Postpartum Recovery

Wel­com­ing a new baby brings a wave of emo­tions, changes, and adjust­ments. As you care for your new­born, it’s just as impor­tant to care for your­self. Post­par­tum recov­ery looks dif­fer­ent for every­one, but with sup­port and guid­ance, heal­ing becomes a lit­tle eas­i­er day by day.

Phys­i­cal Post­par­tum Recovery 

Vagi­nal Bleed­ing and Discharge

After deliv­ery, it’s nor­mal to expe­ri­ence bleed­ing and dis­charge, known as lochia. This can last up to 4 to 6 weeks. Bleed­ing tends to be heav­i­est in the first few days, so using hos­pi­tal-grade pads can help keep you com­fort­able. As things light­en, you can switch to reg­u­lar men­stru­al pads.

If the bleed­ing becomes unusu­al­ly heavy or if you notice signs of infec­tion, reach out to your provider. A quick check-in can make sure every­thing is heal­ing as it should.

Phys­i­cal Activ­i­ty and Rest

While gen­tle move­ment post­par­tum like walk­ing, stretch­ing, or light yoga can help sup­port recov­ery, it’s just as impor­tant to rest. Aim for 150 min­utes of light phys­i­cal activ­i­ty per week. Avoid high-impact exer­cis­es or heavy lift­ing until your care team gives you the go-ahead. Lis­ten­ing to your body is key, remem­ber­ing that recov­ery takes time, and every step counts.

Your Emo­tion­al Wellbeing

Post­par­tum Depression

Some emo­tion­al ups and downs are com­mon after giv­ing birth, but if you’re feel­ing per­sis­tent­ly sad, over­whelmed, or dis­con­nect­ed, or hav­ing intru­sive thoughts, you’re not alone, and sup­port is available.

Pos­si­ble signs of post­par­tum depres­sion include:

  • Depressed mood
  • Severe mood swings
  • With­draw­al from fam­i­ly and friends
  • Loss of appetite or binge eating
  • Sleep dis­or­ders
  • Severe loss of ener­gy and fatigue
  • Feel­ings of worth­less­ness, shame, or guilt
  • Thoughts of harm­ing your­self or your baby

If you are expe­ri­enc­ing any com­bi­na­tion of these symp­toms, reach out to any mem­ber of your care team – your OBG­YN, pri­ma­ry care provider, or pedi­a­tri­cian – as soon as possible. 

Duly also offers com­pre­hen­sive behav­ioral and men­tal health ser­vices con­ve­nient­ly locat­ed with­in our clin­ics. Talk with a behav­ioral and men­tal health provider for post­par­tum sup­port today. 

Build­ing your sup­port team 

Hav­ing peo­ple you can lean on is impor­tant – there’s a rea­son many says it takes a vil­lage to raise a child. Whether it’s a part­ner, par­ent, friend, or care provider, sur­round­ing your­self with a trust­ed sup­port sys­tem can help ease the tran­si­tion into motherhood.

When Should Fam­i­ly and Friends Visit?

There’s no right or wrong answer here. Some new par­ents are ready for vis­i­tors right away, while oth­ers pre­fer time to rest and set­tle in. Fol­low what feels right for you and your baby.

Tips for Man­ag­ing Vis­its and Ask­ing for Help

  • Set clear bound­aries. It’s okay to ask for qui­et time or space when you need it.
  • Be hon­est about your needs. If you need help with meals, chores, or sim­ply a nap, speak up.
  • Share vis­it pref­er­ences. Let loved ones know when vis­its are wel­come, how long they should last, and what you’re com­fort­able with.
  • Take breaks. If things feel over­whelm­ing, a short pause can help you reset and recharge.

You’re not expect­ed to do this alone. Car­ing for your baby starts with car­ing for yourself.

Home Safe­ty and Preparation

As your baby begins to explore, it’s help­ful to have a home envi­ron­ment that’s pre­pared for their safe­ty. A few small changes can make a big difference:

  • Keep small objects out of reach
  • Use out­let covers
  • Install safe­ty gates
  • Install cab­i­net and draw­er locks
  • Apply cor­ner pro­tec­tors on fur­ni­ture edges
  • Secure heavy furniture

These sim­ple pre­cau­tions can make all the dif­fer­ence in ensur­ing your home is secure and safe for your baby.

Fam­i­ly and Social Support

Build­ing a strong sup­port net­work is essen­tial for new moms as they nav­i­gate the ear­ly stages of moth­er­hood. Hav­ing a reli­able group of fam­i­ly mem­bers, friends, and pro­fes­sion­als can pro­vide emo­tion­al and prac­ti­cal support.