Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1399 Postpartum Issues, Old Hu's Plans for Settling Down (Two Chapters Combined)
The nurse came over with the baby wrapped in pink swaddling clothes and showed it to Lao Hu. Lao Hu looked at the tiny person in the swaddling clothes, his fingers trembled slightly, and tears welled up in his eyes—he finally had his own child, and such a lovely daughter at that.

"I'm a dad!" Old Hu excitedly told the people around him.

He had just finished speaking when he realized that Fang Yan and the others were still waiting outside.

Turning his head, he immediately said to his wife:

"Huijie, you're a mother now!"

"Thank you for your hard work, we have a daughter now!"

At this moment, the nurse, holding the newborn in pink swaddling clothes, first walked to the operating table in the corner of the delivery room and turned on the heat lamp.

Old Hu asked curiously:
"What is this for?"

"This is to prevent the newborn from losing body heat, especially since it's early morning and the room temperature is low," the old woman said to the old man.

The nurse gently unwrapped the baby, used sterile gauze dipped in warm saline solution to wipe away the secretions from Old Hu's daughter's mouth and nose, then carefully cleaned the folds of her face and neck, before changing the swaddling clothes to leave only her head exposed.

Next, she took out a soft measuring tape to measure the newborn's height and head circumference, and while recording the measurements, she said to the people around her, "Height 50 centimeters, head circumference 34 centimeters, both within the normal range."

After saying that, he listened to the newborn's heart and lungs with a stethoscope, looked at the skin color of the soles of the feet, and added: "The breathing is stable, the skin is rosy, and there are no signs of jaundice. We will take blood from the heels for screening in a little while."

Old Hu stood nearby, wanting to help but not daring to reach out. He only dared to ask in a low voice, "What does the heel prick blood test check for?" The nurse smiled and explained, "It mainly checks for any congenital problems. Early detection and intervention are good for the child. Our hospital's process is fast, and we will notify you as soon as the results are available."

On the other side, Huang Huijie's mother and the nurse were giving her postpartum care. The nurse first measured her blood pressure with a blood pressure monitor: "Systolic pressure 125, diastolic pressure 80, normal."

The old woman then checked Huang Huijie's uterine contractions, gently pressing her lower abdomen to feel the firmness of her uterus: "The contractions are good, and I can feel the fundus, which means the recovery is going well."

This is all thanks to Fang Yan's daily check-ups and care. To be able to give birth so smoothly at this age is a very low probability event.

Afterwards, she instructed the nurses to change Huang Huijie's maternity pads and monitor her bleeding.

Then he said to the nurse who was taking notes:
"The bleeding was minimal and there were no blood clots, which is normal postpartum condition."

After saying that, she helped her put on a disposable nursing pad and instructed, "Now you need to turn over more often to promote the discharge of lochia. If you feel dizzy or have heart palpitations, be sure to call us immediately."

Huang Huijie nodded weakly, and her mother, speaking in a dialect, touched her forehead.
"You'll sweat a lot right after giving birth, so don't catch a cold. We'll prepare some warm brown sugar water for you in the observation room later to replenish your energy."

Huang Huijie agreed.

The old woman said to Old Hu:

"Did you bring a change of clothes and personal items?"

Old Hu nodded hurriedly and said:

"Take it with you, just leave it outside."

The old lady followed him in and said to Lao Hu, "The first two hours after delivery are critical. After we leave, we will check her blood pressure, contractions, and bleeding every half hour. If you notice anything unusual, please let us know immediately. You can put the baby in the crib next to us. If you want to hold her, remember to wash your hands first."

Old Hu readily agreed.

About ten minutes later, a nurse came over with a stretcher, ready to transfer Huang Huijie to the postpartum observation room.

Only then did Lao Hu have time to go outside, and he saw not only Fang Yan, but also the dean and the director of this department.

"Mr. Hu, congratulations! It's such a wonderful thing that both mother and daughter are safe and sound! I could tell from the baby's loud cries inside that it's a healthy child," Cui Jingyi said to Mr. Hu.

Lao Hu said:

"Thank you!"

His attention wasn't on that right now; he was looking at Cui Changshou, who was about to change his clothes.

Fang Yan asked him:
"is that OK?"

Old Hu nodded and said:

"No problem, no problem. I'll be transferred to another place for observation soon. Thank you all for accompanying me."

Fang Yan waved his hand and said:
"Oh, you're too kind of yourself to say that."

