Postpartum y’all. It’s for real. There are scary, unbelievable, unpredictable gross things that happen during the tenth month of pregnancy. Because let’s be freaking real for a sec: everyone will tell you about their pregnancy experience and even the birth but once that baby arrives, the talk is over and you’re on your own to figure it all out.
I walked into the postpartum stage completely unaware of anything when I had my son. I didn’t know my butt would hurt for weeks and that I couldn’t sit on a hard surface for days (tearing doesn’t help that area whatsoever!). I also didn’t know I’d leak milk every time I showered. Like hello, there’s a sprinkler shooting out of nowhere!
So let’s face. Pregnancy is that beautiful season of life when a baby kicks around and develops inside of you. But your friends and family aren’t shy to tell you about the heartburn, the swollen ankles, the insomnia, the emotional raging hormones, the weird food cravings, and everything else in between.
And then the birth happens. You know about the possible pooping, the burning feeling, the tearing. Your entire lower region opens as wide as it’ll ever get in your entire life and this is NOT cool. Now the baby is born. The family and friends start flooding in. But what about you? All of a sudden the focus is off of you and slowly mama becomes overwhelmed.
Let’s face it. Postpartum is a real journey and can be a real struggle.
10 Postpartum Truths No One Tells You About:
- Your butt will hurt. It will hurt for days and days and you will feel sore. I mean come on, you just had a baby move through your flipping hooha!
- You will lose your hair. Not right after birth. More like six months later. What?! I mean, what the heck. Does postpartum last that long?
- You will sweat. A LOT. Please don’t think I’m kidding or underestimate a lot. You will wake up in the middle of the night and for a second think, “crap, did I either wet the bed or somehow do a cardio workout?” There will be sweat in between your legs, down your chest, around your face. EVERYWHERE. And it’s gross.
- Breastfeeding will hurt! Your nipples will feel like they are on freaking fire for the first few weeks and possibly bleed and then blister. Also, your breasts will be huge. You either love it or hate it.
- Gas. There will be gas and lots of it. You will sound off out of nowhere and peeuuu, it stinks! Your husband might want to purchase a gas mask.
- You will bleed. It may be like a period or it might not be. There could be clots and also gushes of blood every time you stand up. Oh and sometimes strings of blood will hang from your hooha and it will feel weird!
- Your whole body will hurt. No, not just the lower regions. Everywhere. You gave birth. Your neck, upper back, middle back, lower back (basically the ENTIRE back) will be sore. Pushing out a human being is no joke my friends. And if you had a caesarean, you have a whole lot of other things to feel sore about!
- Forget about sleeping on your tummy. You’ve been restricted from sleeping on your tummy for months now and it won’t end soon. You will leak milk and wake up wet from it.
- You will want to suck your tummy in but you just can’t. It hurts. Get used to the feeling of “everything hanging” for a little bit.
- Peeing and pooping can/will hurt the first few days. It can be anything from a stinging, burning sensation to a someone is cutting me open feeling!
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So there you have it. The absolute nightmare, but also perfect bliss! You see, postpartum is just one of those things. Believe me, you will want to cry because everything hurts but then you’ll look at your newborn and tell yourself (in a super loud voice for you to hear) that it’s all worth it! My first postpartum journey was not pleasant. It was not magical and I hated the way my body changed. I had stretch marks and a soft belly. I also hurt for weeks and bled for two months!
Going through postpartum the second time around has been a much different experience. I stayed active my entire pregnancy, never dealt with swollen hands/feet, and only gained a maximum of 12lbs. If I didn’t believe it before I definitely believe it now: fitness and healthy eating pays off!
Postpartum Joys and Fears
Whether you deal with one more than the other or go back and forth between the two, you will make it through this season. Please look past your flabby, overstretched, scarred belly and focus on your precious new babe. This phase of life is so short and someday you will regret all the time you spent hating your body and not loving on your baby. Embrace your body. Love the new you and the skin you are now in.
You birthed a human.
These are all so incredibly true! I definitely felt that my whole body was sore and breastfeeding was a struggle but, it’s so nice once you get overall all the initial stuff.
Jehva, I so agree with you! Once the initial pains subside, everything is beautiful and almost forgotten! 🙂
Yes yes. I wish I had been more prepared for the recovery after my first birth. The second time around was so much better, partly because my body had already done all this once, but partly because I had more realistic expectations of what it would be like.
Exactly! I had the same reaction. I am 5 weeks postpartum now and already back on my feet since week 1 and working out regularly again. It’s different second time through. I knew what to expect and what would be uncomfortable and also what to be used to!
Not to get graphic, but I tore badly and no one told me about how much it would hurt. Particularly my butt. It was so bad.
Carly, so sorry! I had a bad tear too with my first and I was miserable. I had to sit on a pillow for a few weeks and even took a pillow with me in the car. So thankful I didn’t tear second time around!
These are the things that no one tells you about! I feel like I’d have been much more prepared had they done so 🙂
I know right? With my second I was way more prepared and didn’t freak out about anything. Most things just came at me with “oh right, hello you again!”
Surely no one enjoys the huge feeling like they will explode boobs, except maybe a hubby until he is told, “You touch them, You DIE!”
Haha, Crystal, you are so right! I don’t even know how many times I have said that in the past month. LOL
Hahaha, so truuuuue! I love this post. I sharing this everywhere, THANK YOU
Aww, Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Oh man so true! My little one is 2 months and things are almost back to normal, all except for being able to sleep on my stomach!
Right? Ugh, it’s annoying. The baby is born and you just want everything back to normal but even that’s too much to ask for! 😉
Oh, yes!! Love this point. !All of these points are so true.
I just had my first child last September and went through almost all of these points listed..
It’s crazy how everyone goes through it but this phase of life is hardly brought up at all. The baby is born and FB/IG get flooded with pictures but mama is ignored. Motherhood is a HUGE sacrifice!
This is so true. I wish i had known it before I gave birth. I lost my hair so much that I cut it so short after that.
Yes!!!! It’s the saddest thing in the whole wide world. I felt like my beautiful hair disappeared and I couldn’t stop it. I cried for weeks. I also avoided washing my hair for as long as possible (made it worse) and never wore it up!
I remember trying to lay on my stomach after getting home from the hospital and being so surprised how painful it was! Yes it does a number on your whole body!
Yes me too! It feels so so squishy and vulnerable. The female body goes through a lot and we don’t give ourselves nearly enough credit!
I remember tummy felt like a bowl of jello for the first few weeks! It was so strange!
Totally know what you’re talking about! It feels like there’s a giant hole underneath too! Postpartum is CRAZY stuff!