Your Body After Birth: Hormones and Physical Recovery

Giving birth—whether vaginally or via Caesarean section—is a huge physical undertaking. While you focus on your new baby, your body is undergoing a massive period of recovery and adaptation, largely driven by shifting hormones. Understanding these changes helps you know what to expect and when to seek support.

Part 1: The Hormonal Reset

As soon as your baby and the placenta are delivered, the high levels of pregnancy hormones (Oestrogen and Progesterone) that helped maintain the pregnancy fall dramatically. This rapid decline essentially removes the hormonal ‘blocks’ that were in place, signalling your body to begin its recovery process and, if you choose, to start milk production.

The Hormones of Feeding and Bonding

If you choose to breastfeed, two new powerful hormones take over:

• Prolactin (The Milk Producer): This hormone increases significantly to stimulate milk production. It also acts as a natural relaxant, often inducing a feeling of calmness and sleepiness in new mothers—nature’s way of encouraging rest!
• Oxytocin (The Love Hormone): Released during breastfeeding, this hormone is responsible for the milk “let-down” reflex. It causes the tiny muscles around your milk glands to contract, pushing the milk out. It’s also the hormone that drives bonding and attachment between you and your baby.

Part 2: Recovery of Your Musculoskeletal System

The effects of the delivery itself, combined with the lingering influence of hormones, means your joints, muscles, and ligaments need time to return to their pre-pregnancy state.

Joints and Ligaments

During pregnancy, hormones like Relaxin made your ligaments loose and flexible. This made room for the baby but reduced your joint stability.

• Joint Recovery Time: While the joints in your pelvis should start returning to normal within the first 4 to 12 weeks, overall ligament looseness (laxity) can continue for up to six months postpartum.
• Long-Term Impact: In some cases, the changes to joint flexibility can persist. This highlights why good postnatal rehabilitation is vital to prevent issues like chronic pain or a long-term tendency towards conditions like osteoarthritis.

Pelvic Floor Muscles

Whether you had a vaginal birth or a C-section, the pelvic floor muscles have supported the weight of your baby for nine months.

• Vaginal Birth Strain: During a vaginal delivery, these muscles are stretched to their maximum—the pubovisceral muscle, in particular, can be stretched to over three times its resting length. This stretching can significantly impact the long-term strength and function of your pelvic floor.
• Need for Rehab: The type of delivery you had affects how your pelvic floor recovers and how it contributes to stabilising your pelvis afterwards. This is why a pelvic health check is so important!

Abdominal Muscles

The massive growth of your uterus caused your abdominal muscles to stretch and often separate (known as diastasis recti).

• Gradual Healing: The muscles and the connective tissue that runs down the centre of your tummy require time and gentle, targeted exercise to recover and regain strength. Recovery occurs gradually throughout the entire postpartum period.

Part 3: The Impact of Breastfeeding Hormones

The hormones released during breastfeeding are brilliant for your baby, but they can subtly affect your physical recovery timeline.

• Extended Recovery Period: The continued release of Prolactin and Oxytocin may prolong the period during which your tissues adapt and recover. This can mean that joint looseness takes slightly longer to settle down compared to women who are not breastfeeding.
• Delayed Cycle: Frequent breastfeeding, particularly at night, has a suppressive effect on the hormones (FSH and LH) that control your reproductive cycle. This is nature’s way of ensuring your body can prioritise nourishing your new baby, and it explains why your periods might be delayed while you are feeding.

Remember that recovery after giving birth is a marathon, not a sprint. The combination of the physical trauma of delivery and the ongoing hormonal influences means that your body may need expert guidance to fully regain its strength and stability.

Physiotherapy is essential for safely navigating this recovery and addressing any lasting impact from delivery and hormonal changes.

Physical therapy interventions can help with:

• Improving mood
• Enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness
• Promoting weight loss
• Reducing risk of postpartum depression and anxiety
• Improving heart-lung health
• Enhancing walking quality and distance
• Improving stair movement abilities

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Important Note: Medical clearance from the postpartum person’s primary care provider should be obtained before beginning any physical therapy intervention.

Align your body. Restore your strength. Thrive in movement. Book your appointment today!