Discreet conversations: 5 things no one tells you about your post-pregnancy body

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Always Discreet. The opinions and text are all mine.

You guys, can we have a very real conversation for a minute? What I’d like to talk about is gonna come as no surprise to nearly every woman who has ever given birth, but it’s the stuff we never dare to speak about out loud. You get where I’m going with this?

So now, I can say pretty confidently that I knew most of what to expect during my pregnancies. There are books galore on the topic you can proudly pull out in a public area. As weird as those things that happen to your body during pregnancy and even childbirth itself are, they still make for perfectly acceptable conversation at the dinner table. What happens afterward, on the other hand, is not!

Of course every woman is different and every pregnancy comes with its own surprises, but these are just some of the most common things so many women experience after pregnancy and unless you’ve got some uncensored friends or a cool big sis, you’ll probably never learn about them until it happens. With that said, here are some strange but perfectly normal things that can happen to our bodies post-pregnancy.

Lots and lots of bleeding (sometimes with other clotting and “stuff.”)
I never understood why people tell pregnant women to pack a nightgown in their hospital bags because the bleeding that follows birth is massive. This explains the industrial size pads they make you wear in the hospital.

Hemorrhoids
I know this can happen even without pregnancy, but particularly if you have a vaginal birth, the pushing can make this worse.

Your body will change shape forever
I noticed that even after I lost my pregnancy weight, some of my clothes just never fit the same because my body had taken on a new shape. Expanded hips, re-shaped boobs, and a little more booty than I had before. I don’t usually complain about that last one. 🙂

You’ll be scared to go to the bathroom or have sex or anything involving that region
This is particularly true if you experienced any tearing or an episiotomy during childbirth. Recovery can be pretty brutal and you’ll be in constant fear that your stitches will tear following any activity down there.

Stretch marks
I will say I was lucky to have not gotten really bad stretch marks after my pregnancy. I kept my belly pretty greased up and ended up with just one permanent mark after each pregnancy that landed over a previous scar on the side of my stomach.

Bladder leaks & incontinence
Last but not least, lots of women experience bladder leaks or incontinence especially in the months following childbirth, although this can sometimes last much longer.

While the topic of bladder leaks is certainly an uncomfortable one, it’s actually a very normal and common experience. In fact, 1-in-3 women experience bladder leaks. Particularly in the African American community, 1-in-2 women experience it, but only 1-in-9 women actually use any sort of incontinence protection. I hate to hear stats like that because, however embarrassing, female incontinence happens a lot more than you would think and can be managed quite easily with the right products.

Always Discreet products are uniquely designed for bladder leak protection, giving women the confidence to go about their days feeling protected and secure. They offer a full range of products specifically for light to heavy bladder leaks, including liners, pads and bladder leak underwear – each designed to protect women in a way period pads can’t. I was actually pretty surprised when I checked these out because, like most people, I expected something really bulky and diaper-like (similar to those industrial strength pads you get in the hospital), but these were far more comparable to the regular period pads in terms of comfort and fit.  They are just as contouring and discreet (pun intended) as regular pads and it’s nice to know that you can still feel just as confident in whatever you decide to wear or whatever activity you partake in.   

I’ve also learned that many women prefer Always Discreet because of the many benefits and advantages they provide over other pads, including:

• Absorbency – Always Discreet has RapidDry™ technology that turns liquid to gel, so that Always Discreet pads can absorb 4X more than Always Ultra period pads of similar size and Always Discreet liners absorb 2X more than the leading menstrual liner.
• Leak Guard protection – While menstrual pads have wings, Always Discreet pads have full-length Double LeakGuards™ that help stop leaks at the legs where they happen most.
• Odor Protection – Always Discreet’s OdorLock™ technology helps trap and neutralize the odors specific to urine. That’s something menstrual pads don’t have.
• Thinness – Always Discreet pads are up to 45% thinner than the leading incontinence brand.
• Comfort – Always Discreet underwear has a 360 FormFit™ design with a contoured core that hugs your curves for a smooth, comfortable fit, unlike bulky adult diapers

Click HERE for some money saving coupons on Always Discreet products.

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To my fellow moms, our bodies can do some amazing things, even if they lead to some unexpected or not quite ideal side effects. We hate to talk about them, but we all experience them in one form or another. And let’s face it…sometimes discreet conversations have to be had to find solutions.

So, let’s talk….What are some of the most unexpected things that have happened to your post-pregnancy body?

This content was sponsored by Always Discreet but all thoughts and opinions are my own.