↑

Verastic

Authentic conversations about culture, motherhood, divorce, black excellence, humor, and style!

Will Your Body Be Back To What It Was Before Pregnancy?


That’s an expensive question, and I don’t really know the answer. In my experience, I though I knew more about motherhood before I became a mother. That’s because before I became a mom, I thought I knew so much and understood so much. The reality, however, is that until you actually become a mom, you just cannot know what it feels like or what challenges you may face. Sure, you may say (like me) that you took care of or spent a lot of time with [insert random baby relative here]. In my case, it was my little cousin, Toby. It’s not that I thought that taking care of Toby meant that I knew everything, but it certainly gave me false hope and made me think I knew more than I did.
Black-mom-+-child-+-verastic
I already mentioned quite a few times about how my libido died while I was pregnant. That was not something I ever anticipated because I had never heard about that side of the story. Everyone who talked about libido and pregnancy always said that sex was better while pregnant. No one came out and said that it was also possible for sex to die while pregnant. I had to find that out for myself.
But that’s not the end of the story. After the baby arrives, it takes a while to get back to being your old self again. This is not the case for everyone, of course, but if you find yourself not feeling like yourself BB (Before Baby), then know that you are not alone.

Ada Verastic is 8 months old, and if I’m being completely honest, I have yet to feel like myself. When you say things like this, people often think you’re talking about either weight gain or postpartum depression. While these are also realities, they are not what I’m talking about. Eight months is a long time, but it’s not that long when you have just become a mom. In fact, I cannot believe it has been 8 months since I became a mom. Every single thing is still new to me, and sometimes, even my body feels new.

Taking care of Ada Verastic is new to both Igwe and me. I don’t know if it becomes easier with baby number 2, but we won’t know until we get there. Although not as frequently as before, I still have days where I’m emotional and I cry. They’re not sad tears or tears of frustration, they are actually happy tears. I stare at Ada Verastic and her little body and all her little body parts, and I am truly in awe of her. And I wonder if she knows that she is a little person.

Emotionally, sometimes I feel drained. For example, over the past weekend, I had a bad cold. I was home alone with Ada Verastic and I had no help because Igwe is out of the country. I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep. And even when it comes to [sexual] intimacy, I am not yet back to Vera BB [Before Baby]. But I am in a much better place than I was before.

Vagisil ProHydrate

It’s different for everyone, I know. But for me, anything that can help me feel like myself again and give me emotional wellness is a friend of mine. The Vagisil brand is a leading expert in women’s intimate health, and they have a new product, called, Vagisil ProHydrate. It’s a product that was created to help you feel like yourself again. Vagisil ProHydrate Natural Feel is a vaginal moisturizer that helps relieve vaginal dryness (which can occur for many, many reasons, including having a baby). Because it feels like your own moisture, you can get back to feeling like yourself quicker. Oh, and you can use it anytime, not just before intimacy.

Vagisil ProHydrate Vagisil ProHydrate

If you’re interested, please try it out. It’s available at most drug stores like Walmart, Target, Rite-Aid, CVS, Walgreens, etc.  And if you leave a comment below telling us what you’re going through that’s making you not feel like yourself, you will be automatically entered into the sweepstakes to win a $100 Visa gift card.

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#Sweeps” and “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4.  For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 7/25/2016-8/25/2016

Be sure to visit the brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

You might also like these posts

Comments

  1. Erin Ellis says

    I had 2 babies in 11 months, so I never feel like myself. lol! Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
    Erin
    ErinLoves2Run at gmail dot com

    • Vera Ezimora says

      Whattttttt!!! Erin, you, my dear, are the real MVP! That could not have been easy, but you’re a strong woman. Congratulations on your bundles of joy.

  3. CaramelJAY says

    old self before baby?…errrm.. biko what is that again?..lol. i have completely given up trying to get to my old self; mentally, emotionally, sexually and weight wise. i have just accepted my fate that i am completely different human being right now!… Facebook and their memories is not helping, because each picture they send as a memory from before sends me deeper into depression!!!!!. But the devil is a liar, because everytime i look at my son, i feel so much joy within me and his laughter makes everything so worth it!.

    • Vera Ezimora says

      My dear, the thing tire me oh! I think that when a lot of people think about “after baby,” they assume that it’s all about weight. But so much more happens to our bodies during pregnancy. Like you, I am not yet back, but I wouldn’t change my experience for the world. I mean, I have the most beautiful little human! By the way, does your son have a girlfriend? Ada Verastic is still single 🙂

  5. Natalie says

    Lately I have been going through some depression, and I definitely don’t feel like myself. I just feel empty and down all the time.

    • CaramelJay says

      Hey Natalie,
      If you are depressed or feel down, its always good to speak to someone. Its very easy for depression to slowly creep in after having a baby, but with a good support system, you can beat it.
      Take breaks away from everything if you have someone to watch the baby for a day! …I was so overwhelmed and down 2 weeks ago and needed a day off, I felt bad that I needed tine off from my baby, but at the same time I know he needs ne sane and functional, so hubby watched him while I spent the entire day and night out with friends to unwind, relax and refresh myself. I felt better just after 1 day….
      Please ask for help and speak up if you are overwhelmed.

  9. Rachel says

    I’ve been dealing with bullying at work that has my self esteem at an all time low which makes me not feel like myself.

  13. Mami2jcn says

    I’m still experiencing postpartum hair loss, which is making me feel not like myself.

  15. wendy browne says

    I’m going through the attempting to have a fulfilling sex life with my husband after the baby issue too. I’m 45, baby is 7 months old and I’m so tired or uninterested in sex by night time. I’m definitely going to try this lubricant as my vagina hasn’t recovered in that area either, maybe because I’m still nursing. Thank you for bringing this issue up, most women won’t talk about it.

