Babys First Year Blog
5 Things I Didn’t Expect Post-Partum
While I was pregnant, I gleefully wrote about a few things I would either miss or not miss about being pregnant. I definitely don’t miss having to pee all the time or having a giant belly and definitely prefer seeing my son’s face over wondering if that was a foot or a knee that just jabbed me in the side. But there were a few things I didn’t expect I’d experience post-partum and here’s what they are:
My hair has been coming out in chunks. Everyone says it but I really didn’t expect that my hair would fall out. Before I was pregnant, I always lost a fair amount of hair while blowdrying or combing after a shower. But since Wolf was born, I’ve been seeing a gradual increase in the amount of hair that ends up in the sink. Pretty soon I’m sure my husband will be fussing at me when he’s unclogging the drain.
At 2 months PP, I’ve still got the “pregnancy mark”. The Linea Negra, or that fun dark line that pregnant women get down the center of their bellies. I guess I thought it would go away immediately, and I know {or hope} that it eventually will but I really didn’t expect it to stick around for so long!
I’m still wearing those dang panty liners. I know, I know… Last time I thought it was TMI, and I still do but hey, I’m sure I’m not the only one! The panty liners are a drag. Seriously, when will I go back to simply wearing a pair of underwear?!
I miss my pregnant body – A LOT. I knew I’d miss being pregnant. I loved my belly and I loved showing it off. What I don’t like now is that fun layer of fat that surrounds my middle where my belly once was. Good bye tight tank tops, hello blousey dresses!
I didn’t expect that I’d feel so much emotion. I went through a lot of different emotions during these first two months and while I don’t think I experienced PPD, I definitely had a really hard time. It was tough for me to deal with the unexpected challenges with becoming a new mom. Plus, all the new responsibility!! But while I felt really sad at times I also felt a ridiculous amount of love for my new baby. He’s so darn cool. :)
What about you? Were there any unexpected things that you experienced post-partum?
Some lessons come with kids attached — 6 things I wish I knew pre-pregnancy
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10 Comments
Brooke commented on Jul 21 11 at 12:12 pmI am almost 10 weeks out and Linea Negra? Check. Emotions? Check! As far as hair loss, I haven’t had any. Then again, taking prenatal vitamins for nearly 2 years might have something to do with that. Baby blues? Lasted just over 3 weeks. It was no picnic! I don’t mean to be a troll or spambot, but Babble leaves no option for linking your name and I wrote about my experience here:
alexis commented on Jul 21 11 at 1:32 pmOh my… my daughter is almost 22mos and I think I’m just now starting to feel confident as my (new) “old self”. Sometimes I think I got hit harder by the whole emotional roller-coaster, but does everyone feel like that? I think part of my confusion was in that I put a lot of value in my intuition and, in a way, I expected motherhood and everything that comes with it to “come naturally”. To be easy, really. And it’s not! Even when it’s easy (or fun, or joyous) it’s a new skill you’re learning and all of that takes time to adjust to.
Emily commented on Jul 21 11 at 3:56 pmMy daughter is almost 11 months old and I still have linea negra, though it is finally starting to fade. I thought for sure it faded much sooner after I had my first two…
charmedvalerie commented on Jul 21 11 at 4:10 pmThe linea negra will go away entirely, I promise. I don’t remember how long it took me but it was probably less than 6 months because I know I wore a two-piece to baby swim class.
Lou commented on Jul 21 11 at 8:19 pmOh man, the emotions. I struggled and looking back from 18 weeks postpartum I realize I was definitely a little depressed- not PPD, but I had some ugly (mostly private) moments of despair over new motherhood, breastfeeding and adjusting in general.
Lauren commented on Jul 21 11 at 9:36 pmIt really starts to get better once you’ve crossed the 2 month mark but I saw a huge difference after 4 months when they get out of that “4th trimester “..C is 6 and a half now and I love love love being a mommy. I def. Think there was a link between when I stopped “breastfeeding” aka pumping bc that is when the ppd hit me like a wall of bricks, maybe it was from the drop in hormones??
I think my belly line went away around month 4 – at least you’re not having to use those huge pads anymore! But just wait till you get your first period pp…it will be HEAVY!!
Elissa commented on Jul 22 11 at 7:59 amI expected the baby blues within the first three months. What I didn’t expect was the calmness, the total love for the world that I felt for a good couple of months post-birth. I got my first hit of what I would call baby blues at around 6 months and that really took me by surprise!
Oh, the hair loss was awful! I know it’s back to normal now, but it felt like I was loosing it handfuls for ages!
BC commented on Jul 22 11 at 10:38 amTry scrubbing the linea negra with a loofah. I SWEAR thats how mine went away.
Melissa commented on Jul 26 11 at 6:05 pmI know exactly how you feel about those crappy pantiliners!! I was wearing those for nearly 3 months with my second. My husband doesn’t get how annoying they are. It goes away, though! I thought it never would, but here I am 5 months post-partum & it’s all just a bad memory.
I forgot how jiggly my belly would be. I found it so utterly disgusting how far apart my abs were & how my insides would spill out between my abs every time I’d sit up. I’m very thankful that all those annoying things are temporary & the sweet adorable baby is the permanent one.
Alicia A. commented on Aug 06 11 at 11:34 pmI had that really dark linea negra with both of my pregnancies and it didn’t go away until they were done nursing (around 13 months for both babes.)
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