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Coping with the sheer volume of work between changing nappies, baths, feeding, and getting up at night can be nerve-wrecking. But take care not to disregard your own needs and health. Pay attention to how you’re feeling physically, mentally and emotionally; and call your doctor right away if you:
• Feel extreme sadness or despair or have delusions or thoughts of harming yourself or your child.
• Notice that bleeding continues to be bright red after the first four days, resumes after slowing down, contains clots bigger than a quarter, or emits a foul odour.
• Develop a fever, even a slight one.
• Have severe or persistent pain anywhere in your abdomen or pelvis, or afterpains that get worse.
• Have worsening pain or soreness that persists beyond the first few weeks; or redness, swelling, or discharge at the site of your c-section incision.
• Have severe or worsening pain in your vagina or perineum, or swelling or discharge from the site of an episiotomy or a tear.
• Have pain or tenderness in one area of the breast, swelling or redness in one area, possibly accompanied by flu-like symptoms or fever.
• Have pain or burning when urinating; the urge to pee frequently but not a lot comes out; your urine is dark and scanty or bloody; or you have any combination of these symptoms.
• Have severe or persistent pain or tenderness and warmth in one area of your leg, or one leg is more swollen than the other.
• Have severe or persistent headaches.
• Have double vision, blurring or dimming of vision, or flashing spots or lights.
• Have severe or persistent vomiting.
• Find that the site of your IV insertion becomes painful, tender, or inflamed.
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