Welcome to "Wonderfully Made"
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I'm Amy Wellard from the
"Wildwood Lifestyle Center"
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With me today is
Dr. Cherie Lou Fernandez
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and our subject
is "postpartum care"
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Welcome Dr. Cherie Lou
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Today, we are going to
talk about the baby is arriving
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and there's all the
excitement and anticipation
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in the delivery room.
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Mom is getting
endorphins and getting high...
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What's happening to daddy?
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Oh, it's really nice for
the husband to be there while
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the woman is in
labor because he can
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see and empathize and
know really how difficult
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it is to go into
labor and delivery.
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It's really very important
for the husband to be there,
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and to be able to see and love
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his wife more after
she has given birth.
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Funny thing is - sometimes
men, they EMPATHIZE so much
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Men can empathize if they
love their wives really, really,
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really, really
and they empathize.
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Sometimes the father FAINTS!
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...And you pick
him up from the floor.
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Everybody forgets about
the mother and the baby!
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They forget about the mom and
the baby, and they go to the dad
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So that's the reason
why sometimes they would
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rather not have
the father there.
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But when the baby comes
out, many times, the mom is...
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They all go rush to the
baby and take care of the baby
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especially when
the baby has problems,
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the one who is
delivering the baby,
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especially if they are
doing 2 things at one time,
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no nurse or whatever
to take care of the baby,
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there will be times
when the mom will be left,
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but that's not
really a big problem.
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So typically, the
postpartum period is about
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6 weeks from the
birth of the baby? Yes
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Right, so what kind of physical
changes is the woman's body
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going through that
requires special attention?
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Okay, yes - you
said... you know when a woman
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gets pregnant, there
are so many physical changes
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in the body of a woman...
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And, I used to be a size
5, my feet were a size 5.
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As I grew bigger
with my pregnancy,
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my feet became
bigger and became a size 6
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Well after I
delivered, it became a 5-1/2,
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and I've never gone back to 5
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I don't know, maybe because
of the weight, my foot spread,
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and it's not as small as it
used to be but there are changes
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And you may not be able to
come back to the same thing,
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but the reproductive
tract takes about 6 weeks.
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You call that the "puerperium"
... the time when your
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reproductive tract goes
back to normal... it's 6 weeks.
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I was going to ask
you about afterpains...
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Afterbirth pains -
is this very common,
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when the uterus is contracting
going back to its regular size.
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Sometimes the midwife
or the birth attendant will
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massage the abdomen.
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For myself, that was
quite a painful thing.
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Is that really a
necessary intervention?
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Yes, especially for women
just right after the delivery.
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Okay, the baby comes
out and then after that,
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they wait for the placenta,
they deliver the placenta,
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and right after the
delivery of the placenta,
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many times if the
woman has gone through
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LONG protracted labor,
the uterus is so tired...
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too tired to contract.
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So that's why many times
the midwife has to massage
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the hypogastric area to irritate
the uterus and wake it up...
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Hey, you still have work to do!
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You have to contract!
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If the uterus does not contract,
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the mother can
bleed to death. Really?
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It HAS to contract!
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However, when it comes to
contract like this and strong,
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it gives you a
dysmenorrhea-like pain
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that you call the after pain.
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Okay so that's a bit like
cramping or severe cramping?
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Yes it is, but it's not
something that is really
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really bad - although it
depends on your pain threshold.
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Some women don't
need to take medication;
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some women need
to take medication,
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but this afterpain
seems to be aggravated when
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the mother puts
the baby to the breast.
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So when the baby
sucks on the mom's breast,
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there's an impulse
that goes to the brain,
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and tells the brain to
tell the pituitary gland
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to release oxytocin and oxytocin
makes the uterus contract.
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It is really helpful
because then it makes the uterus
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really more closed
and that there will be no
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bleeding afterwards...
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So it helps cut the possibility
of bleeding afterwards.
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Gets things back to
normal as quickly as possible.
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Yes, as to the
size of the uterus.
