chelsea barbine (00:02.158)
Hi mama, welcome back to the Postpartum Better podcast. Today's episode is part of the Pregnancy Diaries series where we're diving into an update on my own pregnancy journey with baby number two. Warning, today's conversation dives into an unexpected and very perhaps private physical change that can come with pregnancy. So maybe you listen to this one with headphones on or in a setting where it's, well, it's just us.

And if you're not a TMI kind of girl, that's totally cool. Maybe just skip ahead of this one.

chelsea barbine (00:46.43)
Welcome to Postpartum Better, the go-to podcast for expecting a new mom's navigating life after birth. Hi, I'm Chelsea Barbine, wife, mama, yogi, postpartum health coach, and your new mama friend. Together, we're covering topics like postpartum recovery, maintaining your mental and emotional health, finding your identity as a new mom, and rekindling your relationships. Get ready for expert tips

actionable advice and heartfelt conversations with other moms who just get it. The health and happiness of the world resides in us mamas. It's time to postpartum better.

chelsea barbine (01:47.374)
So I'm in week 22 of pregnancy with baby number two. And all in all, I'm happy to report that I'm like feeling good, which is perhaps why I like was in a full blown panic when I got out of the shower the other day. I did warn you guys, this is like we're going there today, right? Like major TMI.

I've shared in previous updates in this series that one major physical difference that I've noticed with this pregnancy in comparison with my pregnancy with Frankie has been pelvic floor heaviness. So I'm in week 22 of pregnancy with our second and all in all, I am so happy to report that like I'm feeling good.

So good that perhaps that's why I found myself in like a near full-blown panic when I got out of the shower the other day. Just like a warning you guys, we're gonna get real personal real quick here. So if like TMI is not your jam, just literally skip this episode.

I have shared in previous updates in this series that one major physical difference I've noticed with this pregnancy in comparison to my experience with Frankie has been pelvic floor heaviness. Thankfully, like truthfully, like thank the Almighty God, since starting PT, my symptoms have significantly decreased. But and, let me just confirm or perhaps even like really validate for those

who are in this boat, who still don't feel, quote unquote, normal down there, that like things are still happening. And while I'm relieved to not be feeling uncomfortable per se, like I'm not feeling the heaviness, I'm not feeling the need to like elevate my hips or put up my feet at the end of the day, like I did, no joke,

chelsea barbine (04:11.214)
10 weeks prior in my pregnancy, like way before, there is still swelling happening in my vagina. Like, not internal, but on the exterior lip, which I'm like totally, guys, remember, I'm not a doctor here. I'm totally gonna butcher the pronunciation, butchered the pronunciation here. But per Google, the area that I'm noticing the swelling is technically known as the labia.

mahora. Am I saying that right? Mahora? I feel like I'm like whipping out my Spanish here. I don't even know that's right. Anyways, Lord only knows how long it has looked like this or when this swelling started. I asked Colin if he's noticed anything. Again, guys, we're going here at TMI. He seemed completely clueless as to what I was talking about, which like, God bless him. And like, I'm so appreciative that like he

Maybe he truthfully just like isn't I mean he's very detail oriented so like we're looking past things like this at least to me I like you guys that got out of the shower and I was like my god what's wrong you know and It's like I can clearly see like three little bumps on the right like lip of my vagina again. This is exterior. It's not interior without like

spending too much time investigating because one, it's getting to be a little bit hard to get like a good angle. But even like sitting down on my bedroom floor, like in front of the mirror, like I don't do well with that stuff. Like I don't know how I've watched so many damn episodes of Grey's Anatomy. It truly is a mystery. But I think, I don't know, maybe it's just like, I'm not gonna lie, it's hard to see the body changes at times. You know, it's just...

especially in an area that's just so vulnerable as like there. However, I was able to confirm with my, my God, my investigation. There's nothing like in the bumps. Like it's not like an ingrown hair or like any sort of fluid buildup, which were a couple of things per Google, like I was able to rule out.

chelsea barbine (06:36.59)
which of course then led me to like, my God, is this like normal? And yes, I can confirm. Apparently it is. And it wasn't just through Google, you guys. Like I did in fact talk to Dr. Sarah, my polyflour therapist about it a couple of days later. But apparently it turns out that pregnancy doesn't just give you swollen ankles. It can affect areas far more hidden, far more private.

that we're just not as noticing of if we're not really paying attention. This is something that I was anticipating more so postpartum. Again, I didn't notice this with Frankie. Maybe I did, it was much later on. But all in all, increased blood flow to the pelvic area can cause swelling in places that we wouldn't expect.

which does include the labia. Now, like, totally great to be reassured that this is normal, but being 22 weeks pregnant, you guys, like, I'm not gonna lie. Like, I still feel some type of way knowing that I'm just barely halfway through and I just, I don't feel good about it. Like, the swelling is already starting.

