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Bringing a tiny human into this world is no easy task. For nine months, your body is going through constant changes, discomforts, and hormonal roller coasters that have you eagerly anticipating the day when it's all over and you finally have a beautiful, squirming baby in your arms. But did you know that for some women, postpartum is even more difficult than the pregnancy itself? Below, eight ways the months after labor are tougher on your body and what you can do to alleviate the symptoms.
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- The exhaustion and sleepless nights don't end once the baby has arrived. No, now when the baby is awake, you're right there feeding her, changing diapers, bathing her, and making sure she's happy and healthy. At least newborns sleep a lot so try to catch some zzz's when the baby is napping and set an alarm to make sure she's getting her milk every couple of hours. Not that you'll need one; your baby's cries will probably be enough.
- Now not only do you have to battle unrealistic thoughts about needing to lose your baby weight immediately, but your appetite actually spikes when you're breastfeeding. First off, don't beat yourself up if you take your time to lose the extra pounds and don't waste a minute feeling sorry for yourself. You just gave birth to a human! Be gentle with yourself. It can be difficult to find the time to exercise when you're knee deep in diapers and formula, so give yourself a year to shed some weight and expect to work harder for those stubborn last 10 pounds.
- Don't be surprised if you start shedding hair like crazy postpartum. It's normal for the average person to lose about 100 strands a day, but during pregnancy your body doesn't lose as many. So once that baby is out and your hormones start flying all over the place, you'll start seeing more hair on that brush until your body evens itself out.
- Some women experience postpartum urinary incontinence, a condition in which a small amount of pee leaks out when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or even lift something heavy. Keep your bladder in check by doing Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles, avoiding things that could irritate your bladder (like coffee, citrus fruits, soda, and alcohol), and losing weight to relieve your bladder from the extra pressure bearing down on it.
- Your boobs will grow in size as they fill with milk for your baby. Some might revel in their new-found cleavage while others might feel discomfort, soreness, or develop a painful breast infection called mastitis.
- Your lady bits will also be tender and sore after delivering your baby. Vaginal discharge is also normal as your body continues to get rid of the uterine lining. Using a cold pack or witch hazel pads can help soothe the pain while a water-soluble lubricant will make your grand return to sexual encounters easier on dry vaginal walls.
- As your body begins to rid itself of all the extra fluids it acquired throughout your pregnancy, expect to wake up in a pool of sweat. Wear loose pajamas to bed, keep your bedroom cool, sleep on a towel to soak up the extra moisture you produce, and make sure you drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Whenever I think of postpartum, my mind instantly goes to depression. PPD can develop when hormonal changes cause decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone, your mind is frazzled from sleep deprivation and you're battling insecurities and all kinds of emotional stress. And it goes beyond just feeling the "baby blues" and experiencing mood swings, anxiety, or sadness. Moms with PPD lose interest in things that once brought them joy, they have difficulty bonding or caring for their baby, start withdrawing from loved one, and are fighting through feelings of shame and "I'm not good enough." Speak up and seek help if these feelings last longer than two weeks
Image via Corbis
