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

[C.Ann]

For me:

* My feet are 1/2 to 1 size bigger than they used to be.

I forgot my feet - this happened to me as well..

 

[phragmipedium]

Thanks for all the responses so far! And the congratulations.

My hair's already naturally curly - was always wavy, but really hit its stride when I became a teen. At 26 I already have some greys too. And I have for a couple years now! Not fair.

And, I've always had what I would consider a small bladder - if I drink something close to bedtime, which I usually do because I get thirsty and especially right now I need a snack so I need something to drink with it, then I've always pretty much had to get up at least once, sometimes twice. But the hourly thing is getting old and I can tell even though I fall right back to sleep it's making me even more tired during the day.

My uterus is already tipped too - I kind of thought was just something that your body had or didn't have, I didn't realize pregnancy could tip it.

I noticed my nails seem a little stronger - I can't take regular prenatals (even regular multis make me sick) but I take some gummy multis that have folic acid in them that my dr said are fine, and maybe those are helping.

Funny someone should mention the lower back pain - one other thing I've noticed, as has the other pregnant lady in my office, is a very sore tailbone/lower back area, especially after sitting all day. It feels like it just seizes up and hurts to stand up straight. The dr recommended a donut pillow if I feel like I need it...the jury is still out on that one. I read about this one online and I guess this happens to a lot of people and doesn't really go away until birth and then some, sometimes.

Though we knew we wanted kids and were planning on them, we'd sort of felt like we were going to do this next year and then decided we were ready now. Because my husband's a teacher we always knew we were going to start trying in early Sept so if we got lucky and were very fertile, he could have the summer off with the baby. I know things don't always work as planned but this time it did, first try. So when we realized we wanted to try for this year instead of next, and then got pregnant right away, it was a quick decision and I didn't have a lot of months of trying to be reading all my pregnancy books, and since getting pregnant I haven't really had any energy or motivation to read them either. I'm hoping I'll start feeling better soon and have more time to enjoy the experience.

From the responses, it sounds like you mostly go back to feeling like yourself and not poorly all day, though, and I think I can handle that. I know there will be some physical changes, I guess it's just the feeling bad that's been the hardest part. The purely physical changes, like my tummy getting a little rounder and my uterus getting harder, have actually been really cool to experience.

Thanks again for the responses - I know every pregnancy is different but it gives me things to think about and be aware of.

 

[eliza61]

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.

LOL.

I've got teenagers/young adults as much as I love them, there are some days when I fully understand why some species eat their young.

Op,
I had 3 pregnancies each one was totally different. I'm not sure if there is a "normal" pregnancy. My first I swear I was sick for 6 months straight. and talk about eviiiilllll!! My hormones were all over the place, I would rip my dh's head off for brushing his teeth wrong.

 

[princess pooh]

The only lasting change was that my chest got bigger. I was back to my normal weight within a month and never got stretch marks. Lucky for me that DS was a small baby and I did my Kegels religiously, so I didn't have bladder issues. I don't think I'll do so well with this pregnancy though.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

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.

I feel your pain and I am not one to say count your blesisngs, b/c severe illness is pure heck.

I don't feel that my body parts shifted extraordinarily as I always joked that I got my post-pregnancy body before I ever got pregnant.

Stretch marks, cellulite, busty--alll that. I started out that way.

*I have a permanent wrinkled pooch that cannot be fixed with diet. It would require a tummy tuck to smooth it out. Even at my flattest tummy, it is still there.

*I am a size 10 shoe, but after 3 kids, I am better in a 10.5 to 11 depending on the shoe. I can still get into a 10, but I do believe my feet widened a bit so for some shoes, the larger size is better.

*After my first, my hair which was usually mildly wavy, but couldn't hold a natural curl....my hair looked like I went and got a perm. I can now style my hair curly, though they are very relaxed curls. But prior to kids, I couldn't keep my hair curly without utilizing curlers and styling product.


Injuries:

*Baby 3, and I am not about to post what happened with him, except to say it was an unmedicated (on purpose) delivery of a 10 pound 14 ounce baby (that part was unexpected ). I sustained nerve damage in which the early damage caused problems for about 3 months. It has mostly recovered but I do have some minor issues. (I can provide what the problem was via PM, the rest of the DIS is stuck using their imagination )

While my son's size contributed to the problem (I was an impatient pusher)--I am unsure if an epidural or otherwise more controlled and slowed down pushy would have changed the outcome.

