4 Ways That Your Body Changes Postpartum

Your body doesn’t just change during pregnancy. It changes after it, too! Read about four big changes that you might experience postpartum and what you can do to address them.

1. Loose Skin

After delivery, you’ll see that the skin around your belly is a little loose, saggy or puckered. It’s been stretched by your baby bump!

It can take a few months for the belly skin to recover. It can smooth out and adjust on its own.

There is a possibility that it won’t snap back at all. The problem is more likely to happen to women who are older and to women who have lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time — this is one reason why you shouldn’t do an extreme diet post-pregnancy. 

What can you do if your skin doesn’t snap back? You could look into a tummy tuck. The surgery removes the excess skin around the stomach.

Where can you get a tummy tuck? If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you should look into booking a consultation for a tummy tuck in Mississauga at this exceptional clinic. It’s the best plastic surgery clinic in Mississauga, and it specializes in this procedure. Their surgeons will be ready to help you.

2. Weak Abs

Many women suffer from diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles) after pregnancy. This leads to a weak abdominal wall. There are two effective ways to treat this problem: physical therapy and tummy tucks. During a tummy tuck, the surgeon will suture the abdominal muscles together and tighten them so that the abdominal wall is stronger.

Talk to your doctor to see which option is best for you.

3. Thinning Hair

Your hormone levels will slowly shift back to normal in the months after delivery. As this happens, your hair changes. It won’t look as thick, full or shiny as it did during pregnancy. It will likely look thinner and duller and start falling out.

Postpartum hair loss — also known as postpartum telogen effluvium — is completely normal. Some women experience a small amount of hair loss, where some strands fall out after brushing and washing. Others have severe hair loss that results in a large reduction in volume and bald patches.

This shedding is temporary. It should stop within a year. If it doesn’t, you should talk to your doctor.

If you’re experiencing postpartum hair loss, you’ll want to adopt gentle hairstyles that won’t pull on the strands. You’ll also want to avoid dyeing, bleaching, perming, curling or straightening your hair.

4. Bigger Feet

Your body retains extra fluids to support the baby during pregnancy. Those fluids tend to pool in the lower half of your body, in your legs, ankles and feet. After delivery, the swelling should subside as your body expels the fluids through sweating and urination. It should take a couple of weeks. You can decrease your discomfort by following natural treatments for postpartum foot swelling and avoiding uncomfortable footwear.

Even after the swelling has subsided, you might find that your normal shoes are snug. This is because your foot size could be bigger! During pregnancy, your body produces the hormone Relaxin to soften ligaments—this includes the arches in your feet. The hormone can make your arches drop, causing your feet to be permanently longer/wider.

A lot of women don’t know about these postpartum changes! Now you’ll be prepared for what can happen in the weeks after delivery.