15 Things No One Tells Us Will Happen Postpartum

We understand that after the baby is born, it takes a while for our uterus to shrink. However, what no one will say about postpartum is that the feeling of the belly is strange. It feels like Jell-O and gooey at the same time.

For nine months we've used our bump as a table and tried to find convenient ways to make our pants work even though they obviously didn't fit anymore. After the baby is born, that convenient place to put our bowl of ice cream is gone and we're left with a feeling that our uterus is going to fall out of our body -- literally.

It doesn't matter which avenue the baby was born -- vaginally or via C-section -- it still hurts to sit down postpartum. Everything is sore down there from carrying the baby, from delivering the baby, from stitches or staples. There were issues like hemorrhoids that may have come up in those last few weeks or a surprise after delivery, and it's not easy. Let's just say lots of new moms make those rubber donuts their new BFF.

We often hear that women are ravenous after they give birth and all they want to do is eat. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes, there's still lasting nausea and hunger doesn't come for a few days. Both are completely valid and normal -- but are things that no one really talks about until it's 3 a.m. and instead of sleeping, the new mama is searching through message boards.

When we think about having a baby and we're planning to nurse, it's weird when we realize that our milk isn't in right away. Nope. Turns out it can take a few days postpartum until the milk comes in and a lot of it depends on several factors. According to KellyMom, milk usually comes in "2-3 days after birth, but in as many as 25% of mothers this may take longer than 3 days."

When the baby is born, out come the sweats. It's due to hormones normalizing after pregnancy and labor and as a result, there's a whole lot of sweating. It might hit right as the baby finally falls asleep and instead of catching zzz's, the new mom is changing her shirt because she sweats right through it.

We all know that our feet get bigger when we're pregnant. We're often scrambling at the last minute to the shoe store to find a new pair that fits our feet, which likely grew in a size or two. Well, it happens when the baby is born, too. Only this time, it's swelling from labor and childbirth.

There's a little something called postpartum cramps or afterbirth pain and they hurt. It's going to feel similar to labor with the cramping coming and going. Oh, and the more babies, the more it will hurt. Usually by the second baby, mom knows what to expect and things are easier … but not afterbirth pain.

There is this idea out there that when milk finally comes in to feed the baby, there's one hole that it comes from. By the time the milk does come it, it will become super apparent that it will squirt out of several holes and it resembles a shower head more than anything.

We all know that after labor and birth comes blood loss that we're told will be similar to a period. Which is true -- except it's not like a typical period at all. Nope, not even a little. This one is a whole other deal -- it's a lot more clots that will make it feel like pee is coming out or something else. A typical pad usually isn't going to be enough. But this, too, shall pass.

There is so much pressure around being a mom and when it feels like it doesn't come naturally, moms are left feeling like the only one that isn't doing a good job. The truth is, none of us know what we're doing. We all feel like we're the only one who feels that we're doing all the wrong things, feeling unsure, but it will come. Relax and be in the moment.

Again, it doesn't matter how the baby was born, things down there are going to be swollen. Yes, it is likely to be worse if it wasn't a C-section birth -- more so if any tearing happened and/or stitches were required. Just know it might hurt to pee and/or it might take a minute for it to come out, thanks to all the swelling -- and it's totally normal.

So, hopefully by now we realize that we're not going to "snap back" after having a baby and we hope that this is not a stress new parents feel anymore. But, nothing is going to fit -- not rings, socks, belts, nothing and it's all thanks to that after birth swelling that no one ever talks about. Typically this will go away in a few days to a week and those feet and hands won't look twice the size anymore.

There is so much pressure on loving this new person that mama's never really met before. We all hear about the indescribable bond moms feel with their kids, but sometimes it doesn't happen that way. And that's totally OK. Mom is dealing with healing and fatigue, adjusting to being needed so much and if there are no feelings of overwhelming love, it doesn't make a bad parent, it's OK. Relax, and it will come.

We all hear how important it is to drink our water every day. It's never more important than after a baby is born because the worst thing -- on top of healing form childbirth -- is to get constipated. It's going to happen easier and faster than it would in the past thanks to milk coming in or nursing, sweating, and general healing. It will be really, really bad, trust us, if drinking all the water isn't a priority.