Being pregnant is one of the most challenging, yet beautiful, phases of a woman’s life. Your body goes through a lot of changes in those nine months, and it does not end there. Once you give birth, you are left with a lot of questions about what will happen to your body, especially your vagina. Will it be ruined forever? Will there be a gaping hole there? Will it ever be similar to what it was before? The thought of pushing a baby out of your vagina can cause you to have sleepless nights, but your body is pretty incredible. It has a lot of defense mechanisms that help protect you. And these mechanisms are not pretty and don’t feel normal at all, so getting a good idea about what they are can help your healing process and will prevent you from going into panic mode when they happen. Here are a few weird, but normal, things that happen to your vagina during late pregnancy and after birth.
1. Swelling And Appearance Of Varicose Veins
When you are pregnant, your hormone levels increase and so does your volume of blood. These changes are necessary for the proper growth and development of the baby inside your womb. As your baby grows, your uterus grows too. This can increase the pressure on your vagina and can cause it to swell. In some cases, this added pressure can cause varicose veins to appear on your labia. While you may not like the new look, it is nothing to worry about. It means your baby is growing in a healthy way. Once you give birth, these veins will clear up within a few weeks. Light exercise and keeping your feet elevated will definitely help speed up the healing process.
2. Discharge Mania
When you are about to give birth, you are going to need panty liners, lots and lots of them. Your body is going to dispel all the cells, bacteria, and other things that do not need to be in your body anymore. So you will notice a discharge that is similar to mucus. This mucus is created by your cervical cells to plug the cervical opening to prevent unwanted bacteria from getting through. Such a discharge may come all at once or in chunks, and it is not a sign of labor. If the discharge looks frothy, has a weird smell, or has a green, yellow, or gray hue, then it is a sign of an infection. You should get it checked by your doctor as soon as possible.
3. Change In Poop Patterns And Pelvic Floor Problems
Going to the bathroom after vaginal birth is incredibly challenging. The idea of pushing something out of your body soon after your body tore apart to give birth can send shivers down your spine. The trick is to take all the time you need without rushing. You can take stool softeners to make the process of pooping a lot less difficult. Even urinary incontinence is a common problem as your pelvic floor muscles weaken after you give birth. You can see a pelvic floor specialist to get a personalized assessment of your condition and to speed up the recovery process.
4. Postpartum Wear And Tear
Once you give birth, slight tears to the pelvic floor and the labia are very common. These tears will be made shallow with a few stitches, which will fall out on their own. You will not have to worry about them much as they will heal quite nicely and your vagina will be as good as new after a few weeks or months. In case the tears are deep, the recovery may take some time but they will definitely heal completely. So, be patient, trust your body, and let it do its thing.