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Now there is a certain amount
of discharge that we can expect
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after birth - a certain
amount of blood and so on
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for a number of days and so
that leads to the question...
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How safe after birth is
it to having intercourse?
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Yes, the lochia -
which is the discharge,
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will tell you whether
your uterus has really
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recovered or not... the
discharge you call that.
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It starts first as like red,
as in fresh blood initially,
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then it becomes brownish
and then it becomes just tinged,
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until it becomes clear
and then it disappears.
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When that happens,
it's about 6 weeks.
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So if you do not have
this red, brown, lighter color,
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and then it finally disappears,
and it's protracted...
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It's red, brown, red, brown,
red-red, brown, you know...
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And then it goes
ahead more than 6 weeks,
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that means your uterus
is not well-contracted.
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It's not really
contracting good enough,
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and probably even if
it extends some more,
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MAYBE you have some infection,
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or MAYBE there is some
placenta that is left behind.
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Usually when you
deliver the placenta,
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you check for whether
the placenta is complete,
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and sometimes you don't know
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some little parts of the
placenta are left behind...
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And if there are some placenta,
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we called them "retained
placenta" are left behind.
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The uterus won't be able
to close-down completely,
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and so your lochia will tell you
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whether you are really...
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Your uterus... if
it goes more than that,
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you're either infected or you
have retained placental segments
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So would it be safe to have
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intercourse after
the lochia has stopped?
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When it has
stopped - yes, because then
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that would be around 6 weeks...
All right but not before.
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I'd suggest not before
because the uterus has not
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yet completely
recovered and you can induce,
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or you can cause infection...
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And it is hard too...
It is a difficult thing.
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Sometimes it can be really
serious and life-threatening
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to have uterine infection.
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Now what about ladies
that have had a C-section?
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How soon after the
delivery is it safe for them
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in terms of
infection, to have intercourse?
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It is the same thing,
it's the same thing you have to
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have your uterus
come back to normal first.
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If you are talking about -
with regards to being able to
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have sexual intercourse after
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delivery or after
a normal delivery.
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It's when your lochia is gone.
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When the lochia is
gone, that means your uterus
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is already
ready... it's physiologic.
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Ready to start again. Yes
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Usually the mom
isn't quite ready.
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You have to be sure though that
you talk about contraception.
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Because it depends
on... there are many things
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you will talk about later.
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Now, something I
notice from the Bible...
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It talks about the recovery
or the postpartum period,
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when you've had a baby boy,
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is shorter than when
you've had a baby girl.
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Now, can you comment on
that from your practice?
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Yes, I really have
been baffled by this,
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and why is it that the
Bible says that after a
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male baby is born,
the puerperium is shorter
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than that of a female baby...
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And all that I can think of
is aside from we being the one
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who ate the fruit and
laboring and the female issues,
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and the hormones that are
different in a female baby,
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there is nothing
that I can think of except
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that's one question I would
want to ask Jesus - why is it so
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But you have a
baby... it's the same!
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It baffles me but
there IS a reason!
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But have you seen it to
be true in your practice,
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that ladies that give birth
to boys seem to recover quicker?
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No, I have not really
seen; I didn't notice it.
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Now, some people
when they're giving birth,
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they experience tears
which is very unfortunate.
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Hopefully if the baby's
head is secured as it comes out,
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we can minimize
the risk of tearing,
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but if that does
happen, what can be
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some of the best measures
to take for a quick recovery?
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Okay, many times you can also
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have tears even if you
deliver in the hospital, yes.
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They do episiotomies in
order for you not to have tears,
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but sometimes even if you do
episiotomies there ARE tears.
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And an episiotomy is
where they cut the perineum.
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Yes when they cut the perineum
so that you have a bigger space
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for the head to come and you
don't have to stretch your...
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There are pros and
cons there again, you know.
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But anyway, you lacerate
whether it's an episiotomy,
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or whether it's a normal
thing without the episiotomy,
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you do lacerate...
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And if it is severe enough,
some midwives would repair.
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Yes, they would repair
it if it were severe...
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Because sometimes, the
laceration can go even up
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to the rectum and that
you would have one big hole.
