Many believe that it's easier to bounce back to pre-pregnancy form after a first delivery, and that it gets more difficult in subsequent pregnancies to get back to “normal.” Still, for other moms, they feel better prepared to get back in shape after giving birth to their second child.
The transition from being pregnant to parent may happen overnight. But it can take weeks or months for the body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Typically about 13 pounds comes off immediately after childbirth, and another 5 to 15 pounds over the first six weeks.
Your body goes through a lot during your second pregnancy, as with the first. Weight gain, stretch marks and relaxed tummy muscles are the most common complaints. While there's no rule that says your body won't recover the second or third time, for lots of mums it's harder because there's simply less time to exercise!
Your postpartum recovery won't be just a few days. Fully recovering from pregnancy and childbirth can take months. While many women feel mostly recovered by 6-8 weeks, it may take longer than this to feel like yourself again.
There are very slim women who don't necessarily lead a healthy lifestyle at all and who seem to "snap back" after birth - this that is just their genetics at play and how their body reacts to pregnancy. ' One thing that is certain, though – losing weight too quickly after giving birth can be disadvantageous.
Often, excess or rapid postpartum weight loss is due to lifestyle issues and the pressures of new parenthood (like being too tired to eat), other times there may be a health concern that needs treatment. Either way, help is out there. So, if you're worried about losing too much weight, contact your doctor.
Your body may have become wider during pregnancy. This is because it was making room for your growing baby. Your ribs may have expanded, and your hips will often widen to make it easier for the baby to exit the birth canal. For some women wider ribs and hips will be permanent.
Your body is still healing.
“Many women gain a large amount of gestational weight. And after the baby comes, you have less time to exercise, less sleep, and your body is still healing from pregnancy and delivery,” explains Laura Arndt, a pre- and postnatal expert and the CEO of Matriarc.
Some pregnant people notice acne, hyperpigmentation, or a "pregnancy mask" (the darkening of pigmentation around the mouth, cheeks, and forehead also known as melasma). Exhaustion and water retention may lead to under-eye pouches, while increased blood flow can cause spider veins across the face.
How much weight do you lose after giving birth? Once baby has been delivered (along with their accompanying placenta and amniotic fluid), most women lose an average of 10 to 13 pounds. First week after delivery: You'll probably continue losing weight with the loss of retained fluids.
From pregnancy and labour right through to the effect on family life, having a second child can be a very different experience. Lots of mums worry that they won't bond as instantly as they did the first time, but often the reason parents feel they aren't bonding as quickly with a second child is simply down to time.
Some women may not experience wider hips after their first delivery, but may see increased widening with each subsequent pregnancy.
Will my second birth be less painful? Although the sensations of the contractions are likely to be the same, most women say that they are able to cope with them more easily. Knowing what to expect and preparing beforehand play a role in this. As labour is often shorter, you won't feel so tired either (NICE, 2014).
The bottom line on vaginal laxity and childbirth
Despite this, accumulating evidence suggests that it is a common condition following vaginal childbirth. Risk factors for vaginal looseness include the mother's age, the number of vaginal births and vaginal / pelvic floor trauma during childbirth.
2. Your initial weight loss will happen when the baby is born. Your initial weight loss begins when you give birth. The baby, amniotic fluid, placenta, and other fluids leave your body, and over the next six weeks, you will continue to lose weight as other fluids in your body return to pre-pregnancy levels.
Pregnancy rhinitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the nose. This causes nasal congestion. Increased blood flow to the nasal passages and enlargement of the nasal veins also play a role. Symptoms occur during pregnancy.
It's very common to have loose skin after pregnancy, particularly in the abdomen, as a result of your body accommodating a growing baby bump. That may look like sagging or wrinkled skin that can be easily pulled away from the muscles beneath.
"Hormones of pregnancy — specifically estrogen — increase blood flow everywhere, but especially to mucus membranes of the body," she explained. "So that increase in blood flow can cause swelling in those areas, or puffiness, which can make the nose appear larger on the outside."
Set realistic weight-loss goals
Losing weight safely — about one pound per week — means that it takes most new moms between six months to a year to return to pre-pregnancy weight. "Half of that weight is typically lost in the first six weeks after delivery," says Dr. Borchardt.
Most women lose around 13 pounds (6 kg) right after childbirth, which includes the baby's weight, as well as the weight of the amniotic fluid and placenta. When it comes to fat loss, with a healthy diet and regular exercise, you may lose about 1 pound (0.5 kg) a week.
In fact, about half of moms retained more than 10 pounds at six months postpartum, while a quarter of moms were still 20 pounds heavier than their pre-pregnancy size. While some moms have said they had a harder time losing weight after subsequent births, experts haven't been able to say this is conclusively true.
Between the sleepless nights, endless worries, and persistent temper tantrums, parenting can feel like a fast track to gray hairs and wrinkles. Now, researchers at Northwestern University have proven what we've suspected all along: having children does, in fact, speed up the aging process.
Along with extra movement, an awake baby also has more heart rate accelerations. Based on the estimates of 95% of time spent sleeping, your baby might snooze right through a lot of the birth process. Some studies even suggest babies remain in a sedated state until the moment of childbirth.
The researchers found that women who had live births had telomeres that were an average of 4.2 percent shorter than their counterparts with no children. This equates to around 11 years of accelerated cellular aging, said Anna Pollack, an epidemiologist at George Mason University and the lead researcher of the study.
Thicker Thighs and Legs
The extra fat then gets distributed to places where women most often put on weight: the backside, hips, and thighs." It can take up to a year to lose the weight gained during pregnancy, says Dr. Dawson.