Seeing that Lao Hu was busy getting a change of clothes, and fearing that he might forget something important, Fang Yan took two steps forward to remind him: "Lao Hu, don't rush. Let me tell you a few things to keep in mind so you won't panic later."

Old Hu, clutching his clothes, nodded hurriedly: "Huh? Tell me, what's wrong?"

“First is Sister Huang’s observation period,” Fang Yan said, pointing towards the stretcher. “Once she’s in the observation room, the nurses will check her blood pressure, contractions, and bleeding every half hour. Keep a close eye on her. If Sister Huang says she’s dizzy, has severe abdominal pain, or her bleeding suddenly increases, don’t wait for the nurses; press the call button by the bedside immediately. This can’t be delayed. Also, she needs to urinate for the first time 4 to 6 hours postpartum. Remind her that if it’s inconvenient for her to get out of bed, she should ask the nurses to bring her a bedpan. A full bladder is bad for uterine recovery.”

He paused, then turned to the matter of the newborn:

"The nurse will be coming to draw blood from your child's heel in a little while. Please cooperate. Don't worry about the blood; it's to check for congenital problems. Early screening brings peace of mind. There's also a hearing screening, which is usually done today or tomorrow. Keep an eye on the nurse's notifications. If you don't pass the initial screening, don't panic; you can have a follow-up test in 42 days."

After hearing the dialect spoken, Old Hu nodded and asked:

"Anything else?"

He said in dialect:

"That's all. Anyway, don't panic, we're here for you."

Old Hu nodded repeatedly and said:

"Okay... I'll go in then!"

At this moment, Director Hu, who was standing to the side, said:
"Oh right, there's also the birth certificate preparation material. Since you are overseas Chinese, the procedures are different from those for ordinary families."

Upon hearing Director Hu's words, Old Hu said:

"Don't worry about that. I already talked to Director Liao a while ago. He can call me when the time comes and he'll have someone take care of it for me."

Director Hu nodded, somewhat embarrassed. It seemed he had been overthinking things. How could the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office not help solve such a crucial problem for an overseas Chinese businessman like Lao Hu?

Old Hu has now basically shifted his business focus to the mainland, and it's almost certain that he'll settle down there. His child was born here, so his identity will definitely be confirmed as Chinese.

This also definitively establishes their future development direction.

Fang Yan had been busy since a little after four o'clock, and it was almost six o'clock. Fang Yan remembered that there was a pregnant woman at home, so she quickly told Cui Changshou and the others, and then went home.

Huang Huijie has safely passed through the most dangerous period, so Fang Yan no longer needs to guard this place.

Back home, apart from the children who were still asleep, many of the others couldn't sleep after the commotion. Not all the family members went to bed, but they all got up.

When they saw Fang Yan return, they all started asking him questions.

"You're finally back!" Zhu Lin immediately stood up, leaning on the table, her steps hurried. "How's Huijie? Has she given birth yet? Is it a boy or a girl?"

Fang Yan first took off his coat and hung it up, then walked over, picked up a teacup, took a sip of warm water, and said with a smile:
"It's all good, it's all good. She's given birth to a girl, weighing 6.1 pounds. Both mother and daughter are safe."

As soon as these words were spoken, the main hall instantly became lively.

The mother-in-law slapped her thigh and laughed:

"Oh, that's wonderful! The Hu couple has had a tough time; they've finally got their baby!"

Zhu Lin's heart finally settled down. She sat down, clutching her stomach, her face full of smiles: "I told you she would have a smooth delivery. I was worried that her body wouldn't be able to handle it as an older mother, but it went quite smoothly."

After saying that, he even praised the dialect:

"It's all thanks to you watching over her all the time."

"Given the relationship between our two families, this was just a small favor," Fang Yan said with a smile, then looked at his wife's belly:
"Now we just have to wait and see when our little one will finally step out and see the world."

Zhu Lin touched his stomach and said:

"It should be soon."

"I thought I would go first, but I didn't expect Huang Huijie to go first."

The mother-in-law then said:
"No rush, no rush. When I was pregnant with you all, it took longer than usual. I guess you inherited that from me, so it's normal for it to take longer."

Zhu Lin smiled as he heard his mother's comforting words and said:

"I didn't say I was in a hurry, I just said it later."

After saying that, she turned to look at Fang Yan and said:

"By the way, when can we go to visit? We should also bring the gifts we prepared for the children."

