Severe abdominal pain after childbirth. Is it dangerous when the lower abdomen hurts after childbirth? Pubic pain after childbirth

After childbirth, literally all women have a stomach ache, and in most cases this is a completely normal phenomenon. Naturally, if you had a caesarean section, you will suffer from post-operative pain, however, natural childbirth means that you will have pain, and you will not escape from it.

Causes of abdominal pain after childbirth:

The abdominal muscles do a lot of work during pushing. Some women describe their postpartum sensations as very painful, as if the mother was beaten during childbirth, muscles hurt like a bruise or other injury. Of course, just imagine how they had to work, with what force they had to contract. If the abs were not pumped up before childbirth, there is nothing surprising in these inherently sports pains. After childbirth, the stomach hurts from muscle poisoning with lactic acid and microtraumas of muscle tissue, tears received due to great tension.

This pain will persist for 3-5 days and then go away. To avoid such unpleasant sensations, you just need to prepare for childbirth; if the muscles are initially strong and accustomed to stress, this will prevent pain and help give birth much faster and easier.

However, this is not the only reason why your stomach hurts after childbirth.

Even if you have been actively involved in sports, you still cannot avoid discomfort in the first days, at least while feeding your baby. The fact is that the uterus remains highly sensitive to oxytocin, the hormone that causes contractions, for quite a long time, and in a woman’s brain, when the nipples are irritated, this hormone is always released, the uterus responds to stimulation and causes abdominal pain after childbirth when feeding the baby.

These sensations are reminiscent of the contractions you just experienced; you feel a painful contraction of the uterus when the baby suckles. In this case, an increase in vaginal discharge may be observed, the uterus is actively getting rid of contents. So these pains in the lower abdomen are not only not dangerous, they are useful, as they contribute to the rapid contraction of the uterus after the birth of the baby.

However, if your lower abdomen hurts after childbirth and outside of feeding, the pain is accompanied by a change in the nature of the lochia, their smell is not musty and weak, as it should be, but sharp and unpleasant, the color has changed, this may be a sign of a complication, inflammatory disease of the uterus, endometritis. Then you just need to tell your gynecologist about it.

For excessive pain in the lower abdomen, antispasmodics are sometimes prescribed, but most postpartum women do not need this at all, the pain is quite tolerable, and only brings benefits, shortening the period of lochia after childbirth.

Throughout the entire period of bearing a child, the female body adapted to changing conditions. The uterus enlarged as the fetus grew, the location of the internal organs changed, and the blood vessels and nerve plexuses were compressed.

Childbirth is a sudden loss of 4-5 kg, and sometimes much more weight, as well as a decrease in abdominal volume. The organs must return to their original state, so it can be accepted as normal that the lower abdomen hurts after childbirth. In most cases, this is an indicator of the physiological course of the postpartum period.

When is this considered normal?

Throughout pregnancy, the main hormone of the female body was. It reduced the tone of the uterus until the moment of birth and suppressed the secretion of prolactin. But by the day of delivery, its concentration decreased, but active production of oxytocin and prolactin began. Oxytocin controls the contractility of the smooth muscles of the uterus, but it is also necessary in the postpartum period, as well as throughout lactation.

Contractions of the uterine muscles are necessary during childbirth not only to open the cervix and expel the fetus. After separation of the placenta, the uterine walls are a continuous wound surface with bleeding vessels. For hemostasis, activation of the coagulation system alone is not enough. A spasm of blood vessels and a decrease in their lumen should occur. Oxytocin ensures further contraction of the uterus after the birth of the child, allowing bleeding to stop.

The size of the uterus decreases very quickly in the postpartum period. The doctor evaluates them daily during a walk around the height of the day. The following are considered normal rates of reduction:

  • immediately after birth - 4 cm above the navel (or 20 weeks of pregnancy);
  • the end of the first day - at the level of the navel;
  • on the second day - one finger width below the navel;
  • on the 3rd day – 2 fingers below the navel;
  • 4 days – in the middle of the distance between the pubic symphysis and the navel;
  • on the 6th day – up to 9 cm above the pubis;
  • on the 10th day – protrudes slightly above the womb;
  • by 6-8 weeks corresponds to the state before pregnancy.

They are very painful, but postpartum contractions cannot be called pleasant. Most often they are associated with breastfeeding.

Two hormones are involved in the mechanism of milk formation and secretion. Prolactin ensures milk synthesis in the alveoli. Its excretion is regulated by oxytocin. When a baby is put to the breast, nipple irritation occurs, which stimulates the release of oxytocin by the pituitary gland. The hormone affects not only the myocytes of the mammary gland, its stimulating effect also extends to the myometrium. In the first few days, with each breastfeeding, a woman experiences cramping pain that resembles that during childbirth.

How long does your stomach hurt after childbirth?

This is a physiological process, it depends on the individual characteristics and speed of uterine contraction. In most cases, after 2 months the discomfort stops.

Also, do not forget about those who gave birth via cesarean section. In this case, physiological pain in the lower abdomen will be a natural reaction to a violation of the integrity of the anterior abdominal wall. The pain is post-operative. But it doesn't last long. In a hospital setting, narcotic analgesics are used to relieve pain, because they have a more pronounced analgesic effect. After about two days, you can switch to pain relief with an analgin solution, which in small doses will be safe for the child.

Signs of a pathological process

If after childbirth the stomach hurts for a natural reason, this condition is not characterized by additional symptoms. In the presence of a pathological process, pain can have a different nature and be accompanied by changes in the general condition.

Endometritis

During the first day, discharge from the genital tract should become brown, mucous, and less and less reminiscent of blood. But sometimes the bleeding does not decrease, but suddenly increases. At the same time, nagging pain appears in the lower abdomen. Additional signs are the following:

  • temperature increase;
  • signs of intoxication;
  • purulent discharge from the genital tract;
  • signs of uterine subinvolution;
  • tachycardia.

These symptoms are characteristic of postpartum endometritis. The condition most often develops after a cesarean section, but can also occur as a result of natural childbirth. Endometritis is an infectious postpartum complication and requires immediate medical attention.

The cause is a violation of contractility, which is associated with retention of parts of the placenta or fetal membranes. While they are in the uterus, it is not able to contract normally, which means the pathological process will progress.

Endometritis threatens to turn into parametritis - inflammation of the periuterine tissue, pelvioperitonitis - damage to the pelvic part of the peritoneum, peritonitis - an infectious-inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity. In this case, abdominal pain will only increase.

Symphysitis

In some cases, only a radiologist together with a traumatologist can determine why the lower abdomen continues to hurt even in the long term after childbirth. The cause is often symphysitis - separation of the bones of the pubic symphysis.

The prerequisites for the appearance of this pathology are associated with physiological reasons. The same progesterone is to blame, as well as the hormone relaxin secreted by the placenta. It leads to softening and divergence of the symphysis pubis. This is necessary so that the birth canal can adapt as much as possible to the parameters of the fetus.

Normally, the distance between the two bones of this joint does not exceed 1 cm. The symphysis pubis is a semi-movable joint. This means that a minimum amount of displacement of its surfaces relative to each other is allowed. During the birth of a child, the joint may diverge by an additional 5-6 mm. But sometimes pathological processes come into play, then the displacement reaches a critical value and leads to pain localized in the lower abdomen.

Degrees of discrepancy:

  • 1st degree – discrepancy 5-9 mm;
  • 2nd degree – 10-20 mm;
  • Grade 3 – more than 20 mm.

Postpartum pain caused by symphysitis most often appears 2-3 days after birth. A woman lying in bed cannot lift her legs up; walking causes pain. An accurate diagnosis can be made only after X-ray diagnostics.

Constipation

Postpartum abdominal pain may be associated with a more common cause. The intestines do not always quickly return to normal after pregnancy and childbirth. Sometimes it takes a while to get it going. But all this time, feces will accumulate, expanding the sigmoid colon and rectal ampulla. This is accompanied by a nagging, aching, bursting pain in the abdomen, which manifests itself approximately a week after delivery. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, constipation will become extreme.

