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If you had a healthy pregnancy and a normal vaginal birth, it is best to wait 18 to 24 months after giving birth before trying to get pregnant again. If you had a caesarean birth, think about whether you want to try to have a vaginal birth the next time.
- Karen Miles
- One week postpartum. Your physical recovery: vaginal birth. Bleeding: You may still have some spurts of vaginal bleeding on and off through the day. But, overall, the lochia – the combination of blood, tissue and mucus that your body sheds after birth – has decreased and may even already be just a watery, pinkish discharge.
- Two weeks postpartum. Your physical recovery: vaginal birth. Your lochia (vaginal bleeding and discharge) is continuing to taper off and may be very light by now.
- Six weeks postpartum. Your physical recovery: vaginal birth. You may or may not feel 100 percent back to "normal," but six weeks is generally considered a postpartum milestone for recovery.
- Six months postpartum. Your physical recover: vaginal birth. Most women have lost one-half of their pregnancy weight gain by now (but remember, all women are different, so it may take more or less time for you).
- Vaginal soreness. If you had a vaginal tear during delivery or your doctor made an incision, the wound might hurt for a few weeks. Extensive tears might take longer to heal.
- Vaginal discharge. After delivery, you'll begin to shed the superficial mucous membrane that lined your uterus during pregnancy. You'll have vaginal discharge made up of this membrane and blood for weeks.
- Contractions. You might feel occasional contractions, sometimes called afterpains, during the first few days after delivery. These contractions — which often resemble menstrual cramps — help prevent excessive bleeding by compressing the blood vessels in the uterus.
- Incontinence. Pregnancy, labor and a vaginal delivery can stretch or injure your pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder and rectum. This might cause you to leak a few drops of urine while sneezing, laughing or coughing.
Active labor may last anywhere from about two to 24 hours (though the average is two to three-and-a-half hours), while transitional labor can last anywhere from 15 minutes to about three hours. At a certain point, your practitioner may rely on interventions to get things going or speed things up.
- Week 1. Share on Pinterest. Physical status, post-vaginal delivery. If you had a hospital delivery, you’ll most likely stay there for at least part of this week after a vaginal delivery.
- Week 2. Physical status, post-vaginal delivery. For some women, bleeding will start to taper off. For others, it can last up to six weeks. Both are totally normal.
- Week 6. Share on Pinterest. Physical status, post-vaginal delivery. This is when the uterus goes back to pre-pregnancy size and the bleeding stops. Most people are cleared for exercise and sexual activity, but many don’t feel ready for the latter for a long time.
- Six months. Share on Pinterest. Physical status, post-vaginal delivery. If your hair was falling out after your delivery, it should stop now. You should also have full bladder control again, if this was a problem before now.
Most often, the postpartum period is the first six to eight weeks after delivery, or until your body returns to its pre-pregnancy state. But the symptoms and changes that occur during the postpartum period can last far beyond eight weeks.
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Dec 14, 2023 · It is important to continue seeing your healthcare provider after giving birth. Healthcare providers recommend checking in within three weeks of giving birth and seeing them for a visit within 12 weeks.
