Post-Pregnancy Body Changes - How Your Body Changes After Giving Birth

Now that you’ve given birth, you are probably thinking as to how is your body going to change post pregnancy? Well, there are some obvious body changes after giving birth and there are some not-so-obvious changes. Here’s a look at some of them just so you are in tune with how your body is adapting to the postpartum period.

1Contractions after childbirth

Let’s talk about immediate changes in the body after childbirth first. And one of the common things that happen is after-pains. Because your uterus has to go back to its pre-pregnancy stage, you feel sudden and sharp pains, which are more apparent when you are breastfeeding your baby. This, however, should subside a few weeks down the line and should not be a cause of worry unless the pain is unbearable

2Swollen vagina

This is obvious because getting a baby out takes hard work. With so much stretching open of the vagina, it is bound to be swollen after delivery. Now if you’ve had an episiotomy, it is a totally different case, but after a normal delivery, you should expect a little soreness and pain in your vagina. The pain, however, will subside in a few days time and you’ll be back to your normal routine.

If you’ve had an episiotomy, on the other hand, the stitches will make it harder for you to attend to nature’s calls. It takes anywhere between 5-7 days to be a bit comfortable as all you keep thinking is whether your stitches will cut open if you pee or poop. Again, it’s all but normal.

3Hair loss

Believe it or not, you will lose your hair after child birth. Although you won’t really lose all of your hair, but yes, more hair will fall out than you are expecting. During pregnancy, hair does not fall because of rise in estrogen levels. Post-pregnancy, when the levels are brought down is when your hair fall stage gets back. But do expect your hair fall and hair growth cycle to go back to its usual stage within a few months.

ALSO READ – Is It Normal For A Newborn To Have Excess Body Hair?

4Mood swings

This has got to be one of the worst things that happen (in my opinion) as it can really take a toll on you. One minute you’re feeling so happy at the thought of having your baby in your arms finally, the next you’re probably crying thinking that you’ll miss having him in your tummy. Weird, I know but it’s a fact. After childbirth, moods swing in a split second and even you won’t know what happened.

5A dive in sex drive

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A lot of women experience their sex drive going down the hill after childbirth. Well, they are not to be blamed honestly because you are so involved with your baby initially that you forget there are others in the family too aka your husband. For some women it can take up to a year to start to feel like having sex even though your doctor would normally give you a go ahead after 6-7 weeks post pregnancy.

6Post-partum depression

Although this does not apply to majority of women as not everyone goes through it. But if it does happen to you, you should consult your doctor immediately. This is considered a normal thing for after childbirth but it has to be in the knowledge of your doctor so that he prescribes the right medicines (if at all) needed during that time for recovery.

ALSO READ – Mistakes New Parents Make in the First Year

How has your experience post childbirth been? Was it any different? Is there any advice you’d like to give our soon-to-be-moms? Let us know