For some women after childbirth, going to the toilet is associated with a certain fear of damaging the existing sutures on the perineum or hemorrhoids. At the same time, stagnant processes in the intestines are aggravated: liquid from the stool is gradually absorbed back into the intestines, it becomes dry and can lead to greater damage to the lower part of the intestines.

The presence of stool disorders harms not only the digestive tract. This causes displacement or compression of the uterus, and can lead to subinvolution.

Placental polyp

Retention of parts of the placenta in the uterine cavity will most likely lead to bleeding in the early postpartum period. But sometimes small parts, microscopic chorionic villi allow the uterus to fully contract, and signs of pathology appear after a long time.

The clinical picture appears after 4-5 weeks. Pain in the lower abdomen is not a characteristic sign of pathology; bleeding comes first, resulting in a decrease in hemoglobin, weakness, dizziness, and tachycardia. Uterine pain after childbirth appears after infection and the development of endometritis. Further, the clinical picture will develop according to the classic pattern of uterine inflammation.

Osteochondrosis

During pregnancy, a woman's posture changes. This is due to weight gain and its redistribution to the abdominal area. If the pregnant woman did not use a special support bandage, the pain syndrome will be severe.

After delivery, not everything immediately falls into place. Sometimes during pregnancy, compression of the nerve plexuses occurs, and after childbirth this can manifest itself as signs of osteochondrosis or neuritis. Pain in the lower abdomen will be combined with irradiation into the abdominal cavity.

When to see a doctor

The duration of the period of pain depends on individual characteristics and the speed of uterine involution. In most cases, during the first two weeks, the physiological discomfort associated with feeding the baby gradually decreases. The pain no longer appears at every feeding; its intensity decreases. When the uterus contracts completely, this symptom will disappear.

But there are signs that indicate a possible pathological process. If they appear, do not delay your visit to the doctor:

  • temperature may be low at first and then rise to 39°C;
  • disturbance of general well-being - weakness that does not go away after rest;
  • nagging pain in the lower abdomen that is constantly present;
  • chills as a symptom of fever;
  • headache;
  • bloody discharge from the genital tract (it may intensify and change in character from mucous to more liquid, reminiscent of scarlet blood);
  • cramping pain resembling spasms, after which blood clots are released;
  • absence of stool for more than two days;
  • inability to lift your heels off the bed when lying down;
  • change in gait to a waddling, “duck” gait;
  • sudden onset of bleeding over a long period after discharge from the hospital.

With a placental polyp, bleeding is usually intense and begins a month or two after the birth of the child. At the same time, it can be differentiated from menstruation: during menstruation, the nature of bleeding changes daily, it becomes less intense. In the case of a placental polyp, the discharge is scarlet and only intensifies.

You can contact a gynecologist for any changes that a woman considers different from physiological.

Ways to improve the condition

If there is a pain syndrome reminiscent of abdominal pain, as during menstruation, it is necessary to establish the cause of this condition. Obligatory steps are an examination by a doctor. It allows you to assess the size of the uterus, how well they correspond to the term, consistency, mobility of the organ, and the prevalence of pain.

An ultrasound is also required. With its help, you can notice the enlarged uterine cavity, the presence of clots, and remnants of the placenta. If the cause is a placental polyp, a mass formation will be noticeable. An inflammatory infiltrate around the uterus speaks in favor of the development of an inflammatory process.

Additional diagnostics depend on the information obtained in the first two stages. Laparotomy and x-ray diagnostics may be required.

It is possible to improve a woman’s condition and reduce pain depending on the causes of pain.

In the postpartum period, medications should be used with caution; most of them pass into breast milk. Those minimum concentrations for a small fetal weight may be enough to cause adverse reactions.

Pain associated with the natural process of uterine involution is not relieved with antispasmodics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Labor-like contractions are a natural process and only appear when the baby is breastfeeding. They are short-term and do not interfere with general well-being. When they appear, you need to make several calm breathing movements. Gradually these symptoms will disappear on their own.

Subinvolution of the uterus, which has not yet led to the appearance of endometritis, is treated by removing the remnants of the fetal place from the uterine cavity. Further tactics are to prescribe reducing agents and antibiotics to prevent infection.

If pain is associated with inflammation, it is necessary to assess the severity and prescribe appropriate treatment. For endometritis, antibiotic therapy is carried out, which prevents the infectious process from spreading further, and detoxification using intravenous infusion solutions.

After relief of acute inflammation, to prevent adhesions, which leads to the appearance, it is necessary to prescribe physiotherapy:

  • magnetic therapy;
  • laser therapy;
  • diadynamic currents;
  • medicinal electrophoresis.

Constipation after childbirth must be treated with diet and laxatives. We recommend products that act gently in the intestinal lumen. Sometimes a spoon of castor oil is enough to start the intestines. Lactulose is also used, which is sweet to taste and without an unpleasant odor. It is safe for newborns.

A diet for constipation includes foods that are rich in fiber and have a laxative effect. You need to eat several dried apricots or prunes a day, a boiled beet salad or beetroot soup. But you should not overdo it, abuse of a laxative diet will lead to a pronounced acceleration of peristalsis and cramping pain in the abdomen.

The divergence of the symphysis pubis takes a long time to treat; bed rest is necessary. If possible, the woman is not in a traditional bed, but in a special hammock that helps bring the pelvic bones together. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for pain relief.

To alleviate the condition, it is necessary to wear a bandage; a cane is used to evenly distribute body weight. Physiotherapy procedures are very helpful in restoring blood circulation and fusion of the symphysis.

Many believe that during the period of bearing a child, a woman’s body is renewed and rejuvenated. But this opinion is more likely to be a misconception. During pregnancy, the female body experiences enormous stress; it adapts to the needs of the child, sometimes to the detriment of the mother. After giving birth, she needs a period of recovery, which is not always painless. But it is necessary to distinguish physiologically acceptable pain from signs of pathology in order to consult a doctor in time and prevent the development of complications.

It's finished! 9 months of waiting, worry and doubt are behind us. Hello baby! The feeling of euphoria, all-consuming happiness and endless tenderness for your child is familiar to every mother. However, the first days and even weeks after childbirth are often darkened for women by pain in the lower abdomen. And the first question: is this normal? Should I sound the alarm and run to the doctor? And in general, why does my stomach hurt after childbirth? Let's figure it out.

Abdominal pain after childbirth is normal

Childbirth is a process that requires incredible exertion of all the forces of the female body. At the time of childbirth, ligaments stretch, bones separate, and ruptures occur. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about when, during the postpartum period, the stitches hurt (unpleasant sensations can radiate to the lower abdomen) and microcracks. This means that your body is returning to normal.

The stomach hurts after childbirth also because the uterus contracts to its normal, prenatal size. Many women note that the pain is especially severe while feeding the baby. When the baby suckles, the mother's body produces the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for uterine contractions. Sometimes these contractions are so strong that they resemble contractions during childbirth. Don't worry about this. It’s better to put your baby to your breast more often, and after 1-2 weeks the pain will stop.

Pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth via cesarean section. This is also normal: any surgical intervention reminds itself for quite a long time with pain at the incision site. In this case, the young mother must follow the rules of hygiene and monitor the condition of the seam. After some time the pain will go away.

The lower abdomen also feels tight if you had a curettage after childbirth. In the maternity hospital, all young mothers must undergo an ultrasound examination. It is done 2-3 days after birth to determine whether the placenta remains in the uterus. If remnants of the placenta are found, scraping is done. This procedure is very painful, in fact it is the same abortion with the only difference that it is not the fetus that is removed, but the remnants of the placenta. Naturally, the woman then experiences discomfort in the lower abdomen for quite a long time.

Stomach pain after childbirth is a warning sign

In most cases, if your lower abdomen hurts after giving birth, there is no need to worry. However, unpleasant sensations do not always go away on their own. If a month has passed since the birth of your baby and the pain does not stop, be sure to consult a doctor! It is better to be safe than to overlook a dangerous disease.

Sometimes the cause of pain lies in improper functioning or worsened diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Try to adjust your diet, exclude heavy foods from it. Eat small and often, drink more fluids. But if the pain does not go away, consult a doctor.

