6 Physical Changes Women Undergo During Postpartum Period

Post-Pregnancy Problems: A woman’s body goes through a lot of physical changes after giving birth, some of which may be unpleasant or painful.

Post-Pregnancy Problems: Pregnancy is a life-changing experience for a family, especially for the mother. During the pregnancy journey, post labour and delivery process, the would-be mother undergoes a major transformation in her body. Once the baby is born, aside from the big adjustment of becoming a parent, a new mother also encounters a new set of physical and emotional symptoms where new mothers feel under-prepared or are struggling to cope with the changes in their physical health after delivery.

India.com got in touch with Dr Sangeeta Gomes, Consultant – Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Bangalore to discuss changes in a woman’s body after birth. The expert revealed that a mother’s body requires time to recover from a process as important as pregnancy, thus there are a few symptoms that continue roughly for a few days or weeks. Depending on the person’s health and delivery method, the recuperation period’s length varies from case to case.

6 PHYSICAL CHANGES IN A WOMAN’S BODY AFTER PREGNANCY

1. Postpartum Bleeding: The most common symptom a mother may experience after birth is a discharge called lochia which resembles a menstrual period and can last up to four- or six weeks post-delivery. The lochia is a discharge consisting of blood, pieces of the uterine lining, mucus, and white blood cells which are caused by the shedding and restoration of the uterine lining. In the initial stages, the lochia mostly consists of blood however after a few days or weeks, the lochia consists more of mucus than blood.
2. Hormone Fluctuations: After delivery, a mother’s body experiences hormone fluctuations where estrogen and progesterone levels drop, and the level of oxytocin increases leading to anxiety in most cases. When estrogen and progesterone levels drop, new mothers tend to experience baby blues, a condition where mothers undergo a stark rise in mood swings, anxiety as well as irritation. Additionally, the level of oxytocin flows through a mother’s system right after delivery which turns on the mother’s instincts and behaviour.
3. Low-Iron Levels: New moms are at higher risk of iron deficiency following childbirth, due to blood loss during delivery which leads to exhaustion and fatigue. In these cases, eating iron-rich foods like red meat, fortified whole-grain products, beans, lentils, and leafy greens along with vitamins A, E, C, and B complex, choline, chromium, copper, iodine, selenium, and zinc is helpful to maintain iron levels.
4. Enlarged Breasts: When estrogen and progesterone levels drop, a hormone named prolactin which helps in the production of breastmilk kicks in. The increase in prolactin makes a new mother’s breasts comparatively bigger than they were during pregnancy due to increased blood flow and milk.
5. Swollen Areas: Since delivery can be vaginal or c-section, a few symptoms may differ slightly. In cases of vaginal delivery, a new mother undergoes a swollen, bruised, and sore crotch while in a C-section delivery, a mother experiences a puffy belly and a painful incision. Both of these symptoms gradually get better over several weeks.
6. Constipation: A new mother even undergoes urinary or faecal incontinence due to the pressure during labour and pushing along with the physical act of the baby’s head coming through and pressing against the urethra.

In light of the multiple changes a mother’s body experiences throughout pregnancy, it is crucial in these circumstances that she listens to her body and seeks expert treatment if something doesn’t seem right.