And I think a lot of us can agree that changes in pregnancy, especially the ones that we're not prepared for, like they can bring up all kinds of feelings. I don't think I really, my pregnancy with Frankie was, it was very similar, but like different. It was my first time. My body wasn't as quick to adapt to the changes that it needed to make to carry her and to bring her into the world. So a lot of it, noticed more after birth.

but just like level setting, like it's so easy and so normal to feel embarrassed or concerned or even like frustrated, like overwhelmed by the way that our bodies are changing, especially at such a rapid pace. And I say that more so with like subsequent pregnancy is, and no matter how many times you've been through it, like each pregnancy, each

chelsea barbine (09:06.37)
birth, each baby, like they're so different from one to the other. And it's completely normal to question if what's happening is normal or to feel a little upset when things don't look or feel the way that they used to, like we're human. And I'm even gonna take it like a step further and remind not only you, but myself that like pregnancy, pregnancy is fucking hard. And

while our bodies are doing something truly like so amazing, guys, like it's a freaking miracle. It really is. It doesn't mean that we have to love every single second or every single change. And it's okay to not be, you know, like fully embracing every new symptom or shift that we're experiencing. I think sometimes there's

this expectation that we're supposed to embrace it all, right? Like truly like pregnancy with open arms and just be so grateful if we're healthy and our baby's healthy. And yeah, that is, we wanna be appreciative for that. And like, let's be real, some of it is just uncomfortable. And I feel like it's important to acknowledge that, like not just for ourselves, but for the collective of moms. And we can still appreciate the journey without like,

pretending to love every moment of it. But I think that being said, it's important to find ways that we can support ourselves in handling these changes, both physically and emotionally. Because whether it's labia swelling or any other pregnancy symptom, we shouldn't just have to like, quote unquote, tough it out, right? There are things that we can do to feel more comfortable and manage the mental load that

comes with all of the change. I think physically speaking, and this is what I've gathered from like conversations with other perinatal practitioners that I'm partnered with, again, Dr. Sara being one of them, but also too, and just my background in wellness and looking up things online. If you're experiencing swelling, there's a few things that you can try to ease discomfort. One, cold compresses.

chelsea barbine (11:33.506)
This is really great for helping to reduce swelling. It might not be the most glamorous or even comfortable in the moment. It can make a difference. You can think about waking up with puffy swollen eyes, putting a cold compress underneath your eyes to help reduce bags or anything underneath them. Another thing is loose and breathable clothing.

While tight clothes can be great to help support any sensation of heaviness, tight clothes can make swelling worse. So consider just experimenting with both loose and more supportive fabrics whenever you can. And really just pay mind to how you feel and what feels best for you. Obviously, comfort is the most important right now.

Another thing, and this is actually a PT exercise that we've added into my program, is elevating of the hips. It's not a very long elevation. Excuse me. It's like no joke, like two minutes max. But just lying down with your hips slightly elevated can help improve the blood flow and the circulation in the pelvic area, which can help to reduce the swelling.

Well, the last one here is kind of sounds counterintuitive. I'm going to share stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is super important for reducing the swelling. Water, in fact, helps to flush out excess fluid. So although the extra trips to the bathroom might not be appreciated, I'm highly encouraging you to just drink up and keep your ounces where they need to be.

Now, of course, if you're ever worried or something like feels off, like truly off, you know, in your gut, please reach out to your health care provider. It's never a bad idea to get professional reassurance. Yeah, of course, I immediately turned to Google because it was like an instant answer. But this is certainly not the end all be all. Like continue to have the conversation and seek the support until you feel good about how you're feeling. Speaking of

chelsea barbine (13:54.062)
Feeling good. I think there's ways that we can also emotionally support ourselves through the changes that we're enduring. I talk a lot about it from a postpartum perspective with clients, but for the purposes of this conversation, 1,000 % during pregnancy as well. Dealing with unexpected changes to our body can mess with our head a little.

