Lessee…
Stress incontinence, minor, but a really big sneeze on a full bladder, and I’ll be changing my pants… If I actually did my Kegels regularly, it would probably improve, as I’ve noticed it does when I do (did that make sense?).
Allergies. Horrible before pregnancy, went away during pregnancy, came back a little about 2 years post pregnancy, but with different symptoms. I used to get the itchy eyes, itchy sinuses, runny everything, and horrible sneezing, and now I get dry cough and sneezing, but not too much of the itchy/watery thing. Thanks, I’ll take it!
Stretch marks. I don’t have room for MORE stretch marks, so the next kid better just use the old ones. I did get a really cool pattern of them, though, like a sunburst. epeepunk said they looked like flames shooting up my belly, and as I got really REALLY big, I had one that had been straight across the pubic bone that began to arc upward into a half-sun. Too bad they don’t look like that after the fact.
No peritineal injuries (no tears, no cuts, no stitches) despite that huge head, and hence no problems there. No hemmorhoids, either. (Lucky me!)
Breastfeeding. Well, they would probably look that way no matter what (pregnancy changes them more than breastfeeding does) - heck, my mom breastfed 7 kids, and didn’t need a bra until her 40’s, and she was a B-to-C cup. No sag at all. Now, why couldn’t I have inherited that trait? I don’t leak, haven’t since about the 4-month-point, even though I’m still nursing. Haven’t noticed any problems with loss of nipple sensitivity, but then I was so nastily hypersensitive through the pregnancy that it is hard to recall what it was like before. Very cool knowing that my body can make food for another person.
Weight. Back to my pre-preg weight after 7 months of breastfeeding, and then below it. Unfortunately, I started out well over my ideal weight. Sigh. At least I don’t have further to go.
Sleep. I’ve discovered that while I used to not be able to function on less that 8 hours (preferably 10), I can function reasonably well on 4 1/2. Under that and I’m non-functional, and 5 1/2 is great. Nothing like a kid who doesn’t sleep through the night… for two and a half years.
Sex drive. (partly physical/physiologial) Temporarily killed by breastfeeding, exhaustion/sleep-deprivation, and constant physical contact with a small child. Took about 6 months to get even vague interest back on a regular basis, but noticed the level of interest was directly proportional to how much uninterrupted sleep I got. Kegels help this, too. So does B6.
Coping level. (probably psychological, but who knows? Just giving birth changes so much!) Used to heave at the mere sound of someone upchucking, even the cat. Now can have my son throw up all over me and have my first response be, “do you feel better now?” - and don’t even gag at the smell. Similar reaction changes to other previous sources of disgust, and also to crises (like broken bones, hospitalizations, and falls down stairs).
Spiritual/emotional/psychological (the biggest permanent change, don’t know if it is physically caused or not). Definitely a major change in attitude, perspective, sense of connection, sense of community, sense of family, sense of responsibility for the planet, and so forth. All those were there before, but it was like they were in black-and-white, and now they are in more colors than you can see with the naked eye. For a good book on this, see “In the Newborn Year: Our changing awareness after childbirth”. Suddenly things meant a lot more than they ever had. I saw my own parents differently, and started seeing other people as someone’s child as well as themselves. Got used to walking around with my heart exposed. Got used to hurting when my son was hurt, as my mom used to say, “when you are cut, I bleed” - it is true, and there is no way to explain it until you get there.
As for my experience, 80 hours of labor (and before you scream, it wasn’t that bad), 66 with no pain meds, 10 with an epidural (not for pain, rather so I could sleep - otherwise I was going to go psychotic), 2 hours of pushing. 8 lb, 12 oz boy with a head developmentally two weeks ahead of his body, top first, 14.5 inches around, and DID NOT MOLD - that is, his head came down straight and didn’t squish into the helpful conehead. Still said within minutes of delivering him that I’d do the whole damn thing again in a hot second. The very supportive atmosphere (midwife, 2 doulas) and no pain beyond my tolerance level (though I definitely used those relaxation techniques to the max) helped a lot, I imagine.
