Okay...tell me about the lasting physical repercussions of pregnancy...

[phragmipedium]

Besides, of course, the presence of a new child at the end. I know you Disers love an easy joke.

Seriously, folks, this is my first pregnancy, and I've felt pretty awful since the very beginning. Nonstop nausea, persistent queasiness, intermittent vomiting and lack of appetite for anything that's not bland since less than four weeks along that has required two prescriptions to get under control. Despite that, I have to eat about every three hours or I can't focus at work due to hunger pangs that will not be ignored. Heartburn after pretty much anything I eat and often for no reason at all. Last night I drank a Diet Dr Pepper too close to bed, and I woke up literally every hour on the hour paying for that one...not that it matters too much since I sleep so lightly and poorly now and always feel run-down. I can nap on command now. And I'm only about 13 weeks along! Really, the only upside I've experienced so far is that my skin (though never bad) has been remarkably clear despite the fact I do nothing but wash and moisturize, using no "treatment" products since so much is unsafe and I haven't really had the energy to care anyway. I feel like my body has been taken over by this little alien baby that just likes messing with me from the inside out - even sneezing hurts and feels different than before.

So, this whole time, what's been getting me through has been to tell myself, "In xxx days, it'll all be over and I will feel like myself again." But a little bit ago it dawned on me - sometimes I hear women say things like "Ever since my pregnancy, xyz has never been the same or xyz always happens." Now I'm starting to get worried...ladies (or folks with experience), tell me what about you changed, what symptoms persisted, what was never quite the same after pregnancy? I'm aware of the obvious issues of baby weight and, um, relocation and reshaping of body parts due to various things like breastfeeding (though I do plan to formula feed). Do you have any lasting physical repercussions or did you really just feel like yourself again after a healing period?

Disclaimer - I know I sound like a whiner, and yes my pregnancy was planned. I truly apologize to those who wish they could be going through what I'm going through and cannot for whatever reason. I know I'm blessed but sometimes in the moment I just have to vent before I can count my blessings again.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Well, I can't prove it, but I think my gallbladder needed to come because of my children!

 

[abdmom]

Let's see - C-section scar, stretch marks, flabby br****sts, bladder issues, grey hair, varicose veins, flatter feet, and basically stretching of everything.

My skin cleared up during pregnancy too! I could never figure that one out. It went right back to it's previous shape afterwards though.

 

[mickeyboat]

My shoe size is about 1/2 size larger. I find I am more emotional. My bladder doesn't work as well as it used to when I cough or sneeze.

That's about it.

 

[agnes!]

I'm still trying to lose my baby weight... but my baby is almost 17 years old.

agnes!

 

[Bluestars]

Congratulations!

The only lasting physical repercussion I have is a C-section scar.

My mother had 7 children and no lasting physical repercussions at all.

 

[clovergirl5]

eh hem...looser hardware stretchmarks in places you didn't think they could be. Skintags aka tiny little molelike things. Most importantly, the kind of love you will never experience in any other way. That saying goes...your heart is forever walking around on the outside of your body. CONGRATS!

 

[SDFgirl]

This is only a minor thing, but it annoys me.

During my second pregnancy, my wedding rings really started irritating the skin of my finger. I developed an itchy red rash that only went away when I took my rings off for a week or so. It continues to this day. My OBGYN said that your body chemistry just changes during pregnancy.

Besides that I feel completely normal. Hope you're feeling better soon. I know this is a cliche, but you really do eventually forget how miserable you were.

 

[barrett7890]

truthfully, I had no long lasting effects of having my daughter. Weight went back to normal, ****s are fine etc. I also threw up constantly till 17 weeks, and the only time i've ever napped in my adult life was during the early stages of pregnancy.

I know some people do have lasting effects, but many don't.

It's a difficult question to get a personal answer too.

cami
x

 

[dreamn_Disney]

My shoe size went up. After my son I started to grow facial hair and have to pluck or shave almost everyday. Not a full beard but more hair than I care to show off. Also when they tell you to do the keagle exercises taken them seriously and do them.

