home Auditorium 7 Genital organs after childbirth. Natural postpartum changes. Signals indicating deviation

Genital organs after childbirth. Natural postpartum changes. Signals indicating deviation

Every pregnant woman is aware that her genitals will undergo a number of changes after childbirth. This is natural, because they take a direct part in the birth of the baby.

However, not all women know how long the recovery period will last and how it can be accelerated, and what alarming symptoms should be paid attention to.

In addition, many expectant mothers experience real fear regarding changes in the vagina, having heard a lot of myths and conflicting, and sometimes untrue information and the bad experiences of friends. In order to positively perceive and experience this amazing experience, you need to understand the peculiarities of physiology.

Features of the period

The vagina is a truly unique and amazing organ: it has very strong and developed muscles, incredibly plastic and elastic. During sexual intercourse, the vagina enlarges 2-3 times and, thanks to its accommodative abilities, adapts to the parameters of the sexual partner.

In the normal state, the size of the genital organs and the female vagina in particular is very different from the size of the child, so during delivery it stretches and its walls become thinner.

In addition, during pregnancy it puts pressure on the muscles of the perineum, which can also affect the condition of the vagina.

Factors that determine changes in the vagina after childbirth:

Anatomical features of a particular woman.
Size and weight of the baby.
Hormonal changes.
The course of childbirth: microtraumas, cracks, tears, medical incisions and other complicating factors increase the recovery period.

Immediately after childbirth, the entrance to the vagina is wide open, the walls of the organ, instead of a pale pink color, become bluish-purple due to swelling. The relief of the vagina also changes: in women who have not given birth, the ribbing of the walls is clearly expressed, in women who have given birth, the walls are smoother. By the way, this fact became the basis for the myth that the vagina stretches in women who give birth.

Did you know?From the times of Ancient Greece until the 17th century, it was believed in medicine that the female vagina and other organs of the reproductive system are the underside of the male penis and its genitals.

In the first few weeks after childbirth, the vagina returns to its previous size, but many couples even after this period note some discrepancy in the genitals.

During the postpartum period, the vagina increases slightly, by only 2-3 mm, or even returns to its previous size. However, for all girls, the recovery period takes a different amount of time and depends on many factors: the state of the muscular system before childbirth, performing special exercises, the ease of the birth process, and others.

For many young ladies, this period is accompanied by psychological experiences, discomfort, even the fear of disappointing their partner and no longer receiving the same pleasure from intimate relationships.

All this can be avoided if you know what the vagina normally looks like after childbirth, and what signs are and require medical attention.

What does the vagina look like after childbirth?

Being familiar with natural physiological changes will help expectant mothers put aside many fears about the appearance of the vagina. Understanding that everything that happens in the first 2 months after childbirth is absolutely natural makes this period much easier.
So, let's look at what changes occur in the vagina in the first weeks after the baby is born.

Stretching

The vagina is made up of muscles similar to muscles in other areas of the body. That is, they can strengthen, weaken, atrophy, etc. The size of the vagina can change in two cases: during childbirth and during sexual intercourse.

In normal condition, in 80% of women, the vagina does not exceed 7-9 cm in length; during arousal, it can increase to 16 cm. And even with age, these indicators practically do not change - in 60-year-old women, the vagina is only 1-2 cm longer at rest, and during the period of excitement the dimensions coincide with those indicated above.

Thanks to incredibly elastic muscles, the vagina can expand up to 9-10 cm, which is equal to the diameter of the baby's head. Thus, you can clearly imagine how elastic and flexible this organ is.

Important! Vaginal stretching in a woman who has given birth is an exclusively temporary phenomenon! The organ returns to its previous size within 1-2 months after birth.

Swelling

Swelling is also a normal physiological condition, especially if there were injuries and damage to the walls of the organ during childbirth. Remember any damage to the skin - a swelling immediately forms around the wound, which goes away as it heals.

Swelling of the vagina and labia disappears in 3-4 days, sometimes recovery can take up to two weeks.

In some cases, doctors recommend applying ice or using special medications to reduce symptoms (for example, Traumeel cream).

Microtraumas and cracks

Nature has thought of everything to make the birth of a baby as comfortable and non-traumatic as possible for a woman.
So, before giving birth, the mother’s body intensively prepares for the birth of the baby: the walls become softer and more elastic, the connective tissues produce new cells to ensure better stretching of the vagina, and in the process itself a special secretion is produced that makes it easier for the baby to pass through the birth canal.

