The fourth trimester, honestly
Recovery gets a fraction of the attention pregnancy does. This is everything I wish I'd been told: what to pack, what's normal, what helps, and when to call someone.
Start here
The postpartum guides I'd send a friend
Recovery, week by week
In the hospital
Bleeding and exhaustion are at their heaviest. Use every peri bottle and ice pack they offer, and take the spares home.
The postpartum kit →Home, and sore
Rest as much as you can and accept every meal offered. Baby blues often peak around days 3–5 and ease within two weeks.
Blues vs PPD →Finding your feet
Short walks, if your provider's OK with it. Keep taking it slow, even on the days you feel better.
A realistic night-shift plan →Your postpartum check
Bring a list. Ask about pelvic floor, mood, sleep and contraception. Nothing is too small to mention.
Questions to ask →Start with the problem
The things moms actually search at 3am, and what helped us.Postpartum recovery kit
Pack it at 35 weeks, and leave half of it in the bathroom at home.
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Call your provider, or 911, if you have
- Bleeding that soaks through a pad in an hour, or large clots
- A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- A severe headache that won't go away, or changes in your vision
- Trouble breathing or chest pain
- Pain, swelling or redness in one leg
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Struggling, and in the US? The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential and open 24/7: call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
Every postpartum post
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More postpartum posts are coming soon.
This page is based on personal experience and common guidance. It isn't medical advice. Always follow your own provider's discharge instructions. This page contains affiliate links.
Your recovery kit, packed before baby
The printable postpartum kit list, plus the notes I wish I'd had for the first two weeks home.
- The full kit list, split into hospital bag and bathroom basket
- What's normal in weeks 1–6, in plain language
- A page of questions for your postpartum check