How the body changes after childbirth
A big change after pregnancy is going to occur in your vagina unless you have a c-section. Women try to say that it goes back to normal or that there is no change at all but this just is not true. You are going to push a persons head out of your vagina, the muscles and tissues are going to stretch and although exercise and time will greatly increase the chance of it returning to its natural shape, it will certainly not go back 100%. The vagina consists of a number of muscles that will need to exercised just like any other muscle to get in shape and this can occur with kegel exercises and also just by having sex often or at all (after your six week waiting period of course).
Another thing that is going to happen if you have a natural birth is your vagina is going to be swollen and possibly tear from the intricate process of giving birth. If you tear your doctor will stitch you up but it will be sore for at least a few weeks. You will also be swollen whether or not you tear because the muscles and tissues are going to experience trauma from pushing something so large out of a small opening. All of the swelling will go down after a few weeks of relaxing and not putting too much strain on yourself or that area in particular. Depending on how much you tear and how many stitches you have that will also heal in a number of weeks.
The plastic surgeon will definitely prescribe pain medication so that you do not have to experience the full extent of the pain associated with vaginal birth during and after the process and he might also prescribe something for swelling depending on how serious it is. If you are breast feeding it is best to avoid taking any medication that you do not absolutely need because it will be transferred in the breast milk to your infant. Rest easy knowing that your vagina will go back to a normal size after about six weeks even if it is not exactly what you were working with before you gave birth. No one will notice the change but you.
Tags: childbirth, pregnancy