But even despite such enormous preparation, it is not always possible to avoid damage, cracks and ruptures of the vagina. This is what causes swelling and changes the color of the walls of the organ.

Complete healing may take from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. But in case of serious damage, the recovery process may take longer.

As mentioned above, the relief of the walls of the organ is not the same in women who have given birth and those who have not given birth. Before childbirth, the vagina resembles a corrugated muscular tube; after the baby is born, the relief decreases.

This is mainly felt by the sexual partner during intimacy. Such a change does not affect sensations for the better, but you can change the situation and increase the pleasure from intimacy by changing positions and using various sexual techniques.

Did you know? Over the course of her entire life, a woman menstruates on average 400 times, but the number in the female body is much greater - at birth, a girl has about a million germ cells, the number of which decreases to hundreds of thousands by the time of puberty.

Recovery after childbirth

The natural restoration process lasts 1.5-2 months, it is during this period that one should refrain from intimacy. You can help your body get into shape faster with some exercises.

Of course, the most famous workouts are those for the perineal muscles. They can have many positive effects on the female reproductive and excretory systems:

stimulate blood circulation in the pelvic area;
strengthen the pelvic floor muscles;
allow you to get more vivid sensations during intimacy;
help cope with the problem of urinary incontinence;
facilitate subsequent childbirth;
reduce the risk of inflammatory processes in the genital organs.

To understand which muscles need training, try to stop it while urinating - the muscles with which you did this are our working muscles. They can also be felt by inserting a finger into the vagina and straining the organ.

To train, the muscles need to be relaxed and tensed for a few seconds. The exercise can be done daily for 5 minutes. Its advantage is that it does not require any equipment, specially designated space or time. You can study anywhere without being distracted from other things.

Important! Recovery of vaginal muscles will be much faster and more effective if you start doing Kegel exercises while you are pregnant.

Other ways to restore female genital organs after childbirth:

If the muscle deformation is too great, exercises do not help and the risk of pathology is high, the woman who has given birth may be recommended to undergo vaginal plastic surgery. In surgery, such an operation is called colporrhaphy.

It can not only eliminate a dangerous anatomical pathology, but also relieve a woman of psychological complexes and discomfort, and give her the opportunity to fully enjoy sexual intimacy.

How to detect and prevent deviation

Now that you know what the vagina should look like after the baby is born, it will be useful to study the symptoms, the presence of which should alert you and force you to see a doctor.
The main unpleasant and dangerous symptoms in the vagina after childbirth include the following:

We hope we have dispelled your fears and myths regarding the condition of the vagina in a woman who has given birth. Now that you are aware of what a healthy vagina looks like in a young mother, you can calmly and easily go through such a difficult and at the same time anxious period of metamorphosis with your body in connection with the emergence of a new life.

During pregnancy and childbirth, significant changes occur in a woman's body. The reproductive organs and adjacent tissues are most susceptible to restructuring. Often these changes do not go away without a trace after the birth of the child, causing the development of postpartum complications. What changes do a woman’s genitals undergo after childbirth and how to prevent the occurrence of various diseases.

Vagina

The vagina is one of the main reproductive organs of a woman. It is through him that the conception and birth of a baby occurs. The average depth of the vagina is 9 cm, and in an excited state it increases to 16 cm. This occurs so that the man’s sexual organ can freely enter the vagina without causing pain and discomfort to the woman.

Some believe that the size and depth of this female organ directly depends on the woman’s height. However, many years of research have proven that there is no direct connection with a woman’s height and the size of her vagina.

Also misleading is the common belief that after childbirth the size of the vagina changes. Since this organ is made of muscles, its size cannot change. Only the surface of the vaginal walls changes. Before childbirth, the walls are more prominent, and after the birth of the child they are smooth. If after childbirth a woman or partner has decreased sensitivity during sexual intercourse, the situation can be corrected with the help of special Kegel exercises, which will restore the former elasticity of the muscles.

The vagina cannot hurt. There are no nerve endings here, so this organ is not familiar with pain. Nature specifically provided this so that a woman could give birth to children. Sometimes women can still feel pain in the vaginal area, but it has nothing to do with the organ itself. Pain may appear from muscle spasm or mechanical damage to the perineum.