It's important to ways that can help you work through it. I'll share with you for myself. mean, practicing like self-compassion is always the first. As I mentioned, like pregnancy, it's no joke and it's okay to cut yourself some slack every now and then. think, my goodness, especially now with our second and keeping up with Frankie, it's...

have shared with you guys time and time again, I'm a Leo, I'm in a neogram 3, I'm the oldest. Like, I am very competitive, especially with myself. So sometimes just reminding myself that like my body is doing incredible work. Even if it doesn't always feel that way, or I don't feel like I am keeping up or meeting my own expectations in the way in which I wish that I was like, we are doing

So much that we cannot even see right now. Another thing is to like talk it out like Share with your partner. I mean, obviously my conversation with Colin was a little bit more of like straight-up panic And while it was sweet that he was like, no, I don't know you're talking about like you look great. I also am like I need to call my sister like I need to talk to someone who

can understand what's going on. Or even like a friend, someone else who has experienced it, if you don't have a sister or your sisters haven't experienced pregnancy or childbirth yet, just talking about these changes can be very comforting. Because I promise you, you are not the first one to experience any of it, and you're not going to be the last. Another thing that has been really supportive for me

chelsea barbine (16:18.838)
I journal a lot about how I'm feeling. A lot of it is more so in the lens of finding appreciation for the situations that I'm going in or that I'm going through, excuse me. So whether it's sharing appreciation for the changes that my body is able to make to accommodate this growing life of our youngest child or

Just being really honest in how you're feeling, putting it out on paper, just to really keep track and air out how you're really doing can help you to actually process the changes that are occurring. And again, when in doubt, if something feels off or you're truly not sure what's going on, don't hesitate to ask your health care provider. When I initially Googled

swelling, I think I like literally typed in like exterior vagina swelling while pregnant or something like that. Again, guys, I'm not a medical professional here. There was like a few different things that came up, two of which were related to essentially like a fluid of sorts.

like under the skin. But then there was another one. my God. It was basically like, I'm going to butcher the medical term, but it was like a swollen vein. So it can appear as more of like raised bumps that are typically associated with the increased blood flow to the pelvic region.

And I remember it saying like they're typically painless, but they can feel heavy or itchy or uncomfortable and that there was like no quote unquote like treatment for it at least while pregnant. And let they usually go away on their own about six weeks after giving birth, which per my conversation with my PT like

chelsea barbine (18:35.502)
Again, like I was reading the descriptions and I was like, okay, I'm like looking at it. I'm like, okay, it's probably this one. But again, I have that confirmed. if you like, if you're not finding someone else who is experiencing something that you're experiencing or you're not finding total clarity when you're looking something up on your own, like don't just let that be the answer and like have it be unknown. Like ask your healthcare provider. There's no question that is too small. Especially when it comes to like giving you a sense of

peace of mind, you know? At the end of the day, your health is just as important, if not more important than the health of your little one. Our bodies are truly adapting and doing the most amazing work, probably like alongside of giving birth that any human body could do. And I know it doesn't always feel great,

Sometimes it's like downright unbearable and there is so much unknown, but there are so many resources out there to support you. And every little change, every new symptom is ultimately part of the process of helping us bring life into the world. So yes, it's uncomfortable to be frustrated by

Vagina swelling, ankle swelling, whatever else pregnancy throws your way. But I also invite us to take a moment and to really view or even consider the discomfort as growth, like physical growth that our body is adapting to make room for our babies and

their entrance into the world, but also emotional growth and preparing for the times of discomfort and challenge that come with motherhood. And as we wrap up today's episode, I want you to remember that you're not alone in any of it. The discomfort, the uncertainty about the changes happening in your body, pregnancy is... Guys, it's fucking wild ride.

chelsea barbine (20:58.19)
It truly brings us to the depths of our being and our strength. But I wholeheartedly believe that you've got this. And there are so many mamas in the collective that have come before you and that are coming after you, here to support you. And remember that we're all in this together.

chelsea barbine (21:30.062)
Thank you for joining me for this episode of Postpartum Better. If you're inspired by this conversation to help yourself or another mom navigate life after birth, take a minute to leave me a review on Apple Podcast, and then share this episode with someone who could use the virtual hug. The health and happiness of the world resides in us mamas, and I'm so proud to be doing Postpartum Better with you. Until next week, with care, Chelsea.