Pregnancy can take a toll on the overall health of a woman, and this can interfere with the happiness that motherhood brings. A few tips to help you out.

Winters are usually contemplated to be the best season to get pregnant. Not only is the weather cold and pleasant but it offers a variety of food full of nutrition and vitamins. From wearing comfortable clothes, keeping yourself warm, to staying active during winter chills, the season is the perfect time to deliver your babies. However, what often goes unnoticed is that the chilly season comes with its own set of challenges for the new mothers!
The importance of post-natal care

Since the body of a new mother has already gone through a lot, they often feel weak and deprived of energy. This increases their risk of catching infections and being prone to allergies. Adding to it, the probability of postpartum depression can also not be ruled out. The situation becomes all the more challenging since they are usually advised not to take any medicines as they can enter the baby’s body via breastfeeding. Hence, it is important for the new mothers to pay extra attention to their health and take special care.

By taking necessary precautions, the post-natal time period can be transformed into a memorable motherhood experience. Here we share a few tips to ensure winters can be dealt with smoothly for new mothers-

Mindful eating is important

It is imperative for a lactating mother to maintain a balanced diet to ensure they have the essential nutrients. Intake of a healthy diet will further pave the way for strengthened immunity levels. According to industry experts, new mothers should consume enough protein in the form of grains, pulses, fruits, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Sugar and deep-fried foods should be avoided as much as possible since they can radically affect the immune system.

Importance of fruits and veggies

Lactating mothers should be given ghee to increase milk production. Additionally, it is also suggested that they should regularly consume various superfoods to strengthen their immune system. Fruits such as berries, oranges, etc. and vegetables such as carrots contain antioxidants contain Vitamin A and hence are beneficial for lactating mothers. Milk and curd provide calcium required for lactating mother. However, dairy products such as cream, ice cream can lead to weight gain and have hardly any nutritive value. High fiber food is important as lactating mothers are susceptible to constipation, which can lead to fissure and hemorrhoids problem.

Dealing with body changes

Along with the emotional changes in a new mother, there are some physical changes that they experience after giving birth to a baby. Weight gain is the most common and significant change here. What needs to be understood is that weight loss is not an overnight process and hence you have to be patient. After seeking assistance from the doctor, you can begin with moderate physical activity as per your convenience for a few minutes a day and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts.

Take care of your breasts

Since the breasts are filled with milk for a couple of days after birth, engorgement will improve with time. To provide comfort, you can apply warm or cold compresses to your breasts, massage them gently and nurse your baby for longer durations.

Beware of urinary infections

For urinary infections, staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water can help to ease problems.

Post delivery care

One of the significant changes that a new mother experiences is vaginal tear when the area between your rectum and vagina gets stretched during birth. To recover and provide relief sitting in hot tub for 30 minutes and application of antibiotic ointment after drying the suture line will help in healing of tears, post healing one should indulge in Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

Paying attention

New mothers tend to watch their mobile phones for more than the desired time when they are usually awake at night feeding the babies. This puts them at risk of muscle ache in the postpartum period. Chances of prolonged muscle aches increases during winters. So new mothers have to avoid watching mobiles and instead talk or interact with their babies. This will create bonding between mother and baby.

Summing up

As much as holding the little bundle of joy brings peace and contentment, parenting the kid can be exhausting at various levels for the new mothers. However, they are required to meticulously take care of themselves so as to nurture the baby well since motherhood is a round-the-clock responsibility. It takes up their day, depletes their energy levels, and even consumes their days and nights.

However, baby blues are normal and this fact needs to be accepted. What also needs to be understood is that the body is undergoing various changes. But with time, patience, and following the workable tips as mentioned above, the new mothers can ensure that their motherhood journey and baby caring responsibilities are easily dealt with!