 

[phragmipedium]

Well, I can't prove it, but I think my gallbladder needed to come because of my children!

Interesting! You may not be able to prove it but I just googled and it looks like that's not uncommon during/after pregnancy. I didn't know much about it so I'm glad to be aware.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I forgot to add: Don't weat tight string bikini underwear. It gave me stretch marks on my sides. Suprisingly I didn't get stretch marks anywhere else!

 

[scanmom]

It is a known medical fact that pregnancy actually increases the chance of gallstones/gallbladder disease. If you have not checked your GB, ask your Dr. to order an ultrasound. That will give you an answer!! I know, I do ultrasound exams on pt.'s every day!

 

[Duchie]

Well, I can't prove it, but I think my gallbladder needed to come because of my children!

Same here. The surgeon who removed mine said that 60% of his gallbladder surgeries were woman who had just had a baby.

 

[goofyernmost]

And then, of course, when the pregnancy ends you have this creature that leaches off of you for 20 plus years costing around 250,000 dollars to support, feed and educate. That is about the longest lasting effect that I can think of. Oh, BTW my children are 33 and 35 years old and they still are emotionally dependent...that part I like! It's good to feel needed as you get older.

 

[Becky2005]

My hair became naturally curly/wavy (and is now working on frizzy but my youngest is 6).

You should have seen the look I gave the hairdresser as she was cutting my hair after my 3rd. My hair was as straight as a board, never ever held a curl, etc... Usually I have about mid-back hair but after the kids, seems the time to just chop it off for a bit (mostly because I get tired of dealing with it & an infant, so I make it about shoulder length). Not only had it gotten long, it had some weird 2-tone color in the middle. The person cutting it thought it had been colored! Nope...did that that one on it's own.

So...as she is cutting it, my hair is getting shorter & next thing we know it's curling. I absolutely LOVED that it did that. I was so afraid it would go back after baby #4, it didn't really but now just has a wave to it more than curl.

I blame my kids for killing off my brain cells I can't prove that is because of the kids vs. just getting older but hey, that's my story & I'm sticking to it.

I became allergic to Pencillian when pregnant with baby #2. Never had been before and am still allergic to it.

I agree with the Kegel exercises are emphasized for a reason -- especially if you end up with big babies.

At least for me, I'm a fairly light sleeper now -- I don't think I really was before kids or at least not as light AND I can function on just a little bit of sleep (although not the broken up sleep you are more than likely going to get when the baby is first born....I didn't do so well on that).

That's all I can think of right now.

 

[C.Ann]

3 live births - 2 breech - no c-sections back then.. First breech was the largest - 8lbs. and I gained 60 lbs. during that pregnancy..

I was one of the lucky ones - lost the weight in no time flat - with no effort on my part - and the only visible stretch marks from any of my pregnancies were on my butt - LOL..

After my last one, I ended up with a tipped uterus.. The "girls" I had to begin with, the kids robbed me of..

Other than that, I can't really think of any "reprecussions"..

Congrats on your pregnancy - hope it gets easier on you - and best of luck..

 

[themilesfamily]

For me:

* I developed back pain that lasted about three years. It went away, finally, on its own.
* My bladder control isn't what it used to be.
* My feet are 1/2 to 1 size bigger than they used to be.
* My chest and stomach are saggy -- but honestly they weren't that great to begin with.
* I have a little dark patch on my face, above my eyebrow. (Pregnancy hormones can change the pigmentation of your skin and you can get these blotchy brown spots.)

I LOVED my skin and hair while I was pregnant, though. My hair, especially, never looked so good -- it was so thick and full -- I think from the prenatal vitamins. (Normally it's very fine and limp.)

 

[paintnolish]

My stomach will never look good again! Ever after I lost weight and exercised a ton (with lots of ab exercises), I still have a flabby, saggy belly (especially above the belly button) over good ab muscles. It is not good!

 

[TinklednPants]

OK. I'm staying on birth control Thanks ladies!

Saggy things, looser "equipment", fat, fat folds, cellutite, foot problems, gall bladder issues, roids, sounds great!