We had a quick rendezvous with Dr. Saileja asking her about yet another important thing – Mother Care before, after and during pregnancy. Because only a healthy mother can raise a healthy child.

Last week we have spoken about the ‘Baby & Me’ event held in Jaipur, conducted by Himalaya Baby Care. The session was attended by mothers and their toddlers where the Experts spoke on everything related to baby care and nurturing. Present among them was the talented city-based Gynecologist – Dr. Saileja Jain.
JWB – What basic things a woman must know about her health after delivery?

Dr. Saileja – The diet she intakes. After delivery, a woman’s body needs to build up the lost stamina. If you are not healthy, don’t expect your milk to do wonders for your new-born. Make sure to add lots of fruits and green vegetables rich in minerals. Milk intake is must, except if your doctor has advised not to. Apart from this:

• Drink 8-15 glasses of water every day.
• Avoid oily food, especially fast food.
• Do the routine household chores to keep your body active.
• Avoid staying hungry for too long. Eat little portions of meal in every 2 hour.

JWB – After delivery how often should a woman visit her gynecologist?

Dr. Saileja – She must consult her doctor till the stitches get healed. After delivery, women tend to face health issues like constipation, fever or breast related problems (eg. quantity of milk produced).  To keep all this in check, after 1.5 months the mother is advised to visit her gynecologist to discuss the importance of contraceptive pills and tips on further family planning (if any).

JWB – Tell us more about the usual problems that a woman experiences after delivery.

Dr. Saileja – Usually blood pressure problem arises. It can either be low or high. But most serious issue is the loss of blood from her body while giving birth, making her sheer weak.

JWB – How to maintain sexual health after conceiving? And is there any time period only after which a woman should involve in sexual relationship?

Dr. Saileja – Ideally after 1.5 month, and also when she feels comfortable. But especially not before monthly periods as there are more chances to get pregnant again. Super consequent pregnancies are not healthy for both mother and child. It is recommended that after three months of pregnancy, women can involve into intercourse along with the consumption of contraceptive pills.

JWB – So when the woman’s body is ready for next conceiving?

Dr. Saileja – A gap of 3 yrs is what I recommend. It also depends on the woman’s stamina considering how much time it takes her to get the healthy body back. Still in a case where she gets pregnant within one year of the 1^st child, she must consult her doctor. Please note that abortion after 1^st child can be harmful to body.

JWB – A woman’s body undergoes many changes before and after pregnancy. What changes she must be aware of before deciding to have a child?

Dr. Saileja – Women face both physical and emotional changes. In most of the cases it is depression regarding baby care and breastfeeding. Once you start feeding, the size of the breast increases and nipples get bigger. Seeing this can emotionally affect the nursing mother which then affects the flow of milk.

Secondly, leucorrhea (white discharge from vagina) can release till 21 days after delivery. Don’t be afraid to see this discharge in yellow or red color, it is just the natural cleaning process to remove the waste blood from your body.

Third problem can be of constipation which can later give rise to headache. Plenty of lukewarm water with lemon and honey is the best natural way to get rid of it.

JWB – Throw some light on the process of breastfeeding.

Dr. Saileja – The process must go on till (at least) 6 months. After that the quantity of milk produced decreases. To produce healthy mother’s milk for a longer period, it is recommended to follow a healthy diet regime.

A mother can use just lukewarm water to clean her breasts instead of using soap. If you see a crack in nipples, apply antiseptic creams for healing, like Boroline. While feeding, make sure the nipple is inside the baby’s mouth for better flow.

JWB – Do you find cases of baby-blues & stress?

Dr. Saileja – Yes and Baby-blues can be handled by:

• Counseling and psychological therapy
• Family support
• Medical help directed by the doctor.
• Regular checkups for both mother and baby.

JWB – At that, talk about husband’s support.

Dr. Saileja – The support from husband can make a woman happy and relaxed. The new born is a responsibility of both the parents, and Tender Loving Care (TLC) is always fruitful for the family. With full support from husband, we can even lessen the medical conditions of hormonal imbalance, depression or psychological disorder.

JWB – If a woman decides to get back to her work in next 6 months of delivery, what needs she has to take care of?

Dr. Saileja – To keep a check on timely food of the baby and self. If she is away from home, let someone else feed the baby on time. Also, don’t stress at your workplace. Else there is no point of rejoining work.

JWB – Lastly, any advice for women on how not to lose the ‘Self’ during motherhood?

Dr. Saileja – Self time is always important. Women must realize the importance of motherhood, and that is only possible if you realize the importance of self. Don’t forget your identity of a woman before being called a mother.

It is okay to be worried about your body after pregnancy. Make sure to eat healthy diet and work out regularly to get back your fit body.Avoid spending extra time with the baby because of the family pressure. Also, don’t fall into the trap of gender inequality. All this will make a woman happy, satisfied and responsible.