No doubt about it.  Most US women, in today's managed labor craze, are
victims of "medically mediated" fluid volume over load.  Even healthy moms
without any medications in labor, can be puffy after birth.  Part of that
pregancy weight gain is due to an increase in blood volume (for the
plactenta etc.)  Once the baby and placenta are gone, there is quite a bit
more blood left for mom's heart to pump around.  Some women's bodies seem
to want to diminish the circulating blood volume very quickly after the
birth.  One quick way for the human body to lower blood volume is "third
space" the fluid part into the tissues- leading to those puffy hands, feet
and faces.  Add to that all the Pitocin, extra IV fluids to attempt to
counter act the drop in BP for the epidural, and the flush for the routine
antibiotics (I won't even mention the IV fluid that regularly runs in "by
mistake" at some hospitals because the LR/D5LR is not on a pump) and there
are some very fluid logged mothers and babies.

RPS is a great technique for anyone with edema:-)

Charity, BSN RN

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html