Nagging pain in the lower abdomen, accompanied by an increase in temperature, the appearance of bloody or even purulent discharge from the vagina, may be symptoms of a dangerous disease - endometritis. This is an inflammation of the endometrium, the layer of cells lining the uterus. Endometritis occurs after abortion and childbirth if viruses or fungi have entered the uterus. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor. Delay here is literally like death.

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The period after the birth of a baby for a woman who has given birth is called the rehabilitation period. Moreover, it can occur differently for each specific woman. Some have postpartum discharge for a long time, while others experience bleeding. There are also those ladies who have stomach pain after childbirth. This situation can be frightening for young women. Doctors say that this situation can also be a variant of the norm.

When pain is normal

In some cases, if your stomach starts to hurt after childbirth, this is normal. For example, painful sensations may appear if there were problems during childbirth and the vagina had to be cut. In this case, wound healing itself is a painful problem. After all, the incision, and then the seam, requires a certain amount of self-care.

Nagging pain is considered normal if the child was large, which is why the pelvic bones have diverged more than expected. The ligaments also stretched. The advantage is the fact that this type of pain is quite easily identified. In this case, the sensations are similar to those that may occur during overexertion or overly active training.

Another cause of pain can be active contraction of the uterus. After it has completed its main function, it remains stretched. And now she should return to normal, for which she begins to contract. Such pain can become more active during breastfeeding, because... During this period, oxytocin is produced in large quantities. This is the hormone that is responsible for contractions of the uterus. The contractions can be quite intense.

Normally, the stomach may hurt for 3-4 days after childbirth. After all, a woman’s body experiences colossal overloads during childbirth - contractions, pushing, fetal delivery: all this leads to straining of the peritoneal muscles. Microdamages can form there, which will hurt for several days.

Pain during curettage

Often, labor ends with a certain operation, which is aimed at removing the remains of the placenta from the uterus. It happens that it, as well as the umbilical cord and other elements that ensure the functioning of the baby inside the womb, remain in the form of pieces in the uterus. It often happens that they grow towards the walls. After giving birth, doctors monitor the mother's condition using ultrasound for several days. And if they note residues in the uterine cavity, they make a recommendation for removal.

The operation itself is not a pleasant procedure, but the period after it is also characterized by painful sensations. The problem may last for some time.

Pain due to intestinal problems

Various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, including chronic ones, lead to the development of unpleasant sensations in the abdominal area. At the same time, against the backdrop of past childbirth, the lady may well not understand what exactly is hurting her. At the same time, the problem can be recognized by one specific sign - the presence of constipation. Therefore, a woman should be very careful about what she eats. After all, not only will it be unpleasant in the abdominal area, but toxins will also reach the child.

Pathological situation

Abdominal pain after childbirth can also be pathological. It is important to learn how to differentiate them in order to see a doctor in time. So, for example, if the pain is accompanied by changes in the nature of the discharge - the lochia acquires a purulent greenish tint, and an unpleasant odor appears, you should quickly visit a doctor. This indicates that an infection has occurred.

You should also be wary of such manifestations as:

Increased body temperature
Increased duration of discharge and pain (as a rule, after childbirth, a month is given for rehabilitation; if there is no improvement during this time, you should see a doctor)
In this case, as doctors say, the situation begins to get out of control.

How to relieve pain

Since such a problem causes serious discomfort to the mother, preventing her from fully enjoying caring for the baby, it must be solved. And here it is important to remember that not all drugs can be used for treatment by a nursing woman. All therapy should be prescribed only by a doctor, no self-medication is acceptable, this measure can further aggravate the situation.

Next, you need to deal with the cause of the pain. If the whole problem lies in an infectious infection, antibacterial therapy should be used, otherwise it can lead to sepsis, and this is fatal in most cases.

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and various immunostimulating drugs is also suggested as additional means. This will allow the body to support itself and cope with the problem on its own, and will also quickly and reliably relieve pain. Only the drugs must be chosen carefully - those that are approved for use in women who have given birth. But you shouldn’t use antispasmodics - doctors say that spasms are not particularly desirable for a young mother.

An excellent solution would be drugs released in the form of rectal suppositories. Such drugs are absorbed faster in the intestines and have a good effect.

Back pain after childbirth, when there is pain and pulling in the lumbar region, requires examination by a specialist. A woman should consult an osteopath or neurologist if she has very severe pain in the lumbar or back area.

Timely treatment in this case is extremely necessary, because the woman will need to actively move due to the need to care for the child, so back pain, if it appears after childbirth, should be quickly eliminated.

To reduce the intensity of postpartum back pain, doctors recommend calm walks at a leisurely pace, swimming in the pool, and gymnastics aimed at restoring the entire body. Such pain in most cases occurs in those women who have experienced difficult or very difficult childbirth.

Doctors also note that the intensity of pain not only in the back, but also in the groin and other parts of the female body in the postpartum period directly depends on the emotional state of the woman. Depression, anxiety, severe emotional upheaval, stress, all this against the background of hormonal changes in the body after childbirth can significantly increase the intensity of pain.

If a woman experiences severe pain after childbirth, she must definitely seek help from a doctor in order to quickly identify the cause of the ailment and begin to relieve the pain and treat the existing problem.

Quite often, after childbirth, women complain of pain in the area of ​​the coccyx and sacrum. This problem is provoked by injuries to the ligamentous apparatus of the pelvis and the muscles of the pelvic day.

The pain usually intensifies when moving, walking, or trying to stand or sit. If the discomfort is strong enough and does not go away over time, you should seek help from a medical facility.

Treatment uses manual therapy, as well as painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

If the lower abdomen hurts after childbirth, then such discomfort is usually natural, unless it contributes to the formation of severe and unbearable pain. Therefore, the appearance of such a symptom as slight pain after childbirth in the lower abdomen can be considered absolutely normal.

During childbirth, infections and bacteria can enter the uterine cavity, causing endometritis. The mucous membrane of the uterus becomes inflamed and the new mother experiences a feeling of discomfort and pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth. There is a high probability that fungus and microbes will enter the body during a cesarean section. Endometritis is characterized by pain in the lower abdomen, high fever, and discharge of pus and blood.

The procedure of curettage of the uterine cavity can also cause pain. A couple of days after giving birth, a woman should be examined by a gynecologist to check for placental remnants or blood clots.

If you do not “clean” on time, a placental polyp may develop. If your lower abdomen hurts after childbirth, one of the reasons may be a placental polyp that has formed.

Pain in the left and right lower abdomen after childbirth appears in this case due to the fact that the remaining placenta accumulates on the walls of the uterus and can provoke the formation of blood lumps. The uterus, trying to get rid of the placenta, begins to contract.

This is the cause of abdominal pain after childbirth. If abdominal pain on the left or right after childbirth does not stop, but only becomes even stronger, you should urgently consult a doctor.

The doctor will help you avoid purulent formations in the uterus.

Abdominal pain after childbirth, similar in nature to menstruation, is a normal phenomenon that should not bother a woman. They are usually quite tolerant. In the first week after childbirth, everything unnecessary comes out of the uterus. And this process should under no circumstances be hindered. Bleeding of this nature is called lochia.

They can last more than one week. Their duration may vary depending on the specific case. The discharge is mucus with bright scarlet blood. Over time, there are fewer and fewer of them, and the color of the lochia gradually becomes lighter. In the absence of any pathologies, pain in the lower abdomen ends before the lochia stops. During this period, a woman should especially carefully monitor the hygiene of her genitals.

Some people experience abdominal pain when breastfeeding. The natural production of the hormone oxytocin makes itself felt.

Every time the baby feeds, the mother can feel the uterus contracting. This is a normal natural process.

In such cases, there is no reason to worry about pain in the lower abdomen. As a rule, it goes away within two weeks.

Breastfeeding thus benefits both the baby and the mother's body. The more often you feed, the sooner the process of uterine contraction will be completed.

Why does a woman have a stomach ache after childbirth? So, in order to find out the reasons for these unpleasant sensations, it is necessary to turn to the woman’s physiology. During the entire period of pregnancy, each woman produces an increased amount of hormones, which are mainly aimed at gradually stretching and relaxing the ligamentous apparatus and muscles. Why is this necessary?

