There is so much to learn and unpack when it comes to the postpartum period. After giving birth whether vaginally or by C-section you’ll experience many physical and emotional changes leaving new moms feeling unsure and unprepared.
This guide will walk you through what to expect after delivery, what changes are a normal part of healing, what symptoms to pay attention to, and when to seek help. Our goal is to empower you with knowledge, reassurance, and support during this important phase of recovery.
Recovery Timeline: The Stages of Postpartum
Most people don’t fully understand what postpartum truly is until they go through it themselves.
A lot happens to your body after delivering. It’s trying to readjust again to no longer carrying a baby. You’re anxious to get back to your pre-baby self.
At this time it’s important to know what’s normal and what’s not so you can communicate with your provider for a better healing process. Postpartum is not one single thing. It’s actually three 3 phases: acute, subacute and delayed.
1. Acute Phase
This is where the most life threatening complications can happen. The first 12 hours after having your baby are the most delicate health-wise for both you and your baby. During this time frame you can be at risk of things like postpartum hemorrhage and eclampsia. Some of these are quite rare, and are associated with previous complications during pregnancy.
Due to how delicate this phase of postpartum is, you will be required to stay under professional supervision during the first 24 hours after your pregnancy. This can mean in-hospital stay for some, or at-home care by a postpartum doula, specialized nurse or a hired caregiver.
2. Subacute Phase
The process of your body going back to it’s non-pregnant state continues here. The subacute postpartum period lasts around 2 to 6 weeks after the first 24 hours, and during it, your uterus will do the work needed to go back to a smaller size.
Immediate medical emergencies are less likely, but some conditions like postpartum depression or side effects like urinary incontinence might begin to set in. It’s important to stay alert, and have your support network close.
3. Delayed Phase
The final postpartum phase goes about six months after the subacute period. During this phase symptoms will gradually become less persistent, as your muscles and overall body readjust.
If you are experiencing further symptoms or side effects from giving birth, you should get medical help during this period.
What Happens to My Body After Giving Birth?
Creating and delivering a whole new person into the world is amazing! Your body changes and adapts to bring life to a human being. Afterwards, returning to pre-pregnancy form can be difficult. The process will look different for everyone. Some moms go back to how they looked and felt pre-pregnancy quickly, and some will be living in a changed body from then on.
All bodies should be celebrated and there is nothing to be ashamed of, regardless of what social media depicts. Stretch marks, hair loss, loose skin or some form of weight gain after giving birth is normal.
But there are a lot of other symptoms and processes that happen during the postpartum phase that are important to know about.
Common and Normal Postpartum Symptoms
If you experience any of these, don’t be alarmed, it’s part of your body reconstructing itself after delivering a baby, no matter if it was a vaginal birth or a c-section.
- Perineum pain or soreness: This is the stretch of skin between your vaginal entrance and your anus. During delivery, it will be tugged and sometimes an episiotomy tear happens so pain and soreness are expected.
- Vaginal discharge with blood: Your body will continue to expel blood, decreasing in amount overtime, up to around 6 weeks after childbirth. Refrain from using tampons and use a pad instead. This allows the uterus to heal properly and not introduce bacteria into a healing vagina. The discharge (known as lochia) is meant to diminish overtime. If you experience an increase in lochia, please contact your doctor.
- Baby blues: You can experience some emotional turmoil the first week or two of postpartum. Going easily from happy to sad can be disconcerting, but it will most likely go away. Anything more persistent than that could be a sign of postpartum depression.
- Sweating: This is a side effect of your hormones shifting after birth, and it’s completely normal, especially at night.
- Constipation: A lot of postpartum mothers experience constipation due to fear of pushing too much. A stool softener is recommended to aid bowel movements.
- Uterus involution: The medical term for your uterus going back to its original size. You can experience cramps and abdominal pain due to it, and it should go away after the first six weeks of postpartum.
- C-section wound recovery: like with any major surgery, your body will be sore around the incision where the c-section was performed.
- Hair loss: Once again due to hormones, experiencing hair loss is normal.
Learn More on the Podcast: Ask the Midwife with Amy Burgess
Postpartum Risks
Having a baby can bring some possibility of complications. Remember that learning about them is not an exercise in anxiety and fear, but valuable information that can help you navigate postpartum with better understanding of your body and its reactions.
Physical Complications
There are a few serious physical conditions that you should be aware of. Most of them will happen during the acute phase, which means you will be under constant medical surveillance. However if you are feeling unwell after this phase, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor or midwife.
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Sepsis
- Postpartum preeclampsia
- Mastitis
Postpartum Depression — Mental health
Postpartum mental health has been a taboo topic for years. A subject often misunderstood or dismissed, we now know that this issue requires proper medical care and intervention. Mental health can be just as dire and life threatening as physical illness, and must be taken extremely seriously.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is when a person who has given birth experiences extreme sadness, tiredness and anxiety. They may feel detached from their family, have thoughts of self harm and may even feel resentful towards the baby. Surprisingly, about half of postpartum depression occurs before delivery. This is known as antenatal depression.
Another mental health condition that may occur is postpartum psychosis. Though rare, it can severely affect the mother and the baby, causing hallucinations, delusions, extreme mood swings (mania and depression) and confusion.
These feelings can lead to postpartum rage, and put the life of both the parent and the child in serious jeopardy.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or suspect your partner might be going through them, please contact our medical staff immediately.
Postpartum Care — New Routines
The same way pregnancy changes the way you go through your daily life, the postpartum phase will mean different routines to take care of yourself.
The main thing that can help you recover is rest from physical exercises. Your body has just gone through an exhausting ordeal, and the impact will be there regardless if you had a vaginal birth or a c-section. Even walking and doing simple movements can be challenging for the first few days.
You can discuss with your provider when it’s appropriate to begin exercising again if that is something you want. Any activity postpartum should be reintroduced gradually while actively listening to your body.
A nutritious and balanced diet can also help accelerate your postpartum recovery. Staying hydrated while you experience discharge will compensate and help with any wounds or tears that happened during childbirth. If you had any tearing in your perineum, you can also ask your doctor for a care kit to aid the injury.
Finding a network of people or habits that help you with your mental health is ideal. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It can be your partner, a family member, a friend or your provider. Having a support person by your side and whom you can rely on during postpartum can be a great advantage for your recovery.
Learn More: Delivery & Postpartum Instructions: Essential Care Guide for New Mothers
About Lone Tree’s Mission
Lone Tree OB/GYN & Midwives is a full-service obstetrics and gynecology office with a team of highly regarded providers recognized throughout the Castle Rock, Colorado, community for their exceptional care.