Qualified experts and modern medicine can help women deal with the physical transformations of pregnancy…
Becoming a mother is an emotionally and physically daunting experience. It does not help that the physical experience of a pregnancy alters your body rather significantly. The helplessness of trying to soothe a newborn that cries for no conceivable reason or wakes up in the middle of the night and refuses to go back to sleep is demanding in itself. If, in addition, you find in your mirror a woman who is sometimes physically unrecognizable in shape and features, the process could become more daunting.
Pregnancy causes numerous changes in a woman’s body and some of these disappear magically as soon as you have had your baby. Although celeb mums might make public appearances looking like they were never pregnant, in reality, a lot of time, effort, and even a bit of medical assistance, goes into achieving that sexy, svelte look. What are the changes that do not disappear? And how can new mothers deal with them?
Weight gain
An important concern among new mothers (at least in the media!) is regaining their pre-pregnancy figures. Appearances have come to be a major factor in self-confidence. As young first-time mothers learn to care for their newborns, they are battling feelings of inadequacy and helplessness. So, the boost in confidence provided by a return to their svelte pre-pregnancy shape can be very helpful.
New mums will notice an initial weight decline soon after they give birth, as water retention eases. Stabilizing blood circulation and the shrinking of the uterus also contributes to the weight loss. Thereafter, however, weight loss depends on the amount of effort you are willing to put into it. Doctors recommend starting exercises 6-8 weeks after delivery; in some cases, if you have had a relatively easy natural birth, your doctor might even allow you to start exercising after 2 weeks. Exercises and healthy eating will help you lose some weight.
Muscle strengthening exercises will also help your skin regain its smooth and supple feel. However, remember to start gently. Your body undergoes significant stress during pregnancy and labor and will need to be treated with care. Start with simple exercises and as your strength grows, advance to more strenuous ones. Consult your doctor or a qualified trainer before you start exercising so you don’t unwittingly hurt yourself. Also, give yourself time and don’t expect miracles; your body will not regain its shape as soon as you start exercising.
Breasts
Another aspect of a woman’s body that changes with pregnancy is the size of her breasts. While some women might be happy with the increase in size, others might worry about eventual sagging of breasts. This is a valid concern. Doctors recommend the use of a good supportive bra and exercise to increase muscle mass and elasticity. However, some women might need surgery to correct sagging or misshapen breasts post pregnancy.
Hair
Your pregnancy could have bestowed upon you a gloriously lustrous mane of hair. High estrogen levels during pregnancy check hair fall and give hair a healthy shine. As estrogen levels fall post pregnancy, you might find that your hair has lost some of this luster and has started falling. Even if the loss is much more than usual, there is no cause for panic, as your doctor will tell you. About six to 12 months after giving birth, your hair fall should reduce if you revert to your regular hair care regimen. If it doesn’t, you might want to consult a doctor or a trichologist.
Skin
Unfortunately for women, pregnancy comes with a host of skin troubles. Most women will bear stretch marks post pregnancy. Usually, the stretch marks, which develop as your skin begins to stretch over your expanding abdomen, breast or thighs and hips, start off as red lines and then slowly become white. Post pregnancy, they fade and many women find that they are not particularly unsightly. However, sometimes after you lose weight, these stretch marks might look like an uneven surface. Among some women, stretch marks remain red; in most, it turns white with time as scar tissue forms on the stretched skin. Your doctor might recommend laser treatment to remove these marks. Sometimes, fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment is used to get rid of very old stretch marks. These have no long-term ill effects on health.
Sagging skin is also a common complaint owing to the weight gain and loss pre- and post-pregnancy. There are many treatments that can be used to treat sagging skin. These can be applied about 6 weeks after delivery. These usually involve generating heat deep in the skin to tighten it. Radio frequency, ultrasound, infrared, and suction treatments can be used to achieve this. However, doctors advise against aggressive treatment, as it causes bruising for many weeks. Also, some of these procedures can be expensive and require multiple sittings, which could be difficult for new mothers to manage.
‘The mask of pregnancy’ or melasma, the appearance of dark patches on the face or neck, is also disturbing for many women. The increase in melanin during pregnancy and the resulting darkening of skin is what causes melasma. Usually, this reverses a few weeks after delivery, but if it doesn’t you can consult your doctor and use special creams to treat it.
Varicose veins is another common problem after delivery. Laser treatment can also be used to treat the small varicose veins. On the one hand, the large varicose veins can be treated with Sclerotherapy which recommend starting this procedure after stop breastfeeding.
Skin tags that persist post pregnancy might have to be removed. However, this is a simple procedure and a doctor could even remove it using a scalpel or scissors. In some cases, doctors might recommend carbon dioxide or electro surgery to remove the flap-like skin protrusions.
These and any other problems should be brought to the attention of your doctor when you go for your post-natal check up. It is best not to self medicate because as a breastfeeding mother, any medicines or even beauty treatments you adopt could affect your baby’s health. So, it is best to proceed in consultation with your doctor.
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