Pregnancy is a beautiful and challenging experience, and one many people look forward to as they prepare to share their life with a child. However, the effects of pregnancy are sometimes many, and sometimes lasting throughout your life.
Everyone knows that your skin will stretch and things will shift around to make space for a baby, but what’s temporary and what can you expect to stick around after the birth?
Weight
Weight gain is a normal and expected side effect of being pregnant. But it can also be one of the things that remain well after giving birth, and that’s completely okay and normal. Many women will notice some extra pounds after pregnancy, but it may also change where weight gain goes.
You may have previously noticed most of your added weight going to your legs or stomach and now it goes to your hips. It is typically only 10 pounds or so but can add up depending on the number of kids you intend to have.
Breasts
Many people think that breasts sag and change with breastfeeding, but it is related to being pregnant in general. The tissue stretches out during pregnancy and is one of the body changes that doesn’t go away for everyone. While that isn’t the best news, it also isn’t a sign that anything is wrong and is a completely normal body change that can remain postpartum.
And like with any body changes, there are plenty of options if you want to address specific body changes and have a mommy makeover.
Skin
Your skin is going to change with pregnancy. There is a lot of stretching done to make space for a growing child, and that doesn’t snap back immediately after giving birth. Stretch marks and looser skin are normal occurrences that can and do last for plenty of mothers.
There are plenty of lotions and creams sold suggesting they get rid of stretch marks and will fix varicose veins, but many skin changes are permanent and can’t be disappeared with the right cream. Childbearing is a big experience for the body, and that is okay when things remain after to remind you what you’ve accomplished.
Shoe Size
It’s expected to go up a shoe size or two during pregnancy, but many people don’t realize that new size can stick around. Not everyone’s feet shrink back, and you may find yourself in need of new shoes postpartum after expecting to go back to your old size. If your feet don’t go back to their previous size, there isn’t anything wrong.
Lasting Effects of Pregnancy
While these changes may not seem glamorous or exciting, they mean that you carried a baby. Stretching and weight gain might stick around, but your body did something incredible, and it’s worth being proud of.
It’s also important to realize that these, and other effects of pregnancy like hair loss or growth, can stay with you and that you aren’t sick or experiencing something out of the ordinary. Bodies change and grow over time, and that’s a natural and normal thing to experience. If this helped you feel better prepared for what to expect after you’d been expecting, keep reading for more good info.
