The Postpartum Period: Healing, Recovery, and Support

20 July

The postpartum period is a time of profound change physically, hormonally, and emotionally. After giving birth, your body begins the natural process of healing and adapting to new routines and demands. Understanding what’s normal and how to support your recovery can help you feel more confident and comfortable during this transition.

Below we explore some key areas of postpartum healing from perineal care and bleeding, to emotional wellbeing, pelvic health and how osteopathy can support your recovery.

🌿 Perineal Region Care and Healing

Whether you’ve had a vaginal or caesarean birth, the perineal area can feel sore, swollen, or tender. Supporting healing in these early days can make a big difference in your comfort and recovery.

Promote Healing

Apply ice to the area for the first 24–48 hours, 20 minutes at a time.
Gently connect with your breath and pelvic floor awareness helps circulation and recovery.
Nourish from within with bone broth, collagen, Vitamin C and Zinc to support tissue repair.
And most importantly rest. Healing is your body’s full-time job right now.

Hygiene

Change maternity pads every 3–4 hours for the first few days (and as needed afterward).
Use a peri bottle with warm water after using the toilet, and pat dry don’t wipe.
A SITS bath can soothe the area: fill a shallow bath with lukewarm water, add ¼ cup of Epsom salts and witch hazel, and gently submerge for 10–15 minutes.
Avoid soaps or scented products and pat dry afterward.

Avoid Constipation

Constipation adds unnecessary pressure on the pelvic floor. To support regular bowel movements:

Drink 2 litres of water daily.
Avoid opioid medications if possible.
Use stool softeners if recommended.
Don’t delay your first bowel movement.
Try a squatty potty or adopt a supported toilet posture.
Include prunes or fibre-rich foods in your diet.

When to Seek Medical Care

If you notice redness, swelling, pus, persistent pain, or an unusual smell around stitches or tissue, contact your healthcare provider these may be signs of infection.

🩸 Bleeding (Lochia)

Postpartum bleeding, or lochia, is part of your body’s natural healing process. It occurs after both vaginal and caesarean births.

Days 1–2: Bright red bleeding, often requiring pad changes hourly.
First week: Flow slows and changes colour from red to pink or brown.
7–10 days: The uterus continues to contract, helping tissues heal and reduce bleeding.
Most people find bleeding stops within 4–6 weeks.

You may notice heavier bleeding:

In the morning
After breastfeeding (due to oxytocin release)
After exercise

Retained Placenta

Seek medical care immediately if you notice any of the following, 24 hours after birth:

Soaking more than one pad every 1–2 hours
Sudden increase in bleeding or large clots
Blood returning to bright red
Dizziness, weakness, sweating, or shortness of breath
Foul smell or fever

🌬️ Breathing and Pelvic Floor Connection

From day 1–14 postpartum, gently reconnect to your breathing and pelvic floor. Deep diaphragmatic breathing encourages circulation and helps restore coordination between your breath and pelvic muscles.

Engage the pelvic floor during functional activities such as coughing, sneezing, or lifting to support healing and retrain anticipatory muscle function.

After feeding or nursing, try to move your body or change positions to support circulation and posture.

👗 Support Garments

Support garments can play a key role in comfort and recovery:

Many women find they help reduce pain
SRC Restore shorts have been shown to positively impact continence and quality of life (Donovan & Deane, 2020).
Abdominal binders and core exercises can support healing of abdominal separation (DRA).
Tubi grip or gentle wraps can also provide support when using wraps, always start from the bottom up.

🚶 Movement and Gentle Exercise

Early postpartum movement should be slow, mindful, and guided by how your body feels.

Begin with short, gentle walks, paying attention to any increase in symptoms.
Relearn functional movements such as hip hinging or safely getting up from the floor to protect your back and pelvic floor.
Listen to your body; rest when you need to.

💧 Pelvic Health Symptoms: When to See an Osteopath

Pelvic health osteopathy can support your recovery and help you address common postpartum issues early.

Consider booking in if you experience:

Leaking when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or lifting baby
Difficulty emptying your bladder or bowels
Pain or discomfort during intercourse
Urgency or rushing to the toilet
Heaviness, bulging, or dragging in the vagina
Pelvic, lower back, hip, or coccyx pain

You don’t need to wait until your six-week check to begin care. Osteopathy can help you create a whole-person recovery plan addressing posture, breathing, mobility, and pelvic floor health together.

💙 Emotional Wellbeing

Postpartum Blues

Up to 80% of new mums experience “baby blues” usually starting 1–3 days after birth and lasting up to two weeks.

Common signs include:

Mood swings, anxiety, or tearfulness
Trouble sleeping
Feeling overwhelmed

This often passes naturally, but support, rest, and connection does make a big difference.

Loneliness and Connection

Postpartum loneliness is very common 1 in 3 parents often feel lonely, and 82% experience it at least sometimes (British Red Cross, 2018). Reaching out to friends, family, or community groups can help you feel more connected.

Postpartum Depression

Some parents experience deeper, longer-lasting symptoms. Risk factors include:

Past depression, trauma, or pregnancy loss
Limited social support
Difficult recovery or baby with special needs

Signs to look out for:

Persistent low mood or numbness
Feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness
Loss of interest in your baby or daily life
Sleep or appetite changes
Thoughts of harm

If you notice these signs, reach out to your GP, midwife, or mental health professional. Early support is essential, and recovery is possible.

🌸 Osteopathy and Postpartum Support

Osteopathy can gently support your body’s recovery after birth improving mobility, circulation, and alignment while helping you reconnect to your core and pelvic floor. Each treatment is tailored to your needs, whether you’re managing pelvic pain, back tension, or simply wanting to feel at home in your body again.

Your postpartum journey is unique. You don’t have to go through it alone your osteopath can help you move, heal, and thrive through every stage of recovery.

Call us today if you would like to know more.