Women give birth all the time. In Denmark, around the world, and in the house a little further down the road. We all know that. Most of us [women] try it ourselves at some point, and even though it's hellishly hard, almost as many of us do it more than once. And we talk about it, we do. Especially in the period immediately after giving birth, we talk widely and extensively about how fantastic or terrible it was to give birth. We do. All the while completely ignoring how the body actually feels in the days after giving birth – even though that can be considered almost as wild as the birth itself. Almost...
That's why, about a year ago, I wrote a blog post with 10 things you (probably) didn't know about your body after giving birth (unless you've already given birth, then you probably already know) and I actually think – considering that pregnancy only lasts about 9 months – that it's time for a good old-fashioned repost. In case there are any new pregnant women out there who could benefit from a little preparation for some of what lies ahead.
10 things you didn't know about your body after giving birth
You're lying in bed, looking down at yourself, and for the first time in months, you see your feet. Your stomach has become completely flat. That is, until you stand up and your uterus rolls forward like a bowling ball in a latex balloon. You still look pregnant. Just in a really ugly way, so forget about jumping into your pre-pregnancy pants right away. Check out the picture above if you're not sure what I mean. They were taken three weeks before and three hours after my first birth, respectively.
Whether you have torn down below or not, if you have given birth vaginally, you have pushed a baby (or what feels like a rock-hard pineapple) out of you, and you will therefore be both sore and swollen. Like, a lot. And it may take a few weeks before you can close your legs again when you walk.
If you have torn, when the midwife tells you to pee a few hours after giving birth, you will feel an intense stinging sensation when the urine hits the open wounds – or even worse, the abrasions on your inner labia. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids so that your urine does not become too concentrated (because then it stings more) and rinse with water while you urinate to thin it out further.
Although I wish it were different, at some point you will need to have a bowel movement after giving birth, and it takes a strong woman to dare to do so. It hurts like crazy and feels like your entire lower abdomen is falling out. Make sure to eat a fiber-rich diet and drink plenty of fluids to help your body have easier bowel movements so you don't have to push too hard. If you feel (or are afraid) that you have a hard stomach, take some magnesia or drink a glass of prune juice. Seriously, just do it. And for God's sake (or just your own), take a pad and hold it against your vagina (which may feel like it's falling out) while you poop – even though I promise your abdomen won't fall out, the knowledge that you're “holding it up” can still be very comforting...
On the other hand, forget all about Libresse for your bleeding right after giving birth, because you will bleed a lot! Seriously, a lot. You will need large diapers with mesh underwear or, at a minimum, a pair of sturdy sloggi three sizes larger than what you usually use.
If you have been one of the lucky ones who has struggled with fluid retention, don't think that it will just disappear along with the placenta. No, typically your feet will swell to twice their size on the 2nd-3rd day after giving birth, before they start to return to normal. And when the fluid really starts to leave your body, it comes out as sweat, so have your towels ready, Svend (Sweat).
You breastfeed and breastfeed and breastfeed and follow all the midwife's instructions, and suddenly – on the third or fourth day – your breasts grow as if they were dough left on the kitchen table – and yet it doesn't seem like any milk is coming out. Your breasts are huge, sore, and for many women also diffusely deformed. It's easy to think that you're a failure and that breastfeeding will never work, but don't despair – it's swelling, just like the kind you know from your feet, and it will disappear within 24 hours and be replaced by a lovely supply of milk for your baby. And your breasts are still big. And sore.
“As long as the baby has a good latch, breastfeeding doesn't hurt,” you'll probably hear many times. Well, guess what. For the vast majority of people, breastfeeding hurts – even if the baby is latching on correctly. However, once breastfeeding is established (typically after a good week), it should gradually get much better – if not, have a serious talk with your health visitor or possibly the breastfeeding counselors from Forældre & Fødsel.
Even when breastfeeding is established, your breasts don't always understand that they should only release milk when your baby needs to eat, so you will find that your milk suddenly starts flowing – and it doesn't care whether you're standing over the refrigerated section at the grocery store or having coffee with your husband's new colleagues. If this becomes a problem, get used to using nursing pads – and for goodness' sake, remember to take them with you when you're done breastfeeding; it's a little embarrassing if guests pull used nursing pads out of the sofa cushions.
You can do anything! You and your body have brought a child into the world, and even though it may take some time before you really notice it yourself, you have an amazing body that you should enjoy, love, and take care of as best you can – after all, you are someone's mother <3 So take an extra rest on the sofa and tell your partner that “your” midwife says he has to do the vacuuming for a little while longer.
