Unexpected Postpartum Things I Didn’t Know That Would Happen

Postpartum Unexpected Things

I am about to share my deepest truths with you.

When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

John 16:21

There are a lot of things that happen after giving birth and some just get you by surprise. Well at least for me I had 6 moments/things that got me by surprise.

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1. First few days, sweats like crazy

After giving birth, I would wake up drenched in sweat like if I had ran a marathon.

Apparently, the pregnancy hormone is telling your body to rid itself of all those extra fluids it was using to nourish your baby. These sweats lasted for about a week.

2. Stuck in the bathroom, Postpartum Constipation!

Apparently constipation is very common after giving birth but no one even talks about this. Well at least in my case, no one prepared me for this and it was very annoying while I was recovering and taking care of my newborn.

There are many causes of postpartum constipation but the most common is due to pushing during delivery. It might have stretched out or damaged the pelvic floor muscles or the anal sphincter muscles.

Good news, this is temporary!

Tips: Hydrate with plenty of water, eat well balanced meals with lots of fiber, and have over the counter laxatives and softeners ready.

3. Having stitches and going to the bathroom was scary

Again, this is totally a constipation thing. Having a first-degree tear and straining to do a bowel movement was scary and uncomfortable.

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4. Charting everything about the baby

I had to chart the baby’s dirty diapers, feedings, sleep, my feelings, etc. and have them ready for our doctor.

A notebook and a pen is a MUST or your phone to write EVERYTHING down.

5. Sore, Cracked, and Bloody Nipples

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Yeep! like if bringing a newborn baby home, trying to pass a bowel movement, and recovering isn’t enough, if breastfeeding and have a bad latch like me you’ll end up with sore, cracked, and bloody nipples.

Breastfeeding Journey As A First Time Mom

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6. Battle of fear

Would never thought it could happen but the moment we arrive home with Evelyn, fear really hit me. I was afraid of being alone with Evelyn. I was questioning myself will I know what to do with her? How much to feed her? Being afraid that I won’t do what’s right for Evelyn.

Please note: This is written entirely from my experience with a vaginal birth and breastfeeding. If you had a different experience, please share your surprise moments/things in the comments!