Pregnancy & Baby 
ParentPostnatalThe road to recovery
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The road to recovery

by Claire Roberts
continued from page 4

Call your doctor if:

  • You experience an unexplained fever of 100.4 degrees fahrenheit (38 degrees celsius) or above in the first 2 weeks
  • Soak more than one sanitary napkin an hour or if the bleeding level increases
  • Had a C-section or episiotomy and the incision becomes more red or swollen or oozes pus
  • Have new pain, swelling, or tenderness in your legs
  • Experience hot-to-the-touch, significantly reddened, sore breasts or any cracking or bleeding from the nipple or areola (the dark-coloured area of the breast)
  • Find your vaginal discharge has become foul-smelling
  • Have painful urination or a sudden urge to urinate or inability to control urination
  • Have increasing pain in the vaginal area
  • Develop a cough or chest pain, nausea, or vomiting
  • Become depressed or experience hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, or any thoughts of harming your baby. Postnatal depression (PND) is evident in 10 to 20 per cent of new mums and may cause mood swings, anxiety, guilt and persistent sadness. Your baby may be several months old before PND strikes, and it's more common in women with a family history of depression. Postpartum psychosis is a more severe but, thankfully, rare condition whereby sufferers find it difficult to function or even think clearly, and have thoughts about harming themselves or their babies. Women experiencing such feelings should call their doctor immediately.

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