Going home…after a bleed

You have rested in hospital and everything seemsto have settled down. Your careteamfeel it is safe for you and your baby to go home.

What can I do or NOT DO…

While in hospital, you have been resting in bed, reading, relaxing. You have been able to get up to shower, have short walks. This is what you are expected to do at home. No heavy work or lifting is permitted. Someone else needs to do the laundry and cleaning.

Emotionally it will take 7-10 days to adjust to being on bedrest. Become an organizer and accept help rather than do it yourself. Have others set up your “nest”, set up a daily routine, be good to yourself, get dressed everyday, keep a journal of your thoughts and feeling, call a friend if you feel lonely, keep your sense of humour.

We would recommend limiting intimacy to hugs and kisses. Refrain from vaginal intercourse.

Your doctor will review your activity level at your follow-up appointment.

You should contact your care giver/doctor/midwife and he/she will advise you of what to do in the following:

DANGER sIGNS

Vaginal bleeding

sharp abdominal pain

decrease IN BABY’S movement

bright red bleeding upon wiping

cramping/back ache/menstual like aches

clear fluid from your vaginal

GENERALLY FEELING UNWELL

Please ensure that the copy of your discharge paper is with when you present yourself at the hospital. It has valuable information about your pregnancy. If you are being transported by ambulance, you may be taken to the closest hospital for assessment.

Your follow-up appointment with______is______

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.

Going home…with PIH, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

You have rested in hospital and everything seems to have settled down. Your careteam feel it is safe for you and your baby to go home.

What can I do or NOT DO…

While in hospital, you have been resting in bed, reading, relaxing. You have been able to get up to shower, have short walks. This is what you are expected to do at home. No heavy work or lifting is permitted. Someone else needs to do the laundry and cleaning.

Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor.

Emotionally it will take 7-10 days to adjust to being on bedrest. Become an organizer and accept help rather than do it yourself. Have others set up your “nest”, set up a daily routine, be good to yourself, get dressed everyday, keep a journal of your thoughts and feeling, call a friend if you feel lonely, keep your sense of humour.

Your Doctor will review your activity level, medications at your follow-up appointment. You should contact your care giver/doctor/midwife and he/she will advise you of what to do in the following:

DANGER SIGNS

SEVERE, WORSENING HEADACHE AND/OR DIZZINESS

BLURRED VISION, SEEING SPOTS

HEARTBURN/EPIGASTRIC PAIN/pain under your breast bone

DECREASE IN THE BABY’S MOVEMENT

INCREASE IN BLOOD PRESSURE

EXCESSIVE SWELLING AND SUDDEN LARGE WEIGHT GAIN

BACKACHE, MENSTRAL CRAMP

SHARP ABDOMINAL PAIN

GENERALLY FEELING UNWELL

Please ensure that the copy of your discharge paper is with when you present yourself at the hospital. It has valuable information about your pregnancy. If you are being transported by ambulance, you may be taken to the closest hospital for assessment.

Your follow-up appointment with______is______

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.

Going home, with PPROM, Preterm Premature Rupture of Membrane

You have rested in hospital and everything seems to have settled down. Your careteam feel it is safe for you and your baby to go home.

What can I do or NOT DO

While in hospital, you have been resting in bed, reading, relaxing. You have been able to get up to shower, have short walks. This is what you are expected to do at home. No heavy work or lifting is permitted. Someone else needs to do the laundry and cleaning.

You have met the Obstetrical Day Unit nurse, who has discussed the care she will be providing for you. She will organize times and dates for your visits with her.

Emotionally it will take 7-10 days to adjust to being on bedrest. Become an organizer and accept help rather than do it yourself. Have others set up your “nest”, set up a daily routine, be good to yourself, get dressed everyday, keep a journal of your thoughts and feeling, call a friend if you feel lonely, keep your sense of humour.

We would recommend limiting intimacy to hugs and kisses. Refrain from vaginal intercourse. Also, no soaking in tub, no tub baths, no vaginal douching.

Your doctor will review your activity level at your follow-up appointment.

You should contact your care giver/doctor/midwife and he/she will advise you of what to do in the following:

DANGER sIGNS

feeling as though something is coming down into your vaginal-

call 911, go into the knee chest position, gently replace the cord into the vagina if descending

(THIS WILL HAVE BEEN DISCUSS BY YOUR HEALTH CARE TEAM DURING YOUR ADMISSION)

INCREASE TEMPERATURE, CHILLS, FEVER

VAGINAL BLEEDING

VAGINAL DISCHARGE, FOuL SMELLING

CRAMPING, BACKACHE, MENSTRAL like cramps

SHARP ABDOMINAL PAIN

Please ensure that the copy of your discharge paper is with when you present yourself at the hospital. It has valuable information about your pregnancy. If you are being transported by ambulance, you may be taken to the closest hospital for assessment.

Your follow-up appointment with______is______

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.

Going home…with a short cervix

You have rested in hospital and everything seems to have settled down. Your careteam feel it is safe for you and your baby to go home.

What can I do or NOT DO…

While in hospital, you have been resting in bed, reading, relaxing. You have been able to get up to shower, have short walks. This is what you are expected to do at home. No heavy work or lifting is permitted. Someone else needs to do the laundry and cleaning.

Emotionally it will take 7-10 days to adjust to being on bedrest. Become an organizer and accept help rather than do it yourself. Have others set up your “nest”, set up a daily routine, be good to yourself, get dressed everyday, keep a journal of your thoughts and feeling, call a friend if you feel lonely, keep your sense of humour.

