Postpartum body has its surprises. The troubles that come with pregnancy and which you thought would vanish soon after birthing will be on to stay, although in new ways. What’s more, you will so wish them away for some more time before you begin to feel normal all over again.
1. Sweating During Sleep:
If you have been sweating in the nights after delivery, it’s because your body is in the process of adjusting its hormones. Sweating is the body’s way of getting out the excess fluids stored during pregnancy.
2. Body Pains Are Part Of The Game:
If you have had an epidural at the time of birthing, it’s needless to say that you will have a sore back often. You won’t be able to overlook the aching abdomen and the ribs that still feel out of place. With all the draining out with birthing, the exhaustion will be there for a few days before you recover fully. During the interim period, you might want to get relief with painkillers.
3. And The Cramps:
Your uterus begins to contract back to its original size post delivery. You can expect cramps that more or less feel like menstrual cramps but get more amplified during breastfeeding sessions. Should you feel too much pain, you could seek your doctor’s opinion before you can opt for an over-the-counter medicine. However, most of these cramps subside within a week or so.
4. You Bleed:
If you are not warned, the bleeding could perplex you. You will bleed for an average of four weeks post delivery. You might also feel an increased flow during breastfeeding because nursing can induce contraction of the uterus. It’s advisable to use pads instead of tampons which can make you vulnerable to infections.
5. Your Breasts Enlarge:
Your mammary glands are on the go. So you can expect your breasts to grow big. Moreover, engorgement can occur if you don’t empty your breasts completely. Make sure your baby latches on well. You could also use breast pumps to store milk for your baby. An application of ice packs can relieve you from the pain.
6. Itches From C-section Scars:
The pain from the C-section incisions would be there for few weeks. But as they begin to heal, you may feel the itches from the now healing area. The worse is you can’t even reach out to the inner layers to scratch! You will have to be content with superficial scab relief. You might also feel numbness in the incision area, which is normal.
7. Pain In The vagina:
Since your vagina has had to go through so much, you will have swelling, pain, and stinging sensation down there. Sutures and swelling subside within ten days, but you might find sitting painful. Use ice pack at regular intervals for pain relief.
8. Shedding Hair:
You might find your hair fall very appalling. But the truth is you aren’t losing hair. You are only shedding the extra hair that grew during pregnancy. Your normal hair returns in about three months. The hair fall during pregnancy occurs essentially due to the drop in hormone levels.
9. Dealing With Constipation:
Bowel movements can be difficult for few days after delivery. If you have had a C-section, you might as well be administered a suppository to help clear your bowels since any strain could break open the incisional scars. If you have had episiotomy stitches, it might add to the psychological pressure. Also, your organs would be settling down. You might be recommended a lot of water, fluids and that you keep moving for easy bowel movement. Don’t be surprised if your doctor recommends a stool softener.
Credits:MomJunction
