If you’re a mom, you know that there are plenty of things that flat out stun you in the first year postpartum. All the sudden, your hair starts falling out in giant clumps and you experience contractions (again) and you think to yourself, “Woah woah woah. Hold up. Why did no one tell me about this!?” No matter how many books you read or doctors you talk to, there always seems to be a surprise waiting for you at the other end. So we reached out to our mama community to let us in on a few of their postpartum deets. Here are a few unexpected things to expect…
- Your hair falls out.
And not in a cute way (is there one?). Don’t freak out, this will stop…eventually.
- You might lose your sex drive.
This one’s different for every mama, but fair warning, just because the doctor clears you to jump back in after 6 weeks doesn’t mean you’ll want to.
- You’ll bleed for a few weeks.
We’ve always wondered why all the pregnancy books don’t warn you about this one…Get your adult diapers ready, ladies! Some heavy post baby flow is coming your way, EVEN if you had a C-section.
- Your boobs leak.
Tired? Hungry? Hear a baby crying (even if they’re not your own)? Feel absolutely completely fine? Your boobs might start leaking. Pro tip: Always keep an extra shirt or sweater handy.
- Your sweat will smell worse than pre-baby.
Plus, you’ll start sweating out of places you never did before. Sweat mustache, anyone?
- You might continue to have contractions.
Thought you were done with those bad boys after birth? Not quite yet. You might experience contractions for a week or so after your babe is born.
- You’re going to be starving.
Whether you’re breastfeeding or not, your body will be CRAVING sustenance. Listen to the call, mama.
- You’ll cry for no reason.
No matter what emotion you’re actually feeling, you might find yourself crying with no explanation as to why. The silver lining? You don’t even need to explain yourself to anyone.
- The pain medication will constipate you.
Just a quick tip: if your doctor offers you pain meds, ask for the side effects. Also, stool softener…ask for stool softener.
- You might not recognize your vagina.
Let’s be honest, she just went through war. So don’t be surprised if you’re swollen down there (read: unrecognizable) for a little longer than expected.
- You will hear phantom cries.
You may be woken or startled by cries that just…do not exist? It’s a bizarre experience to say the least.
- You will have gas pains.
Post c-section mamas, this one’s for you. There’s even this thing called referred gas pain that you can feel in your SHOULDER. Ya, we’re confused too.
- You will shake violently.
This one will catch you off guard but apparently violent shakes are c-section recovery status quo thanks to surgery and meds. Another one the books fail to mention…But we promise you, it’s pretty common.
- You might hate breastfeeding.
Cracked nipples? Check. Engorgement? Check. Bleeding? Check. Painful contractions at first latch? Check. Constant pumping? Check, check, check…Whether you want to breastfeed, don’t want to breastfeed, or are struggling to do so, it’s a confusing and overwhelming journey for most mothers. Whatever you choose, we’re here for you mama.
