How to Stay Healthy After Giving Birth
January 19, 2023
After your baby is born, the first days and weeks back home can be exhausting. It’s important to take extra-good care of yourself as you recover from childbirth.
Your labor and delivery might be normal. However, you should watch for signs of infection, high blood pressure, and other symptoms.
Otherwise, you could end up back in the hospital!
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of the symptoms listed below.
“Postpartum depression” feelings, such as:
- Extreme anxiety
- Lack of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Feeling anxious around your baby
- Having scary, upsetting thoughts
- Worrying that you are failing as a mom
- Thoughts about harming yourself or your baby
Physical symptoms, such as:
- A headache that won’t go away
- A headache that gets worse over time
- Feeling dizzy
- Fainting
- Having trouble reading or seeing
- Fever of 100.4 °F or higher
- Swelling in your hands
- Swelling in your face
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
- Fast-beating or pounding heart
- Severe nausea
- Throwing up
- Severe belly pain that doesn’t go away
- Bleeding from your vagina
- Discharge from your vagina
- Severe swelling, redness, or pain in your leg or arm
- Overwhelming tiredness
Want more great information on taking care of yourself after childbirth? Check out “10 Health Tips for First-Time Mothers”
Earn Paid Rewards for You and Your Baby
As a Parkland Community Health Plan member, you can earn reward points for completing certain wellness activities listed on this website.
Then, spend those points on gift cards and fun, healthy items from the Rewards Catalog. Rewards for new moms include:
$60 Value Reward for a Postpartum Visit
Earn reward points worth $60 per pregnancy when you receive your postpartum checkup within 21-56 days of delivery. Learn more.
Up to $160 Value Reward for Well-Child Checkups
Earn reward points when your child completes up to six timely well-baby checkups between ages 0-15 months and up to two timely well-child checkups between ages 16-30 months. Learn more.
Other benefits for moms include a free car seat and free meal service and the free Pyx mobile app.
Call the free 24-hour Nurse Line
Have questions about pregnancy, childbirth, or newborn care?
Are you feeling dizzy or weak—and worried you have an infection?
Get professional help. Call the 24-Hour Nurse Line.
There is no cost to you for this Parkland Community Health Plan service.
HEALTHfirst STAR Medicaid 1-888-667-7890
KIDSfirst CHIP/CHIP Perinate 1-800-357-3162
For questions about postpartum depression, call your health plan’s toll-free behavioral health line.
STAR/CHIP: 1-800-945-4644
CHIP Perinate: 1-888-814-2352
