In the early weeks and months, it is common for:
•Your tummy to be larger and looser (you may still need maternity clothes for a while) and you may find your shape has changed in different areas of your body too.
•Your breasts to be
bigger and more tender with
visible veins. If you’re
breastfeeding, you may
also be prone to leaking breasts.
•You may have pregnancy
stretch marks on your
tummy, breasts, thighs, and
bottom (these will generally fade).
•The linea nigra – the dark line some women develop vertically down their tummy during pregnancy – could take several months to fade.
•Your body to be more prone to sprains and strains in the first few months after birth.
Other physical changes that may be experienced by some new mums include bruising, backache, weaker and more tender joints, piles (haemorrhoids), constipation, period-like pains due to your uterus contracting back, painful stitches and possibly a sore caesarean scar.
Take a look at our feature on the next few pages where mums share their own experiences of how they felt about their body after birth.