We would recommend limiting intimacy to hugs and kisses. Refrain from vaginal intercourse.

Your doctor will review your activity level at your follow-up appointment.

You should contact your care giver/doctor/midwife and he/she will advise you of what to do in the following:

DANGER sIGNS

Vaginal bleeding

sharp abdominal pain

decrease IN BABY’S movement

bright red bleeding upon wiping ,

brownish discharge upon wiping

cramping/back ache/menstual like aches

clear fluid from your vaginal

increase vaginal discharge

GENERALLY FEELING UNWELL

Please ensure that the copy of your discharge paper is with when you present yourself at the hospital. It has valuable information about your pregnancy. If you are being transported by ambulance, you may be taken to the closest hospital for assessment.

Your follow-up appointment with______is______

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.

Going home…

You have gone through a lot in the past few days. Now you are going home. Listed below are some of the physical issues that your careteam want you to be aware of.

DANGER SIGNS

Bleeding – Some women have very little bleeding after the delivery. Others find that their flow is quite heavy and has some clots. Do not worry unless you are soaking a pad in an hour or less, and are feeling dizzy and weak. If this happens, go to the nearest Emergency Department. You may continue to have some bleeding for 5 days to 6 weeks after delivery. Some women also have some cramping for several days after delivery.

INFECTION: Any one or more of the following signs could mean that you have an infection and need to call your doctor or go to the emergency department

  • Chills or fever of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or greater.
  • Foul smelling discharge.
  • Heavy bleeding – soaking a pad in less than an hour.
  • Passing clots, especially when accompanied by heavy bleeding
  • Severe cramping.
  • Pain when urinating.
  • Generally feeling unwell

OTHER DISCOMFORTS

Breast Engorgement:

Some women experience pain and soreness of your breasts and this usually on day 3 or 4 after delivery and for approximately 24-48hrs.

  • There may be a small amount of leaking from their breasts. This is normal and will go away on its own. Do not express or pump your breasts
  • It is suggested that you wear a tight fitting bra.
  • You may take ADVIL / Tylenol for discomfort.
  • You may experience a low grade fever when your breasts are engorged.
  • And surprisingly putting cold cabbage leaves (store in the fridge) into your bra against your breast will help with engorgement and soreness.
  • Cold compresses may also be comforting.

Other Activities: showering OKAY, NO bath, No tampons, No douching,

No swimming, no tub baths.

Sexual Activity:

Sexual intercourse may be resumed two weeks after discharge as long as you have stopped bleeding.

You will be sad and at times, weepy, please make sure you have family and friends around to support and be with you.

Your follow up appointment is on ______with Dr. ___

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.

Going home after ______

You have rested in hospital and everything seems to have settled down. Your careteam feel it is safe for you and your baby to go home.

What can I do or NOT DO…

While in hospital, you have been resting in bed, reading, relaxing. You have been able to get up to shower, have short walks. This is what you are expected to do at home. No heavy work or lifting is permitted. Someone else needs to do the laundry and cleaning.

Emotionally it will take 7-10 days to adjust to being on bedrest. Become an organizer and accept help rather than do it yourself. Have others set up your “nest”, set up a daily routine, be good to yourself, get dressed everyday, keep a journal of your thoughts and feeling, call a friend if you feel lonely, keep your sense of humour.

We would recommend limiting intimacy to hugs and kisses. Refrain from vaginal intercourse.

Your doctor will review your activity level at your follow-up appointment.

You should contact your care giver/doctor/midwife and he/she will advise you of what to do in the following:

DANGER sIGNS

Vaginal bleeding

sharp abdominal pain

decrease IN BABY’S movement

bright red bleeding upon wiping ,

brownish discharge upon wiping

cramping/back ache/menstual like aches/contractions

clear fluid from your vaginal

increase vaginal discharge

GENERALLY FEELING UNWELL

Please ensure that the copy of your discharge paper is with when you present yourself at the hospital. It has valuable information about your pregnancy. If you are being transported by ambulance, you may be taken to the closest hospital for assessment.

Your follow-up appointment with______is______

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.

Post Cerclage Care

You may still feel somewhat drowsy and tired when you go home. This is “left over” from your anesthetic. Please do not worry, it is a way of your body to tell you that you need to rest. So do so.

If you were prescribed medication or are taking medication, discuss this with the doctor/nurse before discharge.

We would recommend limiting intimacy to hugs and kisses. Refrain from vaginal intercourse.

You should contact your care giver/doctor/midwife and he/she will advise

you of what to do in the following:

Danger Signs

Vaginal bleeding

Vaginal watery discharge/mucousy discharge

Backache/menstrual type pain

Fever/chills

Generally feeling unwell

SURVIVING BED REST—HELPFUL HINTS

There are different types of bedrest during pregnancy-

  • Limited bedrest- moving from bed to living room sofa,
  • Bedrest with bathroom/shower privileges
  • And total bedrest

You will be advised about the type of bedrest most suited to you.

You will have a follow up appointment so that your cerclage/ cervix can be assessed. At that time, your doctor will discuss your activity level.

Emotionally it will take 7-10 days to adjust to being on bedrestBecome an organizer and accept help rather than doing it yourself. Have others set up your ‘nest”.Set up a daily routine;be good to yourself. Get dressed everyday

Keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings,call a friend if you feel lonely,

Keep your sense of humour.

Please ensure that the copy of your discharge paper is with when you present yourself at the hospital. It has valuable information about your pregnancy. If you are being transported by ambulance, you may be taken to the closest hospital for assessment.

Your follow-up appointment with______is______

The nurse has returned my medication that I brought in with me.