Vagina after childbirth

After the birth of a child, a change in hormone levels occurs in the body of a young mother. This can cause changes in the vaginal microflora. The inner surface becomes drier, and the young mother may feel discomfort. This phenomenon is considered normal if the sensation of dryness is not accompanied by itching or an unpleasant odor.

After completion of lactation, when the level of hormones finally stabilizes, the dryness will go away on its own.

If you experience itching in the vagina after childbirth, you should consult a doctor. This symptom may indicate an allergic reaction to medications, suture materials, or the onset of an inflammatory process.

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Particular attention should be paid to the smell. If you experience an unpleasant odor from the vagina after childbirth, you should immediately visit a specialist. This symptom may indicate developing inflammation of the uterus or rotting of the suture. In this case, doctors will conduct a thorough examination, identify the cause of the smell and prescribe adequate treatment.

You should also keep a close eye on your vaginal discharge. Discharge after childbirth for 2 months is considered normal. In the first days they are profuse, bloody with dark clots. Gradually, the lochia becomes more colorless and less abundant. By the end of the 8th week, the discharge should stop. If your discharge is still heavy, foul-smelling, or itchy after 8 weeks, consult your doctor immediately. You also need to visit a specialist if the discharge stops abruptly or if bleeding continues for a long time.

Vaginal prolapse

Postpartum prolapse of the vaginal walls is a rare but quite dangerous complication. It occurs due to a strong weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, which are no longer able to hold the female organs, as a result of which the vagina may droop and its edges will extend beyond its boundaries.

Today, experts distinguish three stages of this disease:

Partial prolapse of the vagina without going beyond the boundaries.
Protrusion of the vaginal walls beyond its boundaries.
Complete vaginal prolapse.

In the first stages of complications, you can correct the situation with the help of special exercises that are aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Kegel exercises are recognized as the most effective exercise today. Simple exercises effectively restore the elasticity of the necessary muscles and bring the woman’s condition back to normal.

For more severe stages of the disease, doctors recommend surgical treatment. The essence of the operation is the implantation of a special surgical mesh, which should support the woman’s organs in the correct position, acting as weakened muscles. Today, surgical treatment is performed primarily using low-traumatic methods. This allows you to significantly reduce risks during the intervention such as infection, bleeding and a long recovery period.

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How to maintain your health

In order for the recovery period to pass without complications and for the woman to quickly return to normal after childbirth, she should be more attentive to her health and help herself. In the first 2 months after childbirth, you should follow several recommendations that will help you avoid unpleasant diseases and give health to your female organs.

Sexual rest. Many women, following the wishes of their husbands, resume intimate life ahead of schedule. Under no circumstances should this be done. Failure to maintain sexual rest can lead to infection of the uterus, which in turn can result in a serious illness. The most common disease of the uterus is endometritis. The seriousness of the disease lies in long-term treatment, which may prohibit breastfeeding. Improperly treated endometritis leads to infertility and chronic miscarriage.
Exercise for the vagina. A set of Kegel exercises will help quickly restore the elasticity of the muscles of the vagina and pelvic floor. This will protect you from vaginal prolapse, involuntary urination and displacement of internal organs. These exercises are so simple that they can be performed anywhere. You just need to understand which muscles need to be trained. To do this, take a basic test. When going to the toilet, hold urination and resume it again. These are the muscles that need to be squeezed during exercise. Squeeze and unclench your muscles in any free time. You need to hold the muscles contracted for several seconds, gradually increasing this time. Daily exercises will very quickly bring your genitals back to normal after childbirth.
After resuming intimate life, monitor the microflora of the vagina. If you feel dryness and discomfort, you can use special lubricants. Lubricants should be chosen as neutral ones without additives or flavorings. After cessation of lactation, the vaginal microflora will be restored, and you will forget about this unpleasant phenomenon.

Responsibility of contraception after childbirth

If you follow all the rules, you will quickly recover from childbirth and your vagina will return to its original shape. Avoid hypothermia and intense physical exertion, take care of yourself, and in this case you will be able to avoid postpartum complications that require long-term treatment. The happiness of motherhood should not be overshadowed by the mother’s illness, otherwise your baby may not receive the most important thing - mother’s smiles.

During childbirth, many of a woman's organs experience great stress. In particular, the vagina through which the child passes undergoes significant changes. As a result of stretching and sometimes injury, the organ loses its previous shape. Many women are very worried about this, fearing that they will no longer be as attractive to their spouse. In addition, due to weakened immunity, vaginal inflammatory diseases may appear. How serious are these problems? How quickly does the vagina recover after childbirth? Is it possible to speed up this process?

