New mothers are often surprised right after birth to realize that their belly is still nearly as big as it was halfway through the pregnancy. Not only do you not lose much weight in delivery, but your body takes a while to get back to its pre-pregnancy condition in other ways as well. Here's a guide to what you can expect from your newly un-pregnant body – from tip to toes and everything in between – from the moments after delivery until your six-week checkup!

This is the shedding of the remaining contents of the uterus that occurs after giving birth. It's heavy at first, but will get progressively lighter. Dr. Robert O. Atlas, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Md., says the discharge may get heavier around days seven to 10 as this is the time when there's a shedding of the scar over the placenta. Lochia generally lasts for about a month. Women who have C-sections still have lochia, but it may be somewhat lighter. If it becomes very heavy or doesn't lighten with time, notify your health care provider. Also, says Dr. Atlas, be aware that a heavier flow may mean something else.

"It's not unusual for someone to tell me that their bleeding has gotten a lot heavier four weeks or so after birth – and often they've just started their period," says Dr. Atlas. "The two things can kind of run into each other."

Right after delivery, breasts will still be in their fuller pregnancy shape. If a woman does not breastfeed, she can expect her breasts to lose most of that fullness within a week to 10 days, depending upon how much weight was gained during pregnancy. A breastfeeding woman's breasts will remain fuller than normal as long as they breastfeed.

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