Your Vagina After Pregnancy and Birth
After pregnancy and giving birth, it’s normal to notice changes to the vagina. While the vagina is designed to undergo childbirth, you may notice that it looks and feels different than it did pre-pregnancy. The most common vaginal changes that women experience after pregnancy and birth include:
Wider, Stretched Vaginal Tissue
To allow the baby to move through the birth canal, the vagina must stretch. While the tissue shrinks down again after birth, it often doesn’t return to the same degree of tightness that it had before pregnancy. As a result, you may notice that your vagina looks and feels wider after birth. (Imagine blowing up a balloon as far as it will go and then letting the air out. Once deflated, it isn’t exactly the same size.)
The degree to which your vagina stretches during birth can depend on many factors, namely the size of the baby, how many babies you’ve previously given birth to, complications during birth, genetic factors, and your weight.
Vaginal Dryness
Many women experience vaginal dryness after giving birth. This is because levels of estrogen in the body are much lower after childbirth than they were during pregnancy. The dryness should gradually improve over time, but if it persists, Dr. Hayes at the Visionary Centre for Women can recommend treatment options to boost the vagina’s natural lubrication.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a common concern among women after pregnancy and childbirth. This often occurs because vaginal tissues become looser after childbirth, although hormonal fluctuations and the elevated weight of the uterus during pregnancy also play a role. Urinary incontinence involves involuntary urine leakage, especially while sneezing, laughing, or jumping.
Vaginal rejuvenation can restore the function and appearance of your vagina after childbirth. If you’ve experienced vaginal changes from childbirth and are done having children, surgical or non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation can give you greater comfort and confidence. Schedule a consultation at the Visionary Centre for Women to learn more today!