Natural Postpartum Changes

The vagina begins to experience stress even during pregnancy: the growing fetus constantly puts pressure on it, forcing it to maintain its weight. During childbirth, which is stressful for the body, the following significant changes occur.

Stretching. The vagina is a muscular organ, and therefore it stretches very much when a child passes through it and loses its former tone. The muscles can be more or less elastic: this is why some women experience tears (especially if the fetus is large). This affects the intimate life of a young mother. In addition, due to minimal tension in the muscles of the perineum, it is possible to experience slight pain when sneezing, coughing, or laughing.
Cracks. A woman’s genital organs are preparing for the upcoming birth: thus, the vaginal walls become looser and connective tissue grows. The secreted lubricating secretion helps the baby to be born. However, despite all these wise decisions of nature, cracks, abrasions, and capillary damage often form on the walls of the vagina (hence the bluish tint).
Swelling. During the process of delivery, rubbing of the vaginal mucosa occurs, which causes swelling and swelling. This phenomenon usually does not affect the well-being of the young mother and goes away quite quickly (after about 3-4 days).
Changing the relief of the walls. In a woman who has given birth, the relief of the inner surface of the vagina is always smoothed out, it becomes smoother. This is where the feeling of increased organ volume that some men experience during sexual intercourse arises.

As a child passes through the vagina, it is greatly stretched - and this is an inevitable process.

There is no need to be afraid of such changes: they are caused by completely natural reasons and occur in absolutely all women who have recently given birth.

Deviations from the norm

Sometimes a young mother experiences other unpleasant symptoms associated with the condition of the vagina. Some of them are a reason to suspect deviations. A woman must have an idea about them in order to promptly identify an emerging problem that requires a visit to the gynecologist.

Vaginal prolapse is one of the most serious postpartum pathologies

Vaginal diseases after childbirth

In a woman's body, weakened by pregnancy and childbirth, immunity usually decreases. As a result, a variety of gynecological diseases of the vagina may appear, including those of an inflammatory nature.

Weakened immunity after pregnancy and childbirth contributes to the development of many gynecological diseases

Lactobacilli live in this organ and dominate over other microorganisms. They largely provide the protective functions of the vaginal microflora. A normal amount of lactobacilli is necessary for the health of a woman’s reproductive system. Along with these beneficial microorganisms, others constantly live in the vagina that can cause inflammation and various ailments (for example, streptococci, Klebsiella, staphylococci, E. coli, etc.). They belong to opportunistic microflora, since they do not manifest themselves in any way until they reach a certain concentration. And their number is growing precisely because of decreased immunity.

In other cases, pathogenic microorganisms enter a woman’s body from the outside, for example, as a result of sexual contact or insufficient hygiene (these are gonococci, chlamydia, trichomonas, etc.).

Table: overview of inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases of the vagina after childbirth

