Can I sleep on my stomach after giving birth?

After the birth of the baby, the woman returns the desire to move as freely as before pregnancy, as well as sleep in any comfortable position. This is understandable, because for a long time the woman was limited in movement and her own comfort. The most convenient option during pregnancy is the supine position, since pregnant women are forbidden to lie on their stomachs. After the birth of the baby, many women still doubt whether they can now lie on their stomach during sleep. Will this situation interfere with internal recovery processes?

Pros and cons of lying on your stomach after childbirth

Recovery after labor is mostly related to the uterus. This body must completely free itself from unnecessary tissues, return to its previous size, which was before pregnancy, and also normalize its inner layer. Immediately after birth, the size of the uterus is quite large, in some women, because of this, the abdomen greatly increases, which seems as if she is in the fifth month of pregnancy. Sometimes this makes young mothers upset, because after giving birth I really want to lose weight as quickly as possible.

Uterus rehabilitation is necessarily combined with the release of lochia - special secretions with blood inclusions. This process is absolutely normal, however, sometimes some difficulties arise due to the position of the uterus or the features of its shape. In order for the lochia to go out well, uterine contractions are necessary. The supine position contributes to this.

A decrease in the uterus also occurs due to its contractions. The smooth muscles of this organ should get rid of some of the cells that were formed during pregnancy. If the muscle tissue of the uterus does not have enough tone, its size will remain the same and exceed the norm. Moreover, there is a danger of an inflammatory process within the body. It is these processes that are the main and main reasons why a woman needs to lie on her stomach after childbirth. Such a posture significantly speeds up the process of eliminating lochia and helps to reduce the uterus to normal size.

There are also other circumstances that also require a woman to lie on her stomach:

1. Constipation Most young mothers face this problem. The problem here is that immediately after childbirth, a woman cannot move actively, and the products included in the diet do not contribute to intestinal stimulation. If a woman lies not only on her back during sleep, but also turns on her stomach, this activates the intestines and makes him work better.
2. Very weak abdominal muscles. During pregnancy, these muscle tissues are very stretched, as a result of which they do not become a decoration of the tummy, and the internal organs are very weak. To begin serious work on this area immediately after childbirth is too early, so you can start small: lying on your stomach allows you to tighten your abs. Such a process contributes to the return of internal organs to their former place, so that a woman looks slimmer and more attractive.
3. Spinal muscles. Tissues in this area carry a large load during pregnancy. After the baby is born, in connection with a decrease in the load, the back muscles can become weak and lethargic. To prevent this from happening, a woman should also lie on her stomach during sleep, since this position helps to preserve the tone of muscle tissue on her back.
4. The need for a long-awaited vacation. During pregnancy, a woman could not lie on her stomach because of its large size and the danger of harming the baby.After labor, the newly mummy can return to her usual existence and finally begin to sleep on her stomach, if such a pose is most comfortable for her. In the recovery period after childbirth, positive emotions are a very important part, which helps to improve the hormonal background.

Do not be afraid that after childbirth lying on your stomach can somehow harm the recovery process or cause excessive stress on this area. During sleep, a person always turns over several times in search of a more comfortable posture. Roughly the same thing happens in the daytime. In addition, after giving birth, women often get up to go to the toilet. In this regard, in any case, there will be no serious load on the stomach. Therefore, do not be afraid, you need to choose a comfortable position for yourself.

Why can a lying posture become harmful to a woman?

Whether a woman needs to lie on her stomach after childbirth is determined not only by rehabilitation processes, but also by some other features associated with the well-being of the young mother. Staying in this position for a long time can become harmful under the following conditions:

1. When a woman has a bend in the uterus. In this case, if a woman lies on her stomach, it may be difficult to remove the lochia. A similar phenomenon can trigger the development of endometritis or other inflammatory processes in the uterus.
2. When a young mother has a malfunction in the heart. The fact is that this situation puts pressure on the chest, which leads to difficulty in the breathing process, and can also cause a change in heart rate.
3. If a woman is heavy. In such a situation, the supine position is dangerous in that a woman can simply compress the internal organs in the abdominal cavity and shift their location, removing them from the norm.
4. When women have pathologies of the spine, especially if they are localized in the lumbar region or neck. A prolonged abdominal stay in a dream can lead to unpleasant discomfort in these areas, which over time can trigger an exacerbation of problems.
5. If a woman in this position experiences pain. Some young mothers feel very much uterine contractions, while experiencing pain, so the first 3-4 days after birth they are not recommended to roll over on their stomach.

It is worth noting that these difficulties do not impose an absolute ban on freedom of movement and do not force women to constantly lie on their backs. To stimulate the exit of lochia and recovery processes in the uterus, it will be enough to turn over on the stomach for 15-20 minutes a day.

Discomfort that may occur

Lie in a comfortable position on your stomach and lie down for a couple of hours, some circumstances may interfere:

1. Childbirth with injuries. Sometimes labor leads to a rupture of the perineum, which makes any movement painful for a woman. In such cases, young mothers are recommended minimal physical activity, a great option would be turning on their stomach.
2. Cesarean section. Many are afraid to lie on their stomachs in this case, as they are afraid of diverging seams. However, a speedy recovery here, on the contrary, is very important, and lying on his stomach only accelerates it.
3. The appearance of milk in the chest. When the breast is filled with milk, the woman feels discomfort, especially if it is felt when I roll over on my stomach.

A return to a familiar position not only brings a lot of positive emotions, but also allows a young mother to determine the presence of problems. For any discomfort in a posture lying on your stomach, you should consult a specialist.

Video: Can pregnant women sleep on their stomach?