In order for a child to be born unhindered and then develop normally, it is necessary to ensure the normal size of the delivery tract, that is, the uterus. in 9 months of bearing a child, a woman’s uterus should anatomically increase 25 times (in some women it can be either larger or smaller).

This size of the uterus allows a woman to give birth to a baby without any difficulties. After delivery, the uterus physiologically strives to return to its original position, which is an absolutely normal natural process.

During this period, a woman may feel pain of a different nature (from severe to barely noticeable) in the uterus and, accordingly, in the lower abdomen. This means that the uterus has begun to contract.

For some girls, this process occurs very quickly and therefore the pain may be stronger; for others, the uterus “shrinks” quite slowly, as evidenced by a complete or slight absence of pain.

Causes

The main reason why a woman experiences abdominal pain after childbirth is the active production of the hormone oxytocin in the body, which triggers the process of intense contraction of the uterus. During this period, the muscles of the uterus become toned, it returns to its former size and shape. This process causes pain, which can be either cramping or pulling.

Let's consider the causes of pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth in the context of types of obstetric care:

  1. Natural childbirth. There are plenty of reasons why your stomach may hurt in this case. These include the restructuring of a woman’s body and reproductive organs in the last weeks before childbirth, the birth procedure itself, postpartum hormonal changes, postpartum injuries and surgical interventions by obstetricians or surgeons, diseases of the pelvic organs.
  2. C-section. When a woman in labor gives birth to a child with the help of surgeons: the abdomen is cut from the navel down to the pubis, the uterus is cut, and the fetus is taken out. The procedure is carried out under local anesthesia, naturally, the birth canal is not injured. In this case, the lower abdomen begins to hurt after anesthesia at the site of sutures. The healing layers of living tissue hurt - the first cause of pain in the lower abdomen after “artificial” childbirth.
  3. Hormonal renewal. When breastfeeding, a hormone is produced that causes the muscles of the uterus to contract. The pain in this case increases due to the stitches.
  4. Infection and inflammatory process.

The passage of a child through the birth canal is accompanied by divergence of the pelvic bones, stretching or rupture of tissue.

In addition, a woman in labor often requires medical assistance, which involves cutting the perineum.

Discomfort in the lower abdomen should disappear by the end of the month after giving birth. This happens if the pain is natural.

If the discomfort does not go away, it may be caused by pathologies that are dangerous to the life and health of the mother.

You should consult a doctor if a month has passed after giving birth, but the lower abdomen still hurts, and the following symptoms appear:

  • the patient feels weak and gets tired quickly;
  • body temperature rises;
  • the intensity of the pain increases or they are of a pronounced cramping nature;
  • purulent discharge appeared in which blood can be seen.

The main reason for the discomfort of a woman who has given birth is physiological. When a child passes through the body, tissue stretching naturally occurs, microcracks, tears or episiotomy appear.

During a caesarean section, the suture hurts a lot. If the sensations are tolerable, without an increase in temperature, this is a normal recovery stage for the body.

If symptoms appear that are not normal, what is happening indicates an infection or other pathological processes in the body of the postpartum woman. It is necessary to distinguish natural physiological pain in the abdomen from pathological ones that are not the norm.

Standard options

  • Endometritis.
  • Salpingo-oophoritis.
  • Other inflammatory diseases.
  • Anal fissures.
  • Haemorrhoids.

Such pain is provoked by natural physiological processes occurring in a woman’s body.

The pain is especially noticeable in the first week, and then gradually goes away; it appears due to the fact that the genital organs return to normal, microcracks shrink. The pain is aching in nature, very strong at first, and then gradually weakens.

After a caesarean section, of course, your stomach will hurt. It is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene that the doctor prescribed to you, avoid stress, monitor the condition of the seam, after a while the seam will heal and the pain will go away.

Pain may also occur when the wife is breastfeeding. The reason for this is the hormone oxytocin, which affects the contractions of the uterus, and as a result of these contractions, the woman may feel pain in the first days, this will soon pass

Complications of childbirth as a provoking factor for abdominal pain

If a woman had an episiotomy during childbirth, and there were tears in the tissue that required surgical intervention, then, of course, the sutures will hurt (as after any operation). Most often, the pain, of course, is concentrated in the perineum, but it can also radiate to the abdomen, especially its lower part. The sutures gradually fuse together, and the pain goes away on its own.

After childbirth, remnants of the placenta may remain in the uterus, to check this, on the second day the woman undergoes an ultrasound examination, but if the placenta is found, then curettage is necessary. By its nature, the procedure itself resembles an abortion, so after it you may experience pain in the abdominal area for some time.

Gastrointestinal diseases often worsen in women after pregnancy. Therefore, pain may simply be a response to poor nutrition. A common complication of childbirth for a young mother is hemorrhoids.

If the pain is accompanied by an increase in body temperature and vaginal discharge, purulent or bloody, this may indicate endometritis, that is, inflammation of the lining of the uterus. During childbirth, there is a particularly high probability of developing the disease after a cesarean section, and harmful microorganisms can enter the uterus. You should immediately contact a gynecologist and start treatment, otherwise serious problems may occur.

If pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth is constant and intensifying, and it does not stop within three weeks or a month, this may indicate the presence of a serious illness and you should consult a doctor. One of these diseases may be endometritis.

This is a natural phenomenon, because at birth the child passes through the birth canal, stretches and even injures it. Pain after childbirth is inevitable, it is a normal and natural phenomenon that will pass in a week or two as the female reproductive system begins to return to normal and the microcracks caused by childbirth heal.

The entire maternity process consists of three periods:

  • smoothing and opening of the cervix;
  • birth of a child;
  • birth of a child's place.

During pregnancy, the reproductive organ increases in accordance with the growth of the fetus, the muscles stretch. During childbirth, they contract rhythmically, expelling the fetus and then the placenta from the uterine cavity.

After childbirth, the uterus reverses its development - it becomes smaller in size, the muscles contract, and their volume decreases several times. The most active muscle contraction occurs in the first hours and days. This process is accompanied by the presence of pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth of a pulling nature, but this should soon pass.

The process of reverse development occurs under the influence of the hormone oxytocin. It affects the muscles of the uterus, bladder, abdominal wall, and pelvis, promoting their contraction.

Under its influence, breast milk begins to be produced. The release of oxytocin increases when the baby is latched to the breast.

The nipple and the area around it are abundantly dotted with receptors, upon irritation of which a large amount of oxytocin is produced, the muscles of the uterus contract more strongly under its influence.

When a baby is born by caesarean section, recovery is more difficult and takes longer. The reason for this is the presence of a wound on the wall of the abdomen and uterus.

Pathological causes

Causes of pain in the lower abdomen:

  1. Restoration of the body (in the first days after childbirth).
  2. Gastrointestinal disorders.
  3. Disorders in the genitourinary system.

Nagging pain in the lower abdomen in a nursing mother 6 months after childbirth indicates the appearance of the first menstruation in the coming days. The absence of menstruation in the first 6 months is due to high levels of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for lactation and affects the menstrual cycle. This period may be shorter or longer. For women who are not breastfeeding, their first menstruation occurs after 6 to 8 weeks.

The causes of pain may be other. Since it is believed that pregnancy does not occur during breastfeeding, women are negligent about contraception.

The appearance of pain in a woman who has recently given birth can be caused by both physiological and pathological reasons. The most common ones are those listed below.

One of the main reasons for nagging or cramping pain in the lower abdomen in a woman who has recently given birth may be the active production of the hormone oxytocin. It is he who provokes muscle contraction. The uterus is in good shape during this period, because the organ strives to return to its former size and shape.

During the period of breastfeeding, the young mother's nipples become irritated, which provokes increased production of oxytocin, due to which uterine contractions increase, and this causes a rather unpleasant feeling in the lower abdomen.

If a month has passed after childbirth and the lower abdomen hurts, doctors do not rule out the development of endometritis in the woman’s body. This is a dangerous inflammatory process that affects the uterine cavity and is accompanied by high fever, acute pain and vaginal discharge. The pathology requires immediate hospitalization, otherwise death is possible for a patient who has recently given birth.

