When to call
during the postpartum period?
When should you call us during the postpartum period? The basic rule: call us if you are worried and/or have questions about yourself or your baby. When MUST you always call us during the first 10 days after giving birth:
Mother:
Baby:
- Sudden heavy bleeding and/or blood clots
- Fever > 38°C or >100.4°F
- Foul-smelling vaginal bleeding
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Headache, blurred vision, nausea/vomiting, upper abdominal pain, pain between the shoulder blades, sudden swelling
- Painful, hard, red areas on your breast(s)
- Painful, swollen, red leg(s)
- Depressive feelings: sadness, inability to enjoy things, excessive feelings of worry
Baby:
- Temperature <36.5°C/97.7°F or >37.5°C/99.5°F
- Jaundice within 24 hours of birth
- Repeatedly refusing to feed
- Grunting while breathing
- Grey, pale or blue skin
- If the lips, tongue and/or inside of the mouth turn blue
- Repeated forceful vomiting (with arching)
- Suspected infected umbilical cord (bright red/inflammation or pus)
