While advice used to be to avoid baths in the postpartum period, as long as your bath is clean you can safely take a bath. Showering off first to clean your body before you soak can further help control the risk of germs in your bath water that can affect any external tearing. Warm baths help to soothe your tired muscles and encourage healing while offering a nonmedical pain relief option. With that being said, make sure to double check with your care provider. After the birth of my third child, they encouraged Sitz baths after the first week to help with recovery. And in terms of a traditional bath, they were fine with a clean water bath after three weeks because of how little tearing I had. However, the biggest rule was nothing in the bath with me - no bath bombs, bubble bath additives, etc. And no pools/hot tubs!
Going through childbirth is a major shock on the body and it can take several days for the digestive tract to settle down. For this reason, light warm meals are easier to digest and easier for your body to take the nutrition form to help you heal faster. Take advantage of soups and light stews that use plenty of fresh vitamin-packed herbs and greens. Bone broths are a great option! While this may not be what you are craving it can go a long way with helping your body fight postnatal depletion. If you have time before your baby is born, work on cooking up nutritious meals and snacks that you can enjoy in your postpartum period to help provide your body with what it needs to recover. Nutrition is vital for new mothers.
This will help your body heal and prevent depletion that leads to many of the problems that we are told are a normal part of pregnancy and childbirth like losing large amounts of hair or dental issues. If you are not already taking a quality probiotic it is a good idea to start taking one in the postnatal period to help your digestive system recover from the shock of pregnancy and childbirth.
After having a baby you are likely to experience abdominal discomforts. Walking around while your internal organs fall back into place and your back is suffering from a lack of abdominal support can be a very uncomfortable situation. For those that have had a c-section, this can be even harder with the pain on the incision. Using postpartum abdominal supports or wraps is a great way to help with this discomfort and provide support for the body to recover faster.
Swelling is common after childbirth and can be incredibly painful. One thing you can do to help with this is to use ice. Making padsicles by freezing a pad that has been filled with water is a great way to help with this pain and swelling. You can also opt to simply use a frozen water bottle or ice pack between your legs while you are sitting in bed to help with the pain and swelling.
If you have any tearing it can be very sore and painful for the first few days after you have your baby. This can make bathroom trips or even walk around difficult. Witch hazel pads are a great natural solution to numbing this area so you can feel better. You can use premade pads like Tucks witch hazel pads or use a bottle of witch hazel and cotton pads for this treatment.
Whether you are nursing or not you may experience nipple pain. Using a lanolin cream and a supportive bra can help control breast and nipple pain. If you are not nursing avoid expressing milk to handle the discomfort instead use cool ice packs or cold cabbage leaves to help deal with engorgement pain.