When your lower abdomen hurts 2 months after giving birth, it won’t hurt to consult a gastroenterologist. This is explained by the fact that the process of labor disrupts and even undermines general digestion, provokes chronic constipation, increased gas formation and flatulence.

A woman experiences difficulty defecating, and discomfort in the abdomen becomes an abnormal norm of life. Treatment is mandatory, otherwise doctors do not rule out intestinal obstruction followed by surgery.

If, a month after giving birth, the lower abdomen still hurts, then this may be complications of a planned or emergency cesarean section. In this case, a detailed diagnosis is required, and it is clearly impossible to do without a computer examination of the pelvic organs and consultation with a gynecologist.

So the question of whether the lower abdomen can hurt after childbirth is definitely in the affirmative; remember at least the unpleasant procedure of scraping the placenta after the baby is born. It is important to know how to behave correctly in the event of such alarming symptoms, when to respond to the problem and contact certified specialists.

If the lower abdomen hurts after childbirth, this phenomenon can be due to both physiological and pathological reasons. If you determine in a timely manner why this happens and what causes these pains, they can either be avoided altogether or reduced to a minimum. Among the most common causes, doctors name the following factors.

A large number of women who have given birth, even those who have not experienced ruptures, one way or another face such a problem when pain appears in the perineum after childbirth. The appearance of pain in the pubic area after a successful birth can be explained by the fact that a fetus or baby passed through the painful area, as a result of which the tissues in this area were subjected to very strong stretching.

Doctors note that, based on statistics, usually severe pain in the pubic area in women after childbirth goes away within 2-3, 3 days.

It’s another matter if a woman had ruptures during childbirth, tissue rupture in the perineal area. Such pain in the pubic area does not go away immediately and depends on how quickly the tissue can heal.

Pain in the lower abdomen in the groin is also caused by the fact that doctors applied stitches; pain in the area of ​​the stitches bothers the woman especially strongly at the slightest movement. Moreover, pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth after sutures is usually felt both while standing, sitting, and lying down; as soon as you take an uncomfortable position, the lower abdomen immediately begins to hurt.

The time it takes for the stitches to heal is usually about a week, sometimes more. In particularly severe cases, doctors prescribe painkillers to patients to reduce the intensity of pain.

In such a situation, it is important for a woman to remember that if the pain in the lower abdomen does not stop 2 or 3 weeks after childbirth, then she should definitely come for a consultation with her doctor.

Finally, what you have been waiting for for nine months has finally happened. Your baby has been born.

However, you should not rejoice prematurely. The postpartum period very often turns out to be no less difficult than the pregnancy itself.

In most cases, a woman experiences postpartum pain in the lower abdomen, associated with a wide variety of reasons. A woman may have pain in her tailbone, perineum, pubis, back, lower back; abdominal pain after childbirth can appear in many places.

In the first weeks, and maybe even months, after childbirth, the process of healing and rehabilitation of the body occurs, which means that postpartum pain in the lower abdomen should go away completely. If the body has not recovered on its own within a couple of months, or pain appears in the lower abdomen after childbirth, which still has not gone away, you should seek help from a doctor.

The most common pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth is pain after a cesarean section. And this is not surprising - after all, such an operation involves surgical intervention and occurs by cutting the abdominal tissue. Pain in the lower abdomen after a caesarean section can remain in a woman for a long time until the tissues are completely restored and acquire the elasticity they need.

If the process of childbirth itself is quite painful, then you should not assume that the restoration of the body will take place without pain.

The cause of the nagging, cramping pain is the activity of oxytocin. This special hormone is produced more intensively after childbirth and provides a good service. After childbirth, the uterus opens and increases in size, and oxytocin helps it take on the desired shape.

When the uterus contracts, the pain often intensifies due to pressure from neighboring organs. It is important to ensure that the bladder does not overfill. Otherwise, it will put pressure on the uterus and aggravate the pain in the lower abdomen.

Some women need stitches if the tissue is torn. The presence of a foreign body in the body will cause discomfort for some time.

In order to understand what exactly provokes abdominal pain after childbirth, it is necessary to understand the type of such manifestations:

  • Nagging pain, reminiscent of weak contractions, is most often provoked by the active production of the hormone oxytocin. The body takes care to return the uterus to its previous, prenatal state and size. Oxytocin stimulates the contraction of the muscles of the uterus, which leads to some pain. This is a completely natural and normal condition that will pass as soon as the uterus returns to its previous state and size.
  • Lactation also causes the release of oxytocin, which can increase abdominal cramping. This is also a natural reason; the pain will go away after the “pre-pregnancy” size of the uterus is restored.

The rehabilitation period after the birth of a child lasts a month or two months. During this time, the mother's body gradually restores its functions, returning to its usual state.

During this period, many women complain to their doctors that they have pain in their left side, right side, stomach or lower back. The nature of these pains has been studied, all of them can be relieved.

If a month after the birth of the child has not yet passed, then most likely the cause of nagging, short-term and sharp pain is contractions of the uterus.

In the process of bearing a child, this organ was subjected to enormous stress. Other organs in the abdomen have also been under severe stress and require a long recovery period.

On average, the pain produced by uterine contractions can last a month or a little more. In the third month after pregnancy, a woman should forget about all unpleasant sensations.

The physiological causes of pain after childbirth cannot be treated with medication.

They can only be softened with the help of antispasmodics, but taking them during feeding is strongly not recommended.

If you are not breastfeeding your child, then you can safely take drugs such as “No-Shpa”, “Drotaverine”, “Bral” and so on.

How to smooth out discomfort in the stomach after childbirth? If you want to alleviate the pain, lie on your back or side and pull your knees towards your chest.

If you have severe pain not only in your stomach, but also in your lower back, then wrap it in a warm shawl or put a heating pad under your side.

Women who have had a caesarean section should carefully treat the external seams on the body with brilliant green or iodine.

You can get rid of uterine pain by carefully performing a specially designed set of exercises.

Remember: intense physical activity can cause internal sutures to separate, so do therapeutic exercises smoothly and slowly.

If the stomach hurts severely, for a long time and constantly, and the discomfort does not leave women even a month after giving birth, then we can talk about the presence of some pathological processes in their body.

Why does the lower abdomen hurt after childbirth and severe pain occur when urinating? In such a situation, we can talk about the presence of any infectious diseases affecting the genitourinary tract.

Often the cause of abdominal pain in young mothers is the remnants of the placenta that were not removed during childbirth.

The placenta attaches to the lining of the uterus and begins to decompose, poisoning the woman’s body with toxic substances.

If abdominal pain lasts a long time, almost without stopping, then the cause of this condition may be inflammation of the uterine mucosa caused by endometritis.

This disease is common in women who have had a caesarean section. Endometritis is an infectious disease that takes a long time to treat.

Additional symptoms of endometritis are bloody vaginal discharge, saturated with clots of pus.

If your left or right side hurts after childbirth, then you need to consult a doctor and ask him to check your body for the presence of inflammation of the appendages.

Light nagging, cramping pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth is usually observed in all women. You should pay attention to them only in cases where the pain does not decrease over time or its intensity increases.

It is not always the case that a woman has gynecological problems when her stomach hurts after childbirth. Often pain is caused by disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Postpartum constipation in women can develop for several reasons. This may be due to physiological changes in the body, including pulled abdominal muscles.

Doctors call the second reason a psychological condition caused by fear of sutures coming apart. In both the first and second cases, doctors do not advise resorting to self-medication, since not all drugs are approved for use during breastfeeding.

Also at this time, gastrointestinal diseases may worsen, especially if they existed before pregnancy.

There are other reasons why your stomach hurts after childbirth. It is necessary to distinguish when pain is caused by natural processes and when it is a dangerous symptom. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor your well-being and not delay if alarming signs appear, contacting a doctor for timely and competent treatment.

1. Pain in the lower abdomen of a pulling, cramping nature is caused by the active production of oxytocin after childbirth. After all, this hormone is the cause of active contractions in the uterus, the muscles of which are in a state of tone, returning to their former sizes and shapes. This is what causes pain.

2. Breastfeeding. So, during the baby's sucking, irritation of the female breast occurs, which causes increased production of oxytocin. It is not surprising that more active contractions of the uterus begin, accompanied by painful sensations.

