the yellow appearance observed in jaundice.

 

Cluster Feeding - A non-stop marathon of breastfeeding that an infant does approx. 24 hours after delivery.  It is important to allow the baby to do this as it is establishing your milk supply so you will be able to meet the supply and demand needs of a breastfeeding baby. This process can be extremely exhausting to an already tired mommy so supporting her with small snacks and plenty of fluids whiles she breastfeeds during this marathon will be of great value to her and baby.  Eating and sleeping will be the ritual for your first 72 hours postpartum.   

 

Colic - A condition of unknown cause seen in infants less than three months old, marked by periods of inconsolable crying lasting for hours at a time for at least three weeks.

 

Circumcision - The surgical removal of the skin that covers the tip of the penis, usually performed soon after birth. Although circumcision is common in the United States, the procedure is no longer widely recommended as a medical necessity by physicians.

 

Colostrum - is a form of milk produced by the mammery glands in late pregnancy and the few days after giving birth.

Humans colostrum is thick ,sticky and yellowish. It has high concentrations of nutrients and immunities, but it is small in quantity. Colostrum is high in carbohydrates, protein and antibodies, and low in fat, which human newborns may find difficult to digest. Newborns have very small digestive systems, and colostrum delivers its nutrients in a very concentrated low-volume form. It has a mild laxative effect, encouraging the passing of the baby's first stool, which is called meconium. This clears excess bilirubin, a waste product of dead red blood cells which is produced in large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction, from the infant's body and helps prevent jaundice. 

 

Engorgement - Breast engorgement occurs in the mammary glands when too much breast milk is contained within them. It is caused by insufficient breastfeeding and/or blocked milk ducts. When engorged the breasts may swell, throb, and cause mild to extreme pain.  Engorgement may lead to mastitis (inflammation of the breast) and untreated engorgement puts pressure on the milk ducts, often causing a plugged duct. The woman will often feel a lump in one part of the breast, and the skin in that area may be red and/or warm. If it continues unchecked, the plugged duct can become a breast infection, at which point she may have fever or flu-like symptoms.

 

Lanugo - are hairs that grow on the body to attempt to insulate it because of lack of fat.

 

Lochia - The normal uterine discharge of blood, tissue, and mucus from the vagina after childbirth.

 

Meconium - is the first stool of an infant, composed of materials ingested during the time the infant spends in the uterus: intestinal epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, and water. Meconium is sterile, unlike later feces, is viscous and sticky like tar, and has no odor. It should be completely passed by the end of the first few days of life, with the stools progressing toward yellow (digested milk).

 

Milking the uterus - often done after the third stage of labor following the delivery of the placenta.  The nurse or doctor will support the bottom of the uterus above the pelvic bone with the side of one hand and then will compress the uterine fundus with the other hand in order to help expel any afterbirth or blood-clots that may have formed during delivery. 

 

Perennial Repair - sutures used to repair tears to the internal orifice of the birth canal and perennial area that may have experienced tearing or laceration during childbirth.  Also repair of an epesiotomy are done.  Often time your doctor will perform these under local anesthesia.

 

post-dural puncture headache or (PDPH) - sometimes occur  about 1 day after dural puncture, can be alleviated by lying down, and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or both.  Epidural blood patch (EBP), in which autologous blood is injected into the dural space, is advocated for severe or refractory cases. These investigators prospectively studied 504 patients who underwent EBP over a 12-year period at a Paris hospital.  PDPH developed after spinal or epidural anesthesia in 87 patients, diagnostic LP in 363, therapeutic LP in 31, and LP for imaging procedures in 23. Neck pain occurred in 87 percent of cases, and nausea or vomiting occurred in 69 percent.

 

Postpartum Blues - 'Baby Blues' or maternity blues are a mild and transitory form of 'moodiness' suffered by up to 80% of postpartum women. Fathers also suffer from postpartum depression. Symptoms typically last from a few hours to several days, and include tearfulness, irritability, hypochondriasis, sleeplessness, impairment of concentration, isolation and headache. The maternity blues are not considered a postpartum depressive disorder.

 

Postpartum Depression - The diagnostic criteria for postpartum depression (PPD) are the same as for major depression, except that to distinguish PPD from the mild, transitory baby (maternity) blues, the symptoms must be present one month postpartum. Depression can also occur during pregnancy (ante-natal depression). Postpartum depression may occur up to one year after childbirth. PPD ranges from mild to suicidal. There are other types of postpartum distress that do not involve depression. For example, the mother may present with postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD (including pure-O OCD). Symptoms of postpartum OCD include recurring intrusive thoughts, obsessive thoughts, avoidance behaviour, fears, anxiety, and depression. Postpartum women may also experience post traumatic stress disorder PTSD. PTSD includes two primary elements: (1) experiencing or witnessing an event involving actual or threatened danger to the self or others, and (2) responding with intense distress, helplessness or panic. The body will also work insufficiently, compared to its typical abilities. Symptoms of birth-related PTSD may include:

1. Obsessive thoughts about the birth
2. Feelings of panic when near the site where the birth occurred
3. Feelings of numbness and detachment
4. Disturbing memories of the birth experience
5. Nightmares
6. Flashbacks
7. Sadness, fearfulness, anxiety or irritability

 

Thrush - Infection of the mouth with yeast, make by the appearance of white patches in the oral mucosa, which later become shallow ulcers, seen most commonly in infants.  Can also become a breast infection in a nursing mother.  If this happens both mother and baby will need to be treated.  There is no need to stop or interrupt nursing during treatment. 

 

Vernix - Fatty or cheesy substance on the skin of the newborn.