Your Most Pressing Post-Pregnancy Questions Answered

Will I ever feel like my old self again?

The time following pregnancy and childbirth is a trying one. A lot of mothers can attest to falling into some form of post-partum depression, milder in some, more severe in others. This mostly comes from the feeling that you won’t be able to recover from the whole experience. It is indeed difficult to imagine yourself doing your usual activities when you are sore from the childbirth, you have perineum stitches, you have a fragile little baby who seems to need you every minute, you are sweating all over, your stomach is sagging, your breasts are sore, and your tummy is full of stretch marks. But hang in there. Keep your mind focused on this thought: this stage doesn’t last forever. The answer, therefore, is yes, you will regain your old self. It just takes some time. Don’t be too hard on yourself; give yourself time. Most new mothers take months to regain their momentum.

Will my tummy flatten out again?

The answer is that it depends on what you do about it. Don’t worry; your tummy won’t stay the way it looked when you got out of the hospital. After giving birth, your stomach will look like it used to when you were six months pregnant. During the first couple of weeks, however, your uterus will start going back to its original size so you will see a significant reduction in your waistline measurement. However, it takes the uterus around six weeks to fully reduce in size, so expect more reductions within the first six weeks. Feel free to start exercising to help speed up the process though. After six weeks, if you still have a sagging stomach, the rest is up to you. Doing muscle-toning exercises focused on the abdominal area will do the trick, if you have the discipline and patience to go through with it. One tip, though: exercise and try your best to tone your stomach. It will do wonders for your self-esteem, and when you regain your confidence, it will be easier for you to completely bounce back from the difficult experience you’ve just been through.

Will my stretch marks ever disappear?

Yes, stretch marks fade over time, but there is no general rule as to how long the process takes. For most women, stretch marks fade in just a few months postpartum, while in others, the process could take a year or so. While you wait, just try not to worry about it too much. You can also try using creams or lotions that are said to help remove stretch marks; there are some products that are actually effective in lightening up those pregnancy marks. If they don’t work fast, you’ll still feel better if you know that you’re doing something about the problem than just frowning at the mirror.

Can I regain my pre-pregnancy weight?

Yes, many women have proven that this is possible, although majority of women don’t succeed. The answer, of course, lies in you. Although you will lose a significant amount of pregnancy weight during the first weeks postpartum, you will retain at least a portion of the weight you put on. As your body goes back to its normal state and as you resume your old eating habits, your weight will re-develop a life of its own; that is, separate from your pregnancy. Wait at least one month to let the pregnancy weight shed off on its own. If you still have a lot of unwanted fat to deal with after that, then it’s time to take matters into your own hands. Enrolling in a gym (if you have time) or doing home workouts will help you achieve your postpartum weight goals.

The Author:

Nestle Joy Sia is a freelance web content writer who maintains a consumer-oriented, online shopping informative blog: http://worryfreebuys.blogspot.com

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