Many things can happen when a woman is pregnant. They may have morning sickness that lasts for hours, their breasts could be swollen and tender, and their skin may stretch in ways they may not have imagined. While such changes may last until they have a successful delivery, there are a lot more changes they should expect after pregnancy. Here are a few to keep in mind.
Breasts May Become Bigger Than Normal
During pregnancy, women’s breasts will start to enlarge because they’re anticipating nursing a baby. This will continue months after they’ve had a successful delivery. A few days after childbirth, most women will produce colostrum, a nutrient-dense substance with the essential immunoglobulins and antibodies that provide babies with vital nutrients. This process is completely normal.
On the fourth or fifth day after delivery, most women will start to produce milk, and at this time, the breasts will enlarge and become hard. It’s common to feel pain and discomfort during the first few days of breastfeeding. However, the pain will subside over time.
The Abdominal Muscles Can Separate
Some women have tummies that look pregnant months after childbirth. Those who experience such changes are likely to have a post-pregnancy condition known as diastasis recti. This condition is brought about by the separation of the tissue lining between the abdominal muscles due to the growth of the womb. Different factors can make women develop this condition, including being pregnant at old age, carrying more than one baby, and having poor abdominal core strength.
For most women, the gap resulting from the separated stomach muscles closes two months after delivery. After this period, it’s possible to begin correcting the condition by doing exercises such as sit-ups and crunches. Remember that this advice applies to those who’ve had a vaginal delivery. Women who’ve had a caesarian section delivery should seek guidance from their doctor before beginning any exercise.
Some Women Can Get Iron Deficiency Anemia
Anemia is a condition that arises when an individual doesn’t have enough red blood cells. If an individual’s body has a low red blood cell count, they’re likely to feel breathless, faint, or extremely tired. That said, Anaemia can affect pregnant women. After giving birth, it’s common to feel tired, but if this happens all the time, it may be a sign of iron deficiency anemia.
With such a condition, women are advised to include iron-rich foods in their diets, such as pulses (lentils and beans) and green vegetables like curly kale or watercress. This condition can affect milk supply in some women, making breastfeeding difficult.
It’s Possible to Have A Change In Shoe Size
Anyone who thinks that the changes during pregnancy only happen in the mid-section is wrong. The changes can also apply to the feet. On average, women can gain up to 35 pounds while pregnant. This extra weight puts a lot of pressure under the feet, and the added weight can lead to the flattening of the foot’s arch. When this happens, some women may find that they require a slightly different shoe size.
Hormones also play a critical role in changes to one’s feet, especially the relaxin hormone. This hormone helps in facilitating the relaxation of muscle ligaments in the body as women prepare for childbirth. However, this doesn’t just apply to the pelvic area but can also affect other parts of the body like the feet. With increased body weight that pushes down on their arch and loose ligaments in the feet, the feet are likely to flatten and lengthen.
Loss Of Hair
During pregnancy, some women may have shinier, fuller hair. However, their hair may go back to normal after delivery, which may seem like they are losing hair. Remember that most women have high estrogen levels during pregnancy, which keeps the hair from falling at its usual rate. After childbirth, the hormone levels drop to the normal level, and this results in hair loss. Most of the shedding will take place five months after the pregnancy, but this stops after six months.
When women think about the changes that happen during pregnancy, most of their focus is on what happens until a child is born. Most of them don’t bother about what happens after they have a baby, which brings about confusion, especially when they notice changes. This guide has explored a few things women should expect after pregnancy.
About The Author
Taylor Haskings is a freelance writer born in Denver, Colorado. She graduated with a bachelor’s in English from the University of Colorado, Denver. She enjoys hiking in the Colorado Rockies and loves the fine arts, such as playing the violin. Her true strengths include networking with others and expressing herself through the written word.
