HOW LONG IS A MOTHER IN BED AFTER GIVING BIRTH?
The period of recovery that follows giving birth is called the puerperium, and management of it has changed a great deal in recent years. The days when a new mother was treated like an invalid for weeks on end are long since gone.
Now, if labour has been normal and straightforward a new mother will be able to get out of bed to go to the lavatory and -joy of joys! – to take a bath within the first 24 hours. She will be encouraged to rest well, of course, with time for naps built into the busy hospital day, but apart from that will be encouraged to be up and about, sitting in a chair and with groups of other mothers.
Bed-rest on the whole can be depressing and may lead to some physical problems; varicose veins for example can suffer from pressure on the legs caused by too much bed-rest, and muscles can get saggy and lazy.
If the mother has had a forceps delivery and has stitches she may be advised to stay in bed a few hours longer after delivery, as will the mother who has had a caesarian section. But these patients too are encouraged to be up and about as much as possible as soon as possible, for it is really much better to be active.
Daily care will include regular use of a bidet (or regular swabbings of the vulva or perineum); exercises designed to restore general muscle tone rapidly, and which will be taught and supervised by a physiotherapist; and training and guidance on feeding and other aspects of baby care.
The average length of stay is about seven days though many mothers have a ‘short-stay’ delivery, going home after just a few hours to be cared for by the community services.
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