Generally speaking, it's best to wait at least four weeks before taking your first bath after giving birth – or until you've gotten the go ahead from your healthcare provider. In those first few weeks postpartum, your cervix is still somewhat dilated, regardless of whether you had a vaginal delivery or a c-section.
Vaginal delivery:
Showers for the first 2-3 weeks, if you have no shower, take a sponge bath or a tub bath but do not add bubble bath to the water or shave during the bath. Take a sitz bath 1-2 times a day for the first week. You may purchase a sitz bath from a pharmacy like Walgreens or CVS or Walmart.
Stitches. If you've had stitches after tearing or an episiotomy (cut), bathe them every day to help prevent infection. Have a bath or shower with plain warm water then carefully pat yourself dry.
Start easy with short walks
It may not seem like much, but taking a short walk can help tremendously during your postpartum recovery. “I encourage patients to be getting up and walking around almost immediately after delivery,” Prager says.
Care for your stitches and wound as follows: Keep the area clean and dry for the first 24 to 48 hours after stitches have been placed. Then, you can start to gently wash around the site 1 to 2 times daily. Wash with cool water and soap.
How long does it take a vaginal tear to heal? Most women feel relief from any pain caused by a vaginal tear in about two weeks. If your tear required stitches, they will dissolve within six weeks.
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.
There are no set rules about how long to wait before taking a newborn out into the world or when to let people near the baby. Some doctors recommend that parents wait until their baby is a few months old before going to crowded public places (like malls, movie theaters, and airplanes).
Most women will stop bleeding between four and six weeks after giving birth. Some women may bleed for longer or shorter than this.
If your baby was delivered vaginally, you should be able to have a bath in the days after giving birth (best to check with your doctor first) — much sooner than if you've had a C-section. If you have stitches after tearing your perineum, don't fret, it's fine to have a bath.
After 48 hours, surgical wounds can get wet without increasing the risk of infection. After this time, you can get your stitches wet briefly with a light spray (such as in the shower), but they should not be soaked (for example, in the bath). Make sure you pat the area dry afterwards.
It is normal to feel pain or soreness for 2 to 3 weeks after having any tear.
How long does it take to heal after giving birth? By the six-week mark, your vagina, perineum or C-section incision should be healed, and your uterus should be back to its normal size. Throughout those first weeks, you'll experience a lot of changes – from new levels of tiredness to hormone fluctuations.
The best way to care for your stitches is to keep them clean and dry. Try to wash your perineum using warm water every time you visit the loo and gently pat the area dry using toilet tissue. You should also aim to change your sanitary pad regularly to keep the area dry and comfortable.
Itching is a natural part of the body's healing process. When the skin is injured, the body sends blood cells to the area to repair the damage. These cells release substances that cause inflammation and itchiness, a sign that the healing process is underway.
Dr. Yaakovian stresses that you'll want to avoid soaking or submerging your stitches in water for about four weeks. That is, avoid taking a bath or getting in a pool or hot tub during this time.
A Word From Verywell
Smelling stronger or differently and sweating more postpartum is normal. It's often due to hormonal disruptions and the shedding of the amniotic fluid, blood, and tissue that developed in your womb over nine months of pregnancy.
“Increased vaginal discharge is a normal part of pregnancy,” Hamp explains, adding, “There's much more blood flow to the uterus to help with fetal growth and development. And with that increased discharge comes more odor.” The discharge continues after giving birth.
Postpartum discharge often has a fishy odor similar to that of menstruation. However, if the discharge has an unusual odor or odor, it could be due to an infection in the uterus or a bacterial infection caused by a tear in the perineum during delivery.
One thing that often surprises my patients is that you should not drive for two weeks after delivery. All deliveries, whether vaginal or cesarean, involve some blood loss. This blood loss could cause some weakness which could impair your driving ability.
Your body will start adjusting quickly after birth, but common issues include bleeding, cramps, swelling, sore breasts and issues with urination and bowel movements. Emotional changes are normal, especially three to four days after birth.