10 Things You Would Experience During Postpartum Period

Hey there, new mum! Welcoming your little bundle of joy into the world is absolutely amazing, isn’t it? But along with those precious baby snuggles and adorable smiles come some real-deal postpartum experiences. Let’s chat about what you might expect and share some mum-approved tips to help you through. After all, being prepared is half the battle!

What’s Happening to Me? Unpacking the Post-Baby Changes

1. Night Sweats and Hot Flashes

So, picture this: You’re tucked in bed, but instead of sweet dreams, you’re waking up feeling like you’ve just run a marathon in the Sahara. Welcome to the world of postpartum night sweats! It’s all those pregnancy hormones recalibrating back to normal, and it can feel pretty intense. 

According to the Parents article, this occurs due to hormonal fluctuations—levels of progesterone and estrogen that cause changes in body temperature to drop significantly after childbirth.

Here’s a Cool Tip: Swap your regular sheets for something light and breathable, like cotton. Keep the room cool, and maybe even keep a chilled water bottle by your bed. Oh, and those spicy snacks? Let’s save them for later!

2. Mood Swings

One minute, you’re laughing at a diaper commercial, and the next, you’re crying because your coffee is just too hot—welcome to post-baby emotional rollercoasters! During this time, your levels of progesterone and estrogen would drop drastically, which can result in hormonal swings (study). If not taken care of, it can lead to bigger issues like baby blues and postpartum depression.

Keep it Real: Talk about what you’re feeling. Whether it’s with your partner, a friend, or a mum’s group—getting it out helps a lot. And hey, if you need more support, that’s okay too. There’s no shame in reaching out to a pro for a chat.

3. Haemorrhoids (Yep, We’re Going There)

Not the most glamorous topic, but it’s pretty common after you’ve just pushed a tiny human into the world. 

Haemorrhoids refer to the lumps (i.e. swollen veins) in the lower part of your rectum and around your anus. They can itch, irritate, be uncomfortable and painful, as well as cause rectal bleeding. After pregnancy, this usually happens due to the strained pressure placed on the veins.

Feel Better Tip: Drink loads of water, add more fibre to your meals and don’t skip on moving around—even a little walk around the room can help keep things… moving.

4. Breast Engorgement

When your milk comes in, it really comes in! Your breasts might feel like tight, over-inflated balloons at times, which is uncomfortable, to say the least.

What to Try: Keep a regular pumping schedule if you can; massage can also help. Oh, and those old tales about chilled cabbage leaves? Not just an old wives’ tale—they can actually feel pretty soothing!

5. Hair Loss

Suddenly noticed a bald spot (or two) when you look in the mirror? Yup..that’s the pregnancy/postpartum hair loss. At this time, hair loss happens due to the drastic drop in estrogen levels in your body. The good news is that this is just a temporary hair loss and not necessarily something to be worried about. Understandably, it can still affect one’s confidence.

What You Can Do:

• Be extra gentle when handling your hair 
• Use volumising shampoo
• Choose conditioner ‘for fine hair’
• Try different hairstyles that can make your hair look fuller
• Eat more dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and carrots

6. After-Birth Bleeding

It’s like the period nobody invited to the party. Having maternity pads on hand is a must, and taking it easy is non-negotiable.

Pro Tip: Get yourself some super comfy cotton underwear that can hold those maternity pads without making you feel like you’re wearing a suit of armour.

7. Skin Changes

There could be many factors that contribute to breakouts after birth. The main culprit would be the hormonal changes themselves, which usually happen when you reach puberty or during the menstrual cycle. Another reason could be dehydration, to which the solution is pretty obvious. 

Tip: Keep yourself hydrated and start eating balanced meals every day. If it’s about cream, you may grab OTC acne treatment or prescribed medications if it worsens.

8. Vaginal Tears

Perineal tears are common during childbirth when your baby’s head is pretty large to push, causing some stretch and tear between your vaginal opening and anus. It is pretty common for first-time mothers, and can take up to 2 weeks to feel relief from the pain caused by it.

What to Do?

• Do not strain yourself.
• Take care of your gut health to ensure soft stool
• If you want to exercise, start small
• Consume more iron-rich foods to promote collagen production and improve wound healing
• Consult the doctor’s advice if it worsens
• Take your time to heal
  

9. Constipation

Your bowel movements may not be regular right after birth due to your body adjusting to the postpartum period. This could mean that your body is still in the healing stage, you are dehydrated, or you lack sleep and are thus constantly in fatigue mode. 

Keep Things Flowing: Fibre is your friend here. Think fruit, veggies, whole grains—all the good stuff. And water, water, water!

10. Still Looking Pregnant

It takes time for your body to find its way back, and that’s perfectly okay.

Embrace It: This is a time to take it slow, nourish your body with good food, and when you’re ready, start with some gentle exercises. Your body has done something incredible, so give it the love it deserves!

You can also get a postnatal spa massage to stimulate womb contraction and obtain slimming results.

Postpartum life can be challenging, but the mother going through it is tougher. You can do this! Give yourself a break every now and then because you more than deserve it.

One particulate postpartum care Singapore moms usually opt for is the postnatal massage. 

At PNSG, our Postnatal Massage and Premium Postnatal Massage are designed to target mothers’ specific needs, such as promoting smooth breastfeeding, speeding up womb recovery, and toning the body.

As a matter of fact, Slimming & Relaxation massage (effective for even long-time mothers) is also a part of our highly-rated Premium Postnatal Massage package. When you’re ready to be pampered and relieved of your postpartum discomforts, we are just one call away!