Since this is such a broad topic, I’m going to break this into 3 parts. I feel like it’s important to talk about the physical postpartum changes as well as the mental/emotional changes. I’ve also been wanting to do a postpartum beauty and style update since that’s what my blog was about before I got pregnant and I’d like to keep some of that here.

First, we’re going to start with the physical changes to my body postpartum.

I will say, it’s not fair for me to talk about my weight loss after pregnancy, because I was extremely nauseous for most of my pregnancy and could barely eat anything I actually lost weight. Like walked out of the hospital a good 5lbs lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight. Since, giving birth, I’ve slowly continued to lose more weight (mostly, from not having time to eat and constantly holding a baby). I am (and have been for a long time) a heavier set person, so it’s ultimately good that I’ve lost weight, but this is definitely not the healthiest way to do it and I don’t encourage it. I would ideally like to get back into a gym to work out so that I can actually be more fit, but I’m gonna wait at least until Little Man has a better routine, so we’re not so dead all the time.

My son was also 6 weeks early, so my belly had just popped maybe a week or two before he was born. I never got that big / stretched out, so my stomach actually bounced back rather quickly. Even at my postpartum checks they were impressed with how quickly I bounced back, but I had a 4lb baby, so like it was a lot easier for me than a lot of other women who have had full-term babies. My skin is still a VERY SLIGHTLY looser than it was before (I know it very slightly because I’ve seen my mom’s poor tummy after 3 kids as well as my Aunt’s).

The part that KILLS me about my postpartum physical changes is all the weird things that were happening to my reproductive system.

I bled an abnormal amount during my pregnancy (why I was stuck on moderate bedrest). That didn’t change postpartum. Postpartum bleeding is normal as is contractions and cramps…. for like a week or two after giving birth. I managed to bleed and get contractions for almost a full month. Not to mention a month after it stopped, I got my period 3 TIMES in a month. I was also still having a LOT of pain in my uterus and getting contractions. They thought it was because I still had a piece of placenta stuck in my uterus but the ultrasound came up negative. By mid December my Dr wanted to do and D&C to just take a look and make sure nothing is wrong, BUT my stupid insurance was changing and then they wouldn’t cover the procedure at the hospital my Dr works with, so I have to either fight it or start all over again with a new OB that’s over an hour away from me. I’m still fighting with insurance over this. Meanwhile, I’m doing much better, so I’m debating whether or not I want to even have the procedure done anymore. If it comes back I definitely will, but it could just be as simple as my hormones were going bananas after giving birth.