Light Bladder Leakage and Other Things No One Tells You about Postpartum Recovery

Thanks to Poise for sponsoring this post and for keeping new mamas confident!

Postpartum recovery tummies, saggy boobs, light bladder leakage and more: what every veteran mom knows and every soon-to-be-mom will find out…

You’re pregnant for 9 long months.  If you’re like most women, you long for the day when you’ll no longer have to be pregnant.  You’ll labor for an intense several hours, deliver your baby, and finally hold your baby in your arms.  The moment you gaze into your new baby’s eyes you know all the pain and discomfort of the last 9 months is over.

Only it isn’t.

I remember after I had my first son I was shocked!  After delivering a baby (a Herculean feat) I knew I’d be out of commission for a few days, but I had no idea what recovery would really be like.

Without giving everything away–because the point of this article isn’t to make you never want to have children…

Here are 5 Things No one Tells You about Postpartum Recovery

1) After you give birth you’re still going to look pregnant…for at least a month.  Forget the fact that your friend said she could fit into her prepregnancy jeans after a week. She’s an anomaly.  The average uterus takes it’s time shrinking back down to non preggo size.  Plan on not fitting back into your prepregnancy jeans for at least two months…or six months…or a year…or five…or never.

TIP: Core exercises can help tighten up some of the loosness that happens when your abdominal muscles are stretched during pregnancy.  Though not always comfortable, breastfeeding will help the uterus contract and return to its non-pregnant size much faster.  Some women also find great benefit in a belly band or wrap.

2) Speaking of uteruses (uterui?), Just because the baby is out doesn’t mean your contractions are done. What?! Oh, no, you’ll continue to have (sometimes pretty intense) contractions–usually when you feed your baby–for the next several weeks.  As an added bonus, it is generally acknowledged that postpartum contractions intensify with each delivery…because moms of more than one don’t already have enough on their plate.

TIP: Listen to calming music as you feed your baby during the early postpartum days. It will help you relax and help you center yourself. When you feel a contraction coming acknowledge the discomfort, and then let it go and move on. Tensing up only increases pain. This kind of mindfulness/meditation is very effective for pain management.

3) Your boobs change. Sadly, and much to your husband’s chagrin, I’m sure, your previously full breasts will never be as they once were. Enjoy the first 6 months of nursing because they only go downhill after that…literally. From ultra full just after birth to deflated after weaning, I’ve heard women use terms like pancakes, rock-in-the-sock, concave, and floppy to describe their once supple post-baby/post-weaning ta-tas.  I feel like I could be the poster child for this one.  “From D to A – How one woman sacrificed her beautiful breasts to bring forth a future generation!”

TIP:Take heart!  Different doesn’t mean bad or worse.  Embrace your post baby boobs, and realize that they are a sign that you have brought a life into this world. –Also, embracing your breasts with a good-fitting, supportive bra will help reduce the dreaded sag in the future.

4) Speaking of boobs, Breastfeeding sucks…literally, not figuratively! (Before you start throwing rocks at me, let me explain) I’m a big proponent of breastfeeding.  I’ve been breastfeeding my son for the past 21 months.  But you know what, in the early days breastfeeding was hard! –Actually, it was difficult for me for a long time. You can read my difficulty breastfeeding story here.—

TIP: Most women experience pain while breastfeeding for the first few weeks. I’ve heard some people say that if it hurts at all, then you’re doing it wrong. I think those people are Wrong! Nipples are a very sensitive area and it naturally takes a little while before baby toughens them up .  I went on a 5 day getaway with my husband last week. When I got back and nursed my toddler again it was like shark teeth!!! After just 5 days of not nursing I became very sensitive. Hang in there over the first couple weeks. If the discomfort isn’t subsiding after day 8-10 seek a lactation consultant or specialist.

5) Peeing your pants is no longer something that just happened when you were a kid. Oh, you thought light bladder leakage was just something that happened to your grandma? Sneezing, coughing, laughing have all become potentially embarrassing situations. Don’t even get me started about jumping on the trampoline!  And should you happen to sneeze, cough, or laugh while you’re jumping on the trampoline…

TIP: Kegel Exercises! This strange form of exercise will preserve the integrity of your lady parts, reduce, and eventually eliminate bladder leakage – LBL.  (As an added bonus, they can also make sex much more enjoyable!) In the meantime make sure you have some Poise Microliners on hand!

These shockingly thin and surprisingly absorbent liners feature SAM (Super Absorbent Material) to provide discreet Light Bladder Leakage (LBL) protection that helps keep you dry and comfortable all day long so you can manage life’s little leaks with confidence. Poise Microliners are the thinnest liners in the light incontinence category and are designed to absorb wetness, neutralize odor and stay three times drier than period liners.

After the ginormous postpartum pads every woman has the honor of wearing, the ultra-thin, super discreet Poise Microliners are such blessed relief. Poise Light Bladder Leakage Microliners let you go to the gym (stretchy pants? No problem! …I’m telling you, these are super thin!), chat it up with your hilarious lady friends, and yes, even jump on the trampoline with your kids.  Jump with confidence, ladies! This light bladder leakage solution from Poise has you covered!

Head over to Poise.com where you can get a free Poise Microliner sample kit!

What were you shocked by as you embarked on your first postpartum recovery?