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Your vagina and
your rectum together,
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and so you need to have that
repaired and that's going to
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take a long time to recover.
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So you can have initially, of
course, as you have said earlier
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...we can put ice in
the first 12 hours to make
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the blood vessels constrict
so that you don't bleed.
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In severe tears, it's
better for you not to put
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any hot thing there
until you are really sure
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that all the blood
vessels are constricted,
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and all clots are
already in place and fixed -
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because if you have a
big tear and there are small,
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little oozing things
and you put a hot pack
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you're going to
bleed, and it's an emergency,
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and it's a real big thing to do.
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It's hard to find the bleeder
of an episiotomy when you
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have already
closed the episiotomy.
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So you have to do
ice first, then wait...
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I'd rather just
wait for 24 hours,
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although you have to
have 12 hours of cold,
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and then the next day,
you can do your hot and cold.
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Keep it first just to be sure
that you don't cause bleeding,
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but the hot and cold sitz bath,
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even if standing in
the shower, you do this,
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and let the water go
there and go through it.
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It's already helping increase
the circulation in the area
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to enhance the circulation.
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I actually found a
wonderful healing agent to
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use the shower in that way
and I was so thankful my tear,
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which was very severe,
was completely free from pain
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and healed within 2 weeks,
I think, that I can remember.
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So it doesn't
have to be a long time.
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Yes, the vagina is very
bloody, how do I say it...
00:12:28.17\00:12:34.40
It has a lot of blood vessels,
so then it repairs itself fast.
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That's a real blessing!
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One of the things that many of
us are afraid of after surgery
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in that area is that
we're not going to be able
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to go to the
bathroom without pain.
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Yes, we have this a lot,
especially when woman have
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lacerated up to their
rectum or 4th degree laceration.
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Because when the bowel
passes through the area
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to your rectum and into
your anal canal and out,
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you stretch the
area that was lacerated,
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and they hold it back instead.
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So it's very common that
women who have had lacerations,
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have constipation and/or
don't want to go to the bathroom
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to pee or urinate - they
hold it because when they do,
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it's painful - so then you
get more chance of constipation
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or you get more chance
of urinary tract infections.
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So you just have to soften
the stools through your diet,
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and/or prunes or have a laxative
and yes, plenty of water,
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the number one thing to do.
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And pee and move your bowel
regularly, not hold it back
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because it's going
to become worse. Okay
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Because it will be
harder to deliver another baby
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in the form of
your poop... I'm sorry.
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Now, how about
exercises to strengthen
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the perineal floor afterwards?
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Okay, you again call
that Kegel exercises.
00:14:01.72\00:14:04.81
You have to make all the
stretching and some micro-tears
00:14:04.84\00:14:09.87
in your muscles and
the structures around it.
00:14:09.90\00:14:12.26
You have to be sure
that it's already well first
00:14:12.29\00:14:15.41
and that usually
comes around 4-6 weeks.
00:14:15.44\00:14:18.81
Then you can start
doing your Kegel exercises
00:14:18.84\00:14:21.36
which is strengthening
your pelvic floor so that
00:14:21.39\00:14:24.48
then you won't have
incontinence meaning women just
00:14:24.51\00:14:30.19
cough and it comes
out after a childbirth.
00:14:30.22\00:14:32.45
It's because the muscles
that are closing your urethra
00:14:32.48\00:14:35.82
are relatively
loose, so then you're not
00:14:35.85\00:14:39.43
able to hold your
urine back efficient enough.
00:14:39.46\00:14:43.95
So just a cough or just a mere
00:14:43.98\00:14:46.77
pushing would cause
urine to come out...
00:14:46.80\00:14:49.66
But when you strengthen
through the Kegel exercises,
00:14:49.69\00:14:53.61
you would make
your muscles stronger,
00:14:53.64\00:14:55.59
and diminish the
possibility of incontinence.
