As Ashley Graham speaks out – these are the things you might not expect to happen after giving birth

Some things you’re prepared for after giving birth; sleepless nights, a crying baby, a lot of overwhelming emotions.

However, there are a few other things you might not be so prepared for. Model Ashley Graham has recently given birth to her first child with husband Justin Ervin, and one thing she’s been particularly surprised by is having to change her own nappies, and her baby’s.

She wrote on Instagram: “After all these years in fashion, I never could’ve guessed that disposable underwear would be my favorite piece of clothing but here we are! No one talks about the recovery and healing (yes even the messy parts) new moms go through. I wanted to show you guys that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies!”

So what are some of the other things new mums might go through, which aren’t always spoken about?

Your tummy won’t magically disappear

Once you’ve given birth, you might assume that because the baby’s gone, your bump will be gone too. However, most new mothers still have a tummy – and shouldn’t feel any pressure to ‘bounce back’ to how they looked before.

It’s not just nappies…

… you’ll also be regularly changing breast pads when your milk leaks.

Speaking of breastfeeding

Everyone has different experiences with breastfeeding, but for many women, the first time the baby latches on, it can be far more painful than you may have been led to believe.

You’ll be asking friends some unusual questions

If you’ve had stitches after giving birth, chances are you’ll be asking your mates to have a look ‘down there’ to see if everything is OK – it’s not unusual for it to be so painful you have difficulty sitting down.

Bonding doesn’t immediately happen

Despite what the movies might have you believe, you won’t necessarily magically bond with your baby straightaway – it could take some time.

You’ll become obsessed with baby poo

Who knew you’d become so intrigued by your baby’s poo? Seriously, you’ll find yourself constantly inspecting their nappy to see what colour it is.

Your skin and hair could change

You might think your body will go back to how it was before giving birth, but there are so many hormones raging, that everything from your skin to your hair can look different. A lot of women find they get spots when they become a new mum, even if they had clear skin before and during pregnancy.

You could gain a shoe size

Studies have found a lot of women gain a shoe size postpartum. This is because the extra weight carried around throughout pregnancy can collapse your arches, and the hormones in your body tend to make your joints looser – all resulting in a flattening of your feet, which could lead to an increase in shoe size.

Picture: PA Archive/PA Images