8 Things You Will Likely Experience After Delivery

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People always talk about the labour process but hardly say much about the surprises to expect afterwards. Find a few common surprises even your close mummy friends may not have told you about. While some are a little gross, holding your baby in your arms makes it all totally worth it.

1. You May Get the Shakes
Don’t be surprised if you feel really jittery right after the birth. Most women will experience full-body shaking after delivery. This is normal, and probably has nothing to do with being cold. Rather, the shakes occur from the immediate hormonal shifts that occur after delivery. They might also be a reaction to the anesthesia or an endorphin release. Don’t worry; they’ll go away within a few minutes or, at most, a few hours.

2. Stitches Down There Are Likely

Even if the doc doesn’t make an incision, you might need some stitches (sorry!), since minor vaginal tearing is pretty common, especially for first-time mamas. If you had unmedicated childbirth, your OB will give you a shot to numb the area first. (Yes, we said a shot. Down there.) And it hurts!

3. Your Baby Might Not Be Interested in Breastfeeding

You’ve probably heard that it’s important to breastfeed as soon as possible after birth to start a nursing relationship early. That’s true, but don’t be surprised if baby isn’t interested in feeding right away. Most babies usually don’t want to eat for 15 to 30 minutes after delivery, so don’t push her to nurse if she doesn’t seem into it, but still hold her close.

4. You’ll Sweat

No doubt, you perspired while pushing out your baby, but you can also find yourself sweating quite a bit during the first few weeks post-baby. That’s because your body’s estrogen level will drop massively — and the change in hormones will mess with your body’s temperature regulation. Don’t worry. Things will get back to normal within a month or two.

5. Your Vagina May Swell

Vaginal deliveries do a number on your nether region. You might be shocked at how much you can swell as you heal down there — especially if you pushed for a long time. The swelling is temporal though and would come down after a while.

6. You’ll Feel Like a Punching Bag

You think people loved touching your pregnant belly? Wait till the doctors and nurses get their hands on your postpartum pooch. They’ll massage your uterus to help it contract down. The nurses will press on your belly and massage it every 15 minutes for the first two hours after delivery. This can be very painful, especially if you didn’t use any medication during labor.

7. There Will Be Lots of Blood

Within the first 10 minutes after delivery, you lose more blood than would fill a pint-sized container of ice cream — and in some cases more. In the days postpartum, it’s normal to experience large amounts of bleeding after you’ve been sitting or lying for a while, as well as a gush that can happen while breastfeeding. It’s also normal to pass some large clots in the 24 hours after delivery. But if you’re passing clots that are really large or passing them every hour, let your doctor know. You’ll continue to bleed — at a decreasing rate, similar to a period — for about four to six weeks after delivery.

8. You Might Be Stuck in Bed

If you’re having a C-section, get comfy in your bed because you’ll have to stay there for at least 12 to 24 hours. Why? The medication makes your legs too weak to walk. Luckily, you’ll be surrounded by nurses — and probably some loved ones — who will help you care for your new baby while you’re bedridden.