00:14:55.62\00:14:59.46
Now obviously, if
you've had a C-section,
00:14:59.49\00:15:02.30
you haven't got the same
trauma on the perineal area
00:15:02.33\00:15:05.25
but is there some special
care that people that have had
00:15:05.28\00:15:07.76
C- sections will
really need that those with a
00:15:07.79\00:15:10.42
vaginal delivery
wouldn't need so much.
00:15:10.45\00:15:12.95
Oh, the C-section
needs more care... Oh, okay
00:15:12.98\00:15:19.45
It's because every time
you have a bigger scar on your
00:15:19.48\00:15:24.79
abdominal wall and
you have another...
00:15:24.82\00:15:27.25
I mean - not scar,
incision on your abdominal wall,
00:15:27.28\00:15:30.90
and it depends on the kind of
incision on your abdominal wall.
00:15:30.93\00:15:34.42
The midline incision on
your abdominal wall heals faster
00:15:34.45\00:15:37.31
than the - You know
they have this bikini-type,
00:15:37.34\00:15:39.93
the low one, the
"Pfannenstiel," you call that...
00:15:39.96\00:15:43.74
That takes longer if there
are more structures that you
00:15:43.77\00:15:48.30
would work on
and cut and whatever.
00:15:48.33\00:15:51.46
So that one takes longer to
heal than the midline incision.
00:15:51.49\00:15:55.32
Even the uterine cut, the
midline or the transverse,
00:15:55.35\00:15:59.21
this one takes
longer than this one does.
00:15:59.24\00:16:01.58
So that you have to
take this into consideration
00:16:01.61\00:16:04.89
for how long your muscles
would have to repair itself.
00:16:04.92\00:16:10.19
Repair themselves and also
underneath, it's a take in,
00:16:10.22\00:16:16.43
it's a given and you
should not be doing exercises
00:16:16.46\00:16:20.60
or really straining
yourself within 2 months;
00:16:20.63\00:16:24.55
give enough time to heal...
00:16:24.58\00:16:27.55
BUT it is important after the
operation, after the C-section,
00:16:27.58\00:16:31.48
that you stand up
right away when you can.
00:16:31.51\00:16:34.43
Usually it's 8 hours... you
have to be flat on bed first
00:16:34.46\00:16:38.89
because of the anesthesia,
if it were a spinal anesthesia,
00:16:38.92\00:16:42.93
if it were a G.A., then
you can get up right away...
00:16:42.96\00:16:44.97
BUT if it were a
spinal anesthesia,
00:16:45.00\00:16:47.57
you have to be flat in
bed for like 6-8 hours,
00:16:47.60\00:16:50.13
and your doctor will
give that instruction -
00:16:50.16\00:16:52.67
"Flat on bed for so many hours"
00:16:52.70\00:16:55.97
so that you don't
get spinal headaches,
00:16:56.00\00:16:58.42
so they say "flat in bed"
00:16:58.45\00:16:59.88
If you get up earlier than that,
00:16:59.91\00:17:01.63
you might
develop severe headaches.
00:17:01.66\00:17:03.72
So they say "flat on
bed" and as soon as you are
00:17:03.75\00:17:06.30
given the permission,
if you can sit and get up,
00:17:06.33\00:17:09.55
the better it will be
for you in your recovery...
00:17:09.58\00:17:12.50
because you don't want
your organs to be sticking,
00:17:12.53\00:17:15.03
you know -
adhering to each other;
00:17:15.06\00:17:16.49
adhesions being the #1,
a very common occurrence
00:17:16.52\00:17:22.20
after abdominal operations.
00:17:22.23\00:17:24.84
Now you were mentioning
earlier about wearing a binder
00:17:24.87\00:17:28.14
when you've had a C-section...
00:17:28.17\00:17:29.54
Is that something that
is commonly offered to women
00:17:29.57\00:17:31.08
that have had C-sections
to hold the abdomen in.
00:17:31.11\00:17:34.51
I think it is wise - usually
I do it to my C-section patients
00:17:34.54\00:17:40.01
because I ask them
to get up right away.
