Postpartum First 6 Weeks

Physical recovery, mental health monitoring, infant feeding support, baby-care basics, and how partners can provide meaningful help during the fourth trimester.

Physical Recovery — Vaginal Birth

• Use a peri bottle with warm water for every bathroom trip for the first 2 weeks — do not use dry toilet paper on healing perineal tissue
• Use a donut pillow or a Frida Mom postpartum kit (witch hazel pads, perineal spray, disposable underwear) from day one
• Return to exercise only after your 6-week OB clearance — and start with pelvic floor PT before any running or high-impact activity

Physical Recovery — C-Section

• Avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby for 6 weeks — this includes laundry baskets, grocery bags, and toddlers
• Keep the incision site dry and exposed to air when possible — watch for redness, swelling, discharge, or reopening and call your OB immediately if any appear
• Stay ahead of pain: take ibuprofen and acetaminophen on a scheduled rotation for the first week rather than waiting until pain peaks

Mental Health

• Baby blues (tearfulness, mood swings) are normal for the first 2 weeks — if low mood, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts persist beyond 2 weeks, contact your OB immediately
• Postpartum depression affects 1 in 7 birthing people and is treatable — Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale screening is a 10-question tool you can complete at home
• Postpartum anxiety is as common as PPD and often missed — excessive worry, inability to sleep even when the baby sleeps, and racing thoughts are symptoms to discuss with your provider
• Tell your partner specifically what you need — 'I need 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep tonight' is more actionable than 'I'm exhausted'

Feeding

• If breastfeeding, see a lactation consultant (IBCLC) within 48 hours of discharge — latch problems are easier to fix early
• Feed on demand in the first 2 weeks — newborns need 8–12 feedings per 24 hours; watch for feeding cues (rooting, sucking on hands) rather than clock-watching
• Contact your pediatrician if the baby has fewer than 6 wet diapers per day after day 5 — this indicates possible underfeeding or dehydration
• Combination feeding (breast milk + formula) is a valid choice — fed is best; supplementing with formula does not end breastfeeding unless you choose to stop

Baby Basics

• Safe sleep: firm flat surface, no blankets or pillows, back to sleep, no bed-sharing — follow the AAP guidelines at healthychildren.org
• Schedule the newborn's first pediatrician visit within 2–5 days of hospital discharge — they check weight, jaundice, and feeding
• Do not shake or jostle the baby's head vigorously even in play — Shaken Baby Syndrome is preventable; if overwhelmed, put the baby down safely and step away

Partner Support

• The partner's primary role in the early weeks is managing everything outside of feeding: cooking, cleaning, older children, and visitors
• Run interference on well-meaning visitors — limit visits to 20–30 minutes in the first 2 weeks; say 'she's resting, I'll tell her you called'
• Take one full overnight shift per night where the non-birthing parent handles all baby wakings — this gives the primary caregiver one 4–5 hour sleep block