Postpartum Care

Also called: Post-pregnancy health

Postpartum Care

Postpartum Health and Depression

Good postpartum health is as important as prenatal care. After your baby is born, it may seem impossible to do anything other than eat, sleep, and care for your baby and that's okay. Get as much rest as possible and know that you may still have cramps or swollen legs and feet. Look for signs that you may be experiencing postpartum depression, such as lingering feelings of sadness or anxiety.

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Postpartum Care

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

Summary

Taking home a new baby is one of the happiest times in a woman's life. But it also presents both physical and emotional challenges.

Get as much rest as possible. You may find that all you can do is eat, sleep, and care for your baby. And that is perfectly okay. You will have spotting or bleeding, like a menstrual period, off and on for up to six weeks.
You might also have swelling in your legs and feet, feel constipated, have menstrual-like cramping. Even if you are not breastfeeding, you can have milk leaking from your nipples, and your breasts might feel full, tender, or uncomfortable.
Follow your doctor's instructions on how much activity, like climbing stairs or walking, you can do for the next few weeks.
Doctors usually recommend that you abstain from sexual intercourse for four to six weeks after birth.

In addition to physical changes, you may feel sad or have the "baby blues." If you are extremely sad or are unable to care for yourself or your baby, you might have a serious condition called postpartum depression.

Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health

Start Here

Recovering from Birth (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)Also in Spanish
Recovering from Delivery (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
Your Body After Baby: The First 6 Weeks (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)

Diagnosis and Tests

Warning Signs After Birth (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)

Related Issues

Losing Baby Weight (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
Your Postpartum Checkup (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)

Specifics

Exercise After Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Mastitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
Postpartum Blood Clots (Merck & Co., Inc.)Also in Spanish
Postpartum Infections (Merck & Co., Inc.)Also in Spanish
Postpartum Sterilization (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDFAlso in Spanish