What is it for and when to go to the postpartum consultation

The woman’s first consultation after giving birth should be around 7 to 10 days after the baby is born, when the gynecologist or obstetrician who accompanied her during the pregnancy will assess her recovery after giving birth and her general health status.

Postpartum consultations are important to identify problems such as thyroid changes and high blood pressure, helping the woman recover and facilitating the return to a normal daily routine.

What are queries for?

Women’s follow-up consultations after the birth of the baby are important to detect problems such as anemia, urinary tract infection, high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems and thrombosis, in addition to evaluating breastfeeding and vaginal recovery in the case of a natural birth. and surgical points, in case of cesarean section.

These consultations also help to identify infections in the mother that may end up passing on to the baby, in addition to the doctor being able to assess the mother’s emotional state and diagnose cases of postpartum depression, when psychotherapy follow-up is necessary.

In addition, the postpartum consultation also aims to assess the health status of the newborn, support and guide the mother regarding breastfeeding and guide basic care for the newborn, as well as evaluating their interaction with the baby. mother.

See also the 7 tests that newborns should take.

When to make inquiries

In general, the first consultation should be done around 7 to 10 days after giving birth, when the doctor will assess the woman’s recovery and order new tests.

The second consultation takes place at the end of the first month, and then the frequency decreases to around 2 to 3 times a year. However, if a problem is detected, consultations should be more frequent, and it may also be necessary to follow up with other professionals, such as an endocrinologist or a psychologist.

When to take birth control

To avoid a new pregnancy, a woman can choose to take a specific contraceptive pill for this stage of life, which contains only the hormone progesterone, and should be started approximately 15 days after giving birth.

This pill must be taken daily, without a break between packs, and must be replaced by conventional pills when the baby starts to breastfeed only 1 or 2 times a day or when the doctor recommends it. See more about which contraceptive to take while breastfeeding.