12 things that no one is going to tell you about postpartum 2026

There is a very common social trend in which there is a tendency to romanticize and soften everything related to pregnancy and postpartum, and the truth is, it does us little favor.

While it is true that we love our children even before they come into the world, it is also true that discomforts during pregnancy and postpartum exist and hormones, and the revolutions they cause in our body (and mind), do not help much either.

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We want to help you not feel like a "green dog" when doubts invade you during the postpartum and to be aware that not only are you not the only ones, but that the following twelve statements are true for the majority of women who have given birth.

1. You are not going to wear your pre-pregnancy jeans on the way home

No, girls, you are not going to get back to your pre-pregnancy figure right after giving birth. But it will come back, relax.

It is true that after giving birth many kilos are lost at once, since during childbirth we expel three kilos of baby and what accompanies it: placenta, bag with amniotic fluid and countless elements that we are not going to list because, honestly, they are not particularly pleasant either. However, not all the weight we gain during pregnancy goes away that quickly, don't get overwhelmed either, now the important thing is that you take care of yourself as much as possible and don't worry about anything other than feeling good and, little by little, as you make the new routine your own, you will return to normal.

Remember that your uterus is still swollen, the internal organs are adapting to the space again and your skin has not yet recovered and will be flaccid. All this combined with the fact that your stomach, friend, will surprise you with some love handles.

So: patience.

2. You will bleed

And quite a bit, too. It is true that this condition depends a lot on each woman, but no one, none of us, is free from lochia.

We all know that we bleed during the postpartum period. The wound that forms inside us when the placenta detaches is the cause of most of this bleeding. There are women who claim to have expelled huge clots and have needed outside help to manage it and others, on the contrary, did not feel much more uncomfortable than when they have a slightly heavier period.

The duration of this bleeding also depends on each one, some bleed for a week, others six... Anyway, dear ones, we recommend (again) patience. The good thing is that, sooner or later, everything passes.

3. You are going to have to use pads that you already thought did not exist

And even huge hospital diapers. All very attractive, yes, but it is what it is, you just gave birth and you will not be able to use tampons, menstrual cups, sponges...

Disposable panties and gynecological pads are your only allies in the postpartum period. Sorry.

4. Big tits, you're going to have big tits

Do you remember the Baywatch intro where Pamela Anderson ran around with those huge breasts like it was the easiest thing in the world? Well now, if you feel like running somewhere, you will be able to experience it.

The breast increases in size and even more so if you decide to breastfeed to feed your child, and no, they do not fall down. You are going to have them so hard and high that it will seem that, taking advantage of the birth, you have had a pair of silicone implants. In addition, this new condition carries a not very pleasant consequence: heat, when milk rises many women feel heat in their breasts.

You will also discover what women with large breasts already know, the disadvantages of a good front: back pain, shoulder pain from bra straps... Those of you who normally have smaller breasts will discover all these unexpected "advantages". Cheer up.

5. They are going to sew up your vagina. Don't look down there.

Yes, friend, they are going to sew your vagina and if you also had an episiotomy (or suffer a tear) they are going to sew you on the outside. No, it's not that your gynecologist has taken to cross stitching, it's just that's how it is. It is normal and the best for a speedy recovery.

And no, you don't need to look down there. There's no need and you'll probably freak out. So, as long as your recovery is going smoothly, and your midwife lets you know, save yourself that vision for a while.

6. You may want to have sex before six weeks

Supposedly you should not have sexual relations before six weeks due to the wounds and stitches inside you and, in addition, you have to maintain pelvic rest but... the hormones make you excited. The baby sleeps. Your partner is nearby... And it can't be avoided. If everything is going well, you feel good and your recovery is going well, against all the advice of nurses and doctors... Do it!

7. Maybe you will ovulate again before six weeks

It's not common, but it happens. Many women become pregnant a few months after giving birth and even breast-feeding the child, so, well, be careful if you don't want another churumbel (speak plainly, use condoms).

Also, remember the dangers that getting pregnant too soon can pose to your health.

If you want more information you can consult:

How long should I wait between pregnancies?

How long do you have to wait to get pregnant again.

8. Your belly button will also change

Before, your navel looked like that of a teenager, the typical one that looked perfect with a piercing. But forget about him. Your "postpartum" navel will be rounder, with a little bit of sagging skin on top, the typical kind that hangs a bit. Now you will be able to recognize if a woman is a mother or not, just by her navel, and without superpowers!

9. The linea alba does not disappear

Little by little, yes, calm down. But it is not something immediate. Do not despair if during the first months after giving birth your linea alba is still present in your no longer pregnant belly.

10. Your belly will look horrible at first.

It's normal, the changes are there: you have given birth, you have not yet lost all the weight you gained and your skin has become somewhat flaccid. If you also had stretch marks during pregnancy, they will now look like grooves on your belly.

We know, it's not ideal, but remember that all those marks are the visible sign that you were able to create AND EXPELL a perfectly healthy baby that now fills your hours with happiness (and headaches, that's what...)

11. You are going to "hate" your partner

It is not something we tell each other but, if you talk about it honestly, you will discover that it happens to most of us. We hate our partner. It's like that. Poor things, yes. But it is what it is.

And we hate them because they don't wake up at night as much as we do, nor do their bodies hurt, nor do they have an explosion of hormones, nor do their hair fall out as if they were going to be bald tomorrow... But, above all, we "hate" them because for nine months our baby was only ours and now the baby's love and affection comes from him too. And it's not fair for them or for our children, but as long as the hormones continue to do their thing, it will be inevitable... Try to rationalize the situations and 'give room' to your partner. Whatever it is that bothers you, rest assured that it is neither done on purpose nor, probably, actually its fault.

(Seems like our mantra throughout this article, but friend, again, patience!)

12. You will cry

A lot. And because of very stupid things like not being able to put your little arm in the sleeve of the bodysuit the first time, they are doing their thing.

There will be times when you can't stand it yourself, don't keep it to yourself and try to explain it to someone around you who you think can help you. Shared tears are less tears.