Although it was called a gift, it was actually a longevity lock made of gold. Fang Yan received some gold bars as gifts, and used some when making Taoist gold needles, but there were still quite a few left. So he asked Lao Ji from the Palace Museum to help him find a master goldsmith to make a few longevity locks.

Yes, we did have several, because we didn't know how many children Huang Huijie had, so we prepared several.

It's okay if you don't use it all.

When Fang Yan heard his wife's question, he said:
"We're still observing them. We should be able to visit them around 10 a.m.

Zhu Lin nodded and said:
"Then I'll go find the lock now and wrap it in a clean red cloth."

Fang Yan quickly grabbed her: "Slow down, isn't the lock in the bedside table drawer? I'll go get it, you sit down."

He then walked towards the bedroom.

After taking it out, Zhu Lin asked, "Does it need to be disinfected before it can be used on the child?"

Fang Yan was both amused and exasperated. The longevity lock she had made was a bit too heavy for a newborn baby to wear. It was just something to give to the parents as a token of appreciation.

He said to Zhu Lin:

"I can't take care of the child for the time being, so you don't need to worry about it."

After speaking in dialect, I checked the time and realized it was time for my usual morning exercise. My sister-in-law and Sophia had gone to the kitchen to cook.

Fang Yan goes outside to prepare for his morning exercise; this is almost an unwavering habit of his.

After finishing her morning exercise, breakfast was ready at home. Fang Yan ate breakfast and didn't forget to bring some for Lao Hu and the others as well, so she could take them to the hospital later.

After breakfast, Fang Yan went to see Director Liao to check on his health. The old man had been extremely busy lately and was feeling unwell in many ways. Fang Yan went there every day to help him with his problems.

When I arrived this morning, Director Liao had just gotten up and was arranging the day's work. Upon seeing Fang Yan, he immediately greeted him:

"Fang Yan, take a look at my ankle, it's a bit swollen."

Fang Yan asked him:
"Staying up late again?"

Director Liao said:
"Well, it was a little late, but it wasn't really staying up all night. I wasn't sleepy at the time."

Fang Yan said to him:
"It must be past midnight again, right? Take off your socks first, let me see how swollen it is."

Director Liao smiled sheepishly, slowly taking off her socks to reveal her ankles. Sure enough, her right ankle was noticeably more swollen than her left, and pressing on it left a shallow indentation. Fang Yan gently pressed the swollen area with her fingertips and asked, "Does it hurt? Does it feel numb when you walk?"

"It doesn't hurt, it's just a little swollen, but it's not a big problem for walking." Director Liao sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Fang Yan's serious expression, and added, "I had a meeting all afternoon yesterday, and then I organized materials on overseas Chinese investment in the evening. I just sat there and didn't move much. I found out about the swelling when I woke up this morning."

Then Fang Yan began to check his pulse. After finding that there was nothing seriously wrong, she said to Director Liao:
"It's alright, no need for medicine. I'll give you a couple of acupuncture needles to promote blood circulation. When you sleep tonight, elevate your feet with a pillow underneath so that your ankles are slightly higher than your heart, which will help reduce swelling."

"Also, don't wear tight socks today, try to wear loose cloth shoes, walk less, and don't stand for long periods of time."

Director Liao nodded repeatedly after hearing this.

Then Fang Yan took out the sea dragon needle and gave Director Liao a few acupuncture points, while simultaneously reporting to him that Huang Huijie had given birth. Hearing that Huang Huijie had given birth, and just now, he said with some surprise:
"Oh dear, I thought it was Zhu Linxian from your family. Why did she come early? I hope there weren't any problems?"

"It's alright, mother and daughter are safe," Fang Yan replied to Director Liao.

Director Liao, feeling the needles in his foot, said:

"After you finish getting my acupuncture done there, I need to go to the hospital to get checked out."

He said in dialect:

“Okay, but you can’t see the child. Huang Huijie and the child are under observation right now, but you can see Lao Hu without any problem.”

Director Liao said:
"Then I saw him."

By the time Fang Yan was receiving her needle treatment, Director Liao's breakfast had arrived.

The dishes he ate were mostly Cantonese style, and after observing the dialect, Director Liao said:

"It's all made according to your request. Why don't you try it?"

Fang Yan waved his hand, saying he had already eaten his fill.

Now that Director Liao has moved here, we have to manage what dialect he eats. Otherwise, if he eats whatever he wants, it will be difficult to manage the dialect. Fortunately, Director Liao is very cooperative.

