Yes, your vagina and pelvic floor muscles stretch significantly during childbirth and may feel looser or weaker initially, but they usually regain much of their strength and tightness through natural healing and exercises like Kegels, though some minor, normal changes can persist. While the tissues are flexible and aim to bounce back, factors like forceps delivery, tearing, or multiple births can affect recovery, but pelvic floor physical therapy and exercises help rebuild strength and function over time.
Some women simply produce more relaxin than others. If that's you, your joints, ligaments, and tissues in your pelvis and vagina will get extra loose and stretchy during childbirth. Don't worry, though – your body will make less relaxin after you give birth, so your vagina will go back to normal.
After childbirth, or with increased age, you may notice that your vagina is looser than you want it to be. Not only does it feel more lax, you may even notice a change in the appearance of your labia or even the vagina itself.
Expect to naturally lose some weight before your first postpartum doctor's visit (usually around six to eight weeks after giving birth). After that, if you stayed within your doctor's recommendation for pregnancy weight gain, it's still normal to have 10 to 15 more pounds to lose in the months ahead.
This hormonal shift can lead to a widening of the hips, which may persist after giving birth. While some women may notice a permanent change in hip width, for others, the hips may gradually return to their pre-pregnancy size as the ligaments tighten over time.
A woman who has given birth has changes to her body. Apart from the obvious changes such as possible stretch marks on her stomach, bottom, and breasts, or varicose veins in her legs, there are internal changes to her pelvis and womb.
Women accumulate fat reserves throughout pregnancy, especially in the tummy, back and thighs. These reserves store energy and are necessary to ensure that the pregnancy and breastfeeding go well.
The 5-5-5 rule is a postpartum guideline for the first 15 days of recovery, emphasizing rest to help the new parent heal and bond with the baby, by spending 5 days in bed, followed by 5 days on the bed, and then 5 days near the bed, gradually increasing activity while prioritizing rest, nourishment, and self-care over chores or visitors. It's a framework for creating boundaries and slowing down to prevent overexertion, though individual recovery needs should guide the pace.
While some body areas will return to their pre-baby shape, others may not. Many women notice that their breasts have changed after childbirth, such as increasing or decreasing in size, beginning to sag, and/or developing stretch marks. In addition, post-pregnancy breasts may begin to look uneven or asymmetrical.
Even if you don't feel up for it, a good workout may help relieve your back pain. Gentle exercises can strengthen your core and aid in postpartum recovery. Take slow, short walks and do some mild stretches. Yoga poses like pelvic tilts are very useful for restoring weakened or damaged muscles.
Swelling in your tissues might make your labia feel larger and your vagina feel tighter, which can also cause some pain.
A proven way to work to tighten these vaginal muscles is through a Kegel exercise, which is a contraction of these vaginal muscles (also known as pelvic floor muscles). A Kegel is done by imagining that you are trying to stop peeing mid-stream by tightening your pelvic muscles.
Tighter pelvic floor muscles
And if the pelvic floor can't ever let go because of painful scar tissue, it's always tight. That can lead to anorgasmia—the inability to have an orgasm—or orgasms that don't feel as satisfying as they did prior to delivery and pregnancy.”
Rule #2: The Breast Milk Storage Guidelines.
The 4-4-4 Rule. Or the 6-6-6 rule. Basically, breast milk is good at room temperature for 4 or 6 hours, in the refrigerator for 4 or 6 days, and in the freezer for 4 or 6 or 12 months. Different professional organizations have varying recommendations.
Can Sagging Breasts Be Firm Again? Sagging breast tissue cannot regain its youthful firmness without plastic surgery. Unfortunately, measures such as exercising your chest muscles, eating healthy, and applying topical creams are not enough to correct pronounced sagging and drooping.
Typically, breast development begins around age 8 to 13, with the most rapid growth occurring during early adolescence. By the age of 15 to 17, most girls have reached their adult breast size, although some may continue to experience minor changes into their early twenties.
The 40-day rule after birth, often called confinement or "The Golden Month," is a widespread cultural tradition emphasizing a mother's deep rest, healing, and bonding with her newborn, with family often handling chores and visitors, promoting physical recovery (like stopping bleeding) and mental well-being, rooted in ancient practices from Asia, Latin America, and religious traditions like Judaism and Christianity. Key aspects involve nourishing the mother, sheltering her from stress, and focusing solely on resting and bonding, a stark contrast to Western pressures to "bounce back" quickly.
In reality, the third week might be the hardest week postpartum, since everything seems to feel “normal,” but so much is happening at the same time. This being said, the third week will be an important week to focus on your mental health.
This is what experts call the “second night syndrome”. It's a completely normal and common milestone where newborns become more alert, fussy, and demanding during their second day of life—compared to their more “easygoing” first 24 hours.
Wider Hips are a Thing After Having a Baby
This allows more room for the baby to fit during the delivery. However, your body may not go back to its pre-pregnancy shape with respect to your hips, so they may stay slightly wider after giving birth.
Evolution. Women with wider pelvic girdle and wider thighs from an evolutionary perspective are better placed for child bearing. Thus subconsciously males will select for that.
There's no single "hardest" month, as challenges vary, but many find the first trimester tough due to nausea, fatigue, and hormonal shifts, while the third trimester (months 7-9) often brings the most physical discomfort from the baby's size, affecting sleep, mobility, and causing aches, heartburn, and frequent urination. The difficulty often shifts as pregnancy progresses, with the first months focused on adjustment and the later months on physical strain and preparation for birth.
Vaginal Looseness After Childbirth
This is mainly down to the fact that the vaginal tissues and pelvic floor muscles are flexible enough to stretch during childbirth and bounce back within a few months. However, some women's vaginas & pelvic muscles may not re-tighten or re-strengthen as much, or as quickly, as others.
While men cannot experience the physical aspects of pregnancy, some may report experiencing a phenomenon known as Couvade Syndrome. This condition, often colloquially referred to as sympathetic pregnancy, involves men displaying symptoms similar to those of their pregnant partners.
Will my doctor know that I had an abortion? No - there is no way anyone can tell whether you miscarried naturally or had an induced procedure. If you are uncomfortable discussing this with your doctor, we can give you a list of clinics for follow-up, or you can return to us.