After you have a baby, your body goes though a lot of changes. These changes help your body recover from child birth and prepare for a new baby in future . It is normal to feel some discomfort such as  fatigue and soreness as the body heals. However there are certain discomforts that should not be ignored.

 

postpartum warning signs

 

Postpartum warning signs

 
If you experience these postpartum warning signs, you need to call your doctor right away :

  • bleeding that is heavier than your menstrual period or gets worse
  • feeling extremely sad and  having thoughts of harming your baby
  • fever higher than 100.4 F
  • painful or burning sensation during urination
  • foul smelling vaginal discharge
  • pain, redness or discharge from a cesarean incision, episiotomy or perineal tear
  • severe pain anywhere in your abdomen or pelvis or afterpains that get worse
  • breast pain or tenderness that is not relieved  by nursing or warm soaks especially if it is accompanied by fever
  • severe or persistent headaches
  • persistent or severe vomiting
  • pain and inflammation at the site of an intravenous IV insertion
  • vision changes such as blurry or double vision
  • severe pain, tenderness and warmth in one area of the leg or if one leg is more swollen than the other

 
Call the emergency medical services (911) right away of you experience the following :

  • trouble breathing
  • uncontrolled bleeding
  • chest pain
  • coughing up blood
  • showing signs of shock  such as  racing heart, chills, clammy skin,  chills, light headedness, confusion and restlessness

 
Content Sources

Warning signs after birth. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/warning-signs-after-birth.aspx. Accessed October 13, 2015
 
Postpartum warning signs . New Health Guide. http://www.newhealthguide.org/Postpartum-Warning-Signs.html. Accessed October 13, 2015
 
Postpartum warning signs. Baby center.http://www.babycenter.com/0_postpartum-warning-signs-when-to-call-your-caregiver_12257.bc. Accessed October 13, 2015
 

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