Postnatal check-ups
WHO recommends that mother and baby receive postnatal care in the first 24 hours and several contacts across the first 6 weeks. These visits check healing, feeding, mood and the baby’s growth. Keep every appointment, even if you feel well.
Your body
Bleeding (lochia) that slowly fades, afterpains, perineal or caesarean-wound soreness and tiredness are all normal. Rest when you can, eat and drink well, and ask for help. Seek care for heavy bleeding, fever, a hot painful leg, or a wound that looks infected.
Mind & mood
Brief "baby blues" in the first days are common. But sadness, anxiety or hopelessness that lasts beyond two weeks, or any frightening thoughts, deserve support — perinatal depression is common and treatable. Talk to your midwife, doctor or a helpline.
What a postnatal check-up actually covers
Every postnatal contact follows the same thread: your midwife or doctor looks at how your body is healing, how feeding is going, and how you are feeling. You will be asked whether your bleeding is easing, whether your perineum or wound is sore, whether passing urine and opening your bowels are comfortable, and whether your breasts feel fine. It is also when contraception, getting back to physical activity and pelvic floor exercises are discussed.
Prepare for these visits by jotting down questions as they come to you, including the ones that feel too small to mention. A discomfort you are embarrassed about, tiredness that worries you, a feed that hurts: all of it belongs in the conversation. Your baby is checked at the same time, with an eye on weight and feeding. If something concerns you between two appointments, do not wait for the next one to call.
Perineum, bladder and bowels
After a vaginal birth it is common to feel heaviness in the perineum, to leak a little urine when you cough or laugh, or to dread the first bowel movement. These problems usually improve with time, but they should not be kept quiet. Drinking enough, eating fibre and going when you need to all help your bowels settle. If you have stitches, pain that gets worse rather than better, an unusual smell or a fever are reasons to ring your midwife or doctor promptly.
Pelvic floor exercises, shown to you by a professional, are part of recommended care after birth. Start gently and never push through pain. Leaking that carries on, a feeling of a bulge or dragging in the vagina, or difficulty holding wind or stool deserve a dedicated appointment: these conditions can be treated, and you do not have to put up with them.
Rest, help and visitors
The first weeks are not a race. Your body is recovering from a huge effort and your sleep is broken up by your baby’s needs. Sleeping when the baby sleeps, even for twenty minutes, is a necessity rather than a luxury. Accept the help you are offered with meals, housework, shopping or older children, and ask for it when it does not come on its own.
Visitors can be a real comfort, as long as they leave you rested rather than drained. You are allowed to limit them, keep visits short or put them off. After a caesarean, everyday activities come back gradually: avoid lifting anything heavy at first and ask your care team what is sensible for you. A short walk each day, once you feel up to it, supports both your recovery and your mood.
Partners, couples and the people around you
Mental health after a birth is not only about the mother. Partners can also feel overwhelmed, anxious or low, and deserve the same attention. Talking openly about how each of you is feeling, without trying to be perfect, helps a couple get through this period. A partner who notices a lasting change in mood, withdrawal or worrying comments from the new mother can encourage her to speak to her midwife or doctor, or call for advice themselves.
The people around you have a recognised protective role: feeling supported and listened to lightens the load of the early weeks. If you are isolated, tell your care team, who will know about parent groups, home visits and helplines near you. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, contact emergency services or a helpline straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How long does bleeding last after birth?
Lochia eases gradually over several weeks, changing from bright red to pink, then brownish or yellowish. Bleeding that suddenly becomes heavy again, contains large clots, or comes with a fever or feeling unwell should be reported without delay to your midwife, your doctor or emergency services.
When can I start exercising again?
Build activity back up gradually, starting with walking and pelvic floor exercises, as soon as you feel able and free of pain. After a caesarean or stitches, ask your midwife or doctor for advice before returning to more intense or high-impact exercise.
When can I have sex again, and do I need contraception?
There is no set date: wait until you feel ready and are no longer in pain. Pregnancy can happen before your periods return, even while breastfeeding. Contraception is discussed at postnatal check-ups, so do ask your midwife or doctor any questions you have.
How do I tell baby blues from postnatal depression?
Baby blues arrive in the first days, bring tearfulness and irritability, and pass on their own. Sadness, anxiety or loss of interest that lasts beyond two weeks, gets worse, or stops you managing daily life points towards depression: speak to a professional about it.
What is recovery like after a caesarean?
A caesarean is surgery, so tiredness and discomfort around the wound are expected. Look at the wound each day and report any spreading redness, discharge, increasing pain or fever. Return to everyday activities gradually, following the advice of your care team.
I feel overwhelmed. Who can I talk to?
Your midwife, your doctor or whoever is looking after your baby: they are used to these conversations and will not judge you. Helplines are there too, at any hour, for you and your partner. If you have thoughts that frighten you, contact emergency services immediately.
This article gives general information. It does not replace advice from a healthcare professional.
Sources
Sources checked on 2026-09-06.