You've worked hard to give birth to your baby vaginally. Now your body needs a bit of time to get back to normal, so don't expect miracles! We explain what you'll feel in the coming days.
- Why am I weeing all the time?
While you were pregnant, your body hoarded fluid. Now that your body is returning to normal, it's all got to go somewhere. The extra fluid, tissues and blood needed during pregnancy have to be dissolved. They'll leave your body via your kidneys as urine.
In the days after giving birth you'll be weeing more often, and in larger quantities. This is one way your body sheds the extra fluid. You'll also sweat more. You may feel the need to wash more often while you get through this phase.
You may have swollen feet and ankles for a while, as the extra fluid in your body moves around. It may be even more noticeable than any swelling you had when you were pregnant.
Even though your body is trying to shed fluid, you still need to drink plenty to keep your bladder healthy. Staying hydrated will also help to stop you getting constipated. If you're breastfeeding, you'll get thirsty, so make sure you have a drink handy when you're feeding your baby.
- Is it normal not to know when I need a wee?
Yes, but don't worry, this feeling won't last. It's caused by the nerves that connect to your pelvic floor muscles being stretched during your baby's birth.
It makes your muscles feel numb for a little while. Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise is common after having a baby.
During late pregnancy, your pelvic floor was put under great strain. The weight of your uterus, your baby, plus placenta and amniotic fluid, all bore down on your muscles.
As you gave birth, your pelvic floor muscles relaxed and stretched to allow your baby out into the world.
You can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing pelvic floor exercises. At first, you may not feel much when you do the exercises. You may not be able to do much more than twitch your muscles.
Keep trying, even if you can't feel much. Soon after your baby's birth your midwife should explain why it's important to do your exercises. So ask her for help if you think you haven't got the technique right.
Having a stronger pelvic floor should sort out your problem within a few weeks. But if doing the exercises doesn't help, speak to your doctor or midwife. You may need to see a women's health physiotherapist or a continence nurse.
- What are these crampy stomach pains I'm getting?
What you're feeling is your uterus (womb) contracting back to its pre-pregnancy size. Just before your baby was born, your uterus was about 25 times the size it was before you became pregnant.
Within minutes of birth, your uterus begins to shrink, clenching like a fist. Its crisscrossed fibres tighten in the same way they did to push out your baby, causing cramps known as afterpains. The pains may feel similar to period pains. It takes weeks rather than days for your uterus return to its normal size.
Your midwife will check your uterus when she comes to visit you after your baby is born. She'll place her hand on your tummy and feel for the top of your uterus in relation to your tummy button and your pubic bone. Let your midwife know if it feels sore when she does this, as it may mean you have an infection.
The inner layer of cells that lined your uterus start to slough off. They'll pass out of your body as part of a period-like discharge called lochia. This may last for up to six weeks. Bright red at first, it gradually gets lighter in colour, fading to pink then whitish-yellow before it stops.
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