does my body change after giving birth?
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Kaely Harrod 0:01
I don't know about you, but I am excited that we are in the final days of 2022. Now this year has held lots of beautiful things, one of them being this very podcast. This is our first year of having this podcast live. It has been quite an adventure, a journey of learning and growing. And it has been lovely and wonderful and beautiful. And I'm super excited to see what our second year looks like to end this year strong. I want to answer one more postpartum question for this whole kind of series of postpartum questions that we've had. And that is, does my body change after giving birth? Hi, I'm Kaely Harrod, and this is our last episode of 2022. Guys, I'm really excited about that. I don't know if you're as excited or not. I know that every year holds challenges and excitements and maybe you're a person who had a baby this year. And so that was one of your highlights. Maybe you're looking forward to a baby next year. And so that's a highlight that you have coming up either way, I am excited to wish you a joyous final couple of days of 2022. And then beautiful, wonderful, amazing and well supported 2023. So today's episode, is very near and dear to my heart, because I think the conversations around bodies after giving birth are problematic. Not all of them. Of course, you know that I don't like sweeping statements always and never or words that my mother taught me not to use, if I can help it. And so I know that that is not the case for every single person, right? Like every person comes to this space with their own nuance their own experience. However, I think that we have unrealistic expectations in general in the postpartum time. And also just in terms of actual facts about what happens to our bodies. That matter, right? Like we need to know those things. Those are important things to know. So just very basic level, does my body change? Is my body going to be different after giving birth? Any variation of that question, right? The answer is yes. Now, if you've been around for any episode before this, you know that I like to say but Right, yes, but so if I just answered these questions, yes or no, these episodes would be two minutes long, right? And you deserve more information than that. And so. So yes, your body does fundamentally change everyone's body changes, after being pregnant. And after giving birth, no matter how that birth happened. And actually, really, no matter how long a pregnancy was, Okay, so today's episode is not meant to dive into pregnancy loss, pregnancy, termination, etc. But pregnancy itself, even if it didn't result in a birth, changes your body. And so I do want to start with that basic fact, without diving into all those intricacies. Because I hold that space of loss very close to my heart, and I don't want you to be afraid that that's what we're diving into, because we're not. So on a on a cellular level. When a person is pregnant, there is an exchange. And the exchange happens with implantation. And then also with placenta growth, right? Because as the placenta develops, there's blood flow, going back and forth between baby or fetus and placenta. Because of that, there's actually been some research around like, does the baby's blood cross into the the moms the parents body, the person with the uterus his body? Does is there like cellular and DNA kind of exchange happening? And the research seems to be landing on the fact that there is right there is some exchange that's happening on like a biological cellular level, between the person who's pregnant and the kid or kids that they're pregnant with. So that, like fundamental your body changes on a bylaw. logical kind of level is the first bit here. Okay? The second bit is the fact that if you have in fact carried a pregnancy, to the point of giving birth, either via cesarean or via vaginal delivery, your body has changed because of the fact that you had a uterus that grew to the size of housing a baby, and then giving birth to that kid. Right. So that's kind of the second piece that I want to dive in today. We'll be right back after this message from our sponsor. The birth prep blueprint course is a guide from pregnancy to postpartum, giving you the competence to walk through this journey. However it might play out. It is pre recorded on demand content. So you do not have to fit your busy schedule around a class or meeting time, you can go back and revisit the lessons as much as you need to. And you can watch or listen to them on your own time. This curriculum has left many families feeling confident in their decisions, knowing what questions to ask their providers, and knowing when they should be concerned in all of these periods. One of the biggest parts of this work in terms of preparing families and walking through this journey is knowing that you have a guide to rely on. And that's exactly what this class is. Students have told me they felt like I was walking them along a path to know what to watch for and what to not be worried about. Because you are here as a listener, you will get the opportunity to have a 10% off discount on this class, that code is podcast, it is in the show notes as well, along with the link to use to check out for the class, I do really recommend that you go give it a look. Because it is going to make you feel more prepared calm and confident for your birthing experience. Okay, welcome back. So when we are thinking about just body changes, I want to kind of add some layers, right. So
Kaely Harrod 7:07
the first thing is one phrase that I absolutely detest with everything in my being is getting back to something before pregnancy, right? Like as if your body has a certain standard that needs to be met, after you have a baby. That is just not the case, guys, just purely on a real basic level, there is nothing that you must return to. Nor is that always possible or achievable. Nor should that maybe be a goal, if we were to argue that right? Like I am firmly on the side of bodies are all different shapes and sizes, and that they change throughout our lives. Right. And also on the side of having goals around strength and health and things like that. So I right now, I feel like I feel a little timid telling you this one of my goals for 2023 is to be able to do a handstand. And I know that might sound kind of ridiculous, but I have always wanted to be able to do a handstand, I do yoga, I do Pilates. I do a million hip squeezes a year in my life because I am a doula, right. But I cannot confidently do a handstand. And I really want to be able to do that. So for me, that goal does not look like anything about changing my body. Well, in terms of size, right? It looks like working strategically on flexibility, working on strength, working on specific like wrist and hand things, working on some core stability in a different kind of way. And I'm going through like some really specific training steps for that, right. So what I don't mean is that I that like if you have a goal to be able to like run again, after you have a baby, or to go back to doing Pilates that you love or whatever it is. That's not a bad goal to have, right? What I mean is more along the lines of will your waist be the same size? Will your hips be the same size? Is your skin going to look the same, right? The reality is that pregnancy changes your body. What that looks like is different for everybody, for every