There are a lot of things that happen during pregnancy that you might not be prepared for – how could you be, your first time?
That said, every pregnancy and delivery and postpartum experience is different. So, even if you done it all a time or two before, there’s a good chance your body will surprise you.
Image Credit: Pexels
And as these 12 mothers can attest, it’s not always a good surprise.
12. It’s probably just because you spend so much time in doctor’s offices.
“My immune system completely changed.
I don’t think a single month has gone by since giving birth nine months ago without me having some sort of illness.”
—nato409aa113d
11. I think my husband might have mentioned this, too.
“My body odor was so bad the first six weeks after delivery, and not from lack of showering!”
—zerrabear
10. Yeah, that’s your shoe size now.
“My feet grew from a size 10 to a 12, with no wiggle room.
It’s been three years, and my feet still haven’t shrunk back down!”
—osubuck182002
9. That…that is not okay.
“I started pooping from my vagina!
It’s called ‘rectovaginal fistula,’ and I had no idea it could even happen!”
—courtneydanielles
8. Well that’s a mystery.
“I was pregnant seven years ago, and I still have weak bladder control — and I didn’t even have my kid vaginally! I can’t hold it in too long, or I will pee right on the spot!”
—katiel4c495e293
7. So thankful this didn’t happen to me.
“Two years later, I can still feel pain in my spine exactly where I got my epidural.”
—Joker77
6. This happened to me, too.
“I developed seasonal allergies after childbirth I’d never had before.
I literally had an allergic reaction to my work building.”
—dianag4682c01a3
5. Yeah, that’s definitely a thing that happens.
“I didn’t know how much my vagina would swell after giving birth — it was so swollen that I couldn’t even sit all the way down to pee because my vagina would hit the toilet seat before I could get in position!”
—pattiecolvin23
4. Luckily there are some yummy milk alternatives now!
“I developed lactose intolerance during my first pregnancy.”
—steffanies4d3bb44c4
3. You’re a rainbow warrior.
“My stretch marks came in different colors.”
—merlib94
2. Just when you thought you were in the clear.
“And I got all my stretch marks 10 days AFTER I gave birth! I thought I was safe!”
—Nameless
1. Oh my gosh, yes. So terrible.
“The weirdest for me was the night sweats!
I would sweat through my clothes and the sheets every night!
It even got to the point where I would sleep on two blankets just so that I could peel the first one off in the middle of the night and have a dry one underneath!”
—Nemi1969
I’m shocked and thankful for the fairly mild changes I experienced!
What’s the most unexpected thing that happened to you postpartum? Tell us in the comments!