Congratulations! You are officially a mommy [again, if you have multiple children].
When you first found out you were pregnant, you probably had a lot of emotions. Good or bad. Of course, depending on your situation, it may not have been happy emotions at first, but nonetheless, here you are, carrying your beautiful baby.
Pregnancy may or may not have been an easy process, and childbirth was probably the hardest thing you have ever done.
When you sign up to be a mother, you know the basics of pregnancy, childbirth, and being a mother. But no one really seems to talk about what you go through after delivering your baby.
That’s why I am here.
There is nothing easy about childbirth. And it doesn’t get easier during postpartum. Your body goes through major changes, and all you can do is try to keep up. I created a list of eleven things you can expect during postpartum.
[For Transparency] There may be some affiliate links in this blog.
Below are the six things people don't talk about when it comes to postpartum:
(1) Your Skin Gets Dry
With my first pregnancy, I had dry skin in my inner thighs and on my bum. With my second pregnancy, I had dry skin on my knees and my knuckles. Your body is going through so many changes after childbirth. It doesn’t have time to focus on itself like it normally did. So the healing process may take some time.
Having dry spots on your skin is normal during postpartum. It’s not really fun having those dry spots though, so I created a body butter to help soothe the dryness of my skin.
I absolutely love the luxurious hydration and delightful scent of body butter for your skin. Crafted from all-natural ingredients, it's an ideal choice for both postpartum and pregnancy skincare routines. And it has nourishing benefits for whenever your skin craves a boost of moisture and pampering.
(2) Your Hair Falls Out
During pregnancy, your hair becomes fuller. This is because your body during pregnancy has high levels of estrogen. Not only that, but you are also taking prenatal vitamins, which helps give you that extra boost of the minerals and vitamins you need. This helps your hair grow and you don’t shed as often. So by the time you are giving birth, your head is full. But that won’t last for long. When your estrogen levels start to lower during postpartum, your hair starts to fall out.
Your hair goes through a cycle of phases: growing phase, resting phase, shedding phase, and repeat.
While you are pregnant, your hair stays in the growing phase for quite some time. After the delivery of your baby and your estrogen levels begin to decrease, your hair starts to go into the shedding phase.
My hair began falling out at about 2-3 months after childbirth. Lots of hair would come out all at once or random strands here and there. I found hair everywhere, even in my daughters hands, neck, and mouth. It was insane. So much hair falls out, you would think you were going bald.
It can be very stressful, especially when you already have so much going on with your new born baby.
What helped me get through my hair loss was braiding my hair. It helped with leaving hair everywhere. I made sure to wash my hair only once or twice a week, and I would gently brush my hair daily. Almost like what you would do with a dog that sheds a lot.
Depending on hair type, make sure to wash and moisturize accordingly. Take supplements for hair growth and strength. Try to let your hair breathe but also keep it gently tied. This will help your hair from falling out everywhere. And remember, this is only temporary. I know it can feel like a lifetime, and can be very stressful, especially if you are seeing your voluminous hair thinning out.
After trying a couple of shampoos and conditioners for my hair, I finally found one that helped my hair grow back fast and healthy. It was not only good for me, but also for my hsuband who has dreads. Works very well on all hait types.
(3) You Bleed for Several Weeks
Before having a baby, I knew that a woman would bleed during delivery, but never thought that it would be for weeks. It’s like an extended period. It wasn’t too bad, but after some time the vagina needs some breathing, if you know what I mean. You can get rashes from the constant blood flow. Irritation on the vagina can happen from the blood and the lack of airing out. You will definitely want to change your pad often.
I took a shower every single day because you just feel icky after some time. I know many women may not have the privilege to shower every day, mainly due to lack of help or exhaustion, but there are some things you can do to help.
I’ll be honest, I’m not perfect. And on my non-perfect days, showering was the last thing on my mind, mostly because I was so sleep deprived. So on the instances where I knew I may not have the time to shower, I would make sure to use wet wipes.
Not only does it help alleviate the discomfort of the constant bleeding and childbirth, but it also helps with feeling fresh. Of course, this will never replace taking a shower, but it does help. A lot.
Also, don't forget about that good o' peri bottle you get from the hospital. Definitely helps keep you stay clean and fresh, and helps with the healing process of the vagina. If you don't have one, you can always order one online. Check out the link below.
(4) You get the Baby Blues
After birth you get a lot of excitement, but you also get a lot of emotions. Emotions that make you angry or feel hopeless. You can blame the hormones for this, and being restless, of course. You want to go back to doing what you were doing before you became pregnant. You also want to fit into your cute clothes and feel like yourself again. Unfortunately, that’s just not how it goes.
You’re exhausted, probably hungry often, feeling like you’re in a cycle of endless nights, trying to care for yourself and another person.
It’s no wonder you feel like you’re in a dark place. You don’t have time for yourself anymore.
My first postpartum experience was not bad at all. I felt great and happy about being a new mommy. But my second postpartum experience was not so great. I felt like I was not where I wanted to be financially. I had no time for myself at first, until I took a moment to do some self-reflection.
I was a mommy to a newborn and a toddler. So the demand was high. At times I felt like a chicken without a head. But with some self-care and self-love, I felt better.
My advice is to stop trying to bond with your baby, and take care of yourself for a moment. The bonding with your baby will soon come, and when it does, it will be magical. I promise. But when you are not feeling 100%, you really can’t expect to give 100%. So take a guilt-free mommy moment to recharge through self-love and self-care. It is not an utmost necessity.
Let’s say this together. I am a goddess of this world. A woman by body, a queen by crown, and a goddess in spirit.
You’ve already done the hardest part. So be proud of that. Make sure to step outside when you feel overwhelmed [if it’s not too hot or cold]. Rest when your new baby rests. Drink plenty of water. And most importantly, love yourself and be patient with yourself.
You got this!
(5) Body Odor Will Change
After having a baby, your hormones are all over the place and this can cause more than just weight gain or loss, and hair loss. Your body odor may not be the same, ever. And I say may because all pregnancies are different, just as all women’s bodies are different.
Taking showers may be in vain.
But staying on top of your hygiene can go a long way. And what other way to do other than self-love and self-care.
For a longer lasting cleanliness feeling, I would take sugar scrub showers. Not only to help my skin feel smoother and less dry, but also to help the nice smell of the oils penetrate my skin. Hydrating my body with body butter gave it an extra boost of yumminess, and it would last all day.
(6) Your Immune System is Weakened
Babies require so much from mommy. They literally take over our entire life, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Even after birth. Our bodies from the moment that we conceive start putting us last and the baby first, for obvious reasons of course.
If you don’t take your prenatals while pregnant, your body will take what it has and give it to the baby. This is why our teeth weaken during pregnancy and why many women suffer from anemia and other deficiencies.
After birth our bodies shift gears and prepare to start feeding a whole new life. The process of giving birth takes such a toll on a woman's body, that we end up playing catchup for a very long time. And I mean many many years after, starting from birth.
Since our bodies are trying to recover from many months of pregnancy and childbirth, once the baby is here, the body has to start focusing on healing and nurturing a new human. Our immune system right after birth is at its weakest.
Which is why it’s so important to help your body recover with plenty of rest, postpartum vitamins, nutritional meals, and drinking plenty of water.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post my goddess!
Now go enjoy your little bundle of joy, and remember, you can't take care of someone else until you learn to take care of yourself first.
Yours Truly,
Janis E.💋
Comments