Postpartum recovery timeline: Stages & what to expect after birth

Your postpartum recovery checklist

While the days immediately after giving birth can be tough, there are ways you can prepare to reduce pain and make this time less stressful on your mind and body, such as:

• Pain medication: Stock up on Tylenol (paracetamol/acetaminophen) and Motrin (Ibuprofen). Keep in mind that opiates can make you drowsy and can cause constipation.
• Large, absorbent sanitary pads: Bleeding is heaviest in the days immediately following birth, but you can expect bleeding to last as long as six weeks. Tip: Keep your pads in the freezer to offer relief for pain and swelling.
• Cotton underwear: You’ll want to find the most comfortable, breathable briefs you can to help your body recover without any added discomfort.
• Nursing bras: If you’re breastfeeding your baby, you’ll want a few comfortable nursing bras that make feeding and/or pumping as comfortable as possible.
• Ice Packs/gel packs: From relieving swelling and pain to tackling postpartum night sweats, a cooling ice pack can provide much-needed relief. Remember to wrap ice in towels to avoid frostbite.
• Witch hazel pads: Often thought to help with swelling and pain, witch hazel pads can be used in combination with ice packs. These pads can also help postnatal hemorrhoids.
• Sitz bath: This small bath offers a relieving salt soak that can help wound healing and reduce swelling.
• Lidocaine spray: Help ease pain and discomfort that come with postpartum hemorrhoids.
• Squirt bottle (aka Peribottle): You can use this to spritz your perineal area during or after you’ve gone to the bathroom.
• Lanolin: A helpful natural cream to help reduce cracked nipples
• Stool softener: Constipation is common in the days after giving birth and is often brought on by pain medication, anesthesia, and eating less during the birthing process. Taking stool softeners and/or eating fiber-rich foods make going to the toilet more comfortable.
• Water: Staying hydrated is really important for your postpartum recovery. It can help reduce symptoms such as swelling and night sweats. If you’re breastfeeding, you will also need extra fluids.
• Belly band/belt: If you’ve given birth via C-section, these can be particularly helpful for your recovery. Those who’ve given birth vaginally can also benefit from abdominal binding. 
• Heating pad: These are useful for easing any number of postpartum aches and pains.

Week 1 postpartum

The first week can be tough on both your mind and body. Rest and recovery are essential during this time. 

After vaginal delivery

Those who undergo vaginal delivery typically recover faster than those who experience C-sections. However, if you have deep vaginal tears, you can expect the recovery process to take a bit longer. 

During the first week, your vagina and the surrounding area is likely to be extremely swollen and sore. While it can be alarming to look at this area (and you may prefer not to do so)), the good news is your body can heal quickly. You can take medication such as ibuprofen (Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help manage pain and swelling.

Bleeding after birth (medically known as lochia) is heaviest during the first weeks postpartum. Your blood flow should get lighter as you progress during the recovery period — you may also notice the blood changes color too. Bladder incontinence is also common, as your muscles need time to recover after a vaginal birth. You can start kegel (pelvic floor) exercises as soon as it feels comfortable after giving birth. Keep in mind your bladder will also regain some strength on its own after this initial healing period.

After a Cesarean birth (also called C-section)

Healing after a C-section takes time. While rest is important, you should also try to move regularly and gently to reduce the risks of blood clots. You can take pain medication to reduce discomfort.

Keep an eye on how your C-section wound is healing. If you notice redness around the incision, excessive swelling/tenderness, or a cloudy, bad-smelling discharge, you should consult with your doctor. 

With C-section deliveries, there is still vaginal bleeding in the weeks after giving birth. This will reduce over the postpartum period and should stop completely by week six. 

Mood and emotions

While the days immediately after giving birth are often focused on physical recovery, it's still important to pay attention to how you’re feeling emotionally, too. Dropping levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone can lead to feeling low, sometimes called the ‘baby blues.’ 

It’s normal to feel a mix of things after giving birth! Your body has gone through a lot, and this is one of the biggest transitions you may face in your life. You may feel a lot of pressure right now to feel or behave in a certain way. Remember that there’s no right or wrong way to feel, and everyone’s journey is different. Getting emotional support from your partner and/or wider support network can be an important tool for helping your mental recovery during this time.

Tips to assist in your recovery process

You should also expect to experience significant swelling in the first week after giving birth. This is caused by your body processing the extra blood that’s in circulation after the baby and the placenta have left your body. Some tips to reduce and manage swelling are:

• Elevate your legs
• Wear compression stockings
• Drink plenty of water
• Reduce salty food

Call your doctor if you experience swelling in just one leg, if you have any shortness of breath, or if the swelling persists or worsens beyond one week postpartum.

Week 3 postpartum

You have started your healing journey, but you’re recovery is still in the early days. Be patient with yourself, listen to your body, and do what feels right.

