Say hello to the new you! It can take years for a mother’s body to fully settle after birth. If you expect to simply “bounce back”, you may feel frustrated. Remember your body stretched to its limits to grow a human, and it will take time for everything to find its place again.
Inside your body
You will bleed for several weeks as your uterus contracts and shrinks. In the first few days you may feel afterpains. Because oxytocin triggers these contractions, breastfeeding can make them stronger. This is normal but can be painful, so always check with your doctor or midwife if the pain or bleeding feels too intense.
Your hormones
Your hormones will take you on a rollercoaster. High levels of relaxin make your joints and ligaments looser than usual. Your temperature tolerance shifts, often causing intense night sweats. And you’ll soon shed the extra hair you held on to during pregnancy. These are all natural, temporary parts of the journey.
Your mood
The hormonal shift affects your mood too. The baby blues, a weepy, low mood in the first weeks, are very common. Postpartum depression and anxiety are also relatively common and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. You might also have sudden intrusive thoughts: that’s your brain’s alarm system trying to anticipate danger while it learns to keep a child safe. If you’re worried about how you feel, talk to your midwife or doctor. There’s a list of support services in and around Zürich.
Your core and pelvic floor
Your abdominal muscles separated, and if you had a cesarean or a tear, those tissues need time to heal. Whatever your birth was like, your pelvic floor just ran a marathon. It needs intentional rehabilitation. In Switzerland, Rückbildungskurse (postpartum recovery classes) help you regain strength and get to know your new body.
Rest, and let others help
Many people follow the rule 7 days in bed, 7 days on the bed, 7 days around the bed. Rest as much as possible. Be selfish, take it all in, and find ways to nourish yourself. If people visit, ask them to bring food or do chores. Outsource as much as you can.
Prepare now: freeze as much food as you can for the first weeks. That freezer space may be useful later for pumped milk, too.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. For medical questions, contact your midwife or doctor.