Disease	Causes	Symptoms	Treatment
Vaginitis (colpitis)	Large blood loss during childbirth (this aggravates the state of immunodeficiency). Vaginal tears are sutured with sterile material, but the threads absorb blood over time, which can lead to the proliferation of microbes (before the threads dissolve or are removed by a doctor). Perhaps, shortly before giving birth, the woman had inflammation of the vagina, which did not have time to be completely treated. Insufficient compliance with postpartum genital hygiene. Malfunctions of the endocrine system after childbirth (especially important for women who had problems with the thyroid gland or pituitary gland before pregnancy). The disease is also transmitted sexually.	Signs of colpitis appear after the lochia ends. A woman notices heavy vaginal discharge (a panty liner cannot cope with it) that is greenish or yellowish in color. They can be foamy or cheesy in texture, with an unpleasant odor: sour or fishy. These secretions irritate the mucous membrane, so itching, burning, and swelling may occur (most often on the labia). If the inflammation goes deeper into the uterus, the temperature may rise and pain in the lower abdomen may occur.	Treatment of colpitis is determined only by a gynecologist based on tests. Depending on the causative agent of the infection, antibiotics, antiviral or antifungal agents are prescribed (for yeast colpitis). The drugs are taken orally and topically (suppositories, creams, ointments). Additionally, a woman needs to strengthen the immune system and restore the vaginal microflora. Regular treatment of the vagina and external genitalia with antiseptic solutions (douching and washing) is also important. The sexual partner should also be treated.
Vaginosis (or vaginal dysbiosis) This disease is sometimes classified as candidal colpitis, because in essence it is a dysbacteriosis in the vagina	Unlike vaginitis, this pathology is not an infectious disease, since it is caused by a change in the vaginal microflora - a decrease in the number of beneficial lactic acid and lactobacilli. Due to this, pathogenic microflora (mainly anaerobic bacteria), which is always present in the body, actively multiply. Vaginosis is not transmitted through sexual intercourse. Provoking factors are decreased immunity, as well as insufficient intimate hygiene or, on the contrary, excessive care (abuse of soap and douching),	Signs of vaginosis can vary. Vaginal discharge can be abundant (even the labia minora stick together) or scanty. Their unpleasant odor intensifies after sexual intercourse and during menstruation. Itching may occur during menstruation. Intimacy becomes painful. There is a burning sensation when urinating.	Therapy for vaginal dysbiosis includes two stages. The first is the elimination of harmful bacteria, improving the physiological state of the vagina, increasing the body's defenses. The second is the restoration of the normal microflora of the organ, its acidic environment.
Vulvitis Vulvitis is an inflammation of the external genitalia. But this disease is often found together with vaginitis (vulvovaginitis)	The cause of vulvitis and vulvovaginitis is often physiological changes during pregnancy (endocrine in nature). The disease can also be caused by infections acquired through sexual contact and problems in the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes inflammation is caused by pads with a synthetic surface or fragrances (especially when they are changed infrequently), or underwear made from non-natural fabrics.	The main signs of vulvitis are itching and burning of the genitals, pain when moving and urinating. With vulvovaginitis, these symptoms are accompanied by vaginal discharge.	It is impossible to ignore the apparent frivolity of the disease; it is unacceptable to self-medicate vulvitis: its different varieties require different approaches (mandatory contact with a gynecologist) Therapy usually includes antiseptic treatment of the genitals, warm baths based on medicinal herbs with an antibacterial effect (chamomile, calendula, string, etc.), intravaginal administration of suppositories or tablets. At the same time, the woman takes vitamin complexes. In difficult cases or relapses, antibiotics are prescribed.
Vaginal cyst This is a tumor-like neoplasm on the vaginal wall, which does not grow, but increases through the accumulation of liquid contents (it is produced by epithelial cells). It can reach the size of a walnut and even a chicken egg.	The main reason for the formation of a cyst is a hormonal imbalance (this is a natural phenomenon after childbirth). The tumor can also be provoked by a urogenital infection (for example, cystitis).	The development of a vaginal cyst is usually asymptomatic. Patrology is identified by a doctor during a preventive examination of a woman. However, if the tumor is large, it can interfere with normal sexual intercourse or fester.	If the cyst is small and does not cause discomfort to the woman, then it simply requires constant monitoring. When the neoplasm increases in size and causes discomfort to the woman, surgical removal is required - its removal from the vaginal wall. Puncture aspiration gives only a temporary result: the fluid soon accumulates again. .
Papillomas These are small neoplasms that most often appear in women on the genitals (in addition, on the eyelids, under the arms, on the neck, chest, internal organs) The danger of condylomas lies in the speed of their growth and their tendency to spread to the inner surface of the vagina and cervix.	The disease is viral in nature, and its main cause is weakened immunity after childbirth.	Pointed papillomas (condylomas) usually appear on the vagina. When they are grouped, entire “ridges” are formed. Thin legs produce mucus, which causes skin irritation, itching, and an unpleasant odor. Their injury can cause scanty bleeding.	Papillomas are dangerous because they can degenerate into cancer, so if you notice unpleasant symptoms, you should see a doctor. He will prescribe an antiviral agent (for example, Oxolinic ointment, Epigen Intim, Bonafton, etc.) or drugs based on lactic and salicylic acid (Collomac solution, Solcoderm). For small growths, folk remedies can also help: juice of celandine, dandelion, sour apples, castor oil, etc.
Vaginal hematomas This formation is in the form of a blue-purple tumor that does not have clear contours.	Hematomas are formed due to mechanical damage to the vaginal walls, when blood vessels rupture while the vaginal mucosa is intact. This is facilitated by varicose veins in a woman in labor, fragility of blood vessels, anemia, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and vitamin deficiency. Factors such as a narrow pelvis, a large fetus and its breech presentation, and the use of obstetric forceps also play a role.	As a rule, a woman’s vaginal hematoma is promptly detected in the maternity hospital during an examination of the birth canal after childbirth. Pain is felt on palpation. Small hematomas are asymptomatic, while large ones compress surrounding tissues and neighboring organs. In this case, there is pain in the perineum, rectum, and sometimes the urge to defecate. Very large hematomas (containing up to 400 ml of blood) often provoke anemia. They can fester a few days after formation: the mother’s temperature rises, weakness and chills appear. This condition is very serious: it can lead to thrombophlebitis of the pelvic veins and sepsis.	Therapy depends on the size of the hematoma. Small ones do not require surgical intervention: rest, applying cold to the perineum, and hemostatic drugs will help. If the hematoma grows, then you need to open it to bandage the bleeding vessel (a suture is placed and drainage is installed). When suppuration occurs, the hematoma is also opened and antibiotics are prescribed and the wound is washed with an antiseptic.
Cracks	Of course, a woman’s tears and large cracks are stitched up immediately after childbirth, but she may be bothered by small ones that do not heal due to the dryness of the postpartum vagina.	Cracks make themselves felt during sexual intercourse - the woman experiences a raw pain in the vagina.	The mucous membrane can be made more hydrated by administering suppositories containing estrogen (for example, Estrocad, Ovipol Clio, Ovestin). Non-hormonal preparations (suppositories) based on medicinal herbs, with hyaluronic, lactic acid and other components (Vagilac, Montavit Depantol, etc.) also help heal vaginal fissures. A woman should also consume more foods containing vitamins and fatty amino acids.