*Additionally, after my second, we discovered that I had a very weak core that the babies I carried made worse. I had to have PT after injuring my back marathon training and it was ruled that I was weak b/c of my babies.

After my third I had to go back to PT and after that was forever prescribed to doing Pilates to just keep me unweak.

However--I had mild scoliosis and the combination of factors was the problem. I can't say that it was solely a result of having children. I have always been weak in upper body.



What will happen to you depends on how your body responds to pregnancy. There are lots of moms (who are not celebrities) who sometimes have a better body after pregnancy. I'm jealous of those moms.

 

[C.Ann]

The only lasting change was that my chest got bigger..

Not fair!!!!!

 

[PebblesMK]

I think I may be in the minority, but I get nauseous soooooooooo easily now! For the record though, there was never a single time during my pregnancy that I felt remotely sick. 9 years later, spinning in a circle once will cause the room to spin for 5 minutes. I can't wait in lines in the heat without passing out. Summer is the worst season because I now break out in hives from the sun, get nauseous if it's above 70 and get extreme headaches from lights and certain smells.

On the plus side, because I was young when I had my kiddo, my body bounced back to normal....9 years later is a different story, but at the time it was better than beforehand!

 

[paintnolish]

Oh, how could I forget...I have to be careful when sneezing, laughing, or jumping when I have to go to the bathroom!

Really, things aren't that bad. Plus, I had really easy pregnancies!

 

[minnie1012]

My first daughter, I was nausea in the beginning and was really swollen but afterwards I was fine. My legs and feet were a bit tingly maybe from the epidural. It lastest for months after delivery.

I had a really bad 1st couple of months with my second (throwing up constantly). Food was so not appealing, I couldn't sleep, I was a mess. It passed and then I was ok. Towards the end I felt kind of crummy but I really think that was from commuting 2 hours into NYC and a 20 minute walk to my building. I think if I didn't have that the end of my pregnancy wouldn't have been so exhausted and uncomfortable. Luckily with my second I craved salad so I didn't gain as much weight as I did with my first!

As far as what lasted after my first my foot grew a half size. My bladder and stomach aren't what they used to be but for the most part I feel like me.

 

[happygirl]

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

I had my gallbladder out 2 weeks after my born was born

 

[bedillamouse]

Just to add... My 1st pregnancy I was EXHAUSTED!!! I think I went around accusing all of my friends for not explaining better that you are not tired...you are bone tired. It did get better the second trimester and the beginning of the 3rd. My 2nd pregnancy I was sick the entire pregnancy...there is no normal. I spent a lot of time on the couch that pregnancy and my then 2 year old watched a lot more tv then recommended...but I had to survive!

I have lasting heart problems from my 1st delivery....not life threating but annoying. I had a fluke (it really was a fluke) problem where I hemorraged after the delivery and the fast loss of blood cause a "short" in my heart. But I went on to have another baby and that was the easiest delivery....I literaly laughed and she started to come out. My feet are wider and my top half is bigger but not better....bigger and saggy is NOT a good thing! My fingers are bigger too....my wedding ring will not fit...my OB said she had the same thing...lost all of the pregnancy weight but had to go and resize her wedding ring.

But I know a lot of ladies who had no lasting issues....no bigger feet...etc just a bit of a flabby belly ( soemthing I would trade for any day!) and a strech mark here or there. I have a friend who had twins and not one stretch mark!!! So it all just depends!

Good luck and just take care of yourself!

 

[Sorsha]

Let's see... 3 babies, spaced out over about 10 years. Lasting repercussions.. ..

First, and worst, heartburn. I was cursed with this from baby one, and it just got worse with each baby. It is terrible now, anything acidic or tomato-y, or coffee, or too sweet, or too spicy, or.. or.. or.. and I will be in pain for hours. Acid-reducers and I have become good friends.

Secondly, body changes. Baby weight that won't leave, saggy bits and pieces mad, stretch marks, etc. And yes, as someone else mentioned, "looser" equipment.

Bladder control issues... by pure force of habit, I NEVER sneeze or cough without crossing my legs.

And finally, and this does NOT happen to most people, so don't worry, I developed adult-onset epilepsy brought on by the hormonal changes of pregancy. I suffer complex-partial seizures, well controlled by medication, but very much affected by hormones. Even to this day, hormonal shifts around That Time Of The Month will worsen my seizures. This is called catamenial epilepsy. I do not think, OP, that this is something you have to worry about, but it IS a lasting effect of my pregnancies.

