When you get pregnant, your body undergoes considerable change, which you will probably notice as the days go by.
It’s quite amazing, actually — if you think of it, another human being is growing inside you while your entirety adjusts in the right way to accommodate the new life.
For nine months, your physique will take all of the necessary steps to fulfill all of the physical and nutritional needs of the baby.
Of course, all of this has a corresponding effect to a woman’s body. Armed with the information you have read from all the baby books, you cannot simply skip the chapter that tackles what happens to YOUR body after you’ve brought such an adorable little being into this world.
It can be confusing to be aware of what exactly is happening to your body after delivery, which is especially true for first-time moms.
But it is important to at least have an idea so that you won’t be shocked about what is to come because it is a natural process after all so there is no need to panic. Here are some of the things that will happen to your physique after giving birth:
Post-Baby Abs
As much as you know it already, your abs won’t return immediately after you have given birth.
Note that your tummy has stretched to make room for the baby, so after the bundle of joy goes out, where do you think does the excess skin go? It won’t disappear overnight, that’s for sure.
Have you ever heard of diastasis recti? This, which is also called the abdominal separation, is a gap of a few centimeters in the middle of the two rectus abdominis muscles, or for some, they call it the “mommy pooch.”
Some say that you will never have your old, flat tummy back but others argue that you can definitely gain your abs back with hard work and a workout regimen.
So don’t sweat it much, that extra flab you see right there is experienced by most women who have just given birth.
The celebrities who immediately go back to their usual physique may have done double the effort when it comes to exercising in order to get their old physique back.
Changes in Hair
After giving birth, you’ll notice that you will experience hair fall. Don’t fret – this is not out of the norm.
This is just one of the things you’ll observe after the baby comes out, but actually, you’re really not losing any hair at all!
As it turns out when one is pregnant, hair loss stops and therefore you have shinier, thicker locks. So the process is just a way of balancing the act, a breakeven if you like.
Moreover, this shouldn’t be a cause for worry because it will eventually stop in time; new hair will eventually grow out but some moms say these ones just stay short.
Additionally, the volume and texture also get affected as one mom noticed, saying that her hair’s conditioning is considerably different after pregnancy.
Uncontrollable Bladder
Post-pregnancy, a lot of moms experience stress incontinence or the moment when they accidentally release a little pee when laughing, sneezing, or doing other strenuous activities.
That’s because when the baby is still inside you, the bladder is under a lot of pressure and so over time, the bladder muscles weaken.
Although you can still manage your own organ, it would become a wee bit of a task to control your bladder once you have delivered a child, but occasional kegel exercises and squats can do the trick.
Discomfort in C-Section Scar
If you have had a normal delivery, then this wouldn’t be a problem. But for those who opted for a cesarean section, the scar that will be left off will give you a bit of discomfort in the first few months or even years.
It’s one of the most visible reminders that you’ve brought to the world such a wonderful being. To some, it may be an ugly sight but for others, it is a badge of honor.
However, a lot of mommies noticed that the scar turned red or purple in the first two years after giving birth and was also accompanied by itching, pain and in some cases, it causes a little discomfort when wearing jeans.
Shoe Size
Naturally, you will gain weight when you become pregnant. Along with this, you can observe that your feet will start to get bigger, at least as compared to your pre-pregnancy size.
This is just temporary for most women, but there are some who say that the change became permanent.
We know that this could be frustrating because you might end up throwing away your old shoes, whereas it is advisable to wait it out for about a year since in some cases the shoe size returns to normal six months after giving birth.