Photo gallery: vaginal diseases after childbirth

Vaginal dysbiosis is directly related to the ratio of beneficial and harmful microflora. A cyst is a tumor-like formation on the vaginal wall. The cause of vaginitis is an infection introduced from the outside. Papillomas occur due to weakened immunity after childbirth.

Features of treatment during breastfeeding

Vaginal diseases can occur after childbirth in a nursing mother. If possible, the doctor selects a treatment regimen with minimal risk for the baby. However, some conditions (for example, vaginitis or abscessive hematoma) require antibiotics that are incompatible with breastfeeding. In this case, you will have to give it up for a while, because the child, first of all, needs a healthy mother. After a certain time, you can breastfeed the baby again, and in the intermediate time (for example, treatment of colpitis will take 7-14 days) the mother should pump.

As for non-infectious diseases (cysts, papillomas), it is better to begin their treatment after the cessation of lactation (of course, if these tumors do not pose a danger and do not grow).

Duration of the vaginal recovery period

A young mother should not worry too much about vaginal stretching after childbirth and a decrease in its tone. Since the organ is muscular, the changes are reversible. The speed of recovery depends on the individual characteristics of the woman (tissue elasticity). This process usually takes 6-8 weeks.

However, in some cases, recovery takes a longer period (for example, if there have been tears or cuts). Sometimes the mother even has to use the services of a plastic surgeon so that the organ regains its previous shape.

How to restore vaginal sensitivity

Due to stretching and dryness, the vagina after childbirth may lose its sensitivity, which makes sexual intercourse less pleasant and often painful. The use of a lubricant - a special gel lubricant - will help solve this problem. It should be neutral, without unnecessary additives or flavors.

Special gel lubricants will help eliminate vaginal dryness.

After lactation is completed, the vaginal microflora will be restored and the dryness will disappear.

As for the apparent increase in the volume of the vagina (due to the changed relief of the walls), the correctly chosen position plays an important role here.

Ways to reduce vaginal size

If a young mother wants to quickly restore elasticity to the vaginal muscles, then she will have to work here.

A woman should think about strengthening her vaginal muscles even while carrying a child in order to minimize unpleasant consequences after childbirth.

Strengthening muscles with Kegel exercises

Back in the last century, the American doctor Arnold Kegel developed a special set of exercises that tone the muscles of the perineum, vagina and pelvic floor. They are very simple and effective. The essence of training is to tense the desired muscles, hold this position for 10–20 seconds and then relax.

To feel the muscles necessary for work, a woman must imitate the process of urination, and then abruptly stop it. This action must be remembered and then repeated. The exercise is performed once a day until slight fatigue appears (there may be several dozen repetitions). The vaginal muscles will noticeably strengthen within a month.

