There’s no doubt your body goes through a lot of changes during and after pregnancy. Not only does your belly stretch so that you can provide a home for your growing fetus, but your ladybugs also need to change so you can get the baby out in a vaginal delivery. We’re talking about squeezing something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon, all of you. So it’s understandable if you’re wondering how your cervix will change after giving birth, because labor is a pretty traumatic experience.
After labor, your vagina and cervix can feel wider, drier, and sore (the sore part is an understatement). But what changes exactly have occurred in your cervix and what can you do to heal quickly and safely after giving birth beyond the six-week waiting period?
Will your cervix change after giving birth?
Short answer is yes, your cervix will be different after giving birth, but in most cases it is only temporary.
Dr. Daniel Boyer of the Farr Institute tells Romper, “Your cervix will temporarily change in the sense that it becomes thicker and wider because it loses muscle tone during pregnancy but returns to normal during the postpartum recovery period.”
How long does it take for your cervix to return to normal?
Dr. Yvonne Bohn, a gynecologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., Tells Romper that your cervix won’t return to normal for many weeks after giving birth. “After the baby is born, the cervix is initially dilated, flabby and thin,” she says. “Once the placenta is delivered, the uterus begins to contract and the cervix tends to close and thicken. This happens fairly quickly, but the cervix will not return to its normal structure for many weeks after delivery. “
Dr. Yen Hope Tran, OB-GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California added, “It normally takes six weeks for the cervix to return to normal, but in some women the cervix never fully returns to its original shape. “And that’s fine and shouldn’t be a problem according to the National Health Institute (NHS).
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What happens to your cervix during labor?
Once you have reached the final stage of pregnancy and delivery, your cervix will make its final and most important change. Bohn says while your cervix is usually in the back of your vagina near the sacrum, it moves forward during labor and is about 3 inches long. “It’s as tight as the tip of a nose and the opening is closed,” she says. “Before and during labor, the cervix moves into an anterior position closer to the pubic bone, it gets thinner and shorter, it softens and opens up for the baby to get through.”
Can childbirth harm your cervix?
Your cervix definitely sees some things during childbirth. “If the baby goes through it, cuts can occur, especially if patients try to push before they are four inches,” says Tran.
Boyer adds, “Your cervix can rupture from the unbearable pressure caused by the baby’s weight. This is known as cervical insufficiency and can occur if a woman has given birth more than once or during labor. “
Fortunately, Bohn says, “Most of the time the tear heals or it can be sewn after birth if it bleeds. The tear usually doesn’t have long-term problems, but if you do a speculum exam for a pap smear, your doctor can see a healed tear or laceration. “
How to heal your cervix after giving birth
NHS says that you should work on your pelvic floor exercises to prevent urine leakage (incontinence) and to help your vagina feel firmer after giving birth, which can consequently make sex feel better after giving birth . The NHS article states, “You can do pelvic floor exercises anytime, anywhere, either sitting or standing,” and they offer the following tips:
- At the same time, squeeze and pull in your anus and close and pull your vagina upwards
- Do it quickly, tone and loosen muscles instantly
- Then do it slowly and hold the contractions for as long as possible but no more than 10 seconds before relaxing
- Repeat each exercise 10 times, four to six times a day
Experts:
Dr. Daniel Boyer, practicing physician specializing in molecular biology, histology, pharmacology, embryology, pathology, pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, gynecology and obstetrics for the Farr Institute.
Dr. Yvonne Bohn, OB-GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
Dr. Yen Hope Tran, OB-GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
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