He eats whatever is spoken in the local dialect.

Director Liao eats very quickly; he finished eating before the needle insertion time was even over.

Fang Yan initially wanted to tell him to eat slowly, but then thought better of it. She figured that giving positive feedback was more effective in getting the patient to cooperate, so Fang Yan praised him instead.

"Just eat like this, and stay up less late. If you don't overwork yourself, I guarantee you'll live to be a hundred."

Upon hearing this, Director Liao said:
"Haha, that's quite difficult. I'll probably have to be retired before I can do it..."

After saying that, he changed the subject:
"Is it time? After you get the needle removed, I'll go to the hospital with you to get it checked out."

Upon hearing his words, Fang Yan checked her watch and saw that it was indeed time. She quickly took the needle, had Director Liao change into a pair of loose shoes, and then they went out together towards Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

According to Fang Yan, they went directly to the place where Huang Huijie and Lao Hu had stayed before the hospital, which was the rehabilitation department. As Lao Hu requested, Huang Huijie stayed in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department and the rehabilitation department when she was hospitalized at Xiehe Hospital, and did not go to any other places.

Although the situation at home has been clarified, they are still being extra cautious.

When Fang Yan and the others arrived, Lao Hu was just coming out of the ward.

Upon seeing the dialect, he said:

"Fang Yan, you've come at the right time! Hui Jie said she's not feeling well!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yan immediately asked:

"What's wrong? Tell me about it."

Lao Hu said:

"My lower abdomen is bloated and I feel uncomfortable. I need to go to the toilet but I can't pee. I was just about to go and call someone."

Upon hearing Lao Hu's words, Fang Yan immediately understood the situation and said to Lao Hu:

"Don't worry, it's most likely that your bladder hasn't recovered properly after childbirth. Let's see how it goes; it usually resolves itself."

"I'll go in and take a look first."

Old Hu immediately nodded in agreement.

He trusted Fangyan more than anyone else.

When Fang Yan and the others entered the ward, they saw Huang Huijie lying on the bed with her brows furrowed and one hand gently pressing her lower abdomen. Her face was slightly paler than in the morning.

The newborn daughter was still lying in the crib next to her.

Fang Yan first approached Huang Huijie's bedside, but didn't rush to touch her. He asked softly, "Sister Huang, besides feeling bloated and unable to urinate, do you have any other discomfort? For example, stomach pain, dizziness, or a pulling pain down there?"

Huang Huijie shook her head weakly, her voice a little hoarse: "No, it's just that my lower abdomen feels heavy. I clearly feel like I need to urinate, but I can't get it out even after sitting in the toilet for a long time. The more I try, the worse it gets."

"I want to press it. Tell me how it feels." Fang Yan reached out his hand, and Huang Huijie nodded in agreement.

Then Fang Yan gently pressed down on her lower abdomen, below her bladder area, with his palm. As soon as he pressed down a little, Huang Huijie hissed.

"It's this area that's swollen and uncomfortable."

Fang Yan withdrew his hand and explained to Lao Hu and Director Liao, who had followed him in:

"It's nothing serious. Postpartum bladder muscles are relaxed, and the bladder was compressed during childbirth. Plus, you've been lying down for so long without moving, so urine is accumulating inside and can't be expelled. This is common for older mothers. It's not serious, but you need to clear it quickly, otherwise, if it remains bloated for too long, it will affect the recovery of the uterus."

Director Liao, listening nearby, also breathed a sigh of relief, but was still a little worried:

"So what do we do now?"

Huang Huijie asked:
"Should we call a nurse to insert a catheter?"

Dialectal wave:
"No need for now. Inserting a catheter is invasive, so it's best if the urine can drain on its own."

After saying that, he turned to Anton and said:

"Anton, go to the nurses' station and get a hot water bottle, and also get a basin of warm water. The water shouldn't be too hot, just lukewarm."

Anton agreed and went off immediately.

Fang Yan then turned to Huang Huijie and said, "Sister Huang, don't be nervous. The more nervous you are, the tighter your bladder will feel. Try lying on your side for a while, and I'll teach you how to relax."

Huang Huijie did as instructed, and sure enough, she felt much better after a while.

After a while, Anton returned with a hot water bottle and warm water, followed by the nurse in charge of the area. Upon seeing Fang Yan, she quickly said:

"Director Fang, what's the problem?"

