Breaking Down The Top 5 Myths About Postpartum

If you’re coming close to your due date or you’ve just brought a bundle of joy into the world, then you’ve probably had lots of people telling you just what you can expect during postpartum… even if they’re not exactly experts in the matter!

We asked our community what the most common myths they heard about postpartum were, and today, we’re breaking them all down and busting the top 5 myths about postpartum with science-backed information you can trust.

Postpartum myth #1: Pain is normal because you’ve had a baby

Is pain normal after having a baby? Yes and no! Some discomfort is common in the days and weeks following birth –  you may experience “after pains” as your uterus shrinks (most are dull pains, but could be sharp), piles or discomfort when you use the toilet — especially around any stitches down there — and other signs that your body is healing. 

However, extreme or prolonged pain, heavy bleeding, trouble breathing, or abnormal swelling are things you should contact your doctor about and shouldn’t be dismissed because you’ve had a baby! 

Postpartum myth #2: After your 6 week check-up you’ll be ready for anything 

This is something we’ve heard a lot from our community, but the 6 week check up isn’t a definitive marker for feeling back to normal after birth!

If you don’t know, most new mamas will have a 6 week check-up after birth – and it’s an appointment for you and baby. At this appointment is when you’ll usually be cleared to do things like start exercising and have sex. But just because you can doesn’t mean you’ll want to – those are two very different things, mama. There’s no rule that says “you should be back to normal by now” and you’ll likely find that instead of getting back to “normal”, you are adjusting to your “new normal”. Making a baby takes 9 months, and your mind & body will take at least that long to recover.  This leads us nicely to our next myth… 

Postpartum myth #3: You’ll want to have sex as soon as you can after giving birth

Like we said,  just because you can doesn’t mean you’ll want to – this is definitely a myth because every woman and couple is different — and your sex drive will return when you’re both ready!

According to research from the National Library of Medicine, emotional satisfaction and physical pleasure drop after giving birth and trends on a slight decline for the first 4.5 years postpartum. It’s important to know that both partners — not just the mother — can experience postpartum depression, which can affect intimacy with your partner and overall well-being. Making time for intimacy can prove difficult when you’re navigating these symptoms and caring for an infant. However, rekindling things with your partner can play an important role in helping you feel more like yourself. You don’t have to navigate this on your own, we have some information with can help: Postpartum Intimacy: How to Rekindle Things After Having a Baby.

Postpartum myth #4: You can’t get pregnant if you’re breastfeeding

Can breastfeeding act as a natural contraceptive or is that an old wives tale? Well… breastfeeding is known to be a form of contraception because the hormone that causes you to make milk, prolactin, may also stop you from ovulating and having your period. However, you can actually get pregnant almost as soon as you have given birth, even if you are breastfeeding and/or your periods haven’t returned yet — breastfeeding isn’t a completely reliable form of birth control, and you could still fall pregnant.

Postpartum myth #5: Exercising negatively affects your milk supply

This myth is another one that we’ve heard all too often here at Baby2Body. The good news is working out healthily and safely postpartum can help your body recover from childbirth and it will not affect your breast milk supply.

Moderate exercise can help reduce stress levels, which may be elevated as you adjust to life as a new mom. Stress and very strenuous workouts can lower the amount of breast milk produced and potentially lead to issues such as mastitis, an infection in the breast tissue, so that's why postpartum-specific workouts are so important. Gentle exercises that ease your body into activity and then steady, moderate routines will be your best friend!

Find out more: Could Your Workouts Be Impacting Your Breast Milk?

If these are all myths, then what can I expect during postpartum?!

We know it can be hard to know what to expect during postpartum when there are so many myths floating around! That’s why we’ve broken it all down in this post…

Here’s What To Expect During Postpartum

Have a question about postpartum or a myth you need busting? Leave it in the comments!

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