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Post-pregnancy issues are very common, and almost all women will experience at least a few. Your body goes through some major changes when you have a baby, especially for the first time. From leakage to mood swings, here are some not to be embarrassed about at all.
Gaining More Weight
It’s very common to gain weight when you are pregnant. But did you know it’s even more common to gain weight after giving birth? A study from a few years ago found that 75% of new mothers gained more weight in the first year following birth. The average weight gain was between 10 and 15 lbs. Of course, if you are struggling with weight, you have a few options, such as going to a weight loss clinic, planning a more active lifestyle, and a healthy diet.
Post Pregnancy Issues Include Leakage
Don’t worry if there is vaginal leakage after giving birth, as this is entirely normal. It can be shocking because there can be a lot, and it will look like a heavy period. This is more prominent in the days immediately after and will continue for a week or so. You will begin to notice it will pinken over the days and begin to reduce until it is white. Don’t be embarrassed, as this is completely normal. A period pad should help make sure you don’t have an incident while out.
Shrinking of the Uterus
The uterus expands substantially when you give birth to allow the baby to come out. However, this isn’t its normal size, and it will begin to shrink after a few days. This can feel weird and sometimes painful, and you may even be able to feel it just below your belly button. It can take about six weeks for the uterus to return to normal, shrinking about a finger’s width with each day. This can look alarming and embarrassing for a partner to see, but it will return to normal.
Pain in Your Private Areas
Pretty much everywhere down there gets stretched when giving birth, and this includes the perineum area. This is the skin between your butt and your vagina, and unfortunately, it is very sensitive. But there are some things you can do to ease the pain without embarrassment:
- Under no circumstances have sex with your partner or masturbate while this is sore.
- Take warm baths to relax the muscles and provide little but some pain relief.
- Apply cold packs to the area to help ease the pain and reduce inflammation.
- Rub in some ointments that can help with pain relief, such as witch hazel.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen to ease pain and inflammation.
This is a sensitive area and very private. But there’s nothing to be embarrassed about when treating it. The perineum goes through trauma with birth and will take around six weeks to heal.
Fluctuating Blood Sugar
There are blood sugar issues associated with giving birth, and you can even get gestational diabetes. This is a type of diabetes caused by fluctuating blood sugar levels when pregnant and can carry on after birth. However, there is a stigma with diabetes, but you don’t need to be embarrassed. The good news is that gestational diabetes is almost always temporary and will go away after a few weeks, and it can help to get tested once a year just to make sure.
Post Pregnancy Issues Includes Peeing
One of the most embarrassing things that can happen to a person, a man or woman, is peeing themselves. But after birth, this is very common, and affects around 25% of new mothers, so there is no need to be embarrassed. This is increased with a forceps birth, a high BMI, or longer breastfeeding. You can control it using incontinence pads just to be safe. Your “plumbing” has undergone a major trauma during birth, and things can take a while to get back to normal.
Loss of Sexual Feelings
Your hormones are not at normal levels after giving birth, especially estrogen. A drop in estrogen can reduce your sexuality and libido and happens to almost all women after pregnancy. Other issues that come with being pregnant such as fatigue, weight gain, and the emotional stress of it all, can also affect how much you want sex. This is perfectly normal, and a good partner will understand. This is a great time to be close and intimate without having sex.
Summary
Gaining weight is one of the most common post-pregnancy issues that new mothers struggle with. There is also a lot of pain in sensitive areas, and you may even feel a loss of sexual urges.