Fang Yan wrapped the hot water bottle in a towel and placed it below Huang Huijie's lower abdomen, first instructing Huang Huijie:

"Feel it, and call me anytime if it gets too hot."

Then he said to the nurse:

"Not being able to urinate is a minor problem."

Before the nurse could speak, Fang Yan had already picked up the basin of water from the side and placed it on the stool beside the bed. Then he said to Huang Huijie:

“Sister Huang, listen to the sound of the water flowing, try to relax your stomach, don’t squeeze, just like you urinate slowly normally. Don’t think ‘I can’t urinate,’ just think ‘The water is flowing, and I can urinate slowly.’”

As he spoke, he picked up the kettle next to him and began pouring water into the basin.

The crowd stared at the hand in surprise, wondering what it was for.

As he slowly poured water into the basin, listening to the "splashing" sound of the water, he explained:
"This uses 'conditioned reflex' to help relax the bladder. When a person hears the sound of running water, the brain will unconsciously associate it with urination, which can gradually relax the muscles that control the bladder. It is much more effective than holding it in and straining."

“Especially since Sister Huang’s bladder is currently tight, forcing it out will only make her muscles tighter, and the more she can’t urinate, the more anxious she becomes, creating a vicious cycle.”

"Doctors used it in ancient times. It wasn't just for women; it was used for adults and children alike."

Huang Huijie lay on her side, listening to the sound of running water beside her ear, and with a hot water bottle warming her lower abdomen, her previously tense body gradually relaxed. Old Hu, standing beside her, didn't dare to make a sound, only gently tucking the blanket around her, afraid of disturbing her.

Director Liao didn't disturb her too much. He stood at the door to keep the ward quiet and give Huang Huijie enough space to relax.

Fang Yan was pouring water into the basin from the side.

Just as the water was almost gone, Huang Huijie stirred slightly and said to Lao Hu:
"I think I'm starting to feel it..."

Fang Yan immediately stopped pouring water and gestured for Lao Hu to help her sit up slowly: "Sit up slowly to let your body adjust, and then lean forward slightly so that your bladder is in a better position and it will be easier to urinate."

"I think I'm starting to feel it..."

Fang Yan quickly said, "Don't panic, take it slow. Let Lao Hu help you sit up. Lean forward a little so that your bladder can be more easily supported."

Old Hu carefully helped Huang Huijie sit up, and the nurse thoughtfully handed her a cushion to put behind her back.

Next, Fang Yan helped them pull the curtains closed.

After waiting another minute, Huang Huijie finally breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to everyone, "It's out, I'm not bloated anymore."

Fang Yan breathed a sigh of relief, went upstairs to remove the hot water bottle, and then gave instructions:

"Don't lie down immediately after you finish urinating. Sit for a while before lying down. Go to the toilet as soon as you feel the urge. Don't hold it in. Even if you've just lain down, you have to get up. Otherwise, if you hold it in, you're more likely to have another urination."

Huang Huijie smiled weakly, "Thanks to you, otherwise I would have been panicking for ages." Old Hu also thanked her, "Of course..."

Only after he finished speaking did he remember Director Liao.

He quickly said:

"Oh, right, Director Liao... I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"I was so busy just now that I forgot to say hello!"

Director Liao said with a smile:

"Why are you being so polite with me? I came here to see you. When I arrived, Fang Yan was still observing your husband and child. I thought I wouldn't see the three of you, but I didn't expect to see you as soon as I arrived."

He slowly walked to the crib, looked at the little face in the pink swaddling clothes, and couldn't help but sigh, "This child has such bright eyes and eyebrows, just like you two, so delicate."

Then he turned to Lao Hu and said, "You two have had a tough time all these years. Now you've finally got such a precious daughter. You'll have to cherish her from now on."

Lao Hu said:

"That's natural. This child will be a native Chinese from now on."

"However, Director Liao, we have another idea..."

Director Liao was taken aback and asked:

"What are your thoughts? Tell us about them."

"If I can help, I definitely will."

Old Hu glanced at Huang Huijie beside him and said:

"Our life center has now moved to Beijing, and we've been wanting to have our own place to live. I wonder if Director Liao could arrange that?"

Director Liao said:
"That's great, no problem, I can help you with that. Do you two have any places you like?"

Lao Hu said:

"Yes, it's right next to the dialect room, but I don't know if that will work?"

PS: The basic chapter of 6000 words has been updated.

(End of this chapter)