Postpartum Abdominal Muscle Pain

Many women experience abdominal muscle aches even after delivering the baby. In some the pain lasts for only for a few days following the delivery; some on the other hand experience the pain for weeks or even months. Experiencing such muscle pains is normal for a new mother; however, even then such pains must be reported to the midwives or doctors for ensuring that onset of serious conditions can be avoided.

After birth pains in the abdominal muscles of a new mother occur with contraction of the uterus. The pain is generally maximum in intensity when the mother breastfeeds. However, within 3 to 4 days of childbirth, the pain starts subsiding gradually. However, as abdominal muscles of a woman get significantly weak and stretched due to the tension caused during the 40-weeks of pregnancy, the soreness in the muscles might take several months to go away. Intense muscular pain in the abdomen is more common in mother giving birth to the baby through C-section.

How will you know that you postpartum abdominal pain is indicating something abnormal? If it’s a normal pain, it will consistently improve with time; this stands true for both normal and cesarean birth. If you find that your pain is worsening with time, you have probably developed an infection. In such cases, the woman must consult her gynecologist or midwife immediately.

One way of bringing back the abdominal muscles to its normal condition after delivery is, belly binding. This procedure is practiced for centuries. The name used for the procedure may vary from one part of the world to the other, but the technique applied is more or less the same everywhere. Belly binding is a procedure that involves tightly wrapping the abdomen of a woman using a cloth immediately after she delivers a baby. This helps in keeping muscles of her stomach tight and she regains core strength faster.

Postpartum abdominal muscle pain can also be controlled using OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. The cesarean pains are generally managed with a combination of the above mentioned OTC medications and narcotics like oxycodone and hydrocodone. There are also certain herbs that helps in easing the pain; examples include black haw, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, cottonwood bark, cramp bark and motherwort. Each of these herbs can be used both as tincture and tea; however, you must consult your doctor before using any of these herbs.

Popularity: 1% [?]