What To Expect in the 6-Week Postpartum Period

What happens after that tiny human comes out?

Your body has just done one of the most amazing things it will ever do: grow another human being. After 9 long months of waiting, you will be excited to be home with your new baby. However, there will be some anxiety, fear, and pain too.

So much of the last 9 months will have focused on your pregnancy and labor. But what comes after? What happens when you bring that tiny oh-so-adorable baby home?

The first six weeks after birth is generally known as the “postpartum period.” During this period, you will experience many physical and emotional changes.

The physical changes your body will face in the 6-week postpartum period.

Your body has been through trauma (whether a cesarean or vaginal birth), and it is going to need time to recover. It won’t just be a few days. Full recovery from pregnancy and labor can take months. Yes, months!

It is very common to feel as though you are not healing and recovering as quickly as you would like. Remember, the more you can rest your body and let it fully recover, the better you’ll be for it.

Even if all you can manage is to eat, sleep and care for your baby in this postpartum period that is more then enough.

So what is actually happening to our body in the immediate “post-partum” period?

Abdominal Pain.

During pregnancy, your uterus grows exponentially, so it is a given that after your baby has made their grand entrance into the world, your uterus goes back to normal.

As your uterus shrinks, it causes abdominal pain, also known as “after pains.” It can feel like having contractions again, just not as intense. These pains should only last about a week; however, it can take the full six-week period for your uterus to return to normal size. Breastfeeding can help to speed up this process as it stimulates contractions.

It is not unlike period pains, and you can use the same pain-relieving methods. Curl up on the couch with a hot water bottle and cuddle your newborn baby, have your partner make you cups of tea, and even massage your feet to distract you (especially if the pain intensifies when breastfeeding). It is a great excuse for your partner to wait on you, hand and foot.

“Mummy Tummy.”

So many moms will talk to you about their “mommy tummy” post-birth. This is really not something you should focus on in the first six weeks! It took you 9 months to grow and birth a life; it will take more than six weeks for the impact on your body to disappear.

In the meantime, if you feel self-conscious or embarrassed of your droopy abdomen, you can wear some fantastic post-birth supportive underwear that may reduce the appearance. And with the added benefit of holding those maternity pads in place!

Constipation

There are so many things that could cause constipation in this period.

• Analgesics — which you may have received during labor, or are started taking after.
• Iron tablets.
• If you were constipated beforehand.
• Fear — many women are afraid of their first bowel motion post-birth, whether because they believe it may cause more pain or that it may damage any stitches they may have.

Constipation can be relatively easy to treat. Simply ensure you are drinking plenty of water, eating high fiber foods and if you believe you need it, you can take a stool softener.

The fear can be harder to overcome. You just pushed a baby out; your body has been through so much already that it seems unfair to put it through this. However, avoiding going will only make constipation worse.

You got this! You CAN do it!

The thought of it really is much worse than the actual pain of going to the toilet.

Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are annoying and sometimes painful, swelling of the veins in the rectum that can be caused by pushing or may have developed during your pregnancy.

The great news is they are generally super simple to treat and will disappear over time. You can jump in a lovely warm sitz bath — also fantastic to relive the aches and pains of childbirth and decrease swelling and pain in the perineum.

Witch hazel is also a great way to relieve the itchiness and pain of hemorrhoids. There are many over-the-counter creams and other treatments that can help too.

Perineum Pain

If you had a vaginal birth, your perineum and vagina will be tender, swollen, and bruised. You may even have some stitches. It can make sitting down uncomfortable initially; however, after a week, it should all be settling.

Ice packs are fantastic for the first few days. After that, gentle walks, analgesics, and a personal favorite of warm sitz baths! Have your partner run you a bath at a time when you will hopefully not be interrupted by your newborn and soak in the tub.

Bleeding

Vaginal bleeding or discharge post-labor is known as “lochia.” It comes from your uterus shrinking and shedding the lining left from the placenta and is completely normal. It can be as heavy, if not heavier, as your menstrual period, and you can have a gush when you stand in the first few days.

Maternity pads will be your best friends during this short time. It is also a great excuse to have multiple showers a day!

Sore nipples, leaky and engorged breasts!

It is normal to have sore nipples and breasts in those early days of trying to establish breastfeeding. Both you and your baby are learning a new skill, and it can take some time to adjust.

Just like your breasts!

Over the first few weeks, you will have some engorgement as your milk supply adapts to the demands of your baby. The leaking, however, can last your whole breastfeeding journey!

There are fantastic nursing pads out there; you can even buy fashionable reusable ones. Be sure to invest in a beautiful, comfortable, and well-fitting nursing bra or two. They will make everything so much easier. Besides, who doesn’t love a good excuse to go shopping!

