Hot Take: You Might Not Feel “Back to Normal” Until After You Wean

You made it through pregnancy. You delivered your baby. Maybe you’ve even settled into a rhythm with feeding.

And yet, your body still doesn’t feel like yours. Maybe things feel weaker. Or different. Or just… off. If you’ve found yourself wondering, “Why am I not back to normal yet?” you’re not alone.

Here’s something most women aren’t told: If you’re breastfeeding, your body is still very much in a postpartum state. There’s an unspoken expectation that once the baby is here and a few months have passed, your body should “bounce back.”

But postpartum recovery isn’t just about time. It’s about hormones, and those don’t fully reset while you’re breastfeeding. When you’re nursing or pumping, your body produces higher levels of prolactin (the milk-making hormone), which can suppress estrogen. And estrogen plays a big role in:

• Tissue healing

• Muscle function

• Vaginal and pelvic floor health

So while you’re doing an incredible job feeding your baby, your body is also operating in a different hormonal environment than it was pre-pregnancy.

How This Can Show Up in Your Body

This hormonal state can affect more than you might expect. Some of the most common things women notice:

• A feeling of heaviness or weakness in the pelvic floor

• Leaking when coughing, sneezing, or exercising

• Pain or discomfort with intimacy

• Core weakness or difficulty “reconnecting” to your abs

• Vaginal dryness

These symptoms are common, but that doesn’t mean you have to just live with them.

Why Things Sometimes Improve After Weaning

For many women, things start to shift after they wean. As breastfeeding decreases or stops:

• Estrogen levels begin to rise again

• Tissues become more supported and responsive

• Muscle function can improve

• Overall comfort often increases

That “finally feeling like yourself again” moment? There’s a physiological reason behind it.

But Here’s What We Don’t Want You to Hear

This isn’t a message that says: “You just have to wait until you wean to feel better.” Or that you need to stop breastfeeding (unless it’s taking a toll on your mental health). Because that’s not true. You deserve support now, not months (or years) down the road.

You Can Feel Better While Breastfeeding

Even though hormones play a role, they’re not the whole story. With the right support, many postpartum symptoms can improve significantly before weaning:

• Pelvic floor physical therapy

• Gentle, targeted core and breath work

• Addressing muscle imbalances and coordination

Your body is still capable of healing: it may just need a different approach.

You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone

Postpartum recovery isn’t meant to be something you figure out on your own, especially while also feeding and caring for a baby.

As lactation consultants, RNs, and moms just like you, we’re here to support more than just feeding. We understand how closely breastfeeding, hormones, and your physical recovery are connected.

If something feels off in your body, you don’t have to push through it or wait it out.

We can help you:

• Understand how breastfeeding may be impacting your recovery

• Make feeding plans that support both you and your baby

• Connect you with trusted providers for additional support

When to Reach for Additional Support

Sometimes your body just needs a little extra help, and the right kind of help makes all the difference.

You might consider reaching out to:

• A pelvic floor physical therapist
  for leaking, heaviness, pain, or core weakness

• Your OB-GYN or midwife
  if something doesn’t feel right or symptoms are persistent

• A mental health provider
  if you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from your body, or not like yourself

• Your lactation consultant/IBCLC/RNs (that’s us!)
  to help you navigate how feeding, hormones, and recovery all fit together

If you don’t feel “back to normal” yet, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong, and it definitely doesn’t mean you’ve missed your window to recover. It may simply mean you’re still in a breastfeeding phase of postpartum—and your body is responding accordingly.

And with the right support, you don’t have to wait until weaning to start feeling like yourself again.