3. If after a month the pain in the lower abdomen does not stop, then we can talk about a serious pathology and even a danger to the woman’s life. The most common reason is the presence of remnants of the placenta in the uterine cavity, if after the birth of the baby it was not completely removed. Particles remaining on the walls of the uterus cause rotting and the formation of blood clots.

4. Inflammation of the uterine mucosa or endometritis, which is more common in women who gave birth by cesarean section. After all, during the operation, microbes and infections can enter the uterus, which causes severe pain, increased temperature and the appearance of blood discharge containing purulent clots.

5. Postpartum inflammation of the appendages.

6. Peritonitis, which is accompanied by high fever and unbearable pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth.

Both physiological and pathological reasons can cause discomfort and make a young mother think about why her stomach hurts after childbirth. If you establish in time why this happens, you can minimize them or avoid pain altogether.

The main reason why a woman experiences pain in her lower abdomen after childbirth is contraction of the uterus. Spastic phenomena intensify when the baby is breastfed, since the oxytocin produced during this process causes intense contraction of the uterine muscles.

Therefore, the more often a woman breastfeeds her baby, the faster the uterus will recover. In the first time after the birth of the baby, uterine contractions during feeding are so strong that they resemble labor pains.

But their intensity decreases sharply in the interval between latching the newborn to the breast. Such cramping pains continue on average for 1.5–2 weeks after childbirth.

If delivery is carried out by cesarean section, then after it a scar remains on the uterus. Like any postoperative suture, it reminds itself for a long time: it tugs and causes aching pain. Typically, a cesarean section scar heals within a month to a month and a half after the operation. To prevent it from breaking apart and becoming inflamed, the young mother should carefully observe personal hygiene and follow the recommendations of doctors.

Nagging pain in the abdomen after childbirth can be a consequence of uterine curettage. In the maternity hospital, all women must undergo an ultrasound examination 2–3 days after birth. It allows you to determine whether there are pieces of the placenta, fertilized egg, or dead epithelium left in the uterine cavity.

If the examination shows the presence of any clots in the uterus, the doctor prescribes a drip to the woman with drugs that increase contractions of the uterus and help “cleanse” it. When it turns out that these measures are not enough, a decision is made to perform aspiration.

An injury to the pubic bone during childbirth can cause abdominal pain. This pain goes away on its own after a certain period of time.

Alarming symptoms

Usually, when a woman has a stomach ache after childbirth, this is a completely natural and harmless process. But it should be understood that all pain should become less noticeable and short-lived over time.

Ideally, a month after giving birth, a woman in labor should not experience abdominal pain. Why does it happen that even after 1.5–2 months a woman is still bothered by unpleasant sensations? Perhaps the cause of the pain lies in the development of a hidden disease or in the exacerbation of a chronic problem. In any case, this symptom requires examination and appropriate medical correction.

Acute or nagging pain in the back (lumbar) area - many mothers know firsthand about this unpleasant moment. It can be either constant or “wavy”, that is, it either stops or worsens.

Such back pain after childbirth is associated with a number of reasons, including restoration of the position of bone tissue. Let us remember that during pregnancy the pelvic bones diverge and facilitate the passage of the newborn through the birth canal.

In the postpartum period, a systematic restoration of the original position of the bones occurs. However, normalization of bone tissue affects both muscles and nerve endings, which causes discomfort in the lower back.

If the lower abdomen hurts after childbirth, this phenomenon can be due to both physiological and pathological reasons. If you determine in a timely manner why this happens and what causes these pains, they can either be avoided altogether or reduced to a minimum. Among the most common causes, doctors name the following factors.

We determine a possible disease by the type of pain

The pain experienced by women after childbirth can be divided into several types, taking into account certain provoking factors and diseases:

  1. Drawing and aching pain in the lower abdomen is characteristic of contractions of the uterus due to the release of oxytocin, similar to menstrual pain.
  2. Periodic pain during feeding is also provoked by the production of oxytocin; such pain, as a rule, subsides within a month, depending on the individual characteristics of the woman’s body, when the uterine cavity is restored.
  3. Cutting pain - any sharp sensations should be alarming, but it is worth remembering the consequences of surgery (caesarean section), which is always accompanied by similar discomfort in the suture area, which subsides within 5-7 days.
  4. Cramping pain is similar to pain during feeding due to contraction of the uterus.

Naturally, in order to determine the cause of pain, a woman needs not only to listen to the nature and intensity of pain, but also to take into account other parameters of her health: body temperature, the presence of discharge, the condition of the skin, etc.

Abdominal pain after childbirth when feeding a baby

When your baby nurses, the hormone oxytocin is released, which causes the uterus to contract. It is from these contractions that pain occurs. You shouldn't be afraid of this - it won't always be like this. After just a couple of weeks, breastfeeding will be completely painless.

Here you can give only one piece of advice: the more often you put your baby to your breast, the faster the uterus will contract. This is such a logical circle, thought out to the smallest detail by Mother Nature. By the way, the faster the uterus contracts, the sooner you can begin physical recovery after childbirth, in particular, remove the belly and/or stretch marks on it.

Reasons why a breastfeeding woman has a stomach ache

The joy of giving birth to a child always negates the excruciating suffering that a woman experiences during childbirth. And it seems that everything terrible is already behind us - all that remains is to enjoy a new life filled with meaning. But the joy that a woman experiences after the birth of her baby is overshadowed by postpartum pain in the perineum, back, tailbone and sacrum. However, most often pain accompanies a woman in labor in the lower abdomen.

Very often, after childbirth, a woman faces the problem of pain in the lower abdomen.

There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. Some of them are physiological in nature, some are associated with certain pathological conditions. Let's look at them in more detail and try to understand why the stomach hurts after childbirth, how it hurts and how long these pains can last.

Causes of abdominal pain after childbirth

Pain in the lower abdomen of a cramping nature is associated with the fact that after childbirth the uterus still continues to contract, and this is a completely natural process. Doctors perceive complaints about this kind of pain positively. This is explained by the fact that after the birth process, a large amount of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for uterine contractions, is released into the blood. This hormone regulates labor pains.

These pains continue until the uterus returns to its previous state. After all, from the size of a large ball it should decrease to the size of a fist.

These pains can become more severe when a woman begins to breastfeed her baby, since during this physiological process there is also increased production of oxytocin, which leads to increased uterine contractions.

Typically, such pain in the lower abdomen persists after childbirth for 4-7 days. To reduce pain, you can do special exercises. If after childbirth your stomach hurts very much, you should definitely consult with your doctor about prescribing painkillers.

The lower abdomen hurts after childbirth even after a cesarean section. This is also a variant of the norm. After all, after any surgical intervention, pain remains at the incision site for some time. In such a situation, a woman needs to monitor the condition of the seam and maintain hygiene. After a certain time, the pain will stop.

The lower abdomen also pulls after curettage, which is done if after childbirth a woman has traces of placenta. After this, the woman feels pain in the lower abdomen for quite a long time.

If a woman had ruptures during childbirth, the stitches may hurt. Moreover, pain from the perineum can move to the lower abdomen. In such a situation there is also no reason to worry, since such pain goes away as the sutures heal.

Another reason for abdominal pain of a physiological nature is that after childbirth you have to re-establish the process of urination. At first this is accompanied by a raw pain and burning sensation, but then everything returns to normal and the pain goes away.

All of the above-described causes of abdominal pain after childbirth are natural, and there is no point in worrying about them.

Pathological abdominal pain after childbirth

But it also happens that abdominal pain can be caused by certain pathological changes in the body, which are worth paying special attention to.

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Childbirth is a very complex process, during and after which significant changes occur in the body. Unfortunately, many women in the early postpartum period are deprived of the opportunity to devote sufficient time to their health, since all their attention is focused on the newborn baby.

Therefore, they practically do not pay attention to pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth, considering them to be a normal phenomenon. Usually this is true, but in some cases such pain can become symptoms of a dangerous disease.

During childbirth, tissue ruptures and ligament sprains often occur. In some cases, doctors have to stitch the woman in labor, which causes discomfort for a long time.

