Procedures

Postpartum Rehabilitation

For women who have been on bed rest, recovery after giving birth can be difficult. You may have difficulty walking, fatigue, dizziness, depression, and other symptoms. (see SIDE EFFECTS OF BED REST).

Women should expect that the postpartum recovery time will be considerably longer after being on bed rest. Recovering from both having a baby and bed rest is more complicated. Physical recovery will be slow. Although women are eager to be out of bed and active again, their bodies need time to build up muscle strength and cardiovascular conditioning. Women complain of feeling faint and dizzy, and easily fatigued. Many women need to slowly increase their level of stimulation in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the stimuli in the outside world. Some women have difficulty driving right away, or being in a crowded mall, because of all the stimuli they have not been exposed to while on bed rest.

Give yourself time to heal from this experience, both physically and emotionally. Physical therapy can help organize and supervise a program for you to recover safely. Talk to your doctor about a physical therapy referral; many insurance companies will cover these costs. Support groups and mentors are still very important during the postpartum period. Listening to other women's experiences may help guide your recovery. If your baby is in the neonatal intensive care unit, make sure they have a place for you to sit down next to your baby, and that you plan your visits so that you conserve your strength. Take a wheelchair from the hospital lobby so that you are not too exhausted by the time you get to the NICU.

Celebrating the end of bed rest can be hard if you are still experiencing many of the difficult side effects. Women who are aware of these side effects and options for managing them usually recover more quickly and with less frustration.

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© 2001 Professor Judy Maloni, Case Western Reserve University.

This page last updated 11/15/01.

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