Parenting

15 Things No One Tells Us Will Happen Postpartum

ParentingPublished Aug 28, 2020
By Devan McGuinness
mom holding a newborn baby at the hospitaliStock

There is so much to look forward to when a baby is born. Those cute little fingers and toes, the sweet smell of a newborn baby head, and the cries that sound like little baby animals are just a few. We often spend so much time reading up on pregnancy and labor that we forget to pay attention to the advice and notes on how to survive the postpartum period.

There's a lot that goes on during the postpartum period between healing from birth, worrying about symptoms in our own body, and oh yeah, there's a whole new person we have to take care of. It's a lot, and by the time the baby arrives, we don't have the same amount of time to read all the books and scour the internet for advice.

We've compiled 15 things that all parents should know about the postpartum period that many of us are never warned about.

1/15
The Stomach Feels Strange-placeholder
The Stomach Feels Strange
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The Stomach Feels Strange

We understand that after the baby is born, it takes a while for our uterus to shrink. However, what no one will say about postpartum is that the feeling of the belly is strange. It feels like Jell-O and gooey at the same time.

2/15
It Feels Like the Uterus Is Going to Fall Out-placeholder
It Feels Like the Uterus Is Going to Fall Out
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It Feels Like the Uterus Is Going to Fall Out

For nine months we've used our bump as a table and tried to find convenient ways to make our pants work even though they obviously didn't fit anymore. After the baby is born, that convenient place to put our bowl of ice cream is gone and we're left with a feeling that our uterus is going to fall out of our body -- literally.

3/15
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It Hurts To Sit Down
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It Hurts To Sit Down

It doesn't matter which avenue the baby was born -- vaginally or via C-section -- it still hurts to sit down postpartum. Everything is sore down there from carrying the baby, from delivering the baby, from stitches or staples. There were issues like hemorrhoids that may have come up in those last few weeks or a surprise after delivery, and it's not easy. Let's just say lots of new moms make those rubber donuts their new BFF.

4/15
There Will Be Hunger, or None at All-placeholder
There Will Be Hunger, or None at All
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There Will Be Hunger, or None at All

We often hear that women are ravenous after they give birth and all they want to do is eat. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes, there's still lasting nausea and hunger doesn't come for a few days. Both are completely valid and normal -- but are things that no one really talks about until it's 3 a.m. and instead of sleeping, the new mama is searching through message boards.

5/15
It's OK If the Milk's Not in Yet-placeholder
It's OK If the Milk's Not in Yet
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It's OK If the Milk's Not in Yet

When we think about having a baby and we're planning to nurse, it's weird when we realize that our milk isn't in right away. Nope. Turns out it can take a few days postpartum until the milk comes in and a lot of it depends on several factors. According to KellyMom, milk usually comes in "2-3 days after birth, but in as many as 25% of mothers this may take longer than 3 days."

6/15
There Are So Many Sweaty Nights-placeholder
There Are So Many Sweaty Nights
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There Are So Many Sweaty Nights

When the baby is born, out come the sweats. It's due to hormones normalizing after pregnancy and labor and as a result, there's a whole lot of sweating. It might hit right as the baby finally falls asleep and instead of catching zzz's, the new mom is changing her shirt because she sweats right through it.

7/15
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Those Feet, Whose Are They?!
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Those Feet, Whose Are They?!

We all know that our feet get bigger when we're pregnant. We're often scrambling at the last minute to the shoe store to find a new pair that fits our feet, which likely grew in a size or two. Well, it happens when the baby is born, too. Only this time, it's swelling from labor and childbirth.

8/15
It Will Still Feel Like Labor-placeholder
It Will Still Feel Like Labor
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It Will Still Feel Like Labor

There's a little something called postpartum cramps or afterbirth pain and they hurt. It's going to feel similar to labor with the cramping coming and going. Oh, and the more babies, the more it will hurt. Usually by the second baby, mom knows what to expect and things are easier … but not afterbirth pain.

9/15
The Milk Doesn't Come Out Like It Seems-placeholder
The Milk Doesn't Come Out Like It Seems
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The Milk Doesn't Come Out Like It Seems

There is this idea out there that when milk finally comes in to feed the baby, there's one hole that it comes from. By the time the milk does come it, it will become super apparent that it will squirt out of several holes and it resembles a shower head more than anything.

10/15
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The Blood Loss Is Not Like a Period
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The Blood Loss Is Not Like a Period

We all know that after labor and birth comes blood loss that we're told will be similar to a period. Which is true -- except it's not like a typical period at all. Nope, not even a little. This one is a whole other deal -- it's a lot more clots that will make it feel like pee is coming out or something else. A typical pad usually isn't going to be enough. But this, too, shall pass.

11/15
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Feeling Like the Only One Who Doesn't Get It
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Feeling Like the Only One Who Doesn't Get It

There is so much pressure around being a mom and when it feels like it doesn't come naturally, moms are left feeling like the only one that isn't doing a good job. The truth is, none of us know what we're doing. We all feel like we're the only one who feels that we're doing all the wrong things, feeling unsure, but it will come. Relax and be in the moment.

12/15
Things Are Swollen So Peeing May Be Hard-placeholder
Things Are Swollen So Peeing May Be Hard
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Things Are Swollen So Peeing May Be Hard

Again, it doesn't matter how the baby was born, things down there are going to be swollen. Yes, it is likely to be worse if it wasn't a C-section birth -- more so if any tearing happened and/or stitches were required. Just know it might hurt to pee and/or it might take a minute for it to come out, thanks to all the swelling -- and it's totally normal.

13/15
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Nothing Will Fit
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Nothing Will Fit

So, hopefully by now we realize that we're not going to "snap back" after having a baby and we hope that this is not a stress new parents feel anymore. But, nothing is going to fit -- not rings, socks, belts, nothing and it's all thanks to that after birth swelling that no one ever talks about. Typically this will go away in a few days to a week and those feet and hands won't look twice the size anymore.

14/15
It's OK If the Bond Isn't Instant-placeholder
It's OK If the Bond Isn't Instant
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It's OK If the Bond Isn't Instant

There is so much pressure on loving this new person that mama's never really met before. We all hear about the indescribable bond moms feel with their kids, but sometimes it doesn't happen that way. And that's totally OK. Mom is dealing with healing and fatigue, adjusting to being needed so much and if there are no feelings of overwhelming love, it doesn't make a bad parent, it's OK. Relax, and it will come.

15/15
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Yes, Drink the Water. Trust
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Yes, Drink the Water. Trust

We all hear how important it is to drink our water every day. It's never more important than after a baby is born because the worst thing -- on top of healing form childbirth -- is to get constipated. It's going to happen easier and faster than it would in the past thanks to milk coming in or nursing, sweating, and general healing. It will be really, really bad, trust us, if drinking all the water isn't a priority.

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