Category: Pregnancy
Dealing with virginal discharge and bleeding after childbirth
After childbirth, the very sight of the baby makes you forget the problems that you have to go through. However, there are some problems that women have to deal with after childbirth. Most women feel pain in the uterus and the vagina. Apart from pain in the vagina and uterus, you must also be prepared a bleeding and discharge from the vagina.
Lochia is the medical term used for virginal discharge and bleeding that occurs after childbirth. Lochia usually contains mucus, blood and tissue from the placentra.
The virginal discharge and bleeding after childbirth can be divided into three stages. The first stage is called the Lochia Rubra which can last up to five days after childbirth. A major portion of Lochia Rubra contains blood cells and therefore it is red in color.
The second stage of virginal discharge and bleeding is called Lochia Sersoa and it is usually brownish or pinkish. It can last up to 10 days after childbirth and may contain both blood and tissues.
The third stage is called Lochia Alba and it can last for about 2 months after childbirth. The color of this discharge is usually white and contains tissues and mucus.
It is worth nothing even though the color and the contents of Lochia may be different in each stage; the odor of the discharge is usually the same. Women who experience abnormal odor or unusually high blood flow during the first 6 weeks, you must contact their physician immediately.
During the first six weeks after childbirth, it is best that you avoid using tampons as it cause infection in the uterus. To contain the bleeding, you must use heavy-duty pads that can soak the blood and the discharge instantly. Also, make sure you change the pads as often as possible as it will reduce the risk of overflow and infection.
Reduce saggy skin in the belly region after pregnancy
There are many people who suffer from saggy skin in their belly region because they have lost weight suddenly or had a baby. This problem aggravates as you grow old as the collagen production in the body reduces. However, with the right treatment you can tone your skin by preventing collagen degradation. Today, several treatments and exercises are available that can help you repair your saggy skin especially in your abdominal area.
Here are a few steps that you can take to prevent shaggy skin in the belly region.
Exercise
Regular exercise is important if you want to tone your skin. Sit-ups should be a part of your exercise routine as it will help in building your belly muscles and reduce saggy skin. When you lose weight, the flab in the belly region reduces but the muscles don’t get tones. Some health experts recommend that you must do at least 10 sit-up everyday and gradually try to increase the number of sit-ups to about 30 a day.
Use Lotion
Using lotion or cream that contains vitamin C can also help in reducing shaggy skin. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, applying vitamin C on the skin reduces sag and winkles and increases the production of collagen in the body. The skin cannot absorb vitamin C directly as it is highly unstable. However, the creams contain stable form of vitamin C which can be easily absorbed by the body. When selection a cream or lotion, chose a lotion that suits your body as certain lotions may cause an allergic reaction.
Quit Smoking
In a recent study, it was found that smoking can damage the skin collagen which can cause wrinkles and sag in the body. Therefore it is important that you quit smoking if you want to reduce shaggy skin. If you find it difficult to quit smoking, you can get help for agencies and support groups that can help in breaking your smoking addiction.
Collagen Injections
Some health experts suggest that you take collagen injection to tighten the shaggy skin in the belly region. However, these injections don’t have the lasting effects that you find in exercise or smoke-free lifestyle. Collagen injections are usually opted for when other methods fail to deliver results. You may have to take these injections once in 6 months to maintain the firmness of your skin. Also, make sure these injections are administered by licensed nurse or physician.
Surgery
Your doctor could recommend a surgery if the above methods don’t work. At times, when people lose weight due to excessive dieting, they may not be able to tone their skin without a surgery. A surgery in the abdominal region will involve removal of excess skin and may involve relocation of belly button. After the surgery there may be certain scars in the abdominal region. Therefore it is important that you are aware of the risk associated with the surgery before opting for it.