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Pregnancy may be one of the most amazing things that a woman can ever experience, but it doesn’t come without changes in your body, some of which may be most unwelcome. Here are some of the changes that you may or may not find in your post-pregnancy body:
HAIR LOSS
During pregnancy, your hair wasn’t just fuller and shinier, it also bounced like those of the women you see in shampoo commercials. After pregnancy, your hair looks like a limp, sorry sight. What happened?! Well, the higher estrogen levels which accompanied your pregnancy kept your hair from falling out at its normal rate. But when you give birth, your estrogen levels drop, and your hair naturally falls out. The hair fall continues up to five months postpartum. But don’t panic! You’ll have your lovely locks back within six to 12 months. (1)
BIGGER OR SMALLER BREASTS
If you think that your breasts are going to stay as blossomingly lovely as when you were pregnant, well, you’ve got another think coming. Your breasts can actually go down a cup size after you give birth. During pregnancy, your breasts bloom from expectancy weight gain. Eventually though, loss of weight postpartum can cause your breasts to droop or sag. (2) Plus, the more kids you have, the more your breasts will sag. But as the months wear on, your breasts may actually go back to their size pre-pregnancy.
BIGGER TUMMY
You’ve just given birth. Baby is out of mommy. So you’d think that your tummy will go back to its original size, right? Wrong! A lot of new moms get absolutely exasperated when they find out that they still look pregnant after having given birth. It’s not surprising though. After months and months of being pulled this way and that, your uterus needs just a bit of time to get back to its original size, about six to eight weeks. (1) That’s why it’s important to stick to a healthy diet and commit to a fitness program so that you can get back to your svelte shape in no time.
BIGGER FEET
Think about this for a minute: According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), the average-sized women gains between 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. The extra weight naturally puts undue pressure on your feet. As a result, you may find the arch of your foot flattening out a bit, leading to your need for shoes a half size bigger. (1) Your feet may also experience a bit of swelling during pregnancy, which doesn’t go away until about six months to a year postpartum. (2)
STRETCH MARKS
Oh, yes, last but not least, there are the marks that every woman dare not have: stretch marks. The weight you gain during pregnancy will naturally cause an effect on your skin, leading to stretch marks. Some of these marks fade over time. But if you want those marks to fade a bit faster, there is Bio-Oil. An award-winning beauty product, Bio-Oil has been found effective in improving the appearance of stretch marks. In one study, 100 percent of subjects showed an improvement in the appearance of existing stretch marks after eight weeks of using Bio-Oil.
Bio-Oil’s unique formulation of vitamins A and E together with a cocktail of plant extracts, from calendula and lavender to rosemary and chamomile, make it a powerful ally against stretch marks. It also has PurCellin Oil, which reduces the thickness of the formulation, making it light, non-greasy, and easier for the skin to absorb. (3)
1 Heather Hatfield. 6 Post-Pregnancy Body Changes You Didn’t Expect. Medically reviewed by Roy Benaroch, MD. May 2015. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/post-pregnancy-body-changes.
2 Korin Miller. August 2, 2016. 9 Ways Pregnancy Can Permanently Change Your Body. Retrieved from https://www.self.com/story/9-ways-pregnancy-can-permanently-change-your-body
3 http://www.bio-oil.com/en/
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