single person who's ever been pregnant, and I really want you to let let that really soak in because what that means what that actually frees you up to have is your own desire and goal for your own body that is not based on anything, including yourself prior to have Being this kid, right? So me as a person who's currently working towards handstands. I don't have to have a particular standard even of myself from previous years or previous kind of versions of me if we can say that, right? So on the one hand, yes, 100% bodies change after babies, how they change what that looks like for you. Whether that's physically apparent, or if it's on a biological kind of internal level is different for everybody. Right? There are certainly people that you would maybe look at and right away think, Oh, I bet you've had a kid, right? Or maybe I don't think you've ever had a child, right? I'll say this one kind of maybe slightly unrelated thing that I don't think we should ever be making comments like that. Because how is that helpful? Right? Like, if you have had a kid, do you want to look like you haven't? I mean, I don't know is that the goal. And if you have, and you look like you have, well you have so Who the heck cares if you look like you've had a kid. Anyway, I have all the soap boxes on this topic. But the fundamental thing that I want you to walk away with, maybe it's just me, but I feel like I've said fundamental like 17 times this episode. The basic thing that I want you to walk into 2023 with is that your body is just as unique. After you've had a kid or multiple kids, as it was before you had a kid. That means you should not be applying your body to anybody else's standard or applying anyone else's standard to your body. And or you can enter the postpartum time with a curiosity about how birth will change your body because it changes everybody's body. And I think the more we can embrace that as a culture, the less we will pressure ourselves to look and be a certain way, in the postpartum time. So I hope that that is encouraging to you. I also realized that maybe it's triggering in some ways, and that is not my intention. And I would love to further this conversation with you. Instagram is an easy way to get in touch with me, send me a message there. All of that information is in the shownotes for you to find. I would love to hear what your follow up questions are around this. And to share like a little bit more insight about it or a little bit more, some more resources around it, because there are wonderful resources around this. But I do hope that this is encouraging, I want you to walk away feeling good about the fact that you don't owe your body any particular thing and you don't, your body doesn't owe you any particular thing. And that this journey is just as unique as every other portion of this process of having a kid and being pregnant and giving birth, etcetera, etcetera. Okay. So one more time, I just want to wish you the happiest of transitions between 2022 and 2023. And I'm very, very excited to share some cool episodes with you in the new year. So please do stay tuned. If you're listening on Apple podcast or iTunes. The easiest way for you to support this awesome podcast and support me and my family and my business is to leave a review. And I would love to have some episodes in 2023. And I read some of your reviews and talk about how amazing you have been. And so please do take a second to do that. That is the easiest way for people who do not know about this podcast to learn about the podcast. So that would mean the world to me if you could do that. I will see you all in the new year. This has been Kaylee daily doula Tips and Tips. I'm so glad that you were here joining us today. I am not your medical provider. And so all of this information is intended to be educational and entertainment. Please use it as such and if you have questions about your own medical health, or need recommendations from your own provider, please do speak to them. This is not intended to replace them in any way. We are so happy that you are here joining us in this walk through pregnancy postpartum and lactation. Please take a second to like and subscribe leave a positive review. That is how other families get to hear about us. I get to learn from all the answers that we have here on this podcast. As always, I would really love to connect with you. I love answering questions. I know that you know that because you are here, but I would love to hear what your questions are. So if I have not yet answered them on the podcast, I would love to add them to the list of questions to be answered. please do reach out to me on Instagram, or via email Kaely at Herat, doula services.com so that I can answer whatever question you have, and so that I can hear the feedback that you have about the podcast. Until we meet again, I wish you well informed consent filled birth and postpartum experiences
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
It’s our last episode of 2022!!! How did this year both go SOOO slow and also completely zoom past? I feel like I’m settling into my old age of 36 when I say “how is it already (insert month or year here)!” To wrap up this year and this Postpartum series I want to answer a question that’s super important to me. That question is: does my body change after giving birth? The short answer is yes! Yes, it changes, but how does it change? What does that look and feel like for different people? You’ll have to listen to the episode to hear some of those glorious nuances.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Every body that’s ever been pregnant was altered a bit by that pregnancy, even when the pregnancy didn’t last long.
Obviously having a pregnancy that goes full term plus giving birth has other physical and biological impacts on your body.
These changes are not negatives, although society sometimes frames them that way!
Your postpartum body is new and different and beautiful and wonderful!
RESOURCES:
FREE Ultimate Postpartum Checklist Bundle
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/free-guide
Postpartum Preparation Class:
Understand what to expect to feel/experience in the postpartum period or how to deal with it if you’re already there!
This is the real sh*t that happens TO YOU in the postpartum time and works for you whether this is your first or fifth baby!
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/postpartum-prep-blueprint
CONNECT with Kaely on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/
This podcast is hosted by the Birth Prep Blueprint - comprehensive Childbirth Education for expectant parents to feel calm, prepared and confident about labor and birth. Podcast listeners (that’s YOU!) get 10% off! Use the link below and coupon code PODCAST
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/birth-prep-blueprint
** The Birth Prep Blueprint is offered for only $20 to anyone who qualifies for any kind of social services (meaning that a family has a lower income to the point that they would qualify for WIC or SNAP or Medicaid, etc.). No need to disclose your income, just which service you qualify for and the link can be sent right over. Just email kaely@harroddoulaservices.com to learn more.
If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula
Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services
It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class
Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay
