Postpartum recovery is a long journey that can be filled with a lot of bodily complications and intense emotions. You will probably feel nervous, anxious, confused, and completely exhausted all at one time as your body struggles to repair itself and adjust to changes.
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While navigating through your healing period may seem scary, it doesn’t have to be! If you read up and prepare yourself, a bit of the anxiety might disappear. So, without further ado, here are a couple postpartum things that you might not know about.
Your hair might fall out
It might not happen to you, but it isn’t an uncommon occurrence. After giving birth, some women experience hair loss in varying degrees for a couple months. Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with you — it’s just the hormones. Your hair will eventually grow back to its full glory within a year. Until then, let it fall and take good care of it! Avoid tight ponytails, use gentle shampoos, and take your vitamins.
Hard boobs will be a thing
Your dream of having exceptionally large breasts are likely to come true postpartum. Whether you’re breastfeeding or not, your body will naturally begin to produce milk, which can cause you breasts to swell and harden. It can be uncomfortable and painful for some, but as you and your baby figure out your feeding schedule, breast engorgement will eventually subside.
You’ll get night sweats
Like all postpartum things, night sweats are caused by a change in hormones. Less estrogen and progesterone hormones affect your body temperature and can cause you to sweat profusely at night. We’re talking wet sheets and pillowcases, people! And, like all other postpartum effects, it will pass as soon as your hormones regulate and return to their normal levels. So don’t sweat it — towels and frequent bedsheet changes will do the trick.
Bleeding is the norm
Is it your period? Not exactly. Because baby is out of the womb and your body still has a lot of leftover material from its stay there, it will try to push it out. The process is called lochia and it’ll last for four to eight weeks after childbirth. During lochia, you’ll bleed a lot, so it’s best to prepare yourself with a whole lot of pads (not tampons!).
You might still look pregnant
The race to achieve a pre-pregnancy bod is a futile one, simply because your body has gone through something traumatic! Childbirth is not something you can simply reverse, and all the changes in your body prove that. Given this, don’t expect a completely flat stomach in the months following your pregnancy. Your body will need a lot of TLC to recover, and a little tummy flab is all part of the process. If you’re looking to speed things up, you can continue to eat healthy, exercise well, and take all the right vitamins.
Art Daniella Sison