Difficulty urinating

The muscles around your bladder and pelvis can become weakened by pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. This can make it harder to control the flow of urine.

With regular pelvic floor exercises (Kegels), you will most likely regain control of these muscles. A good way to remember to do these exercises daily is to incorporate them into a “routine.” Whilst there isn’t much of a routine when you have a newborn, you could try something like every time you feed your baby, you do your Kegels.

Night sweats.

Hormonal shifts usually cause night sweats. As your hormones normalize post-birth, the night sweats should settle down.

Make sure you drink plenty of fluids to replace the water you are losing. A soft absorbent towel over your pillow can also help.

Hair loss.

Once again, those hormones! This time they can cause hair loss. The great thing is it is only temporary.

Take advantage of it and hit up your hairdresser for some new hairstyles. Make sure you request a nice, low-maintenance one.

The emotional journey of the six-week postpartum period.

It is not just a physical journey but also an emotional one, especially for first-time moms who really don’t know what to expect. So much emphasis is placed on pregnancy and childbirth, so what happens when you come home with this tiny little person completely reliant on you for everything?

They do not come with an instruction manual. It is a steep learning curve for everyone.

The important thing to remember is you are NOT alone.

Fluctuating hormones

Have you heard of the “baby blues”? One minute a new mom is happy and excited, then the next, she is sad and crying. It is so common in new moms and is caused by…you guessed it…hormones!

At around day 4, after childbirth, your estrogen levels drop and are replaced by prolactin, the “mothering” hormone. These changes can lead to mood swings, or in other words, the baby blues.

They are nothing to be ashamed of and can be a normal part of the journey. Those wild mood swings, irritability, and weepiness should settle within a few weeks.

(IF they don’t settle, please speak to your GP, midwife, MCHN, or partner. It could be postnatal depression or anxiety).

You may be more emotional and not thinking clearly.

Who can blame you if you are emotional and not thinking as clearly as usual? You have just bought home a newborn baby. Your body has gone through a trauma. You are sleep-deprived, sore, and anxious.

Feeling emotional is normal. Not being able to think clearly is normal. Sleep deprivation can fog your thoughts, not to mention a lot of your focus and brainpower is going to be on how to keep your little newborn baby happy, fed, warm, and comfortable. Things will not seem normal, and you may be struggling with a whole different routine (or lack thereof).

Most of these things you learn as you go. Trust yourself. Your instincts will kick in.

You may feel alone or isolated.

Feeling like you are on this journey alone is common. Especially during the overnight feeds or when your partner returns to work, and you are home alone with your baby.

Mothers groups are fantastic to help with this. They are all going through this newborn phase at the same time, and provide a friend to message at 2 am when you are once more up feeding your baby.

Family and friends who have babies are also a great source of comfort. They will know how you feel and can provide advice, someone to talk to, and a shoulder to cry on.

Super protective, obsessive about germs and handwashing!

Speaking of those amazing mum instincts, some mums become super protective. You may feel anxious and on edge whenever anyone else is holding your baby, even your partner.

This is so relevant in the current state of the pandemic too.

There is so much about a baby you cannot control, but who and what they are exposed to is one thing you CAN control. Is it any wonder some of us become obsessive about it? You incubated your baby in your belly for 9 whole months.

It is so easy to focus on all the negatives of our changed bodies and mental state. The media tends only to show celebrities or influencers who have managed to bounce back within weeks as though they have never grown a little person. For the majority of us, this is unrealistic.

However, with time and patience, we will feel more comfortable with the changes in our lives and our bodies, or your body may even go completely back to your normal!

Instead, focus on what your amazing new body can do NOW!

It goes without sleep so you can provide comfort, food, and cuddles for your new baby.

Your new body will be able to rock and snuggle your baby for hours at a time.

Somehow your new body will still be able to function with little to no sleep.

Your new body provides the necessary nutrients for your baby by producing breast milk. If you are unable to breastfeed, your new body is still capable of mixing up that bottle single-handedly whilst the other holds onto your hungry baby.

Your new body can give your baby cuddles like no one else in the world, and your baby knows it!

So embrace that gorgeous, sleep-deprived, hormone-ridden body of yours.

Your body went above and beyond to grow that hungry little human being but is even now nurturing, loving, and providing comfort for your newborn baby.

You are a super-human.

Rachel Maree is a writer, mum and registered nurse. Bringing you the real truth to parenting, nursing and writing (even when it is downright ugly). You can read more articles or hire her to write amazing content for you — Rachel Maree.

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