The lovely fourth trimester. It’s the most amazing feeling when you get to meet your little one for the first time, but no-one ever conveys exactly how rough the postpartum phase can be. To be honest, I’m just over five months postpartum and am STILL having issues. I’d love to tell you there is a easy “quick fix” to the discomfort and emotional turmoil you might experience, but sadly, there just simply is not. However, I have learned a few things along the way and want to give you some encouragement that there are things you can do to improve your recovery and well being if you feel like you are struggling.
Physical Pain
Physical pain/ discomfort is expected after birth. You just did the most amazing thing and BIRTHED a person! This amazing feat comes with a large toll on the body and you will need time to recover. Firstly, the body is in an intense state of recovery post birth and needs the adequate time to heal. Until your doctor has cleared you for physical activity take it easy! When you feel up to it, a nice stroller walk with your little one can be very helpful for healing physically as well as mentally.
Physical pain that lingers and isn’t going away is NOT normal. For instance, I am 5 months postpartum and STILL having pain “down there” so I reached out to my ONGYN office and was told that pain postpartum is “normal” and wasn’t offered any interventions or help. This simply IS NOT TRUE. Sadly, sometimes you have to be your own best advocate and request… no… DEMAND the help that you know you need. I requested a referral to a Physical therapist that specialized in pelvic floor issues and lets just say she was disappointed I wasn’t referred sooner.
So what should you do? Firstly you need to let your doctor know what is going on. Call or message them and try to explain your symptoms so that they can get a better understanding. Depending on what your symptoms suggest, they will either want to see you to exam you, or they will tell you “it will just take time”. If you get the latter response as I did, please request to see a physical therapist. They are so knowledgeable and can help you determine what might be going on and make a plan to work on it. I will list a few examples of issues you might experience, and if you’d like to see some numbers that show how many women are affected by some of these issues check out this article by the WHO.
Vaginal Issues
Scar tissue
Hypersensitive nerves
Prolapse
Pelvic Floor Issues
Loss of muscle function
Rectal and urinary incontinence
Hemorrhoids
Abdominal and Back Issues
Diastasis recti
Abdominal hernia
Low back pain
Scar Tissue
I want to take a second to touch on this subject a little more, as I feel it was completely overlooked by my health care team. I reported SEVERAL times that I was having pain and I wasn’t sure why. I was told it was “normal” and there was nothing that could be done. Little did I know, painful scar tissue can be a normal finding after you’ve given vaginal birth that resulted in a tear, but the lasting pain does not have to be! If you are having painful intercourse or localized (in a specific spot) pain “down there” and you have no other health concerns, request to see a PT! They can teach you how to slowly start stretching that tissue out and breaking up the scar tissue which will eventually result in little to no pain. As well as the manual massaging they can teach you to do, they have a vast knowledge of exercises they can show you that help to increase blood flow to the area which promotes healing and recovery. There will be a separate blog post on this topic.
Emotional Struggles
Postpartum depression and anxiety are very common and if you are suffering from either of these conditions PLEASE reach out to your doctor. I am here to tell you that YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I know what it is like to be sad but yet happy, angry yet caring, lonely yet overwhelmed… Becoming a new mom and changing your entire way of life for your little one, not to mention while sleep deprived, takes its toll on you. Social media posts love to portray new moms in their beautiful, clean homes with their wonderfully put together outfits and makeup, smiling and playing with their newborn. The truth couldn’t be more different!
The hormone drop postpartum is the largest, fastest drop in hormones a person can have. You would have to be superhuman to not let that affect you. It is totally natural to have some BIG feelings post birth and your only job is to take care of your baby and YOURSELF. So please, set boundaries, ask for help when needed, and don’t be afraid to say no. No I don’t want visitors. No you can’t kiss my baby. No you can’t hold them right now. No I can’t go out for lunch. No I can’t attend the party next week.
