6 Postpartum Problems No One Told You About

The postpartum period comes with a slew of uncomfortable side effects. If you are a mom, you’ve been there. Deodorant is currently helping me battle my very favorite and number six on this list: body odor. Yep, body odor. B.O. is a perfect example of something veteran moms just casually leave out of conversation when telling you about the beautiful and magical weeks after your bundle arrives. Not me, though. I am here to tell you the truth. Read on for more.

1 | Anxiety

We were all warned about the “baby blues” and even postpartum depression, but postpartum ANXIETY is less talked about. It’s super common for women to feel edgy, worried, and anxious about all things related to health, morbidity, and of course- all things baby. It’s a result of major hormone fluctuations after baby is born, just like everything else on this list. This is something to mention to your doctor immediately if you feel like you are more anxious than usual.

2 | Night Sweats

Holy miserable. If I had to pick a top awful side effect of postpartum, this might be it. Night sweats are horrible because, number one, they wake you up. I would find myself waking up freezing from being soaking wet and exposed to the air. I would have to change my sheets and shower before going back to bed. Literally the worst. Someone once gave me the advice to sleep on a beach towel, put a towel between you and your top sheet, and wrap your pillow in a towel. I tried it and it works, because it absorbs the sweat so you can at least sleep through it.

3 | Hair Loss

This one is a little more commonly talked about these days. I see a lot of chatter on social media where moms are laughing (or crying) about the globs of hair going down the drain or the baby bangs that are growing back after the initial shed. I have heard that the loss isn’t necessarily some kind of sudden balding. It’s actually the shedding of all the extra hair that thickened during pregnancy and was retained by our scalps for nine months. I have yet to meet someone who wasn’t affected by this awfulness.

4 | Breastfeeding Munchies

Obviously, this only applies to nursing moms, but this is something I was not prepared for. Nursing burns a ton of extra calories, therefore our bodies crave more calories. When I say crave, I mean CRAVE. It’s not uncommon for me to be so hungry that I am ravaging the kitchen for snacks. Just be prepared for this, and have your snack stations ready ladies.

5 | Skin Changes

This one has been all over the board for me. With both of my boys’ pregnancies, my skin was super clear during pregnancy and then went crazy afterward. I’m talking breakouts, dry patches, melasma, and even eczema. With Charlie’s pregnancy, I had terrible skin that subsequently cleared up after delivery. Whatever the case, just know that your postpartum period could bring some unwelcome craziness to your face.

6 | Body Odor

Finally, the most under-talked about postpartum woe of all. The B.O. I first noticed the smell after my second baby, and I remember being rather confused. I mean, I definitely have been known to skip a shower in the throes of motherhood, but I don’t usually stink to high heaven. Not only that, but when I would shower to try and remedy it, it wouldn’t go away! It was actually like my body was internally emanating this odor through my armpits. Here we are, three babies later and I have the same mysterious issue. My husband lovingly says I smell like an onion. (Thanks babe.)

What postpartum “issues” did you experience?