Soreness, discomfort, and bruising Even if your perineum was left intact during baby's arrival, the area has still been stretched and bruised. Most women without vaginal tearing tend to feel some mild to not-so-mild vaginal discomfort for about three to five weeks (though it can vary widely depending on the person).
After birth those estrogen levels drastically decrease and can cause irritation, stiffness and pain down there. It takes a few weeks for the hormones to regulate and usually once they do, the pain naturally subsides.
When Can You Have Sex After Birth? According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), most doctors advise not to put anything in the vagina—including toys, fingers, and penises—for six weeks. Waiting this long allows for healing and reduces the risk of complications.
Expect to naturally lose some weight before your first postpartum doctor's visit (usually around six to eight weeks after giving birth). After that, if you stayed within your doctor's recommendation for pregnancy weight gain, it's still normal to have 10 to 15 more pounds to lose in the months ahead.
Avoid stairs and lifting until your doctor says these activities are OK. Don't take a bath or go swimming until the doctor says it's OK. Don't drive until your doctor says it's OK. Also wait until you can make sudden movements and wear a safety belt properly without discomfort.
How long do you bleed after giving birth? Lochia is typically heavier and dark red in color for up to 10 days after giving birth, and then transitions into lighter bleeding or spotting that can last for four to six weeks after delivery.
Your belly will gradually slim down as your uterus shrinks back to its usual size and excess fluids are flushed out of your body. Your stretched-out abdominal muscles and lax skin will most likely begin to firm up.
The width of the vagina
The NHS notes that it is normal for a person's vagina to appear wider than it did pre-birth. The swelling and openness should subside in a few days. Even so, vaginal laxity is a common complaint among those who have recently given birth.
This is largely based on how the vagina heals; an episiotomy and resulting scar tissue can change how the vagina feels, while healed tears and stitches can change the color and appearance. Ultimately, your vagina before and after birth will never be exactly the same—after all, it did push out a human being!
Also, following delivery, your cervix takes some time to return to its pre-pregnancy state. Infection can make its way in more easily during this time, too. “It's best to keep things out of the vagina for a few weeks. That includes tampons, saliva, penises, fingers and toys,” Dr.
“The tissue surrounding the vagina gets looser and softer, resulting in the vagina getting a little longer," says Priya Rajan, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.
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.
Your uterus, which enlarged as your baby grew, will take about six to eight weeks to contract back to normal size. During this process, you may experience cramping, bleeding, a heavier-than-normal period, and/or vaginal discharge. Your abdominal wall muscles will slowly regain their muscle tone over time.
Avoid stairs and lifting until your doctor says these activities are OK. Don't take a bath or go swimming until the doctor says it's OK. Don't drive until your doctor says it's OK. Also wait until you can make sudden movements and wear a safety belt properly without discomfort.
But for women who deliver vaginally, these changes may be more pronounced. Some of the most common vaginal changes you may experience include: Lack of tightness in the vagina (i.e., feeling like your vagina is wider) Vaginal dryness or lack of lubrication.
This is common, and after you give birth, both your stomach and your uterus will start to contract to their pre-pregnancy sizes. Expect it to take around six weeks for your uterus to contract fully. At six weeks, you may have already lost the weight you gained during pregnancy.
As women lose pregnancy weight, many experience an excess of loose and crepey skin, especially around the belly. This loose belly skin can take several weeks or many months to reduce and repair.
After birth, hormone levels drop quickly and often take the glow with them. In addition, the stress that comes with becoming a new parent and sleep deprivation can quickly make the skin look dull, dry and tired.
Exercise can help to tone stomach muscles and burn calories (Evenson et al 2014, Amorim Adegboye et al 2013). You can do light exercise like walking and stretching even in the early weeks after having your baby .
Diastisis recti is the most common cause of what some call the mom “pooch.” For new moms, getting back to your pre-pregnancy body becomes a top priority, but for an estimated 60 percent of postpartum women, getting a flat tummy is impossible because of a medical condition they may not know they have.
All women (even the Duchess of Cambridge!) have a bit of a belly for the first four to eight weeks after giving birth, as the uterus shrinks back to size. But for some of us, that “five months pregnant” look can last months or even years.