Childbirth is beautiful, but boy can it play havoc with your body. Here are 6 Things No One Tells You About Your Body After Childbirth…

1.  Your bladder will have a mind of its own

Two words: Stress Incontinence. That’s when a little bit of pee starts to release when you run, jump, sneeze or laugh… you get the picture. It’s really easy to feel uncomfortable about this but it’s a totally normal for your body to feel the stress after childbirth. Just be sure to continue with your pelvic floor exercises in order to strengthen your muscles.  

2. Things no one tells you about your body after childbirth. You may have vaginal tears

These vary in severity as does recovery time. First-degree tears after childbirth tend to heal quickly with little discomfort, while a typical episiotomy or second-degree tear, which involves skin and muscle, may require stitches and a heal time of two to three weeks. If you have a third- or fourth-degree tear, the recovery time could be a month or longer.

3. Things no one tells you about your body after birth. Your hair will change

A very common thing no one tells you about your postpartum body is that your hair may change. Prepare to lose some of your hair during this period, particularly around your temples. The good news is that this is usually only temporary, so a good hair day is on the horizon again soon.

4. Your periods won’t return instantly after childbirth… especially if you breastfeed

When it comes to the things you might notice about your body after childbirth, one thing is that your periods are absent for weeks, months and sometimes even years during the nursing phase. That said, you will bleed heavily after birth so make sure you stock up on maternity pads. We always include a pack of Natra Care Organic Maternity Pads in each of postpartum our care kits.

5. Doing a number two can be a challenge

Of the 6 things no one tells you about your body after childbirth, this has to be the biggest shocker. Going for a poo is hard. Like, really hard. This is because your stomach muscles, which help you poop, have become stretched and weakened, while your bowel itself may have had a tough time during delivery. To help fix the problem remember to get lots of fibre and lap up those liquids. We also recommend a soothing bottom spray, like the one we include in our Arrival Survival Postpartum Care Kit.

6. Your C-section scar likes to let you know it’s there

You might notice that your C-section scar remains red for a full two years following delivery and occasionally you may feel phantom pains or itching there. Our Caesar Easer Postpartum Care Kit is designed to help C-section mamas heal and in particular we recommend Scar Saviour by Nessa which is an organic, vitamin-infused balm that helps to repair and renew skin, accelerating recovery.

Words: Catherine Sullivan is a mum of two, a freelance journalist and the co-founder of Mama Hug.