You should rest significantly in bed for the first 5 days (in bed) and then move to resting on the bed or around the bed for the next 10 days (following the 5-5-5 Rule, a common guideline), focusing on bonding, healing, and getting support, with full recovery taking around 6 weeks or longer, so prioritize rest and avoid strenuous activity.
The 5-5-5 postpartum rule prescribes 15 days of rest for moms following childbirth – five days in the bed, five days on the bed and five days around the bed. It encourages moms to take a break from housework and caring for older children, and simply spend time with the new baby.
Although bed rest may not be necessary, it is important to rest as much as possible after normal delivery. Pregnancy and childbirth can be overwhelming physically, mentally, and emotionally, and you need to go easy on yourself and get plenty of rest in order to recover completely.
Increased bleeding after your lochia starts to decrease can be a sign you're overdoing it and need more rest. Seeing ongoing clots could mean your uterus is having trouble getting back to its pre-pregnancy size. In either case, it's always best to call.
The first six to 12 hours after you give birth is considered the acute phase of postpartum recovery. Within this window parents are at their highest risk for conditions like postpartum eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, and certain medical emergencies.
The 2-hour rule for babies means they shouldn't stay in a car seat (or travel system seat) for more than two hours at a time, whether in or out of the car, because the semi-upright position can strain their developing spine and restrict their breathing, increasing the risk of low oxygen levels, especially for newborns and preemies. For long journeys, parents should take breaks every two hours to take the baby out, allow them to lie flat for a while, stretch, and feed, ensuring they get proper head/neck support and circulation.
In those first few weeks postpartum, your cervix is still somewhat dilated, regardless of whether you had a vaginal delivery or a c-section. There's a theory – though no research has confirmed this – that tub water could travel into your uterus, introduce bacteria, and cause an infection.
To have a smooth recovery after giving birth, you should avoid a few things.
“We identified two distinct groups, a low maternal sleep group where the mothers get 5 to 6 hours of sleep per night, and an average maternal sleep group, which meets the national recommended sleep guidelines with 7 to 8 hours per night.
You should not ignore postpartum symptoms like chest pain, trouble breathing, severe headache with vision changes, heavy bleeding (soaking a pad per hour), fever, severe pain or swelling in one leg, or thoughts of harming yourself or the baby, as these can signal serious issues like hemorrhage, blood clots, preeclampsia, or postpartum depression/psychosis. Seek immediate medical help (call 911 for emergency symptoms) for severe signs, and contact your doctor promptly for persistent or worsening symptoms, even up to a year postpartum.
You may feel some suture material for 1-4 weeks depending on what type of suture was used. Bleeding after delivery will continue for 4-8 weeks but should get lighter after the first few days. You may have a return of bright red bleeding 7-10 days after delivery, this is normal if it is similar to a period or less.
At home, moms should stock up on these essentials: Breast pads: Prevent leakage from staining clothes. Feminine pads: Necessary to manage postpartum bleeding and hemorrhage during recovery. Hot and cold packs: "Hot packs can help ease cramping, especially during breastfeeding.
The "5-3-3" baby sleep method is a sleep training strategy where a baby sleeps for 5 hours, stays awake for 3 hours, then sleeps for another 3 hours, often used around 4-6 months to encourage independent sleep by reducing nighttime feeds and establishing routine, but it requires strict adherence and consulting a pediatrician, as it might be too rigid for some babies or caregivers.
When to start physical activity. You can do gentle physical activity straight away or as soon as you feel ready after birth. This includes: gentle walking.
Even if you do not experience a vaginal tear from your delivery, the place where your placenta was attached to the uterus needs to heal. The placenta is the size of a dinner plate, so essentially there is a dinner plate-size wound in your uterus that needs to heal.
The Best Postpartum Food to Eat
The hardest week with a newborn is often considered the first six weeks, especially weeks 2-3, due to extreme sleep deprivation, constant feeding demands, learning baby's cues, postpartum recovery, and a peak in inconsolable crying (the "witching hour"), making parents feel overwhelmed as they adjust to a new, exhausting routine. While the first week is tough, the challenges often intensify as the baby becomes more alert but still fussy, with major developmental hurdles like cluster feeding and increased fussiness peaking around 6-8 weeks.
Especially those first three months, when newborns eat every two to four hours and don't have a circadian rhythm, most parents will experience some level of sleep deprivation and exhaustion.
To assist with a quicker recovery, preventing tears, and incontinence after delivery, we highly recommend Kegels exercises in order to strengthen your pelvic floor.
You may have gained 10 – 15 kg during the pregnancy, 3 – 4 kg of which belong to the baby. After birth, you will lose 5 – 6 kg immediately, but it will be within the first 2 weeks after giving birth and it will not continue to go down so easily.
Key Takeaways: Postpartum Recovery After Childbirth
Seek immediate medical attention for "red flags" like heavy bleeding (clots larger than a quarter), high fever, severe abdominal pain, or headaches with vision changes.
Normal lochia after birth has a strong fishy smell like menstruation, lochia usually lasts about 20 days on average, or can be up to 40 - 45 days. The color and amount of lochia after birth can change over time.
In fact, we recommend delaying your newborn's first full bath for at least two weeks. Newborns shed about three layers of skin within their first week, which often surprises new parents. Their skin is still adjusting to the dry air, so it's perfectly normal.
Don't wipe! Dab and use a peri bottle. Wiping can be irritating to the skin, using a peri bottle to clean after a bowel movement is gentle and will help in healing. Also, if you have hemorrhoids talk to your medical provider about soothing treatments you can use such as Tucks pads, aloe and/or coconut oil.