There are many things that no one tells you about pregnancy until after you are pregnant. (Otherwise the human race just might die out.) One of these things is what I call the 'postpartum hormone backlash'. I don't know if this is a real medical condition or if other women experience the same thing; all I know is that it's happened with all three of my pregnancies. For Spencer and Josh it started about six week postpartum; for Cole it started around 10 weeks. (Who knows why...)
First, my hair starts falling out. By the handful. It's all over the floor, all over me, all over poor Cole when I feed him. I am always amazed that I'm not completely bald at the end of it. I asked my doctor about it and he said it's partly hormones and partly the post-traumatic stress from having a baby. (Cole was my least stressful baby - maybe that's why this started later than normal!)
Second, my skin starts breaking out like I'm fourteen years old again. It's all nice and shiny and spotty and angst-inducing. Lovely.
Third, and this doesn't really have anything to do with hormones but I'm still blaming it on this 'disorder', none of my clothes fit. Some of my pre-pregnancy clothes are a bit too snug and my maternity clothes are way too big, as are a few shirts I bought just after I had Cole. In other words, nothing fits right and I just look and feel dumpy. Urgh.
But you know what? Doesn't matter. Because this little guy doesn't seem to care one bit that I'm shedding, breaking out, and not fitting in any of my clothes.
And that makes it all worth it.
2 comments:
Wow! Your hair is long! How did it get that way! I hope that ALL of it doesn't fall out-that would be wierd, gross, and you'd be bald. I'm sure that would make things worse.
Well said Maren, I've definitely been there!
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