  19. Jessica To says

    I have had extra stress these last two months which has made me not feel like myself.

  22. Julie Wood says

    With everything going on, the kids and work, I really do not feel like myself. Too much things to do, and I need a Mom’s night out with no cooking. I think I am feeling burned out!

  24. Steve Weber says

    I seem to can’t find any time to spend with my GF because of all our houseguests.. it’s making me feel not like myself lately

    groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com

  26. Bolu says

    Hello Vera…thanks for your post!!!.i just had a baby 7 weeks ago and I cannot remember my life before I had my baby .the first 3 weeks were the worst …I was literally living in a trance ….I did Not cook, clean , pick up calls …..all I did was feed and attend to my baby .

    Pheww…thanks for your post ..it was definitely for me .especially the vagisil recommndation…kudos to all mothers who have babies back to back .

    One thing I am learning though is the strength and tenacity of a woman .if any one told me I would wake up every 2 to 3 hours without needing an alarm clock ..I would doubt them .

    Pregnancy and motherhood has changed me .i am not the same person I was before having a baby .

    Looking forward to this amazing journey of motherhood.

    • Vera Ezimora says

      Awwwww! Bolu, I know the feeling all too well. When I first had Ada Verastic, I too, was like that. I kept wondering what the heck I did with my life before she arrived. Pregnancy and motherhood do change you. Seven weeks is still very, very early. I’m nine months in and still not used to it. Enjoy every second of every minute of every day. I have heard from all moms that the time goes by quickly, and we should enjoy it. So please, enjoy it. Congratulations!!

  29. Madeline says

    I don’t feel like myself lately because I’m having more trouble sleeping than usual, even though I don’t really feel stressed.

  31. Jessie C. says

    Trying to get back to the “before baby body” in order to fit in old clothes is frustrating and stressful.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

  33. Margaret Smith says

    I’ve been taking care of my family and also my 97 year old Aunt. I’ve been really tense and tired lately.

  40. Rebecca says

    I still have done baby pounds to lose from my last pregnancy. I’ll be happy when I reach my goal.

  42. Erika says

    We’re a military family and my husband is going to be away soon, so that’s been very hard.

    chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com

  47. Kerry says

    I have a 10 month old – so I haven’t felt like myself in the last hmmm…..10 months plus 9 months of pregnancy – so at least a year and a half!

  49. Wanda McHenry says

    I’m not happy about the dryness and my gynocologest suggested Crisco. YES, she did!

  51. Ola says

    Woww I need this vagisil stuff in my life. I thought the dryness was weird and I had no idea on how to solve my problem.. I used everything under the sun. My son is 9 months old and am yet to feel like my old self.. Am so scared of Getting pregnant again

  56. Lisa Brown says

    tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/763701210222170112
    jslbrown2009 at aol dot com

  57. Betty C says

    My children are older now but I clearly remember those days when lack of sleep made me feel like a zombie! I thought I would never feel like myself again.
    willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

  59. Elizabeth pergande says

    After 5 years I am finally getting back to me. I have to be “selfish” and make time to exercise and take mommy breaks to get to feeling like myself. It is so easy to loose yourself in mommyhood.

  61. shelly peterson says

    I am not sleeping well and stressed so I do not feel like myself.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  68. Denise L says

    I’ve never had allergies before but this year they are hitting me hard. The worst thing that’s making me not feel like myself are the allergy medicine side effects. I am incredibly foggy headed and always feel like I could fall asleep any minute. Similar to that feeling you have with a newborn 😉

  77. Anastasia Falling says

    I’m going through the usual stuff this time of year… Back to school shopping! lol It’s a lot of work and definitely makes me feel not myself 🙂

  81. Ellie Wright says

    Right now I’m trying a new drug for migraine prevention and it’s making me gain weight and have some other side effects. So I’m not feeling quite like myself.

  83. Tina W says

    I turned 50 last month and between the hot flashes and finding random grandpa-like whiskers popping up randomly on my face …. I am definitely not feeling like myself!
    Not feeling like an old lady yet, just not quite myself.

  85. Hadiza says

    I have cried , laugh etc overwhelmed most times but just have to be strong , pls what is sleep Again … Just had the joy of my life in a beautiful girl call Oma … I love her … But dear mothers it is not a joke nothing on earth you have read , seen or heard can prepare you well enough for pregnancy , child birth n motherhood … I am doing it all alone with d hubs… No help Naija style , this is me that is Sisipepper n only career that I know o n I don’t joke with my night 6 hrs sleep … I need my body back n pls my viginal too just d way is was before before Biko … EPP a sister

  86. Susan Smith says

    I am having problems with sleeping which is causing me to feel rundown and having trouble concentrating.

  88. Stephanie Phelps says

    I am taking a lot of meds that cause issues with driness and I am going through perimenapause!

  90. Jerry Marquardt says

    I am not going through any changes that make me not feel like yourself. I will address this if and when the time comes up.

  95. Kathryn C says

    #Sweeps #SweepstakesEntry – comment

    a bit stressed & depressed b/c I’m taking classes towards a new career, and I miss my mom and wish I had the money to go visit- hoping I can visit this Thanksgiving holiday

  99. Faith J. says

    it seems like everyday I’m having bad luck, I’m stuck in a rut ad it’s hard to stay positive like normal… talk about not feeling like myself =(

[embedyt]https://www.youtube.com/embed?listType=playlist&list=UUqfCDqrHSOt_PJ5ecE4jjKQ&layout=gallery[/embedyt]

Join the exclusive Sweet Potato Squad

Monthly FAYA in your inbox

Follow on Instagram