00:17:40.04\00:17:42.21
So even on the operating
table, I already put my binder,
00:17:42.24\00:17:46.31
abdominal binder
and put it really snug,
00:17:46.34\00:17:49.31
so that when she gets
up, her abdominal wall
00:17:49.34\00:17:52.10
does not fall forward...
00:17:52.13\00:17:53.68
Because really the pain
of C- section is not bad.
00:17:53.71\00:17:57.69
It's only when she gets
up or when she sits down.
00:17:57.72\00:18:00.72
Because when she gets up, her
abdominal wall falls like this;
00:18:00.75\00:18:03.74
when she sits down, it
moves... you move your muscles.
00:18:03.77\00:18:06.41
But when it's taut with
your abdominal binder there,
00:18:06.44\00:18:10.33
then the pain is not there.
00:18:10.36\00:18:12.09
Oh and they let
you put a pillow here,
00:18:12.12\00:18:14.16
and hold it when
you get up like this -
00:18:14.19\00:18:15.88
so that your
abdominal wall won't just
00:18:15.91\00:18:18.42
fall forward and it's painful.
00:18:18.45\00:18:20.54
And does that binder actually
help speed up the recovery?
00:18:20.58\00:18:23.51
It does not necessarily
speed up the recovery,
00:18:23.54\00:18:26.89
but it helps you get
around right which will help you
00:18:26.92\00:18:29.81
recover faster...
00:18:29.84\00:18:31.21
I see, so in an
indirect connection.
00:18:31.24\00:18:33.57
Now what about weight loss?
00:18:33.60\00:18:34.97
Many ladies, after
birth, find it SO hard
00:18:35.00\00:18:37.59
to lose those extra pounds.
00:18:37.62\00:18:38.99
Hopefully you've lost at least
15 with the birth of the baby;
00:18:39.02\00:18:42.52
you may have an extra 10
you are carrying around...
00:18:42.55\00:18:44.38
What can you recommend?
00:18:44.41\00:18:46.10
First and foremost, your most
important thing to think about
00:18:46.13\00:18:53.34
after you
deliver is not yourself.
00:18:53.37\00:18:55.89
Whether you're fat or whatever,
whether you have extra pounds
00:18:55.92\00:18:58.86
because you're not
supposed to be thinking of that
00:18:58.89\00:19:02.30
in the first 2 months
because all the nourishment that
00:19:02.33\00:19:06.21
you are supposed to give to your
baby, you're supposed to give.
00:19:06.24\00:19:09.02
And only after 2
months, will you be able,
00:19:09.05\00:19:13.35
I mean - physiologically,
you can start thinking of
00:19:13.38\00:19:17.80
trying to do
something to lose weight.
00:19:17.83\00:19:21.22
And obviously, a
healthy lifestyle is going to be
00:19:21.25\00:19:23.35
the best way - right
through the pregnancy
00:19:23.38\00:19:25.62
and in the postpartum,
just keep it the same. Yes
00:19:25.65\00:19:27.97
What about calories?
00:19:28.00\00:19:29.37
Should she continue to keep
up the calorie level as before?
00:19:29.40\00:19:33.37
Breastfeeding and lactating
mothers still need more calories
00:19:33.40\00:19:37.43
because you're
still feeding the baby,
00:19:37.46\00:19:39.55
especially when the
baby is not yet eating.
00:19:39.58\00:19:43.28
So all that you need
extra for your baby to grow
00:19:43.31\00:19:48.74
inside and outside,
you have still to do that.
00:19:48.77\00:19:52.25
So that's why activity is
really very important for you
00:19:52.28\00:19:55.62
to help keep you from...
00:19:55.65\00:19:59.18
Some women when they
breast feed, they grow fatter
00:19:59.21\00:20:02.46
because they put on more weight
because they're given permission
00:20:02.49\00:20:08.14
to eat because
there are 2 of them...
00:20:08.17\00:20:09.56
The same way as in pregnancy
but you still have to control.
00:20:09.59\00:20:12.78
Yes, you need more but
that doesn't necessarily mean
00:20:12.81\00:20:16.18
that you're
going to splurge! Okay
00:20:16.21\00:20:18.72
And then you have to
exercise to lose the weight too.