During the period when the uterus contracts, thereby causing pain, do not forget that the internal organs located next to it also affect this process. For example, a full bladder, putting pressure on the uterus, can increase pain in the lower abdomen, which is why doctors recommend going to the toilet at the first urge.

If the examination shows the presence of any clots in the uterus, the doctor prescribes a drip to the woman with drugs that increase contractions of the uterus and help “cleanse” it. When it turns out that these measures are not enough, a decision is made to perform aspiration.

This procedure is quite unpleasant and painful, it is performed under local or general anesthesia (depending on the type of curettage), and for a long time it reminds you of abdominal pain.

Usually, when a woman has a stomach ache after childbirth, this is a completely natural and harmless process. But it should be understood that all pain should become less noticeable and short-lived over time.

  • The duration of pain is more than 1.5–2 weeks;
  • Increasing intensity of pain;
  • Increased body temperature;
  • Poor health, weakness.

    As practice shows, all women experience pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth.

    This is a natural process caused by physiological changes in the mother's body.

    However, every mother should be attentive to her health and ensure that, against the background of minor pain, the development of hidden diseases does not begin. After all, a problem identified in time is much easier to cure than an advanced disease.

  • Treatment

    If the lower abdomen hurts for more than a month after childbirth, it is necessary to find out why the discomfort does not go away.

    Based on the data obtained as a result of laboratory and instrumental studies, the doctor must make a diagnosis and prescribe comprehensive treatment aimed at eliminating the cause and symptoms of the pathology.

    It is important to remember that the course of therapy should take into account the patient’s condition after childbirth.

    As a rule, pain associated with natural childbirth and the normal course of the postpartum period disappears after a month. During the month after birth, physiological sensations are of moderate sensitivity, do not cause severe discomfort, and gradually appear less until they disappear completely.

    The postpartum mother's body temperature does not increase. The woman feels normal, does not feel weakness or loss of strength, and lives a full life.

    If the pain syndrome is severe, associated with increased temperature, weakness, fever, you must immediately seek help from a gynecologist to determine the causes and timely treatment.

    Treatment for inflammatory processes

    In case of inflammatory processes in the uterine cavity or appendages, several comprehensive measures are required.

    • Antibacterial;
    • Infusion;
    • Detoxification;
    • Sedative;
    • Desensitizing.

    Self-medication is contraindicated. Taking medications to contract the uterus is mandatory.

    1. For residual effects in the uterine cavity. If there are remains of pieces of the placenta or umbilical cord, manual curettage is performed. After the procedure, antibiotics are required. The duration of the course is prescribed exclusively by the attending physician.
    2. When the vertebrae are displaced. A set of manual therapy procedures is required.
    3. With peritonitis. Surgical intervention. It is not advisable to delay your visit to the doctor. This is an extremely serious case, complications with a fatal outcome are possible.
    4. For gastrointestinal diseases. A diet is prescribed. Diet variety with vegetables and dairy products. Consultation with a gastroenterologist.

    In case of pathological manifestations of pain, consultation with a specialist is required. Subsequent treatment procedures are prescribed by a gynecologist in accordance with the recommendations. This will allow you to recover faster, stop the progression of pathological processes in the body, eliminate pain and return to normal life. To avoid complications, it is recommended to take preventive measures.

    After discharge from the maternity hospital, in order to speed up recovery and prevent the development of severe pain, it is necessary to adhere to recommendations and preventive measures.

    • If back pain is caused by bone separation, then a simple massage may not only be useless, but in some cases even harmful. In this situation, qualified manual therapy is necessary.
    • If the new mother does not have serious injuries or injuries, then she is prescribed physical therapy.
    • For those women who experience pain in the lower back or any other part of the back after childbirth, a light exercise therapy course developed by a specialist will help.

    Often, along with the back, the stomach hurts after childbirth. This is even more unpleasant.

    If pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth is due to pathological causes and is not normal, the doctor will prescribe treatment. It will depend on what kind of disruptions occurred in the woman’s body after the birth of the baby.

    Only a qualified gynecologist can make an objective and effective decision about the need and methods of treating postpartum pain. Self-medication of such pain is categorically unacceptable.

    1 During the first few days after the baby is born, go to the toilet in a standing position.

    2 In case of sutures, treat them only with the means specified by the attending physician.

    3 Perform postpartum gymnastics exercises to restore the muscles of the abdomen and uterus.

    4 Be sure to visit the antenatal clinic on the date recommended by the gynecologist after childbirth.

    Only the attending physician, a specialist in his field, can provide complete and effective treatment for postpartum pain in the lower abdomen that appears on the left or right side of the abdomen. T.

    because even the causes of such a symptom as abdominal pain cannot be determined by a pregnant woman on her own.

    Based on this, self-medication is a categorically unacceptable method of recovery after childbirth. Each case is individual and therefore may have its own specific characteristics, which only a doctor can take into account in treatment.

    Therefore, if you experience severe pain in the tummy after childbirth, consult a doctor and read below recommendations that will be useful if you experience mild pain in the lower abdomen.

    3 Special postpartum gymnastics allows you to restore the muscles of the uterus and abdominal area.

    4 In five days you should come to an antenatal consultation. Usually the doctor himself appoints a day for a visit to him after childbirth.

    Therapeutic measures to eliminate pain are carried out depending on the causes of discomfort. Self-treatment is not recommended, as this can negatively affect the well-being of the woman and child.

    Elimination of inflammation

    If the painful sensations are caused by inflammation, then conservative complex treatment is used to eliminate it, which consists of the following types of therapies:

    • general strengthening;
    • antibacterial;
    • detoxification;
    • infusion;
    • desensitizing.

    It is also mandatory to take medications to contract the uterus.

    Treatment begins with taking antibiotics. In some cases, anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.

    The pain goes away after the inflammation is eliminated. It should be remembered that it is strictly forbidden to use antispasmodics for treatment.

    Elimination of pain in multiparous women

    1. If after childbirth the placenta remains in the uterus, then surgical treatment will be required, that is, curettage of blood clots followed by antibacterial therapy.

    2. Endometritis requires conservative complex treatment with antibacterial, infusion, sedative, detoxification, restorative and desensitizing therapy. It is also possible to use drugs to enhance uterine contractions.

    When talking about the pain a woman has to endure after childbirth, we cannot fail to mention the pubic joint. It is the pubic bone that often begins to hurt for many people during pregnancy. And these painful sensations do not leave some even after childbirth.

    The symphysis is the connection of the pelvic bones in front. It consists of cartilage and ligaments. During pregnancy, the pubic joint withstands enormous loads. Sometimes the joint is very stretched. The process of childbirth itself contributes to this. Women with a narrow pelvis and a large fetus are especially susceptible to this. The ligaments of the symphysis are not very elastic, so the recovery process is extremely slow.

    It is impossible to cure symphysiopathy. Recovery usually occurs over time.

    A doctor can only help reduce symptoms and relieve severe pain syndromes. Sometimes symptoms of symphysiopathy appear after several years, for example, with increased physical activity.

    Sometimes pain in the pubic joint occurs as a result of wearing high-heeled shoes, uncomfortable positions (for example, during yoga), injuries, or cycling. This can be quite unpleasant and painful, but it has virtually no effect on your overall health.

    regular intake of medications with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D; consumption of foods containing calcium and magnesium; daily sunbathing or walking outdoors; changing body position every half hour; reducing physical activity; wearing special bandages (prenatal and postnatal); taking acupuncture courses; massage; electrophoresis; ultraviolet irradiation.

    For very severe pain, the doctor may prescribe inpatient treatment with medications. Sometimes, in particularly severe cases, surgery is required.

    If the cause of discomfort in the lower abdomen is endometritis, then treatment must be started without delay. A hospital stay is often required to complete the full course of antibiotic therapy, but this depends on the stage of the disease and its severity.

    Antibacterial drugs are prescribed based on the sensitivity of the microflora (Gentamicin, Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Lincomycin). Often, the treatment regimen also includes Metronidazole to eliminate anaerobic pathogens, multivitamins, antihistamines, and immunomodulators.

    How to get rid of pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth, what to do?

