To ask how your body was postpartum

[wickerly]

I'm due in a couple of weeks and really curious to know how quickly others felt they were back to normal and did you ever look exactly the same? How long etc?
Also did anything help? and just what to expect really. I know everyone is different I'm just interested in some experiences.

My body has been completely destroyed. Breasts are different sizes. Stomach is loose and covered in stretch marks, it hangs like an apron. Constant pain in my stomach 24 hours a day and all the doctor will do is offer me painkillers. Bones have been weakened and I’ve had two broken bones (first time in my life).

@Winterwoollies

Everything that comes to your body postpartum is entirely dependent on how you treated your body during pregnancy.

If you stayed active, ate well, stayed hydrated, kept weight gain to a minimum and worked on your pelvic floor, you’ll feel yourself again pretty quickly. Albeit with perhaps a few stretch marks, softer boobs or some slightly loose tummy skin.

This is a bit simplistic. I know plenty of women who were v healthy during pregnancy, but had terrible birth experiences.

Anyway, with dc1, VB, I felt pretty much the same physically, quite soon afterwards. Not much weight gain. Not much by way if birth injuries. Quick recovery. But dc1 hates sleep so I felt like shit emotionally and energy-wise.

Dc2, ELCS, due to complications with DC1 birth (shoulder dystocia). I had a perfectly fine recovery, but it was harder. Luckily dc2 loved and still loves sleep, so that made things much easier. Sorry if this is tmi, but for some reason I found sex quite painful after dc2. Think because he was a big baby with a big head, which was quite well lodged into my pelvis when I had the CS. They had to do some manoeuvring to get him out and I think it bruised my insides a bit.

It was weird, because everyone had out the fear in me about VB and how your vag will never be the same etc. I found that not to be true at all and actually had more discomfort after the CS. All fine now though and back to how I was pre dcs, except fatter, but that's my fault and the fault of delicious cake.

Felt very strange for weeks, possibly months. Feeling back to normal after about a year by which time I was expecting number 2.
If I’d just had one child I would feel the same as I always did, lost the weight and the tum, no stretch marks.
But I got absolutely huge with ds2, have never shifted the mum tum properly (I believe it’s doable but takes a LOT of determination) and “leak” all the time.
I have got to terms with it though.

Dc1. No issues in pregnancy. Was size 8 before.
Post birth I had an episiotomy scar that didn't heal for 8 months, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome.
After 3 months I was very slim and had trouble gaining weight. Never regained.
Dc2. Back pain in pregnancy. Post birth absolutely fine, no pain. Went skinny again after 3 months and lost my boobs.
Dc3. Back pain in pregnancy. Separated stomach muscles. Now 2.5 years post birth I still have no boobs and a sticking out stomach. Am now size 10.

This is bullshit. OP once you’ve had your baby I’ll tell you the things that happened to me during and post labour - no point freaking you out beforehand as honestly some of my complications were pretty rare (so rare it took the hospital 12hrs to figure out what was going on) and others were caused by medical care. I’m pretty active and was still overtaking lycra-clad commuters on my bicycle well into the 8th month of pregnancy

What I will say is by the time you emerge from the fog of the first year you’ll have forgotten what your body once looked like so this really won’t seem like a big deal (and yes, people said that to me too and no, I didn’t believe them either)

Winterwoollies is not right. A lot of it is luck. I was active in pregnancy and did everything right but had a terrible birth with dc3 which left me with a weak pelvic floor and means I cannot exercise as I used to.

@Winterwoollies

Everything that comes to your body postpartum is entirely dependent on how you treated your body during pregnancy.

If you stayed active, ate well, stayed hydrated, kept weight gain to a minimum and worked on your pelvic floor, you’ll feel yourself again pretty quickly. Albeit with perhaps a few stretch marks, softer boobs or some slightly loose tummy skin.

Sorry, my attempt at the quote thing didn’t work. This is bullshit

1st time round initially felt like I'd been run over immediately post birth. Felt more agile immediately but anaemic post birth e.g. out of breath, bit dizzy at times. I felt my body ' bounced back' much better first time although it took a year and a strict fitness and diet regime to lose the weight and i still had loads of tummy stretch marks. Had an episotomy and my pelvic floor took a long time to recover. I couldn't orgasm for months but that did finally recover!

2nd time round I still looked 9 months pregnant after the birth and it took longer reduce. I still look about 4 months pregnant and my 'baby' is now 3yo! I have never managed to lose the weight despite trying hard. The dynamics were different second time around, less time, harder to go to baby exercuse classes with a toddler tagging along. Body felt battered from repeated mastitis. I'm only just at the point I have the energy to do exercise. The cumulative effect of 5 years of pregnancy, breast feeding and sleep deprivation gave take it out if me.

Your priorities change though after a baby and im proud of my body that it has created and nurtured 2 new lives

Another thing I will say: I’m pretty sure postnatal care is universally crap. Hopefully you have a partner or somebody who’s going to be helping to take care of you afterwards; that person needs to know the postnatal care is likely to be shit and be prepared to fight for you. He or she needs to be alert to any mention of birth injuries (degree of tear etc) or other complications, google them and make sure you’re given all the recommended treatment, scans, checks etc. So you can focus on the good bits

I was specifically referring to physique and this is what a postnatal physio told me. It wasn’t much cop being told that after birth, but anyway. Traumatic births, of which I had one, can very much affect your pelvic floor. But I wasn’t referring to trauma, I didn’t want to freak out the OP in her last few weeks of pregnancy...

After my first my body was completely normal after 2months or so. The only thing that was weird was the scar from tearing. It was uncomfortable until my second birth.
Second time around the scar healed better and i have fully recovered within 2 months, but i carried about 10kg for 1.5years until i decided its not gonna go on its own.