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.69
Right, right... Now let's
talk about the emotional signs,
00:20:21.72\00:20:25.76
or the emotional
management of the "baby blues"
00:20:25.79\00:20:28.90
After the baby has been
born, you've had the high,
00:20:28.93\00:20:31.43
and now there's a
corresponding low afterwards.
00:20:31.46\00:20:34.53
Yes exactly! There are so many
women who - it depends of course
00:20:34.56\00:20:40.09
because sometimes,
for example, an unwed mom,
00:20:40.12\00:20:43.54
there is no dad and the
parents didn't like the baby.
00:20:43.57\00:20:47.20
She's alone, she has to
cope, and cope with this already
00:20:47.23\00:20:52.68
an emotional problem
of being a single mom
00:20:52.71\00:20:55.07
taking care of her baby,
and this change in the hormones
00:20:55.10\00:20:58.83
coming down again.
00:20:58.86\00:21:00.23
Hormones have a lot to do with
this but it doesn't stay long.
00:21:00.26\00:21:03.90
It is a normal thing for you to
00:21:03.93\00:21:05.91
feel everybody is
happy and you're sad.
00:21:05.94\00:21:09.75
It's because hormones are...
00:21:09.78\00:21:11.15
Although NOT
everybody is like that!
00:21:11.18\00:21:14.48
Me, I didn't have a
chance to feel the baby blues.
00:21:14.51\00:21:18.24
I was hoping to go
through everything!
00:21:18.27\00:21:21.65
So you could empathize...
So that I could empathize!
00:21:21.68\00:21:23.81
I prayed, "Lord, please
help me go through these,
00:21:23.84\00:21:25.64
so that I could empathize. "
00:21:25.67\00:21:27.04
I wanted a normal delivery.
00:21:27.07\00:21:28.44
I didn't get a normal delivery.
00:21:28.47\00:21:29.84
I wanted to breastfeed -
00:21:29.87\00:21:31.24
at least I was
able to do the pumping.
00:21:31.27\00:21:33.13
I wanted to have some blues,
you know, postpartum blues.
00:21:33.17\00:21:38.87
I didn't get it - I had
to get up FAST and be strong!
00:21:38.90\00:21:43.00
Because of my baby
having so many problems.
00:21:43.03\00:21:46.16
So it's not always present,
but it is present in many,
00:21:46.19\00:21:49.99
and it's hormones - it will pass
when the hormones start to...
00:21:50.02\00:21:53.97
It's important though that the
family should be there to help.
00:21:54.00\00:21:57.27
Now typically, it
does pass within a few days
00:21:57.30\00:21:59.87
or a few weeks at the
most, but if it's lingering,
00:21:59.90\00:22:02.14
or progressing
and becoming worse...
00:22:02.17\00:22:03.85
Then maybe she does
have clinical depression.
00:22:03.88\00:22:06.50
I mean, postpartum
depression - you would say,
00:22:06.53\00:22:09.63
which is a more severe
form, and this one you have to
00:22:09.66\00:22:13.57
ask somebody's help.
00:22:13.60\00:22:15.97
When you notice that it
is lingering beyond 6 weeks,
00:22:16.00\00:22:19.55
she has already come back to
normal, all hormones are normal,
00:22:19.58\00:22:22.49
and she's still doing it...
00:22:22.52\00:22:23.94
It must be depression
and maybe you will need
00:22:23.97\00:22:27.44
more professional help.
00:22:27.47\00:22:29.44
Right, and at this time,
it's so important to get the
00:22:29.47\00:22:31.78
support of the family
and to be having people in
00:22:31.81\00:22:35.57
prayer for you
makes such a difference.
00:22:35.60\00:22:37.57
That was my own experience,
00:22:37.60\00:22:39.07
and if I can just
share with the viewers...
