When you have a baby there are a lot of things that occur not only to your body but also to your emotions. Everything changes suddenly and it’s up to you to be able to take it all on with ease.
Although there is nothing that can completely prepare you for what’s in store after you give birth, there are ways to anticipate the changes that will occur in your body. Here are some of the most common effects on your body and well-being after giving birth.
Sleep Deprivation
Spoiler alert: babies don’t sleep that much at first. Even though you may have daydreams of sweetly sleeping babies and lullabies, it’s hardly like that during the first year of their life. You can expect to be absolutely exhausted for at least 3 months.
Once your baby starts to get into a rhythm of sleeping longer stretches, you may think that the worst part is over. However, babies are famous for going through sleep regressions and keeping you awake all night even when they’ve had a long period of the time that they’ve slept just fine.
You can expect to have challenges with sleep until they are as old as 5 in some cases. It all depends on the child.
Aches and Pains
Immediately following giving birth your body will be going through a lot of changes in order to return back to its original state. All sorts of things were shifted and stretched and pulled. Therefore, you can expect to feel a little achy for a good amount of time.
This is just part of the process and you should be back to normal soon. Try to take it easy on your body and trust nature.
Fluctuating Emotions
Since your hormones are all over the place, it’s normal that your emotions will be too. As your body tries to catch up with your chemistry, it can result in major mood swings ranging from elated to completely distressed.
Try to remember that when you are feeling these emotions that you shouldn’t take them too seriously. They are simply a part of giving birth and they won’t last forever.
When you pair this with the lack of sleep and the stress that you’re under it can be enough for a full-on meltdown. Hopefully, your partner is understanding and supportive through this process.
Less Urge For Intimacy
Many new mothers find that they’re not as enthusiastic about intimacy after birth. They may feel repulsed by the idea of being touched.
This isn’t something that will last forever, and will eventually change as your body goes back to normal. If your partner is feeling sensitive about it, try to reassure them that it’s nothing they should take personally.