In India, postpartum confinement typically lasts up to 40 days. This seclusion is to protect the new mother and her infant not only from evil spirits, but also from exposure to illness, because both are considered to be in a vulnerable state after birth.
The first 40 days after delivery are considered important both for the mother and the baby. Traditionally, it's thought to be the time a new mum needs to recover from birth, and a newborn needs to get strong enough to face the outside world.
The 40-day period is called the lochial period, from 'lochia' the normal vaginal discharge of cell debris and blood after birth. The Bible says “40 days” for the vaginal discharge resulting from involution and can also be described as the red lochia, lasting 4–6 weeks [29].
No matter how you delivered your baby, the postpartum recovery period is generally considered to be the first six weeks after childbirth. This doesn't mean that at six weeks you'll magically bounce back to pre-baby condition.
Prepare for the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed. This gives you a solid two weeks of focused intentional rest. It also helps to get your priorities in order when it comes to those eager visitors. They will get to see the baby, but they don't get to make the rules.
If your postnatal bleeding (lochia) gets heavier or changes colour (becomes pink or red) after activity, you could be overdoing it. You're also likely to feel very tired. Listen to your body. Pace yourself and make sure you get plenty of rest too.
While six weeks has long been the traditional timeline for rest and recuperation after a birth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends ongoing postpartum care from birth to 12 weeks. Six weeks is also the standard recovery time allotted for childbirth-related short-term disability leave.
Most doctors recommend waiting six weeks after giving birth to have sex again. This allows for general healing and for your body to recover from specific birth-related issues, such as: Vaginal tear or episiotomy (an incision that enlarges the vaginal opening for the baby to come through) Cesarean incision.
Most doctors advise not to put anything in the vagina—including toys, fingers, and penises—for four to six weeks to allow for healing and reduce the risk of complications.
Your uterus contracts and you'll be good as new soon. But to be sure to allow time for that healing, medical providers recommend a waiting period. Inserting items into your vagina could potentially introduce bacteria, which could travel through your cervix and into your uterus, and cause infection. Yikes!
Don't drink alcohol, use street drugs or use harmful drugs. All of these can affect your mood and make you feel worse. And they can make it hard for you to take care of your baby. Ask for help from your partner, family and friends.
If you had a healthy pregnancy and a normal vaginal delivery, you should be able to start exercising again soon after the baby is born. Usually, it is safe to begin exercising a few days after giving birth—or as soon as you feel ready.
Driving after having a baby
There is no rule or legal requirement about when you can start driving again after giving birth vaginally. But it is best to wait until any medication is out of your system, you're not in pain and you feel comfortable and confident before you get behind the wheel.
Most obstetricians would recommend a woman to wait for 6-12 weeks before resuming work after childbirth as this is the time required to recover physically and mentally from the pregnancy journey.
Other red flags to take note of are: chills, abdominal pain, foul-smelling discharge or a foul-smelling incision cite, redness, swelling, tenderness or pain in the breast, abdomen, or uterus, or flu-like symptoms.
Activities like spinning can be great for postpartum women who are having trouble walking, but be wary of leaning over and putting too much strain on a C-section scar.
"The structural and hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy don't just disappear as soon as your baby is delivered, and overdoing it after pregnancy can result in urine or feces leakages, pelvis discomfort, joint pain and even injury."
Take on light household chores
Similarly, you should be able to resume day-to-day tasks around the house without much trouble around two weeks after delivery. "But always listen to your body," notes Dr. Raghuraman. "If there is any discomfort, immediately stop and rest."
How long does it take a vaginal tear to heal? Most women feel relief from any pain caused by a vaginal tear in about two weeks. If your tear required stitches, they will dissolve within six weeks.
The cervix generally doesn't close fully for around six weeks, so up until that point, there's the risk of introducing bacteria into the uterus and ending up with an infection, Pari Ghodsi, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn based in Los Angeles, tells SELF.
“Generally, after a vaginal birth, a person can take a shower as soon as they are able to stand,” says Dr. Ghosh. “If you had an epidural, we recommend waiting until the pain medication has worn off to ensure that you can safely stand up on your own.
How much weight do you lose after giving birth? Once baby has been delivered (along with their accompanying placenta and amniotic fluid), most women lose an average of 10 to 13 pounds.