Your New Body After Birth

During pregnancy, you got used to some pretty strange symptoms. Now that you've given birth, you may be dealing with even more.

By Karen J. Bannan

Alexandra Grablewski

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That's a New One

Two weeks after giving birth, I woke up in the middle of the night covered in sweat. Even though the air conditioner was set five degrees cooler than normal, I felt uncomfortably hot. After the same thing happened a few more times, I called my midwife. She instantly alleviated my concerns, explaining that my hot flashes were a result of fluctuating hormones and that they were only temporary. She was right. By the time my daughter was a month old, I was able to reclaim my blankets. I just wish I'd known about it ahead of time so I wouldn't have been so freaked out.

When we get pregnant, our loved ones are happy to warn us about things like nosebleeds, bloating, and excessive sleepiness. But few people tell us about the equally unusual -- and sometimes even more annoying -- problems that pop up post-birth. We asked the experts to shed some light on these common issues and to suggest the best ways to cope.

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