10 Sneaky Post-Birth Surprises

We’ve heard about engorgement. We know not to expect any sleep. But what about all those other things that pop up, post-birth, and catch us off guard? The things we weren’t expecting to see or experience because, assuming we already knew, no one remembered to warn us about it beforehand? Based on feedback from real postpartum moms, here’s a list of ten of some of the most common sneaky post-birth surprises.

After Birth Pains (Cramping)

It may have just birthed a baby but that doesn’t mean our uterus’ job is done. Now it’s time for it to shrink back to it’s “pre-pregnancy” size. It does this by contracting (and I know - you are probably done with that word right about now!). The good thing is that this contracting is not on the same level of the type of contracting experienced during labour. The no-so-good thing is that it can still be more intense than many of us were expecting or prepared for. Having your baby on the breast triggers the uterus to contract, so you might find the sensation more intense during nursing sessions. The should only last for a few days post-birth and it may be pretty mild for first-time moms and more intense for mamas on their subsequent babies. You can take Tylenol or Advil or use apply heat via heating pad or hot water bottle to help ease any discomfort - and don’t be afraid to revert back to using the breathwork that carried you through labour if you need it!

Bleeding

There are some things we are free to just leave behind in our birthing space. Bleeding, unfortunately, is not one of them. Regardless of if you’ve had a vaginal birth or belly birth, bleeding afterwards is totally normal and expected, yet something many moms were just not prepared for. The term used to describe post-birth bleeding is called lochia. Lochia is made up of blood, mucus, pieces of uterine lining and white blood cells with the objective being the restoration of the uterine lining. For the first two weeks, your bleeding might be something along the lines of a heavy period and, as time progresses, will eventually taper off (although this process can last upwards of six weeks postpartum). A good supply of adult diapers and overnight pads, without wings, will get you (and your pants) through the other side, relatively unscathed. Heads up: Soaking a pad within one hour is considered outside of the realm in terms of normal expectations and requires being seen by a medical professional.

Still Lookin’ Preggo

Don’t throw out those maternity clothes so fast, lady! We might have Duchess Kate and Meghan to thank for starting to normalize the post-birth baby bump but it still seems to be a surprise when it happens to us. Expect to come out of your pregnancy, and the first little while post-birth, still looking a little pregnant.

Sore Muscles

If your body feels like it just ran a marathon it’s because it kinda just did! By now you’ve learned that birth is very much a physical event. Your legs might be feeling sore from squatting or holding other positions during labour. Maybe you were holding tension in your shoulders or neck and are still feeling that tightness. Or maybe your back is bruised and tender from the strength of counterpressure you (hopefully) received. A great way to ease those sore muscles is with a lukewarm bath (check with your care provider first, though, to make sure a bath is appropriate with your specific recovery plan) or even a massage with a registered massage therapist.

Travelling… Organs?

As your uterus grew to accommodate your growing baby, your organs shifted up to provide space. Now with your baby on the outside and your uterus starting to shrink back to it’s pre-pregnancy size, it’s time for those other organs to migrate back to their original home. Some women aren’t at all aware that this is happening while some women really notice. The way this is usually described isn’t as painful just “weird.” And we can handle, “weird,” right?! We just birthed a baby!

Swollen Legs and Feet

Our pregnancy is over and, so, all those not-so-alluring pregnancy ailments should immediately disappear along with it, right? You’d think. But, surprise! While swollen extremities during pregnancy is expected, new swelling post-birth is typically a great big, unwanted, surprise. Caused by a build up of fluid during pregnancy, hormones and IV fluids during labour. Drink a lot of water, keep your feet elevated whenever possible, wear compression stockings, stay away from salt or see a registered massage therapist. The swelling won’t stick around for long though - so don’t stress out too much about it.

Hormone Crash

Somewhere in the first week post-birth, those high levels of hormones we maintained during our pregnancy take a huge nose dive. The result is a day (or two) of feeling extremely emotionally fragile. Fun, fun, fun. Just knowing that this hormone crash will occur is a great way to prepare for it - for birthing people and their partners. Partners, it’s your job to stay attune to your partner’s mood and how they seem to be feeling or coping. If you suspect she’s riding the roller-coaster of that post-birth hormone crash, remind her that is expected, that she’ll likely feel much better tomorrow and let this be a day where you spend most of the time holding the baby leaving her to really just rest.

Body Odour

A lot of post-birth moms find themselves doing the “sniff” test more than they ever have before. And, sadly, no - it’s probably not just in your head. An increase in sweat as your body temperature rises post-birth, hormones, breastfeeding (stronger scent to help your newborn find the boob) all contribute to a change in postpartum body odour. The good news? There’s no reason to be overly self-conscious about it. It’s probably just your nose that’s sensitive to it, not everyone else around you.

Hot Flashes

We’re used to feeling hawt during our pregnancy but kinda expect that to disappear once we’re no longer carrying an internal oven (your baby). Hot flashes over the first few days (or weeks) post-birth is a common side effect. The culprit behind these menopausal-esq heat waves are a combination of a sudden dip in estrogen, an increase in the hormone, prolactin, which helps with breastmilk production and also our overall body temperature rising slightly following the end of our pregnancy.

No More Unwanted Surprises

Now that you know some of the common post-birth surprises, be proactive and come up with a plan for how you’ll handle them before your baby comes - or at the very least, they won’t be a shock to you when they do occur. And one thing that won’t surprise you? How much you love and adore your sweet, new little baby and how all these “unexpected” surprises are totally worth it to have the gift of them!