During pregnancy, we spend months preparing ourselves for the changes that are coming our way. However, sometimes we don’t think about the changes to our bodies after pregnancy, which can come as a shock to many new mums.
So, we’ve put together a list of six things that may happen your body after child birth. Nobody likes surprises, right?
1. Hair loss
An average person loses roughly 100 hairs a day. However, during pregnancy that number decreases massively because of the change in our hormones.
After we give birth, our body then tries to balance out those numbers, so expect some serious shedding for up to six months after birth.
2. Changing chest
During pregnancy, a lot of women will find their breasts will get bigger in preparation for breastfeeding.
However, when you stop breastfeeding, you can be left feeling smaller and a little saggy.
3. Bye bye, bump
We don’t know how many times we’ve seen a pregnant character in a movie lose their belly just hours after giving birth. Well, we hate to break it to you mums, but that just isn’t the case.
It takes at least six weeks for your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size, so be patient and extra-kind to yourself during this recuperation time.
4. Toilet break
We have to say, this one continues to catch us by surprise.
For nine months, you endured the constant pressure your baby was putting on your bladder. And after child birth, things will work a little differently.
The pressure delivery puts on your urethra could result in you having less control over your toilet breaks than you’d like.
5. Size up
We’re not talking dress size here. No, your shoes may become too small, even after you’ve given birth.
With the extra weight on your feet and legs during pregnancy, your arches can flatten, which may mean you’ll need to size up in your footwear.
6. Swelling and veins
While we expect to swell during pregnancy, in the weeks after giving birth, your legs may still be swollen and puffy.
Many new mums also experience some twitching in their legs and can develop spider and varicose veins.
This may all sound quite negative, but we like to think of all this as battle scars.
