Recovery from childbirth: Looking back 6 months after delivery

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Abstract
Women's perceptions of their recovery from childbirth were investigated by open‐ended interviews of 96 mothers of healthy, full‐term infants 6 months after delivery. Data included factors affecting physical, mental, and emotional recovery; sources of help and hindrance; ideas of what each woman would do differently after the delivery of another child; and overall evaluation of how the months after delivery compared with expectations. Content analysis of the data revealed that 25% of the women did not feel physically recovered from childbirth at 6 months postpartum. Husbands and other family members were major sources of help. Prolonged labor and cesarean delivery were the major hindrances to recovery. More household and child‐care help was desired after delivery of another child. Almost half of the women found the first 6 months after delivery more difficult than anticipated. The findings suggest that pregnant women need more information about lifestyle adjustments after childbirth.

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