During the entire period of pregnancy, the body of every woman experiences certain loads. In particular, they are strong during childbirth. In most cases, a woman experiences severe pain.
It is difficult to name which organ is experiencing the most severe stresses, but the fact that the vagina before and after childbirth changes greatly is an unambiguous fact.
In order for the recovery period to go as smoothly and in a short time as possible, it is necessary to perform special exercises for the muscles of the pelvis and perineum. And to do this is not only in the early stages of pregnancy, but also before conception. This will strengthen the muscles, which ultimately contributes to an easy and proper birth.
However, often not every woman often thinks about it and often recalls after giving birth, when she begins to feel noticeable discomfort. Currently, to restore the muscles of the birth canal, there are no barriers, there would be a desire. Moreover, in some cases, you can do without surgical intervention.
Postpartum changes
In order to be able to clearly imagine what the vagina looks like after childbirth, it is worth thinking about how the baby moved along it. But some children can be quite large in size and weigh up to 5 kg. In this regard, one can imagine how big the burden on the birth canal is.
In some cases, a rupture of the vagina occurs, which subsequently heals for a long time. And if this happened, then for a period of several months a woman will feel uncomfortable sensations due to healing stitches.
Some women may experience vaginal dryness after childbirth. This is due to low estrogen levels. For a woman, this does not pose any danger, and to maintain sex life it is enough to use additional lubricants.
You should also not worry about spotting that occurs after childbirth. These selections are called lochia. So the uterus is cleansed and gets rid of all unnecessary that remains. Lochia usually ends 40 days after birth. At first, they have a pronounced bloody hue, but gradually the discharge acquires a lighter shade and is almost colorless before it ends.
It is quite another matter if itching is felt in the vagina after childbirth, and the discharge has an unpleasant odor. This may indicate that the inflammatory process has probably begun in the uterine cavity. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor to avoid trouble. It is worth noting that a violation of microflora in the vagina is a frequent phenomenon. The reason for this is usually hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy. In addition, stress, fatigue, and in some cases antibacterial therapy, affect microflora.
Usually, after the birth of the baby, the doctor conducts a routine examination and in which case he can detect the presence of any violations. However, if a woman found the characteristic signs already at home, then you should not hesitate to visit a doctor.
Since the vagina is composed of muscle tissue, sooner or later it will return to its previous shape, although not at all 100%, but you definitely should not worry about this.
Vaginal repair
Overstretching of the muscles of the vagina during childbirth does not have the best effect on later life. And, above all, this is noticeably reflected in the sexual plan, as both partners can feel that the quality has decreased. And if special lubricants help to cope with dryness, then you need to work hard to get the muscles back in place. However, do not lose heart and think that it is difficult to restore the vagina.
To date, there are several ways to do this. And this is not about surgical intervention at all, since there are more gentle methods. A surgeon should be consulted as a last resort.
Kegel exercises
One of the most effective methods is to perform a set of exercises developed by Arnold Kegel, which glorified him around the world. These exercises are simple to perform – you can perform them almost anywhere, as well as good efficiency.
Exercise helps increase blood circulation in the pelvic area, and the muscles of the vagina become elastic, strong and at the same time elastic.
Exercises should be done 5 or 6 times daily, which will strengthen the muscles. One of Kegel’s effective exercises is the following: to strain muscles in the perineum, to hold in this state for some time as long as there is enough strength, and then calm and gradually relax them. At first, a woman may notice that it is impossible to keep the muscles in tension. However, after some time, with an increase in muscle elasticity, it will still be possible to fulfill. It is best, of course, to perform the entire range of Kegel exercises, which will give the full effect.
Many women may be interested in another question: how long does it take to restore the vagina after childbirth? Typically, the muscles are able to recover to a near-birth condition in six weeks. However, if you perform a set of exercises like Kegel, then this period can be significantly reduced.
Surgical intervention
However, there are complications when it is impossible to do without surgery. If a woman cannot restrain her urine when she laughs, feels severe discomfort and no sets of exercises help, then there is nothing left to do but agree to surgery.
Also, surgery will be required in case of severe muscle damage and prolapse of the uterus.
Since in some cases there are tears in the muscles of the vagina, then in the maternity hospital they can suture, not really worrying about quality. In addition, due to sutures, the vagina after childbirth can be stretched and often a woman does not experience pleasant sensations during sexual contact. The solution to this problem is the plasticity of intimate muscles. As a rule, this operation also involves cervical plastic surgery, which can also be damaged during childbirth.
Childbirth is a very complicated process, which, in addition to incredibly happy moments associated with the appearance of the baby, can bring complications. Therefore, try to protect your health in advance, preparing in advance for pregnancy and the birth of a child.
