Many changes happen in a female body immediately after she delivers that baby. As we all know, during pregnancy, a woman’s body tends to change a lot due to undergoing hormonal changes in the pregnancy. The same modifications continue happening even after the baby is out in the world. A female body’s changes after delivering the baby can be physical and emotional.
Full recovery from pregnancy and childbirth can take up to 6-8 weeks; for some women, it might take more than eight weeks. The initial six weeks after delivering the baby is the most crucial time for every woman and taking care of the baby and your baby should be of the utmost importance. Postpartum recovery comes with its challenges, the hormones might react differently, and there can be periods of depression, pain, and agony. The standard formula for healing and recovering postpartum is to get much rest, drink plenty of fluids, sleep well, eat healthily, and enjoy bonding with your baby.
In cases when C-section is done, restrictions will be more about the dos and don’ts following childbirth. One of the typical restrictions is not to lift anything other than a baby or anything heavier than the baby and rest until directed by the doctor to perform everyday activities.
Adopting To the Physical Changes
As we all know, both during and after pregnancy, the female body undergoes various physical changes such as weight gain, breast enlargement, vaginal discharge, cramps in the stomach, pain in the pelvic region, and so on. Staying in touch with your gynecologist can help with any concerns and questions.
Some of the common physical changes that the female body undergoes are mentioned below:
Breast Enlargement
The breast may fill full after the baby’s birth as a part of the natural breastfeeding process. Initially, it might feel bothersome and uncomfortable due to the swelling of the breast; but it improves with time. Doctors recommend using both breasts for breastfeeding to ease the swelling. Some females might complain of sour nipples during breastfeeding; this might be because the baby is having difficulty latching, and consulting a lactation expert will be a good idea. Apply a warm cloth, take a hot shower before breastfeeding, or apply a nipple cream to combat sour nipples.
Vaginal Discharge
Once the baby is delivered, the vagina will discharge all the blood and tissue which was inside the uterus for weeks. It is usually red in color and heavy for the initial weeks, then it changes its color from red to pink to yellow to white, and flow also reduces. It is advisable to contact your healthcare team in case when this discharge is followed by pelvic pain, fever, and other severe symptoms.
Hair Loss and Changes in Skin
Many women see faster hair growth during their pregnancy and more rapid shedding of hair post-delivery; this is natural and nothing of concern as changes in hormones during and post-pregnancy cause the faster and slower growth of the hair.
Every woman gets stretch marks after delivery; in many cases, they remain until their lifetime as they do not disappear. Additionally, there may be high chances of skin darkening during pregnancy, which might take much time to go away.
Mood Swings
Hormonal changes during pregnancy bring a lot of mood swings and powerful emotions, which are difficult to manage. The same triggers can be felt even after childbirth. There may be extended sadness, crankiness, crying spells, etc. Mood swings or any motivation related to the same is called Baby Blues. However, these factors and symptoms will decline and completely subside in two-three weeks post-childbirth.
A word of caution here is that in cases where mood swings are at a slight edge, such as loss of appetite, fatigue, negative emotions related to the child and everything around, lack of happiness, and so on, there might be a chance of you sliding into postpartum depression. Therefore, it is advisable to contact the doctor immediately.
Postpartum Depression
Many women suffer from postpartum depression, and it is normal to feel depressed after childbirth as a new mother’s body has undergone significant trauma while delivering the child. Any symptoms related to postpartum depression will start showing within a few days after childbirth and can last up to two weeks or more than that. The symptoms of postpartum depression may include excessive crying, depressed mood, insomnia, extreme anxiety, panic attacks, and many more. Numerous factors can cause postpartum depression, such as lack of support from the partner, hormonal changes, prior history of depression, sleeplessness, lack of a nutritious diet, and so on. The best bet in such times is to visit contact your doctor to get the proper treatment.
Disclaimer: This blog has been written after performing in-depth secondary research related to the topic from various articles, blogs, and journals that have expertise in writing for healthcare. Suppose you see any issues related to your pregnancy or after that or any doubt related to the same. We strictly advise you to seek medical consultation.
