As if giving birth to a baby and having the immense responsibility to keep them alive and thriving isn’t enough, navigating through an unknown world of postpartum recovery is enough to make any woman feel completely overwhelmed and lost.
Here are some things I wish I had known before having my first baby.
Bleeding
I had no idea that I would be bleeding for several weeks after I had a baby. I thought maybe a day or two after the birth….but nope! After my first baby I bled for about 6 weeks. Then I proceeded to get my first period at 6 weeks! That was fun. The truth is that bleeding will look a little different for each mom, but typically it lasts for 3-6 weeks after baby. For some it may be less and some more. Some small clots of blood can be normal in the first few days after giving birth, but there should be no clumps the size of a plum or bigger. Always contact your provider if you’re concerned about your blood loss.
Related: Top 10 products I recommend to prepare for postpartum
The Shivers
This is one of my most memorable symptoms of postpartum recovery. Some women may experience intense shivering shortly after giving birth as their body loses fluid and hormones are rapidly changing. But I was not prepared to have crippling shivers several DAYS after giving birth. Around day 4 after having my baby I woke up in the middle of the night to breastfeed. As soon as I stood up I was paralyzed with intense shivers. It felt like a winter storm on the inside of my body and nothing made me feel warm. It was so bad that I had to wait several minutes before I was able to go pick up my daughter. It lasted a couple of nights for me. When I Googled this weird symptom, I didn’t find any specific medical cause for this. All of the articles I read mentioned shivers right after giving birth, not days after.
HOWEVER, I found from reading anecdotal experiences online that many women reported that they noticed they got the intense shivers around the time their milk supply was coming in full-force. When I thought back to my experiences, I realized that the times I got the shivers coincided with when my milk supply was finally fully in!
How difficult breastfeeding can be
I had no idea that breastfeeding would be so hard and complicated. I expected that to come naturally, but it felt so awkward at first. And it.was.so.hard. Looking back I wish I had taken a course beforehand to help me with a few of the basics of breastfeeding. I highly recommend doing some research and taking a course.
SWEATING, SWEAT…and MORE sweat!
Don’t be alarmed if you wake up in the middle of the night and are sweating through your clothes! About a third of women experience night sweats within the first few days of giving birth. This is due to hormonal shifts happening.
I personally never experienced intense sweating in the first days postpartum, BUT I did have more sweat in general and much more prominent BO all throughout my breastfeeding journey. Bad BO is also normal. It’s nature’s way of helping your baby locate you and your breasts.
Baby Blues and Postpartum Disorders
A lot of women I talked to describe how they got really weepy or had intense mood swings after giving birth. Having more down feelings, weepiness, and mood swings in the first two weeks after giving birth is referred to as “the baby blues”. It is thought to be partially due to the huge drop in hormones after giving birth. Having a baby is no doubt overwhelming by itself. Throw in crazy hormonal fluctuations and it can feel like a hurricane of emotions. If your mood doesn’t improve in a couple of weeks, you could be experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety (PPD/PPA).
It’s also a common misconception that if you don’t get postpartum depression by the time you have your first postnatal appointment (about 6 weeks postpartum), then you will likely not get it. Many mothers develop postpartum mood disorders months after their baby is born, often after the prolonged sleep deprivation kicks in and makes coping even more difficult. Talk to your OB/midwife if you’re really struggling and think you could have PPD/PPA.
Hemorrhoids
I didn’t even know what hemorrhoids were when I got them out of the blue a few days postpartum. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins around the anus.I remember hearing something about some pregnant women getting them, but I didn’t know that a lot of women also get them after having a baby. You can get them while pushing during labor or you might get them a days later due to blood pooling during pregnancy. It’s also good to know that they can be EXTERNAL or INTERNAL. A warm, Sitz bath will help sooth outer, swollen veins. For internal hemorrhoids I used hydrocortisone suppositories. This is the only thing that gave me relief! Postpartum hemorrhoids can last several weeks or even months.
AFTER PAINS
After you give your birth and deliver y the placenta, your uterus continues to contract for hours and off and on for days potentially. The cramping is usually brought on and more noticeable when breastfeeding because breastfeeding releases oxytocin which causes the uterus to contract (oxytocin is the same hormone that causes contractions during labor).
Many women report that afterpains get more painful with subsequent births. I personally did not notice the pains after my first baby, but I definitely noticed them after by third baby!
Bladder trouble
Bladder trouble is a common experience for many women after giving birth. The weight of the baby during pregnancy and the pressure during birth puts a lot of strain on our pelvic floor muscles. They can be weakened and need some time to rebuild. Personally I had the most trouble after my first baby, but noticed huge improvements within the first couple of months giving birth. If you are having continence issues or feel like something is not right with your pelvic muscles, ask your primary care provider or OB/midwife for a referral to see a pelvic floor physical therapist.
You’re Not Alone
Postpartum recovery can be a shock to the system. The first few days and weeks can have you wondering, “How does everyone else survive this?” You may all of a sudden have a new-found respect for all parents that you know. You’re not doing things wrong. Bringing home a new baby is hard. period. Do not be afraid to talk to your providers and your friends and family to ask them if you’re experiencing is normal. You don’t have to navigate this alone!