People left horrified after learning what actually happens to your body when you give birth
There's no doubt about it - giving birth is an incredible thing.
The fact we can, firstly, grow an entire human in our own body and then deliver said little human is pretty amazing if you ask us.
However, as we know, giving birth can take an extremely taxing toll on both your physical and mental health with of the ins and outs about the process clearly being more known to some than the others.
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In fact, some people have been left absolutely horrified after learning what actually happens to your body when you give birth.
One Reddit user asked in the 'No Stupid Questions' thread: "Who else was flabbergasted to find out what a birth actually entails?"
They continued: "I mean, the defecation. Possible hole-to-hole tearing.
"The fact that, after the baby, you start over and now have to birth the placenta. I was, like, 'how it's that how it's supposed to be?'
"And how was all of this going on before medicine. Anyone else thought it was just absurd?"
Well, it's clear people of the internet totally agreed with thousands rushing in to share their on birthing anecdotes.
Obviously, everyone's experience is different but let's get into the science of what can happen to your body when you give birth.
Birthing the placenta
Birthing the placenta is the final step of labour.
After you give birth, the placenta - which is an organ that forms in the womb which provide oxygen and nutrients to a developing foetus - comes away from the uterine wall and is delivered.
Tearing when giving birth
It's also very common for people to tear when giving birth.
Also known as a perineal tear, it's a super common injury that occurs in the perineum, the area between the vaginal opening and the anus.
Tears can also happen inside the vagina or other parts of the vulva, including the labia.
After delivery, a doctor or midwife usually stitches up the perineal tear with stitches which dissolve a few weeks later on their own.
Uterus being massaged to avoid or reduce haemorrhaging
A uterine massage, also known as a fundal massage, can help prevent or reduce postpartum haemorrhaging which is excessive bleeding from the vagina at any time after the baby's birth, up until six weeks afterwards.
The massage helps stimulate the uterus to contract, which helps prevent bleeding after the placenta detaches.
Impact of your first poo after birth
The impact of your very first bowel movement after giving birth can be challenging for various reasons including; a slowed digestive tract, anxiety, pain and dehydration.
There are also dangers of not cleaning the wound when you have torn, as this can trigger a bacterial infection.
Bones and muscles shifting
Clearly, your post-pregnancy body goes through a lot including your bones and muscles actually shifting after giving birth - sometimes permanently.
This happens because your growing womb - AKA your uterus - pushes the muscles apart, making them longer and weaker.
Research also suggests that pregnancy can permanently change your bones, both during and after giving birth.
Brain changing size
Yep, this can actually happen.
Pregnancy can cause lasting changes in your brain as, immediately after delivery, the brain increases in size, and the ventricles (fluid-filled spaces that help keep the brain cushioned) decrease in size.
The brain and ventricles then return to their original sizes by about 24 weeks after delivery.
"Two to three months after giving birth, multiple regions of the cerebral cortex were, on average, two percent smaller than before conception. And most of them remained smaller two years later," one neuroscientist explained.
Rhiannon Ingle