Vaginal muscles will noticeably strengthen after just a month of training

A woman can perform Kegel exercises at any convenient time: lying in bed, while doing household chores, or while walking.

Other exercises

This exercise will also help tone your vagina. The woman stands on her shoulders, while you can lean on the wall (“Birch”). From this pose, the legs are smoothly spread and brought together (5-7 repetitions per minute). In this case, the amplitude gradually increases. The first week you should spend about three minutes on the exercise, then the time gradually increases to 10 minutes.

Standing on her shoulders, the woman smoothly spreads and brings her legs together

Special vaginal balls (their diameter is about 3 cm), connected with a cord, will help strengthen the muscles. They are smooth or grooved. This device massages the vaginal walls and tones them. The woman should try to keep the balls inside herself. When this succeeds, you can wear them in the vagina for some time (for example, while doing household chores).

Since the balls make a sound when they collide with each other, it is best to use them only at home.

An intimate device will help quickly tone the vagina

Training the pelvic and vaginal muscles after childbirth: the “Live Healthy” program

Correction of the vagina using plastic surgery of the intimate area

In some cases, to restore the previous shape of the vagina, a woman resorts to intimate plastic surgery. This is advisable if there were tears, cuts or deep cracks during childbirth. At the site of such an injury, a scar of connective tissue may form, and it, unlike muscle tissue, is not capable of contracting.

Interventions can be divided into two types:

necessary to restore the aesthetic appearance (elimination of scars due to a rupture or incision);
necessary to restore functions (to prevent problems with health and sexual life).

Hyaluronic acid injections

Hyaluronic acid is successfully used to eliminate scars. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis without any special preparation. The doctor administers local anesthesia (treats the problem area with anesthetic cream or gel) and gives an injection. After this, the patient spends approximately 15 minutes in the gynecological chair and goes home. Sexual activity should be postponed for two days.

Vaginoplasty

The procedure is already carried out in a hospital, usually under general anesthesia. The surgeon excises a diamond-shaped area (only the mucous membrane) from the front or back wall of the vagina, then the tissue is sutured.

Such surgical intervention already imposes certain restrictions on the woman:

Do not lift weights for two months;
for a whole month you need to follow a diet in which foods that cause constipation are prohibited;
Sexual activity is strictly prohibited for 50 days.

Violation of any of these conditions is fraught with bleeding and suture divergence, which entails repeated surgery.

Laser correction of the vagina

A type of colpoplasty is laser correction of the vagina. This is a quick and practical painless way to reduce the size of an organ. The procedure takes no more than an hour (can be performed on an outpatient basis). The doctor uses a laser to make tiny incisions on the walls of the vagina, which will allow the muscles to tighten. In this case, slight bleeding occurs, but the damage heals fairly quickly.

Since the incisions during the procedure are small, the recovery period will be shorter than in the previous case.

Video: vaginal plastic surgery after childbirth

The young mother is not only immersed in caring for the child, but also tries to be attractive to her husband. Therefore, it is only natural that she is concerned about the changes that have occurred to the vagina. Various problems associated with this organ have their own explanation. Over time, everything will return to normal, and the recovery process can be accelerated with proper body care. Meanwhile, all organisms are different, and it is important to be attentive to your health so as not to miss the onset of a gynecological disease.

Changes in the vaginal muscular system upset many women after natural childbirth. In addition to physical discomfort, the couple notes a decrease in the quality of sensations during coitus. Restoration of the vagina after childbirth will happen much faster if you consciously approach the problem and follow the recommendations given in the article. First you need to realize that the vagina is an elastic muscle formation, and, like any muscle in the body, it has contractility, elasticity and extensibility.

Changes in this organ after childbirth are symptomatic, functional and physiological.

Physiological changes in the vagina:

swelling;
stretching and smoothing the relief;
cracks and breaks;
drooping walls.

Edema

The swelling of the organ goes away within 4 days in the maternity hospital and does not affect the woman’s well-being in any way.

Stretching and smoothing the relief

Perhaps the main “horror story” for women who have given birth. Loss of muscle tone and some stretching of the vagina during the postpartum period is an inevitable process. You need to understand that childbirth does not change the size of the vagina, it just loses its shape for a while.

Cracks and breaks

These complications accompany every second birth. If the doctor sees that the vaginal wall may rupture, then during contractions an episiotomy is made - an incision so that the process of tissue divergence is controlled. A smooth surgical suture heals much faster than accidental tears.

