The first 90 days postpartum is a very special and joyous time filled. For many parents, it is also a time filled with stress and anxiety as you navigate the newborn stage. While you’re figuring out how to take care of your little human, you may also be wondering what the hell happened to your body and how long will it take for you to feel somewhat normal again. A lot of times the struggles of postpartum recovery is not shared publicly. After baby is born, we will see photos of the precious newborn and are in awe. There is also another side to postpartum that many don’t share but is equally as important in preparing expectant moms and their partners for this time period.
This post is not meant to scare away expectant moms. It’s meant to inform and prepare expectants moms for what’s to come in the first 30-60-90 days postpartum so you aren’t surprised like I was and can be better prepared.
What to Expect in Your First 90 Days
In the first 30 days, you may not feel like your normal self. Your body is going through a lot of hormonal changes after giving birth. Your body is still holding onto some of that pregnancy weight, even though you may feel a lot lighter. Depending on what type of birth you had (vaginal birth or c-section), your recovery time will vary. In this blog post, we’ll share what you can expect and how to prepare for your postpartum recovery for vaginal birth.
Below are a few things to expect for your first 30 days:
- Postpartum bleeding. In the first month or so, you can expect continued bleeding as your uterus shrinks back to its normal size. Plan to stock up on disposable underwear like this Always Discreet Postpartum Underwear. They were a lifesaver for me during the first few weeks when my bleeding was heavy and for those unexpected leaks.
- Contractions and/or cramping. After giving birth and once your milk supply comes in, you may notice intense menstrual cramping for the first couple weeks while breastfeeding. This was a surprise to me the first time I was breastfeeding. I felt intense cramps and when I mentioned this to the nurse, they said that was completely normal. The breastfeeding causes the release of the hormone oxytocin which causes contractions in your uterus muscle.
- Vaginal soreness. This may seem obvious that after you have a baby, your vagina will be sore. If you had tearing during your delivery, you may also have some stitching which may cause additional discomfort. It’s super important to take care of yourself during the first few months, get lots of rest (as much as you can with a newborn), and ask for support.
- No bladder control. Your pelvic floor, which holds and lifts your bladder and uterus, will loosen during pregnancy and labor in order to make space for delivering your baby. So it’s no surprise that your bladder control will feel a lot weaker postpartum. Expect some leakage and or accidents. Embarrassingly, I had a few accidents postpartum and even ‘til this day (2 years postpartum), I can’t hold my bladder as strong as I used to. If you would like support in strengthening your pelvic floor, it is recommended to see a pelvic floor therapist who specialize in examining and improving your pelvic floor muscles.
- Hunger cravings. This may be a blessing or a curse. I always joked with my husband that it feels like I’m feeding a bottomless pit when I was breastfeeding. I would wake up in the middle of night because I was starving and would pop open some quick frozen wonton noodle from Costco to eat. It’s amazing what our bodies can do. If you’re breastfeeding, you will feel intense hunger cravings as your body is revving up enough calories to feed a growing tiny human.
- Hair loss. It is so true what they say about postpartum hair loss. I felt like I shed enough hair in the first year to make a wig! It was quite shocking. For me, the hair loss didn’t start until around 3-4 months, but for some women, it may be earlier.
- Weight loss. You will notice that your body will naturally lose your pregnancy weight over the first few months as your uterus shrinks back to its normal size. If you’re breastfeeding, your weight loss will be accelerated. Honestly, it was nice to feel like I was losing weight without even trying. Your body is burning a significant amount of calories during breastfeeding so this will speed up your weight loss.
How to Prepare for Your Postpartum Recovery
Given the long recovery process of postpartum, meticulous preparation and planning will be your friend. In the first 1-3 days while you’re recovering in the hospital, your healthcare provider will provide you with many resources and supplies to help aid your recovery. Don’t be shy to ask the nurses for extra supplies. We took home extra diapers, wipes, blankets, formula and brand new bottles!
