Most women who give birth recover without any problems. However, any woman can have complications after the birth of a baby. Learning to recognize post-birth warning signs and knowing what to do can save her life.

What are the post-birth warning signs?

There are signs of potentially life-threatening complications that could affect you after you give births. Specific signs you should watch for include:

  • Pain in your chest
  • Shortness of breath
  • Seizures
  • Thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby
  • Bleeding that is soaks through one pad/hour or blood clots the size of an egg
  • Incision that is not healing
  • Red or swollen leg that is painful or warm to touch
  • Temperature of 100.4 or higher

When talking to a health care provider it is important to tell them that you just had a baby. You can begin the conversation with, “I had a baby on (date) and I am having (specific symptoms).” This will alert the health care provider that a woman’s symptoms could be related to a recent pregnancy.

Download the warning signs.

For more information, visit Health4Mom.org