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Mom - What to Expect Physically

If this is your first baby, you maybe feeling a bit overwhelmed with the task ahead. Not all the preparation in the world can totally ease the anxiety that can be felt at this moment, but don't feel alone. Even pediatricians and nurses also feel overwhelmed when they bring their first born home from the hospital.

In our next article we will discuss the topic of caring for your baby, but first lets talk about what you as the mother can expect the day after labor. First, you will probably expect an all-over pain derived from the stresses of labor. Your arms and legs are likely to be sore. After all, you have probably spent several hours tensing then trying to relax them. One point to note is that although aching legs are normal, it would be prudent to go to you doctor if you get symptoms of tenderness, warmth or pain in the calves. This can include swollen or red veins. This is important because these symptoms could indicate thrombophlebitis which is a condition when veins become inflamed due to blood clots. Pregnant women are more at risk to this condition because the vein walls tend to relax a little during the pregnancy. One way you can greatly reduce the chances of thrombophlebitis is by getting up and walking soon after your delivery.

Other symptoms of pregnancy include stretch marks (which usually fade a few months after the birth), darkened areas of skin (specifically the linea alba and areola) are common and a line running from the belly button to the pubic bone. You may also notice some hair loss about 3 months after giving birth. This is due to the change in the level of hormones and can be expected to stop within a couple of months after it starts.

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