First of all, your belly won’t go down right away! You will actually look about five months pregnant a week after you have delivered your baby. Your belly will be loose and will sag down. Stretch marks will probably be evident, but will fade over time. Personally, I wear my stretch marks with pride. I am a woman and have a woman’s perfect and beautifully flawed body.
If you had a vaginal birth, your perineum will be tender. You will want to sit on soft couches and chairs, and probably won’t be driving a car for about a week. The hospital will offer cold compresses for your perineum – and believe me, these are heaven! Don’t turn them down if you get the chance to use one. If you are sore, ask your doctor if you can use a sitz bath. These can be extremely comforting if you have a sore perineal area.
If you needed an episiotomy, it may burn when you urinate. The stitches shouldn’t bother you, but there is always a possibility they will irritate you. Your doctor probably used stitches that will dissolve naturally. Don’t be surprised if you see pieces of stitches on toilet paper or in the toilet after you urinate.
The hospital will give you a bottle to use after you go to the bathroom. Fill it with warm water and gently squirt the water over your vaginal area to wash it and keep it clean. The water takes the place of toilet tissue for the first few days.
You will be bleeding for about a month to six weeks after you deliver. The bleeding, called lochia, can be initially fairly heavy. Tampons will not be allowed – pads only!
A major bonus to pregnancy? Face it – your breasts got larger! Expect them to become even fuller after you give birth. As the milk comes in, they may become engorged and sore. But once you and your baby get the hang of nursing, things will even out. The one thing no one taught me? Your breasts may get stretch marks! At first the stretch marks can be red and distinct, but after nursing the will lighten up to a less noticeable silver color.
Urination may be difficult for the first few days after you deliver. Try to drink lots of fluids, and take your time on the toilet. Relax and let the water run in the sink to help you think about urination. If you feel uncomfortable and are not able to go, tell your nurse or doctor right away.
The final insult? Your bladder may never be the same. One baby? Probably fine. But more? Picture yourself laughing and then oops! You leak some urine! This is completely normal. Try Kegel exercises to tighten things up – and think about wearing a pad before you attempt to jump on your children’s new trampoline. And yes, I’m speaking from experience!
