Last updated on July 1st, 2024 at 05:48 pm
Learn what to expect will happen after birth, including symptoms to watch for and manage and signs that something may be wrong.
If you’re pregnant with twins, you might be a little curious (and a little worried) about what happens to your body after birth. The shocking thing is that so many things happen to your body and no one warns you about it! Well, guess what? WE WILL!
Our Twiniversity Facebook fans answered the question:
“What did no one tell you would happen after birth?“
Some of these experiences are very common and minor, and some are more rare and should be treated by a doctor.
Just remember that not everyone has the same symptoms after birth. One woman may have the worst swelling ever, and another woman might have hardly any swelling at all.
We share these nuggets of info and wisdom not to scare you, but to help you to feel more prepared after birth.
How swollen my legs and feet would get. I retained so much water in the first 2 weeks. My legs and feet hurt so badly. Then after that I was sweating it all out at night.
SWEATING! So much sweating! Like a week later I Googled it because I was waking up SOAKED every night. I had NO idea it was a normal thing at all after birth.
That my tummy would suddenly feel like all my organs were flopping around in there every time I moved… Although I had twins in there so maybe that’s why!!
Crazy hormonal emotions – I’d had my twins and was so happy but all of a sudden I was bursting into tears over the slightest thing after birth. Dropped my fork? Cry for half an hour. My husband was 15 mins late for visiting? A good 40 min cry – first because he was late, then because he was here. It was ridiculous! LOL
The cramping of your uterus from nursing!
Very large blood clots after birth. You will have bleeding for a while after the birth. Think weeks — heavy at first, then it tapers off. You’ll bleed even if you have a c-section.
That pooping would be difficult after birth. And when it finally did happen, it would be more painful than the c-section itself!
HELLP Syndrome. Nobody told me it even existed.
I had massive swelling and extreme fatigue. My blood pressure was so high I almost died and my doctor was afraid of blood clots happening due to swelling. I thought my feet were going to explode and I had nothing wrong at all during pregnancy. It all happened three days after birth (c-section).
Trapped wind…
Constipation…especially after a c-section. Use the stool softeners or you will be in SO much pain.
It’s never “back to normal”. Expect that some things will be different with your body from now on…
The chills — shaking uncontrollably so bad my husband had to lay on top of me.
The crying for about 5 days after birth. The lack of sleep almost killed me the first week. But your body will get used to it.
Thighs that didn’t just rub together, they overlapped! 😀
Horrible lower back pain from the spinal.
Hemorrhoids after birth! I knew they were a possibility but geez, and the way they check you to see if you have them — modesty gone!
Pain from c-section and shoulder pain from trapped air. OMG. Worst pain ever!
Constipation! Why did no one tell me I wouldn’t poop for over a week after birth and I didn’t even have a c-section??
Sweats, constipation, swollen legs. Oh and if you have c-section there is the lovely task of washing your wound (over-hanging saggy pregnant belly is not fun).
Post c-section periods after birth. Heavy and painful are not the words!
That immediately after the c-section they would come into the recovery room to push on my uterus every half hour to make it contract. I had an epidural but it had worn off by then so it was excruciating! It hurt so much I’d start crying — and then I’d laugh at myself for what a wussy I was being after everything I just went through!
After your birth, if you experience sudden and strange symptoms, it’s best to contact your doctor to investigate if you’ve got something serious. Most symptoms you experience will be mild to moderate, but when things become more severe it’s always best to have it checked out.
When becoming a new mom to twins it will be really difficult to think of yourself, but it is very important that you take a few moments each day to keep an eye on that c-section scar, pay attention to swelling, assess if you might be experiencing postpartum depression, etc., and to get help if something just doesn’t feel right. Listen to your gut!
