Couple of dumb questions about Pregnancy.
 

I dont really know where these questions should go. this seems like as good a place as any. Ive been wondering this for a while now:

Question the First: Just after giving birth is a womans stomach area, like, baggy? I mean is it like a deflated baloon or does it kind of stretch back into shape?

Question the second: When someone is having a baby on TV/movies why do they always ask for towels & boiled water?
:confused:
Ta.

First question is something I'm just guessing about- it may leave stretchmarks, but it definitely stretches back. Otherwise, every woman who has had a child would have big baggy stomachs, and I'm sure you know that's definitely not the case.

The towels are to wipe sweat, other fluids etc, and something to wrap the baby in

The boiled water is to sanitize or disinfect.

There is an element of flabby skin for some. Skin's natural elasticity makes it so that the skin isn't nearly as stretched as it was when pregnant, but it does stretch. Stretch marks are evidence of that as well.

I asked my mother the same thing once when I was about 14. She said that after women give birth, they usually go through a period where they bleed for a time. It's similar to menstruation, but the fluid is a bit different and varies depending on how you give birth. For a few weeks afterward there is often cramping as well. These things happen because the uterus is returning to its normal size (or close to it).

Of course the bleeding or discharge after birth and the effects of pregnancy on the skin depend entirely on each woman and each pregnancy and can vary hugely.

I found this forum which has a lot of answers to that question and similar ones: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/bbs/552678/. Watch out if you're easily grossed out, though, because they are talking about kind of "yucky" things. The same website also has a section of articles on the topic: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/postpartumhealth.

Now I've never been pregnant, so I'm certainly no expert. Are you actually pregnant or just inquisitive?

Just on a short note for the first question, the skin kinda goes back into place, it doesn't hang or flop like excess baggage or some people that lose an incredible amount of weight ;)

No no, Im just curious. Its a good thing im not pregnant too, I think id find it kinda difficult to give birth, what with this cock in the way.
Thanks for your help Miss Ina.

Yes, deflated balloon would be a good description immediately after. Genetics will tell if it goes completely back to pre-birth appearance-some are fortunate enough, others, like me, are not-the muscles become disconnected and only a tummy tuck can fix that. Also, C-sections, the size of the baby and number of babies one carries all play a part in what will happen to your body.
I was once told, it takes 9 months for the stomach to get to looking like that, it's not going to take a day to get it back. (I'm still waiting 13 years later to get it back)

It probably is a good thing, then. That could pose a serious threat to the baby.

[python]Where's the foetus gonna gestate? in a box?[/python]

Wow, is this due to a C-section or is it something that just happens?
(Imagine, 12 years later I'm still learning stuff!)

When I had my daughter my tummy was like mushy flab for about a week afterwards (I only gained 18 pounds with my pregnancy) and then it started to tighten up.

My sister had 3 kids via c section and yes, the muscles got disconnected and didnt go back and she had a tummy tuck to fix it.

A lot of women still look pregnant after they give birth...I did. The uterus has to go back to its previous size, and this can cause women to have a bloated looking stomach after birth. Some women are blessed with no or very few stretch marks and will have their old bellies back....others, again like me, had a lot and nothing short of cosmetic surgery will make it flat again, because of the excess skin.

And, I don't know about the water and towels. No hot water was used in the birth of my son, and the only towel used was the one to wipe the sweat of my face :)

I must have been so lucky... the nurses said that breast feeding also brings the uterus back to it's original size. Was this apparent for either of you? (ShaniFaye & Medusa99)

I was lucky too , my stomach went back to normal pretty quickly and I never got any stretchmarks from either of my pregnancies. I didnt put a lot of weight on while pregnant , so that is probably why , that and I guess i have pretty elastic skin.

I did not breast feed, so Im not sure about my uterus size lol I do know I was back into my pre preggie clothes within 2 weeks. I actually came home from the hospital weighing 3 pounds less than I did when I got preggie
:thumbsup:

ShaniFaye: Hmmm, I breast fed and I was also back into my pre preggie clothes within 2 weeks, but because I was breast feeding I looked damn good! I lost 5kg and stayed at 47kg for five years (and lost my boobs sniff...) - I guess you can never tell :lol:

I don't think it really helped me at all...it took about as long to shrink as they said it would. Supposedly the breastfeeding helps you lose weight faster as well...three years later I'm still fighting my pregnancy weight *sigh*.

It's a genetic in heritance-lucky me. The C-section made it worse since the doctor wasn't real adept, but it would have happened no matter what. My mom, me, and one of sisters-we all have messed up stomachs.

I breastfed twins...for 6 months.But I didn't lose the boobs! :thumbsup: