Recovery after birth

What to expect

• Bleeding. Called lochia, it lasts a few weeks and slowly turns brown and lighter until it stops. It can look heavier while breastfeeding, which makes the uterus contract and can bring cramps like period pains.¹ Use pads, not tampons, until the postnatal check, because the inside may not have healed.¹
• Stitches. If you had a tear or a cut, bathe the area in plain warm water every day and pat it dry. Tell your midwife or doctor if it's sore.¹
• Leaking pee. It's quite common to leak a little when you laugh, cough or move suddenly. Pelvic floor exercises help, and if they don't, a doctor can refer you to a physical therapist.¹
• Tiredness. It can take weeks to get strength and energy back, and longer after a cesarean.²

Checkups

ACOG recommends contact with an OB-GYN or other clinician within the first 3 weeks after birth, and a full postpartum visit no later than 12 weeks after, timed to each person's needs rather than at a set 6 weeks.³ People who had high blood pressure in pregnancy should have it checked within 7 to 10 days of birth, or within 72 hours if it was severe.³

The full visit covers mood, feeding, sleep, physical recovery, birth control and any ongoing health conditions.³ Tell your clinician about trouble holding in pee or poop, or painful sex.⁴ The visit is a medical appointment, not an all-clear.³

Warning signs

Get help straight away for:^1,5

• sudden or very heavy bleeding, such as soaking a pad in an hour or passing clots bigger than an egg, especially with feeling faint or a racing heart
• chest pain or trouble breathing
• pain, swelling or redness in one leg
• a high temperature with a sore, tender belly
• a bad headache, changes in vision, or vomiting, which can be signs of preeclampsia, a blood pressure disorder that can start after birth⁶
• thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

These warning signs apply for up to a year after birth.⁵