In my book the many and varied parts of me that suffered (as you say, not necessarily helpful to list them here) all count as part of the ‘body’ but ok

My body went back to how it was pretty quickly. But it was saggy and stretched in places well before pregnancy. Definitely didn't make anything worse per se.

I put on 4 stone during my twin pregnancy, but only 1 stone was biscuits, the rest was all baby/placenta/water retention. I still looked 6 months gone a couple of weeks after I’d had them, but was so thrilled to be able to wear normal non maternity jeans albeit a size bigger than normal when they turned 6 weeks.

My stomach will never be the same again. I have an apron from the section, and the only way I can describe my skin is like elastic that’s lost its elasticity, it feels like crepe paper. It’s still very big and the muscles have split a bit but I’m trying very hard to be positive about it. My twins are now 2.5 and they love mama’s tummy as it’s soft and squishy and dances when they poke it 😬

The hair loss was something I’d not expected, it was coming out in massive amounts for months afterwards. It seems to have stopped now thankfully!

Despite the stretch marks and the never to be flat again stomach I consider myself to be very lucky indeed as I don’t leak at all, and I’ve suffered no real complications or after effects apart from my squidgy tum.

However much weight I lose, I have stretch marks and lose skin on my stomach and my breasts aren't as perky as they once are.

Same @PrimeraVez. My stretch marks were horrific - thick and deep, starting below the pubic bone and going way past my navel, towards the sternum. It was like my abdominal area was tearing apart. Now, five years after having my second child, my abdomen looks like a saggy scrunched up paper bag. I have a small spare tyre of loose skin that just can’t shrink back any more (I’d need surgery to remove it but there’s no way I’d opt for that 💰)

Also had severe diastasis recti but years of Pilates has helped massively. Took a long LONG time to build up my core muscles enough to plank for more than five seconds.

Very shortly after giving birth to DD1 I remember poking my stomach and it juggling around like a water bed. I was horrified!!!

Lost the weight both times with DC and am a size 10 again, but I'm no where near as toned and don't think I'll ever wear a bikini again. It's one-piece swimsuits for me!

I put in 3 atone with each pregnancy ( 5 years apart ) and was wearing my pre oregnancy jeans 2 weeks later. No bump after birth either time but a soft tum which I liked. For me, Breastfeeding made the weight fall off and I'm actually trying to hold onto 1/2 a stone because I like having a bum!

I tried to stay active but in the end couldn’t even go for a walk due to pgp.
12 months on I look more or less the same but with looser skin even though I have the tiniest stretch marks. I do weight lifting exercise now to stay strong!
I practiced kegels throughout and straight after and I’m pleased to say I have a strong pelvic floor. Orgasms and no leaky bladder.

Straight after birth felt WEIRD. Felt like my innards would fall out my vagina. Going to the loo - weeing stung and poking scary so I ate plenty of prunes.
Getting up and down from sofa was difficult as it’s like all your core muscles have disappeared. I started wearing a belly bandit which helped ALOT. I felt supported and secure. It also helped my tummy muscles and I’m sure it’s the reason why my uterus shrunk back so quick (even midwife was surprised).
I don’t think your body will ever be back to pre baby exactly but by 9/10 months post partum I definitely felt more comfortable in my skin and more like “me”. Don’t rush yourself to be anything - that’s the best advice I can offer. Also - it goes SO quick. Can’t believe I have a 1 year old.

Poking - pooing 😂😂 also when the hair shedding started I got a gorgeous bob haircut - but the shedding does stop eventually!

And sorry I mean 12 months on I look more or less same as pre pregnancy but under my clothes my skin is looser (not crepey just loose..) high waist jeans are my friend now!

Baby at 28. Felt back to normal at 6 weeks but really wasn't until 6 months PP, was insanely weak after pregnancy- found my 3kg baby very heavy.

Gained 30% of my bodyweight during pregnancy, no stretch marks, lost it without trying by 2-3 months PP- am breastfeeding though. Vaginal birth with no tears, fanny looks and feels same as it ever has. Boobs bigger but still feeding. Tons of hair fell out between 3-6months PP but it should just be what didn't fall out during pregnancy.

I reckon I look 95% the same as before baby, bigger boobs and my waist is stuck at 28 inches instead of 27 but all in all not noticeable to anyone other than me. Stomach feels same as before no loose skin- moisturised twice daily.

Mostly very surprised by jelly belly immediately after birth- had gone by 3 weeks or so.

I’ve always been quite ‘big built’ tall, wide hips and shoulders but very small waist and annoyingly small boobs.

My body has reacted in a similar way after both of my babies, both big babies and lots of weight gain throughout pregnancy.

I was a 12/14 before having DD, went to a solid 14 after her and now a pretty solid 16 after DS (5 months). My hips are much wider than they were and I’ve still got a mummy tummy. I usually hide it with loose tops to be honest. My waist is still small in comparison though. Boobs are smaller and flatter than ever. I was pretty lucky with stretch marks and only got a few, most of which are fading now along with my CS scar.

From my experience and mums I know, very few women ‘bounce back’ to exactly as they were before unless they have their kids particularly young or they really work hard at it. Not that it’s a bad thing though, your body has grown and birthed a person it’s to be expected!

Totally disagree with @winterwoolies. I gained 1.5 stone during both my pregnancies but my body is frankly fucked after two ten pound plus babies. I think mostly it is genetics tbh. I got loads of stretch marks during puberty and the same thing happened during pregnancy. My feet and hands are still bigger 5 years later.

Thanks everyone, it's been helpful to hear people's experiences and be a bit prepared for anything.

Boobs and belly button never quite the same but I felt back to myself by 6 months with my first. Second time boobs and belly button have taken a beating again and although my stomach looks ok it feels a bit more squidgy to me but only 5 months postpartum so we’ll see!