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Your body after the birth: 9 surprising things that happen after giving birth

Giving Birth

Your body after the birth: 9 surprising things that happen after giving birth

Other moms don’t usually talk about their experiences after labor. But there might be something you’ve never heard of before.

You may get the shakes
It’s normal to have shakes, so don’t be surprised if you feel jittery right after the delivery. Some women will even have full-body shakiness after delivery. These shakes may arise from the immediate hormonal shifts or are a reaction to the anesthesia.

The baby is here, then comes the placenta
After the baby is born you will continue to have mild contractions and then you will have to give one more push to deliver the placenta. The placenta will come about 5 to 30 minutes after your baby is born.

You may get stitches down there
You may have heard that episiotomies aren’t always required, but, even if the doctor doesn’t make an incision, you might need some stitches because minor vaginal tearing is very common, especially if you’re a first-time mom. If you opted for an epidural, you may not feel the tear or incision and the subsequent stitches. However, if you didn’t receive any form of pain relief, your doctor or midwife will give you a shot to numb the area first.

Contractions continue
After childbirth, your womb has to shrink down to pre-pregnancy size. Oxytocin is the hormone that is responsible for causing uterine contractions.

Your Child might not be interested in breastfeeding
You may have heard that it’s important to breastfeed as soon as possible after birth to encourage early bonding. While that’s true, don’t be surprised if Your Child isn’t interested in feeding immediately. A lot of babies neglect to feed for the first 15 to 30 minutes after delivery. However, skin-to-skin contact right after birth is still important to help reduce any sort of mental stress your baby might experience. 

There will be some blood
In the days following your delivery, it’s normal to notice some bleeding after sitting or lying for a while. You may also notice a gush of blood while breastfeeding. It is normal to pass some large clots within 24 hours after delivery. Usually, you may continue to pass little blood-like substances — at a decreasing rate, similar to a period. This may happen for about four to six weeks after delivery.

Your vaginal area can swell
If you push for a long time during delivery, there’s a chance that your vagina will swell. Vaginal swelling is more commoner among first-time moms than among those having their second or third babies. To reduce the swelling, apply ice packs. They’ll reduce the discomfort and bring the swelling down.

You might stay longer in bed
If you delivered by c-section, relax because you’ll have to stay in bed for at least 12 to 24 hours. The effects of the spinal/epidural will make your legs too weak to walk.

You may sweat
For many moms, sweating quite a bit during the first few weeks after delivery is normal. This is because of the massive drop in the body’s estrogen level. The change in hormones can affect your body’s temperature regulation, but don’t worry — things will normalize within a month or two.

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