Precautions and dietary taboos during confinement period

To prevent infection, promote uterine contractions, and avoid secondary damage, remember in the diet that "high nutrition is good for digestion, avoid promoting blood circulation, avoid raw and cold foods, and don't take supplements blindly" in the first week. Don’t believe in the old saying that you have to lie down for 30 days and not wash your hair or brush your teeth. Don’t rely on your youth to think that “it’s just a minor surgery.” I have been in a gynecological clinic for 7 years and have seen too many girls in their early 20s suffer from chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, menstrual disorders, and even affect subsequent pregnancies because they were not careful during the recovery period. It is really unnecessary.

Let’s talk about the most controversial issue of whether you can take a shower and wash your hair. The current general recommendation of Western medicine is that if there is no obvious heavy bleeding 24 hours after the operation, you can take a shower. As long as you don’t take a bath or use a bathtub, dry your hair and body immediately after washing, and don’t blow cold wind. After all, the resistance after the operation is weak, and it is easy to catch a cold if you catch a cold. However, according to traditional Chinese medicine, it is recommended to wait at least 3-5 days before touching the water. You are afraid of being exposed to the wind and getting a headache. In fact, this can completely depend on your physical condition. If you are weak and feel dizzy and have no strength after the operation, it doesn't matter if you wait an extra two days. If your normal physical condition is good, you will feel no discomfort the day after the operation, and there will be no problems if you wash it. You don't have to carry it for a month without washing, which will easily breed bacteria and cause inflammation.

Some people say that confinement children must lie down the whole time. This is really a misunderstanding. When there is a lot of bleeding in the first three days after surgery, it is okay to lie down more, but you should also get out of bed and walk for more than ten minutes every day to help the lochia drain out. If you lie down all the time, blood will accumulate in the uterine cavity, which will easily lead to uterine cavity adhesions and infections. There used to be a 22-year-old girl. Her mother was very fond of her. She lay down for a whole week after the operation and did not get off the ground at all except to go to the toilet. During the reexamination, there was 2.3cm of intrauterine hemorrhage. The doctor did not even prescribe any medicine, so she was asked to go out and walk slowly for half an hour every day. After a week, all the blood was cleared during the reexamination. Of course, don't try too hard to do strenuous exercise, such as running, fitness, or aerobics, for at least half a month, and don't do heavy work, otherwise it will easily lead to uterine prolapse.

There is one thing that both Chinese medicine and Western medicine agree on, and I must remember it: You must not have sex within 4 weeks after surgery, and don't engage in borderline sexual behaviors, regardless of whether your bleeding is clean or not. The cervix is ​​open after surgery, and it is easy to bring bacteria in if touched at this time. This is how pelvic inflammatory disease and endometritis come about. There is also contraception. Don’t get pregnant for at least half a year. Whether you plan to have a baby or not, uterine repair takes time. Pregnancy again within a short period of time, whether it is retained or aborted, will double the damage to the uterus. Oh, by the way, there is another little thing that you should not ignore. You should change the sanitary napkins you usually use every 2-3 hours. Rinse the vulva with warm water every day to keep it clean. Don’t use random private parts lotion. Just use clean water. It will not easily destroy the bacterial flora.

When it comes to the importance of the recovery period, many people’s first reaction is to take supplements. In fact, there are more pitfalls in diet than in lifestyle habits. On the first day after surgery, many family members cook angelica, black-bone chicken soup, ginseng and old hen soup, and add a bunch of red dates and wolfberries. Listen to me, don’t do this in the first week. There are fresh wounds in the uterine cavity after the operation. Eating these blood-activating ingredients will cause the bleeding volume to increase and the bleeding time to become longer. I treated a patient last year who drank the angelica and astragalus soup stewed by her mother-in-law on the day after the operation. The amount of bleeding that night was twice as much as the menstrual volume. Her pants and sheets were all see-through, and she came to the emergency department to stop the bleeding in the middle of the night. The diet for the first week should be light. Millet porridge, boiled eggs, stir-fried lean meat, and steamed fish are better for digestion and protein supplementation than anything else.

There is also the common saying that you cannot eat raw or cold food, but this is not absolute. You can eat fruits at room temperature such as apples, strawberries, and grapes, as long as they are not popsicles, iced milk tea, or iced watermelon just taken out of the refrigerator. There are also different opinions here. Traditional Chinese medicine will recommend eating cool fruits such as watermelon, dragon fruit, and pears as little as possible for a week, as they are afraid that coldness will damage the stomach and affect recovery. Western medicine actually does not have this taboo. As long as you don’t have diarrhea or stomachache after eating it, you will be fine. Everyone can choose according to their own gastrointestinal conditions. There is no need to overdo it and dare not eat even an apple at room temperature.

When the bleeding is almost gone, about 7-10 days after the operation, you can take appropriate iron and protein supplements. Eat pork liver and spinach 1-2 times a week, drink a glass of milk and eat two eggs every day, which is much more effective than buying hundreds of yuan of blood-enhancing health care products. Don’t eat too much meat or fish. You won’t do much exercise after surgery. If you eat too much, it will lead to constipation. Straining to go to the toilet is not good for your recovery.

In fact, many people have not noticed that the emotional regulation of confinement is also a very important part. I have seen many girls feel guilty after giving birth. They hide under the quilt and cry every day. They cannot eat or sleep well, and their recovery is slow. Don't always mention this matter to family members. Spend more time with her and cook something she likes to eat. Only when your mood is good can your body recover faster. This is more effective than any tonic.

In general, confinement is really not as complicated as everyone thinks, and you don't need to strictly follow the online list one by one. As long as you don't do anything, don't make up for it blindly, and go to the hospital in time when you feel uncomfortable, you can basically recover well. By the way, don’t forget to have a follow-up B-ultrasound 1-2 weeks after the operation to see if there is any residue. Don’t think that everything will be fine if there is no bleeding. Many residues are asymptomatic. Early detection and early treatment will prevent problems from prolonging.