Watching your wife become a mommy is the most beautiful experience, but you're both in for some major changes ... and not only because you're now in charge of a tiny human being.
Pregnancy and motherhood obviously changed her body, and those changes will have a huge effect on you. These are some things you need to be aware of:
Her belly won't be flat
Even after the baby is out, the uterus still weighs about two and a half pounds, and will take several weeks to shrink down to its regular size. Once it's back to normal, it's normal to have stretched skin, and stomach flab.
She actually can get pregnant
Breastfeeding is not a foolproof form of birth control, and even before her period starts up again, it's possible to get pregnant.
She'll be incredibly sore
Her body has gone through quite the ordeal. She'll need to rest, and let the vaginal or incision area heal.
She might stop snoring
If pregnancy gave her a heavy dose of snoring, there's great news: It will likely stop after the baby is born.
She feels ugly
It's discouraging for her to lose the body she once had, worked hard for and was familiar with. Seeing something unusual when she looks in the mirror can be depressing.
She'll be amazed by her strength
As discouraged as she might be about how she looks, she is so grateful for her amazing body! It grew and delivered her perfect baby!
She'll have a smaller cup size in the long run
Although larger when the milk comes in, after it's gone, her breasts will most likely be smaller and a little saggier - whether or not she breastfed. They can also have stretch marks.
Her emotions are unpredictable
Even with all the joy and happiness that comes from a new baby, her plunging hormones may leave her with postpartum baby blues. It causes mood swings, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and crying spells. In some moms this develops into a more severe, long-lasting form called postpartum depression.
She doesn't have much desire for sex
Feeling ugly, being sore, the memory of such recent pain, exhaustion from a new baby, becoming a parent, and having a dramatic drop in estrogen levels may kill her desire to be intimate. It can take about a year for her drive to return, according to Dr. Hope Ricciotti.
Her cramps aren't over
She'll cramp for the next few days as her uterus shrinks back to its regular size.
You might need to take her shoe shopping
Some women's feet are up to half a size larger after they have a baby.
And clothes shopping
She'll only feel fatter if she is trying to squeeze into her pre-pregnancy pants. Use this as an excuse to let her buy some cute new clothes that don't leave her crying in frustration each time she tries to zip them.
She'll produce milk, even if not breastfeeding
When her milk comes in, her breasts could be in a lot of pain. If she's not breastfeeding, eventually her milk will go away, but breast engorgement will happen until it stops.
Mesh underwear is a thing
There are a lot of things her body has to get rid of right after birth. Hospitals give mesh underwear for her to wear to make this clean-up less awkward. Don't be surprised if she asks to take extra pairs home - they feel a lot more comfortable to her post-pregnant body than regular underwear.
She'll shed ... a lot
As her estrogen levels drop after pregnancy, her hair will start falling out. This can last anywhere from one to four months. It usually returns back to normal after six months.
She'll have incredible endurance
Seeing her step up to motherhood will awe you. Regardless of how little sleep she's had, how much pain she's experienced, or how much stress she's pushing through, she'll go to all lengths to protect your new little one.
Stretch marks are there to stay
She just grew a human body inside of her. Are you surprised?
Peeing is painful
Everything in that area is tender. Sometimes urinary tract infections can also occur, creating a burning sensation when urinating.
Her body won't return to "normal"
Bodies shift in order to have a baby. While she can exercise and eat right, her clothes may never fit exactly how they did before.
This is her new normal. Help her love it. If you praise and love her body, it can help her find herself again in her new skin.