After vaginal delivery

Things should be starting to feel more comfortable, and you may find you no longer need pain medication. If you do find you’re in severe pain at 3 weeks postpartum after a vaginal delivery, talk to your doctor. Even if things are feeling more ‘normal’ down there, it’s important you give your body time to heal. That includes not putting anything (including tampons, fingers, or a penis) inside your vagina until at least six weeks after pregnancy. 

Bleeding should be getting lighter, but those breastfeeding may notice bleeding gets heavier and cramping increases after feeding due to it triggering uterine contractions. 

After C-section

If things are healing well, you should find it easier to move around. The scar may become itchy as healing continues. Vaginal bleeding should be getting lighter (though it may still be heavy after breastfeeding) and may change to a brownish color.

Mood and emotions

You may find you’re feeling brighter now than in the initial days after childbirth. If feelings of sadness or depression have remained consistent, or you’re finding it difficult to bond with your new baby, it’s a good time to talk to your doctor to check on your emotional well-being. This is all still very new, and your hormones are likely still stabilizing. However, it’s always a good idea to seek help sooner rather than later. 

Tips to assist your recovery process 

• Stay active: You’re at a good point in your postpartum journey to start getting more active if it feels good. Try taking longer walks or engaging in gentle exercise like postpartum yoga or pilates. While fatigue is very common at this stage, fresh air and gentle movement can be helpful to boost mood and energy levels. 

• Ask for help: With increased fatigue and fewer visitors after the initial flurry, it’s a good time to ask for support when you need it. Don’t put pressure on yourself to handle everything when it comes to taking care of your newborn. We can all use a little help from time to time. There’s no shame in leaning on your friends, community, or partner if you can. It’s always okay to ask!

Week 6 postpartum 

As the official end to the initial postpartum period draws to a close, you should be feeling better physically. Bleeding should have stopped, and your fertility may be returning (for those breastfeeding, this can take longer). Keep in mind that if you choose to be sexually active, you are at risk of becoming pregnant, so it’s time to use birth control again. 

After vaginal delivery & C-section

Don’t skip your postpartum visit with your OB-GYN. It’s an important time to check that everything has healed properly. Your doctor will also follow up on medical conditions, carry out routine tests you skipped during pregnancy (like pap smears or mammograms), and help you formulate a birth control plan. It’s useful to know that it’s usually recommended to let at least 18 months pass between one delivery to the next, to give your body enough time to recover physically.

Mood and emotions

While your hormones may stabilize around six weeks postpartum, it’s still normal to feel a range of emotions. Those returning to work may feel mixed feelings about leaving their newborn with other caregivers, while those staying at home may find this time to be the most isolating. Whatever you’re feeling, remember not to be too hard on yourself and try to give yourself a break, the road to recovery is long, and most often, you should take things at a gentle pace. 

Tips to assist in the recovery process

Know what's required with breastfeeding as birth control: The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) is a contraceptive method that can be used to prevent pregnancy for up to six months. It requires you to be breastfeeding your baby exclusively – meaning you nurse at least every 4 hours during the day and every 6 hours at night, and feed your baby only breast milk (not pumping or feeding formula in combination). Learn more about breastfeeding as birth control. 

Take things at your own pace: While six weeks is the recommended time to resume sexual activity if you want to, that doesn’t mean you have to if you are not ready. Take things at your own speed, talk to your partner about how you feel, and make sure you wait until you’re ready before having sex again. Keep in mind that hormonal changes can lead to vaginal dryness and low libido during this time. This is especially true for those who are breastfeeding. You may also experience some soreness during intercourse — this can be due to the deep healing that is still happening in your muscles and tissue after the initial recovery period is complete.

6 months+ postpartum

While you may still notice some changes to your body after childbirth, your healing process should now be complete. By six months to a year after giving birth, it’s likely you may have gotten your period back, even if you are breastfeeding. While things may look and feel a little different now, hopefully, you are feeling more adjusted to this new way of life.

If you have consistently low mood and/or thoughts of harming yourself or others, this can be a sign of something more serious than the baby blues. Postpartum depression affects as many as one in seven women. Don’t suffer in silence — there is help available.

Tips to assist in the recovery process

Prepare for the return to work (physically and mentally): If you haven’t already, now may be the time when you’re thinking about going back into the workplace. If you’re breastfeeding, it can be useful to start pumping and thinking about milk storage solutions. Keep in mind that this can be a challenging time, juggling both work commitments and parenting, and it’s important you ask for support. As well as turning to your support network, there are also online groups or in-person meet-ups you can attend. 

Think about your fertility goals: If you’ve used breastfeeding as birth control, it’s time to transition to another method by six months postpartum. Your situation may be different now from how it was pre-baby, so consider if the birth control you used before is still the right one for you. There are loads of birth control options out there, including hormone-free methods like Natural Cycles.

From natural birth control to postpartum care

The first FDA Cleared birth control app, Natural Cycles, is a hormone-free temperature-based contraceptive method that learns the pattern of your unique cycle and can help you in every stage of your fertility journey. We know everyone’s after-birth experience looks different, and we’re here to support you with tailored content and care every step of the way. Discover Natural Cycles today to get started.