The first forty-eight hours following birth are a mixture of joy and sheer exhaustion. Childbirth classes often focus more on pregnancy and the birth. They touch on the postpartum period, but for the most part, they don’t go into to much detail about the events that happen after the baby is born.
One of the most popular questions I get is, “what will my stomach look like after I have my baby?” After you have your baby, everything except for the baby and the placenta remains. As a result, the size of your post-birth belly may surprise you. Many women feel like they are in their second trimester all over again. The major difference is how soft it is. After months of having a firm round belly, a stomach that feels a little bit like a water balloon is both alarming and amusing. It might be more comfortable to wear a compression garment if your doctor allows it.
Small contractions will continue to shrink your uterus, which will help shrink your belly as well. A nurse might come by every so often to massage your abdomen. This helps the uterus to continue to contract and can help prevent blood clots. This little exercise can get pretty uncomfortable at times, but it is very important for a health recovery. If you do have clots, remember that they are only dangerous if they are large. Your doctor will monitor you for clots and may ask you to report if you see any orange sized clots.
Another symptom you may experience during the first few days is intense thirst. Nurse’s will refill your water cup as often as you’d like, and you may find yourself paging them more than you expected. It’s not unusual to drink 90 ounces of water in one day. Have two cups handy so you can have your nurse fill up both at the same time. Then you won’t feel like you are calling her all the time.