Omission

After difficult, long or multiple births, the pelvic floor muscles sometimes become overstretched. In this case, the walls of the vagina may partially descend or completely fall outside the vagina. This complication can only be treated surgically.

All other changes in this organ are symptomatic and disappear with normalization of the physiological component.

Symptomatic changes in the vagina:

prolonged cleansing discharge;
decreased or loss of sensitivity;
painful sensations;
dryness;
unpleasant smell.

Discharge

Postpartum lochia is the natural cleansing of the uterus from membranes at the end of pregnancy. A woman needs to be extremely careful about how long it takes for the vagina to recover after childbirth and the time when lochia ends.

Lochia disappears in 6–8 weeks. In the first week, the discharge resembles menstruation; at the end of the fourth week, its color becomes light yellow and, finally, it disappears completely.

Important! If, eight weeks after labor, the discharge continues or an unpleasant odor, itching, or pain in the lower abdomen appears, you should consult a gynecologist to exclude inflammatory processes in the uterus.

Decreased or loss of sensation

While the vaginal muscles are stretched and flabby, a woman experiences a decrease in the joy of sexual life and a loss of sensitivity.

Painful sensations

Lacerations, deep fissures, or obstetric episiotomies after childbirth create pain during coitus because such wounds heal with scars. The connective tissue of the scar does not have elasticity and leads to compaction, excessive narrowing and pain.

Dryness

Since in the postpartum period, the hormone prolactin sharply increases in nursing mothers and estrogen, which affects libido, decreases, a feeling of vaginal dryness occurs. After breastfeeding is completed, the level of hormones responsible for libido returns to normal.

How long does it take for the vagina to recover after childbirth?

Rehabilitation time depends on many reasons:

whether there were purulent complications leading to cicatricial changes in the wall;
whether the expectant mother did special training to strengthen and develop the vaginal muscles;
the general physical and psychological mood of the woman;
on the size of the child’s head;
quality of obstetric sutures;
Was the birth easy?

With a rapid or protracted labor, especially a large first child, there will be more deep tears.

On average, small cracks and damage heal completely after two weeks, and the pale pink color of the organ returns in the same amount of time.

If the obstetrician had to apply sutures, especially extended to the perineal area along the skin, then a feeling of discomfort may accompany coitus for up to three months until the sutured nerve endings adapt.

The vagina acquires its original muscular shape after labor distension in 7–8 weeks.

How to speed up vaginal recovery after childbirth

When the vagina will recover after childbirth is determined by the physiological characteristics of the tissues of a particular woman, punctuality in following the obstetrician’s recommendations and her mood for a quick recovery.

Avoid traditional forms of intimate communication during the period of lochia discharge, due to the risk of infection.
Wash the perineum after any visit to the toilet.
Pads should be changed up to five times a day.
After an episiotomy, for three weeks to ensure adequate scarring of the sutures, you cannot:

lift weights;
walk quickly;
sit on a hard surface.

Only after fourteen days can you begin to sit on the buttock opposite the incision. It is better to sit on an elastic circle.

Introduce constipation-relieving foods into your diet. A tablespoon of any vegetable oil before meals has a good effect. Give up bread for a while. If you have difficulty defecating, use a glycerin suppository.
If possible, remove underwear during the day to air the seams.
Twice a day, treat scars with chamomile infusion or antiseptics and lubricate them with wound-healing preparations;
It is recommended to sleep with a disposable diaper and without underwear.
After resuming sexual intimacy, be sure to use moisturizing lubricants for the first time to avoid microtrauma to the vagina.
With the permission of the gynecologist, after a month you need to begin strengthening the vaginal muscles with a set of Kegel exercises.

The essence of Kegel exercises is to contract and relax the vaginal muscles with varying frequencies and strengths, trying to feel different parts of the organ sequentially from top to bottom and in the anteroposterior direction of the pelvic floor. Daily training will tighten, strengthen and restore lost muscle tone, restore sexuality and a bright, healthy intimate life.

Basically, the changes that have occurred to this organ are corrected within 2–3 months, so to the question of whether the vagina is restored after childbirth, there is only an affirmative answer. Knowing what happens to the vaginal muscles after natural childbirth, with a careful attitude towards health and persistent performance of special exercises, a woman will quickly regain the lost shape of the vagina, resume a vibrant relationship with her husband and feel like a healthy, happy mother.