You've just endured nine long months of pregnancy and possibly a long and arduous labor. The moment you've dreamed of for months has finally arrived and you're looking forward to bonding with your baby and recovering from the pains of childbirth or a c-section, so surely the worst of the pain and discomfort should be over, right? Think again.

In the days following the delivery, most moms can expect to feel "after pains," which are brought on by the uterus contracting back to its original size. The good news is that these pains – uncomfortable as they may be – are perfectly normal and a sign that your uterus and belly are returning back to their pre-pregnancy state.

Marcy H. from North Carolina doesn't remember much about the after pains – which typically feel like mild to moderate menstrual cramps – she must have felt after the birth of her oldest child three years ago.

"They must have not been terribly intense," Marcy H. says. "I think I was so war weary, beaten and bruised, they probably were not at the forefront of my mind. I was definitely more aware of them with my second child. I suppose that was because they were greater in intensity. My labor was also easier then, so I may have been more focused on it."

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