ETA: Forgot to mention, sciatic nerve issues. Sometimes I get really bad sciatic nerve pain down my butt and back of my left leg. It was quite bad with my first baby, and never really went away, so i think I can blame that one on DD15 too.

 

[mjlewis23]

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.

SDFgirl-(and my apologies to the OP for hijacking)
My wedding rings did the *same* thing that started either during or shortly after pregnancy. Does the inside of your rings have any hollow spots? Jewelers hollow that out in order to save $. After 8 years of dealing with the "allergic to being married" rash, I had those spots filled in, and bingo! no rash since. It didn't cost that much, like $60 or so, but it was a small price to pay to not have to take off my rings every couple months.

 

[bunkkinsmom]

Baby number 1: Gained 6 pounds, ate like a pig, no nausea. BUT.... I got psoriasis. No idea why, and now I have it forever.

Baby number 2: Gained 9 pounds, ate like a pig, no nausea. BUT..... 5 months into it I got Bell's Palsey. 1/2 my face froze up. Very odd. I hear that it is pretty common, and most women who get it have it until the birth. I was blessed and mine went away in 10 days.

Baby number 3: Gained 13 pounds, ate like a pig. Nausea.

I would rather have psoriasis and Palsey than the morning sickness.
UUGGGGHH!

Post pregnancy...... skin tags and still psoriasis. Also, pay attention to the shoe size. I did not and just went with it. I just had morton's neuroma surgery on my left foot because my shoes have been too small for so long.

Also post pregnancy........ I have 3 of the most beautiful children EVER. And they love me. They are funny, smart, and have taught me more about life than I ever knew in the last 30 years. And here comes one crawling up in my lap now! Hey son!

And by the way..... Congratulations!

 

[clgwli]

I admit I have absolutely no lasting effects from any pregnancy. No issues with bladder control, extra flab that wasn't there before, body shape changes, zero stretch marks on my stomach (I do have stretch marks on my hips from puberty but no new ones from pregnancy) or anything like that. I did not have easy pregnancies though so I guess I had to be blessed with something in the end

 

[SDFgirl]

SDFgirl-(and my apologies to the OP for hijacking)
My wedding rings did the *same* thing that started either during or shortly after pregnancy. Does the inside of your rings have any hollow spots? Jewelers hollow that out in order to save $. After 8 years of dealing with the "allergic to being married" rash, I had those spots filled in, and bingo! no rash since. It didn't cost that much, like $60 or so, but it was a small price to pay to not have to take off my rings every couple months.

Thanks for the tip. I will have to check it out with my jeweler.

It mostly happens when I am washing my hands a lot (like now, flu season).

If I don't COMPLETELY dry the skin under my rings, I'll get the rash. Any moisture seems to make it flare up. Is that what happened with you?

 

[NMAmy]

I know this is a cliche, but you really do eventually forget how miserable you were.

I think this thread kind of proves that you don't really forget! DD is 19 and I remember vividly how very much I hated every second of being pregnant. I mean, I really wanted a baby, I just hated the process.

I only have one minor leftover--I'd never had heartburn until I was pregnant. Raw green peppers triggered it and I still can't eat them to this day. They are the only thing that gives me heartburn.

 

[Becky2005]

I think this thread kind of proves that you don't really forget!

I agree -- it's all worth it in the end but I don't think you 100% forget. It's one reason I agreed rather quickly to the epidural for baby #4 -- Baby #3's delivery was not an easy one. I never forgot & can still recall it even though he's 9.

You do heal though and then get a whole new set of trials & tribulations to go through. My oldest has her driver's license permit -- I think I'd rather go through labor again than the stress of this even though she's a decent driver...I'm the one with issues.

 

[mjlewis23]

Thanks for the tip. I will have to check it out with my jeweler.

It mostly happens when I am washing my hands a lot (like now, flu season).

If I don't COMPLETELY dry the skin under my rings, I'll get the rash. Any moisture seems to make it flare up. Is that what happened with you?

That is exactly what happened with me. It got to the point where I took my rings off every time I washed my hands, then meticulously dried them, and waited like 10 min to put the rings back on! I seriously considered whether it was worth it or not to keep wearing them. Thank goodness for my friend who suggested filling in the gaps! It's been over a year now, and not even a hint of irritation.

 

[mjkacmom]

Keep in mind, I was fine after just having one baby, but sneezy pees, bigger feet, and curly hair are my issues.