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From morning sickness, swelling to pregnancy brain, women experience a lot of pregnancy symptoms. But things don’t end there. Once you give birth, you will have to deal with a whole new bunch of symptoms during your postpartum phase. Postpartum is a different phase for every new mom. For some, it’s like a breeze while others have it much worse. Here, 8 new moms share about the postpartum symptoms they were least expecting.
Crazy Hair Loss
“I had heard of postpartum hair loss. But I had no idea that I’d be losing this much hair. I loved how my hair looked and felt during pregnancy. But as soon as I delivered my baby, I started losing hair like crazy. Nothing was able to stop my hair from shedding. I felt like if this continues, I’ll probably turn bald in a couple of weeks.” Sarika
Anxiety
“How come nobody talks as much about postpartum anxiety as they do about other postpartum symptoms? I had the worst episodes of anxiety and depression during postpartum. Women should make more noise about how it takes a toll on their mental health so that other moms-to-be aren’t blindsided when it happens. Thankfully since I had a good support system and a great doctor, I was able to come out of it sooner.” Mia
The Tearing Down There
“Vaginal tearing is real. And no, you don’t forget about it when you are in labor. It is what worried me the most during my pregnancy. And to my horror, I have a third-degree tear now. My stitch didn’t heal as it should, and I had a painful visit with my doctor a few weeks after birth. And don’t even get me started on pooping. Nothing in my life is normal again.” Anamika
Your Body Isn’t The Same Anymore
“I went 2 sizes up after my pregnancy. And until today hasn’t been able to fit into my old jeans. But you know what? That’s okay. I am proud of everything that my body went through to give birth to my baby. The stretch marks, the loose skin, and my flabby arms. I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Noorah
Breastfeeding Cravings
“We all have heard about pregnancy cravings. But boy, was I surprised when I started getting strong cravings while breastfeeding my little one? I would crave for cheesecake, dark chocolate cake, ice cream – anything that is sweet and loaded with sugar, and extremely fattening.” Mariyah
Bad Memory
“I got my ‘pregnancy brain’ way after my pregnancy. I make notes and keep alarms and notifications to remind myself of a lot of things. Our refrigerator is now covered with sticky notes and tons of reminders to get me through the day without forgetting something. I really hope it’s just a phase.” Kiran
Keratosis Pilaris
“I was prepared for everything except this. I have got chicken skin all over my thighs and my back. While other people complain about stretch marks and weight gain, I can’t even tell them about mine because hello, nobody has heard of it before.” Rebecca
How Much You Bleed
“Your regular pads aren’t going to suffice. And in my case, even the maxi pads turned out to be completely useless. It’s like God was punishing me for enjoying all those months of no periods. I stained every item I sat on – the bedsheet, mattress, chair, couch, everything!” Alia
Your Bladder Has A Mind Of Its Own
“I pee a little when I run, when I jump, when I laugh, when I sneeze- you get the gist. I have to control the urge to laugh every time I hear something that is going to crack me up. But guess what? I end up peeing a little no matter what I do. So now I always put panty liners in my undies because I guess that’s the only way to deal with it.” Neha
What symptom took you by surprise during your postpartum? We would love to hear from you!