    Pain in the lower abdomen after the birth of a child is a normal physiological reaction, since the woman’s muscles and internal organs have experienced a heavy load and the body is still under stress. But there are situations when the painful sensations are so intense that it is difficult to endure them. How to evaluate this symptom and what to do to reduce discomfort will be discussed below.

    What to do if lower abdominal pain appears after childbirth?

    In the first week after giving birth, a young mother may experience pain in the lower abdomen. The cause of this condition is most likely the untimely emptying of the bladder, which puts pressure on the uterus, preventing it from contracting.

    This often happens because during labor a woman’s internal organs experience severe tension and for some time after childbirth she simply may not feel the natural urge to urinate. This condition does not require treatment, just visiting the toilet regularly is enough.

    What to do if the perineum hurts after childbirth?

    This condition is typical when there are stitches after an episiotomy or if the woman has torn naturally. In the first days after childbirth, the stitches on the perineum hurt very much.

    In addition, they cause a certain discomfort to the woman - she cannot sit, it hurts to stand, and she can only lie in one position. It happens that the seams become inflamed, then the painful sensations are added to an increase in body temperature and chills.

    You should not hide this from your doctor; the sooner you start using anti-inflammatory drugs, the faster you will return to a full life, and you will also be able to avoid suppuration of the sutures.

    Once the stitches have healed, the pain will go away on its own, which usually takes about ten days. For speedy healing, the doctor may recommend that the young mother treat the injury site with Panthenol spray.

    It has an anti-inflammatory, regenerating and reparative effect, due to which the skin is restored much faster. In addition, it is advisable for a new mother to use special postpartum pads with a sterile, breathable surface.

    In this case, the top layer of the gasket will not stick to the healing seam and further injure it. If a woman gives birth without ruptures, she may also experience pain in the perineum.

    This is due to the strong stretching of the perineal muscles as the baby passes through. This condition is not dangerous and does not require special treatment; in most cases, such pain goes away on its own within a few days.

    What to do if your pubis hurts after childbirth?

    1 calcium deficiency in the mother’s body;

    2 excessive production of relaxin;

    3 hereditary predisposition;

    4 hormonal imbalance;

    5 injuries and damage to the sacrum before pregnancy.

    The pain is sharp and intensifies with any movement. In this case, the woman is recommended to remain at rest as much as possible, observe bed rest, and also constantly wear an elastic bandage belt that secures the pelvic bones. If necessary, the doctor also prescribes painkillers and necessary therapeutic procedures, including therapeutic exercises, electrophoresis, UV irradiation and UHF.

    What to do if your back hurts after childbirth?

    1 lactostasis - stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary glands;

    2 fluid retention in the body;

    Physiological pain, which was discussed in the first paragraph of this article, does not require specific treatment and goes away on its own, on average within a month after the birth of the child.

    If the doctor you visit determines the pathological nature of the pain that is bothering you, he will prescribe specialized treatment.

    It is unknown how long such treatment will last, but during the period of its completion you will have to strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations.

    Complications

    Often, gastrointestinal diseases worsen in women after pregnancy, so pain may simply be a response to poor nutrition.

    Why does my stomach hurt with endometritis after childbirth?

    If a month has passed since the birth, and the pain in the abdominal area does not stop, then this can have serious consequences for the life and health of the young mother. One of the causes of these pains is the remains of the placenta in the uterus. If it is not completely removed after childbirth, then particles stuck to the wall of the uterus provoke purulent inflammation. What else causes pain after childbirth? Stitches after a caesarean section, for example, may itch and even burn.

    The next cause of abdominal pain may well be an inflammatory process developing on the inner mucous membrane of the uterus (endometritis). Most often it is diagnosed in women who gave birth not naturally, but through surgery.

    During the operation, microbes could easily enter the uterus, causing the further development of infection. This disease may be accompanied by bloody discharge, fever and pain in the lower abdomen.

    In this case, serious treatment is required.

    Another cause of pain in the abdominal area in a woman who has recently given birth to a baby is salpingoophoritis. Inflammation of the appendages is a very common disease. It is accompanied by abdominal pain that does not go away over time.

    Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum that causes unbearable abdominal pain and is accompanied by fever. If present, immediate treatment will be required.

    Prevention

    1. Hygiene. After childbirth, especially if there are tissue tears and stitches, it is recommended to wash after each visit to the toilet. In some cases, treatment with antiseptic solutions is necessary.
    2. If there are many seams, it is necessary to treat them with brilliant green or miramistin, chlorhexidine.
    3. It is recommended to perform special exercises to speed up the recovery of muscles and joints.
    4. Refusal of physical activity. In the first period after childbirth, it is not recommended to lift weights, perform heavy physical labor or strength exercises with weight lifting.
    5. Refusal from intimacy until the birth canal, external and internal genital organs are completely restored. The duration depends on the severity of the damage, the mother’s well-being and the speed of the recovery period.
    6. Timely examination by a gynecologist. It is recommended to go to the antenatal clinic one month after giving birth for an examination by a gynecologist in order to avoid the development of pathological processes and diseases.

    After the birth of a child, unpleasant sensations are inevitable. They are associated with the fact of the birth of the child, the state of the woman’s health, and the characteristics of the course of pregnancy and childbirth.

    Abdominal pain can occur both after natural delivery and after cesarean section. It is important to distinguish physiological sensations, which do not pose a danger to the health and life of a woman, from pathological ones.

    Their character can change, it is important to monitor this and tell the doctor if there are unusual manifestations. If the pain does not go away for a month, even if it seems normal and physiological, you should seek advice from a specialist to exclude the development of complications.

    To minimize postpartum consequences, any woman can take preventive measures independently or with the assistance of a qualified specialist.

    How can you prevent or at least reduce the intensity of abdominal and lower back pain after childbirth?

    • monitor your general health - proper nutrition, sleep patterns, walks in the fresh air, avoiding any stressful situations;
    • don’t overwork, don’t lift heavy things, take care of yourself, minimize physical activity;
    • wear a postpartum bandage to support your back and lower back;
    • do a light abdominal massage to eliminate gases if necessary;
    • drink herbal teas (chamomile, mint, valerian), but do not overdo it, moderation is important in everything.

    Remembering my postpartum period, I can say that it is very important to learn to relax the muscles of the lower abdomen during aching and cramping pain. It’s like during childbirth during marriage - the main thing is not to strain. Of course, this is not easy to implement in practice, but it is worth a try, since the effect is very effective.

    Tips for preventing postpartum pain - video

    Every woman who becomes a mother experiences great joy when her baby is born, but the postpartum consequences for her health can be different and not always pleasant. Pain in the abdomen and lower back in this case is a normal and inevitable phenomenon.

    The key point in this situation, as in any other situation, remains the woman’s careful and calm observation of her body. Try not to worry and wait it out, taking appropriate preventive measures, but also do not miss the alarming symptoms that may indicate serious illnesses, and seek medical help from specialists in a timely manner.

    In order to prevent situations where after childbirth a woman has severe abdominal pain, it is necessary to adhere to the doctor’s recommendations received upon discharge from the maternity hospital:

    • carefully monitor personal hygiene; during the period when the stitches have not yet healed, it is necessary to wash after each visit to the toilet;
    • if there are seams, treat them daily with brilliant green or other antiseptic;
    • starting from the early postpartum period, perform special exercises that allow you to recover faster;
    • do not lift heavy objects;
    • do not have sexual intercourse until the birth canal is completely restored;
    • At the appointed time, appear for a scheduled examination with a doctor at the antenatal clinic.

    Regardless of the supposed reason why a mother’s stomach hurts severely after childbirth, she should consult a gynecologist for examination. Even if the pain is of a physiological nature, it is better to know about it than to be at a loss or miss the onset of a serious complication.

    Diet after childbirth

    A woman’s nutrition during lactation simultaneously pursues several different goals. The daily diet should not only help satiate the baby, stimulate a sufficient amount of milk in the woman, but also help the physical recovery of the female body after childbirth.

    But still, the main distinguishing feature of the diet during lactation should be the complete safety of products for mother and baby. To do this, all dishes must be fresh and prepared from quality ingredients. This will help avoid digestive problems and constipation.