00:22:39.11\00:22:41.08
After my delivery,
it was actually quite a
00:22:41.12\00:22:43.06
traumatic delivery and I
had posttraumatic shock syndrome
00:22:43.09\00:22:46.59
for a number of weeks
with anxiety and depression,
00:22:46.62\00:22:49.03
and as that waned, I
became MORE depressed with
00:22:49.06\00:22:53.72
a postpartum
psychosis to some extent...
00:22:53.75\00:22:57.98
But because of my
dependence on the Lord,
00:22:58.01\00:23:01.66
dependence on His word,
and staying much in prayer,
00:23:01.69\00:23:05.50
the Lord was able to - not
through any credit to myself,
00:23:05.53\00:23:08.31
but the Lord was able
to bring me through that.
00:23:08.34\00:23:10.85
It was a very LONG and
trying protracted process,
00:23:10.88\00:23:14.17
and so if there is
anybody watching today that is
00:23:14.20\00:23:16.93
going through that, I
just want to encourage you
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.22
that the Lord is there...
00:23:19.25\00:23:20.88
He said, "I will never
leave you or forsake you,
00:23:20.91\00:23:23.64
and when you pass through the
waters, the waters of trouble
00:23:23.67\00:23:26.33
and suffering, I
will be with thee"
00:23:26.36\00:23:29.30
And postpartum depression
IS a serious condition;
00:23:29.33\00:23:31.84
it is a serious
thing, and I do encourage you
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.25
to seek help from your health
care provider as soon as you
00:23:34.28\00:23:36.90
feel that things are
just getting too much,
00:23:36.93\00:23:39.53
and you feel either that
you can't take care of yourself,
00:23:39.56\00:23:42.15
or you just don't want
to take care of your baby,
00:23:42.18\00:23:44.03
or you feel in danger of
harming yourself or your baby.
00:23:44.06\00:23:47.01
Please seek help and remember
Jesus is there to help you.
00:23:47.04\00:23:50.58
Well, Dr. Cherie Lou, can
you make any other comments
00:23:50.61\00:23:52.86
for ladies that are going
through postpartum depression?
00:23:52.89\00:23:56.13
Especially if there is a
history in the family of anybody
00:23:56.16\00:24:01.04
who has had postpartum blues
and/or protracted depression.
00:24:01.07\00:24:07.46
It is VERY important
that all the support is there.
00:24:07.49\00:24:13.29
In many Asian countries
where everybody is just so ready
00:24:13.32\00:24:22.06
to pitch in - the grandma
is there, the grand-aunts
00:24:22.09\00:24:27.36
and everybody...
00:24:27.39\00:24:28.76
First, they let
the woman rest first.
00:24:28.79\00:24:31.23
The only thing she has to
do is breastfeed her baby,
00:24:31.26\00:24:33.78
and everything is taken care of.
00:24:33.81\00:24:37.12
The love and the
nurture of the people around her
00:24:37.15\00:24:41.19
is very important and the
husband especially understanding
00:24:41.22\00:24:45.07
how difficult it is and you see
all these things that the woman
00:24:45.10\00:24:49.27
went through.
00:24:49.30\00:24:50.67
Yes, there are actually some
physiological components as well
00:24:50.70\00:24:55.02
It's not just necessarily
a shock reaction to the birth
00:24:55.05\00:24:58.34
or just not being able
to cope with this newborn,
00:24:58.37\00:25:01.96
if it's your first baby.
00:25:01.99\00:25:03.36
But you could actually be
deficient because your body
00:25:03.39\00:25:05.12
has been so robbed, if
you like, of nutrition,
00:25:05.15\00:25:07.75
especially
essential fatty acids.
00:25:07.78\00:25:09.62
That could be a major
contributor to depression.
00:25:09.65\00:25:14.26
That's why - just one
thing, it's important really,
00:25:14.29\00:25:17.59
to seek consult when
you're already seeing
00:25:17.62\00:25:20.92
that it's beyond your capacity
00:25:20.95\00:25:22.74
to just regularly
take care of yourself.
00:25:22.77\00:25:26.21
Do you think it's
important that ladies are aware
00:25:26.24\00:25:28.41
that whether they are at high
risk of postpartum depression
00:25:28.44\00:25:31.09
BEFORE they give birth?
