Body changes after childbirth

Body changes after childbirth

Body changes after childbirth Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board Last updated: December 2011 En espa /> Highlights How long will it take for my uterus to shrink? How much weight will I lose right after giving birth? How come I can't tell when I need to pee? Will my vagina and perineum ever get back to normal? What's this vaginal discharge? What should I expect if I'm breastfeeding? What will it be like if I'm not breastfeeding? Why am I feeling so moody? Why am I losing my hair? What's going on with my skin? How long will it take for my uterus to shrink?By the time you go into labor, your uterus is about 15 times heavier including its contents! and its capacity is at least 500 times greater than before you conceived. Within minutes after your baby is born, contractions cause your uterus to shrink, clenching itself like a fist, its crisscrossed fibers tightening just like they did during labor. Video C-section recovery: The first few days See what the first days of c-section recovery are like for one mom. C-section recovery: The first few days See all videos These contractions cause the placenta to separate from the uterine wall. After the placenta is delivered, the uterus clamps down even more, closing off open blood vessels where the placenta was attached. In a week, your uterus weighs a little over a pound half of what it weighed just after you gave birth. After two weeks, it's down to a mere 11 ounces and located entirely within your pelvis. By about four weeks, it should be close to its pre-pregnancy weight of 3.5 ounces or less. That's because your abdominal muscles get stretched out during pregnancy, and it will take time and regular exercise to get your belly back in shape. How much weight will I lose right after giving birth?You probably won't return to your pre-pregnancy weight for some time, but you will lose a significant amount of weight immediately after delivery. You may perspire a lot, too. By the end of the first week, you'll likely lose about 4 to 6 pounds of water weight. (The amount varies depending on how much water you retained during pregnancy.)How come I can't tell when I need to pee?Labor and delivery can take a toll on your bladder, causing some temporary swelling and loss of sensitivity. You may not feel the usual urge to pee in the first days after you give birth, especially if you had a prolonged labor, a forceps or vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery, or an epidural. If too much urine accumulates in your bladder, you might have a hard time making it to the toilet without leaking. What's more, your bladder could become overly distended. (If you deliver by c-section, you'll have a urinary catheter for the surgery, which will remain in place for a short while after delivery.)Let the nurse know if you're having difficulty urinating or are only producing a small amount of urine when you pee. Right after delivery, the vagina will be stretched open and may be swollen and bruised. Over the next few days, any swelling you might have starts to go down, and your vagina begins to regain muscle tone. In the next few weeks, it will gradually get smaller. If you had an episiotomy or a significant tear, your perineum needs time to heal, so wait to start having sex again until you get the okay from your practitioner at your postpartum checkup. This dryness will be even more pronounced if you're breastfeeding, because nursing tends to keep estrogen levels down. Using a lubricant is a big help. (Be sure to buy a water-based lubricant, particularly if you're using a barrier method of contraception. Oil-based lubricants can weaken latex, which can cause a condom to break or ruin a diaphragm.)What's this vaginal discharge?It's normal to have vaginal discharge, called lochia, for a month or two after you give birth. Lochia consists of blood, bacteria, and sloughed-off tissue from the lining of the uterus. the first few days after birth, the lochia contains a fair amount of blood, so it will be bright red and look like a heavy menstrual period. When your baby nurses during the first few days after birth, he's getting colostrum, a thick yellowish substance that your breasts produced during pregnancy. His suckling triggers the release of the hormones prolactin, which stimulates milk production, and oxytocin, which causes the milk sacs and ducts to contract, propelling the milk to your nipples. (This is the so-called "letdown" reflex.)If those first breastfeeding sessions cause some abdominal cramping, it's because oxytocin also triggers uterine contractions. When your milk comes in, usually two to three days after you give birth, your breasts may get swollen, tender, hard, throbbing, and uncomfortably full. (In fact, frequent nursing right from the beginning sometimes prevents engorgement altogether.) For others suggestions, check out our advice on treating engorgement. This may cause considerable discomfort that lasts for several days. If you're extremely uncomfortable, you can express just enough milk to make the situation more tolerable. This may prolong the process, however, because stimulating your nipples and draining your breasts signals your body to make more milk. You may be suffering from postpartum depression, a more serious problem that requires treatment, and she can give you a referral for help. If you think you might hurt yourself or your baby, or if you feel incapable of caring for your newborn, seek professional help immediately. name="articlesection9">Why am I losing my hair?If your hair got thicker during your pregnancy, it may now start to shed in handfuls. This happens to some new moms in the first few months after having their baby. After you give birth, your estrogen levels plummet and you begin to shed more. Some women who had perfectly clear skin during pregnancy will have more breakouts in the months following delivery. Any stretch marks you developed will gradually become lighter in color, though they won't disappear altogether.
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