As you plan for your postpartum recovery, here are a few essentials to consider:
- Epsom salt sitz baths. Taking a sitz bath will help reduce vaginal soreness and it can be a nice way to decompress from taking care of a newborn. You can purchase a sitz bath like this one which goes over your toilet seat or you can draw yourself a little bath in your bath tub if your doctor gives you the okay. Use lukewarm water when you’re preparing your bath and plan to soak for at least 15 minutes.
- Invest in an aromatherapy diffuser. One of my favorite self-care rituals during and after pregnancy is using my oil diffuser. The essential oils helped reduce my pregnancy nausea and energy levels. My favorite essential oils include peppermint, citrus, and lavendar from Young Living.
- Fridamom Recovery Essentials Kit. This is a must have for postpartum recovery! The Fridamom line is my favorite. It includes everything you need and my favorite product of theirs were their ice maxi pads. It feels amaaaaazing!! I ran out of them within a week and had to restock. They were so soothing for all the soreness that I felt down there after delivery. This was seriously the best part of my postpartum recovery!
- Tucks. Another must-have is the Tucks cooling pads with witch hazel. Similar to the Fridamom’s ice packs, it has the cooling effect to provide relief from the burning and soreness that you will feel if you’ve had vaginal delivery. I used this all day long for the first 60-90 days, because they were more affordable and lasted longer than the ice packs. Your hospital will likely provide some for you, but it might be a good idea to have additional supply on hand once you run out.
- Donut cushion seat. This was something I didn’t think I needed before I gave birth until… I gave birth and realized that sitting on anything hurt like hell. I remember sitting down on my dining chair eating my dinner once we returned from the hospital and I refused to sit down because it irritated my bottom. Once I purchased this donut cushion seat, it was a game changer and I could finally enjoy meals at my dining table like a normal human being.
- Stock up on quick and easy microwaveable food. Having quick and easy microwavable food for the first 30 days is so important. Continue to stock up on your favorite frozen items. Some of mine included the wonton noodle soup and Yakisoba from Costco and breakfast burritos. Anything that will fill you up quick because when those hunger cravings come, they will come with a vengeance. This will be the hungriest you’ve probably ever felt.
- Ask for support. It’s not easy to ask for help, especially if you’re like me who has always prided myself on being independent and not relying on others. But this is not the time for that. This is the one time in your life where you have a ticket to ask your friends and family for anything – so take advantage of it! Before giving birth, ask a few friends and family members close by if they can help during the first 30-60-90 days. And if they say yes, make sure you follow up! We had my mother-in-law’s support for the first few months and I can’t tell you how much it helped us. She would cook warm-home cooked meals for me and offered to watch our son during the nights so we could catch up on sleep. If you don’t have someone close by to help out, consider hiring a postpartum doula or nurse for support for a few days or nights a week until you and your partner get in the rhythm and gain confidence on your own.
- Schedule a Lactation Consultant (LC) in advance. As a recommendation from our birth doula, we scheduled a Lactation Consultant to come to our home during the first couple weeks postpartum. This was a big help because it was so convenient for her to come to our home and help us troubleshoot a few things we had issues with, such as my posture during breastfeeding to prevent neck and shoulder pain and specific techniques like how to listen for the baby’s suckling to ensure a proper latch. Who knew breastfeeding was so complicated? Breastfeeding can be stressful for many new moms. You will likely have a LC visit you during your hospital stay during your first few days. If not, ask your nurse if you can see one each day during your hospital stay. Each LC will be different in the type of advice and feedback they provide you so try to see as many LCs as possible. Pro tip: it will also be beneficial to follow up with a Lactation Consultant after your first week postpartum to ensure your milk supply and latch is working efficiently for you and your baby.
Hope this post helps you feel less stressed and more prepared for your postpartum recovery so you can focus and enjoy those precious moments with your baby!
Let me know in the comments what is your biggest stress when it comes to postpartum recovery.