00:25:31.12\00:25:32.52
They have to talk about it with
the doctor because the prognosis
00:25:32.55\00:25:36.84
really depends on how
much your doctor knows of you,
00:25:36.87\00:25:40.93
how aggressive he
will be in the management
00:25:40.96\00:25:46.15
of your postpartum
blues and/or depression.
00:25:46.18\00:25:49.66
It is important that you are
transparent with your doctor.
00:25:49.69\00:25:54.66
Now, there are some herbs
that can help with depression
00:25:54.69\00:25:57.25
if it's not of a VERY,
VERY severe psychotic nature,
00:25:57.28\00:26:01.10
and what would you recommend?
00:26:01.13\00:26:02.93
Oh, I have seen a lot of
improvement with St. John's wort
00:26:02.96\00:26:07.77
St. John's wort is an
herb that helps depression.
00:26:07.80\00:26:13.55
I've seen it really work, I
could see it within 30 minutes
00:26:13.58\00:26:17.33
You could just look at
the bottle and see the dose,
00:26:17.36\00:26:20.93
and that's what I did...
00:26:20.96\00:26:22.98
And it has been
helping my patients who had
00:26:23.01\00:26:25.95
postpartum blues.
00:26:25.98\00:26:27.64
Now, how prevalent is it?
00:26:27.67\00:26:29.04
We don't want our
viewers to feel that
00:26:29.07\00:26:30.71
it's going to happen to them.
00:26:30.74\00:26:33.70
It is there - it's a reality!
00:26:33.74\00:26:36.67
And it does happen
often, so we just maybe think
00:26:36.70\00:26:42.14
she is tired or whatever.
00:26:42.17\00:26:43.54
It might just be
mild but it can be severe,
00:26:43.57\00:26:46.57
and we cannot just
leave these things... Right
00:26:46.60\00:26:50.17
Absolutely, they
need to be treated,
00:26:50.20\00:26:51.80
and I think one study suggested
that only 1 in 10 of women
00:26:51.83\00:26:56.05
actually have the
very severe version
00:26:56.08\00:27:00.08
which I think I had some of...
and so that's a wonderful thing.
00:27:00.11\00:27:03.58
So the other ladies can take
a deep breath and be thankful
00:27:03.61\00:27:07.40
that it's not so likely
it's going to happen to them.
00:27:07.43\00:27:09.95
Dr. Cherie Lou,
thank you so much
00:27:09.98\00:27:11.40
for being with us
today. It's my pleasure
00:27:11.43\00:27:12.89
Are there any more words
of encouragement that you can
00:27:12.92\00:27:15.62
share with us today - for ladies
that are perhaps first-time moms
00:27:15.65\00:27:19.05
in the postpartum period...
00:27:19.08\00:27:20.87
How they can get through that.
00:27:20.90\00:27:22.27
Oh, you are blessed
with a new bundle of joy!
00:27:22.30\00:27:27.98
Again as when you were pregnant,
you enjoyed your pregnancy,
00:27:28.01\00:27:31.76
now you have the
fruit of your womb!
00:27:31.79\00:27:35.82
Don't ever think that
you are sad, you are weak,
00:27:35.85\00:27:40.48
you are this or that.
00:27:40.51\00:27:42.14
Enjoy and look forward to having
this bundle of joy grow with you
00:27:42.17\00:27:46.62
If you are a new mom,
don't worry, you will learn!
00:27:46.65\00:27:49.61
And the Lord has put it in us
00:27:49.64\00:27:51.32
how to deal with
problems from day-to-day.
00:27:51.35\00:27:54.01
It is exciting how the
Lord can give you what you need.
00:27:54.04\00:27:58.72
Thank you so
much, Dr. Cherie Lou
00:27:58.75\00:28:00.91
And thank you
for joining us today.
00:28:00.94\00:28:02.51
I hope you have been
blessed with the information,
00:28:02.54\00:28:04.44
and remember God is
your healthcare provider.
00:28:04.48\00:28:06.44