Postpartum 101: The Basics of What’s Coming

Postpartum 101: The Basics of What’s Coming 💛

You’re almost there—your baby is coming soon! 🎉
You’ve spent so much time getting ready for birth. Now let’s talk about what comes after.

The postpartum period is the time after your baby is born. It’s a time of healing, learning, and big changes. Some parts may feel beautiful. Some parts may feel hard. Most days will be a mix of both—and that’s completely normal.

We’re in this with you 🤍

🩺 Your Body Will Be Healing
Your body just did something incredible. Now it needs time to recover.

You may have:

• Bleeding for a few weeks
• Soreness (especially in your belly or vaginal area)
• Swelling or cramping
• Feeling very tired

If you had gestational diabetes, your blood sugar may change quickly after birth. Your care team will guide you and may check your levels again later.

Healing takes time. Be gentle with yourself.

What Happens in the First 6–8 Weeks Postpartum 💛

The first 6–8 weeks after birth are often called the “early postpartum period.” This is when your body is doing a huge amount of healing and adjusting—all at once.

Here’s what you can expect.

🩸 Bleeding (Lochia)
After birth, it’s normal to have vaginal bleeding called lochia. This can last for several weeks.

• It often starts bright red
• Then gradually turns pink, brown, and finally yellow or white
• It may come and go, especially after activity or breastfeeding

🤱 Uterus shrinking (involution)
Your uterus grew a lot during pregnancy—and now it’s going back to its normal size.

As it shrinks, you may feel cramping. These are often called afterpains.

• They can feel like strong period cramps
• They may be more noticeable while breastfeeding
• They usually get better over the first week or two

This process is a sign your body is healing exactly as it should. Try a warm compress or heating pad on your lower abdomen to help reduce pain.

💦 Night sweats and hormone shifts
After birth, your hormone levels drop quickly. This can lead to night sweats.

You might wake up feeling very warm or sweaty, even if the room is cool. This is common in the first couple of weeks as your body adjusts and releases extra fluid from pregnancy.

It can feel strange—but it is normal.

🍼 Milk coming in and supply changes
If you are breastfeeding, your milk usually comes in a few days after birth.

• Your breasts may feel full, heavy, or tender
• You may feel leaking or tingling
• Feeding or pumping helps regulate your supply

In the early weeks, your milk supply is still “learning” with your baby. It adjusts based on how often milk is removed.

If you are not breastfeeding, your body will still go through hormonal changes that may include fullness or discomfort for a short time.

Engorgement vs. Low Milk Supply: What’s the Difference? 🍼💛

In the first weeks after birth, many new parents worry about milk supply. Two of the most confusing experiences are engorgement and low supply—but they are actually very different.

Understanding the difference can help you feel more confident and less stressed.

We’ve got you 🤍

💦 What is engorgement?

Engorgement happens when your breasts are very full of milk, blood, and extra fluid. This is most common in the first few days after your milk comes in.

What it can feel like:

• Breasts are very full, firm, or tight
• Swelling or heaviness
• Warmth or throbbing
• Difficulty latching baby because the breast feels too hard
• Some discomfort or pain

Engorgement is often temporary and happens as your body is learning how much milk your baby needs.

What helps:

• Feeding or pumping regularly
• Gentle massage or hand expression
• Warm compress before feeding, cold after feeding
• Making sure baby is latching well

🫶 What is low milk supply?

Low supply is when your body is not making enough milk for your baby’s needs.

Signs may include:

• Baby seems hungry after most feeds
• Few wet or dirty diapers (your pediatrician will track this closely)
• Baby not gaining weight as expected
• Breasts often feel soft even after feeds (though this alone is not a reliable sign)

It’s important to know: many parents think they have low supply when they actually don’t. Newborn feeding patterns can be frequent and intense, especially during growth spurts.

🔄 Key difference

• Engorgement = too full (temporary early phase)
• Low supply = not enough milk being produced for baby’s needs (less common than people think)

They can feel similar emotionally—both can cause worry—but physically they are very different experiences.

💛 A gentle truth

Your milk supply is not “set” in the first few days. It adjusts over time based on demand—how often your baby feeds and removes milk.

Early feeding can feel unpredictable, but your body is learning.

You are learning too.

🤍 When to reach out

It’s always okay to ask for help if:

• Feeding feels painful
• You’re unsure if baby is getting enough
• You feel anxious about supply

Lactation consultants and pediatricians are there to support you—not judge you.

[[Enter ways to find a lac consultant]]

😴 Sleep Will Look Different
Newborns wake up often—day and night.

You may only sleep in short chunks at first. This can feel hard and emotional. If you can, try to rest when your baby sleeps—even short naps help.

🍼 Feeding Takes Time to Learn
Whether you breastfeed, bottle-feed, or both, feeding your baby is a learning process.

At first, it may feel confusing or even frustrating. That’s okay. You and your baby are learning together.

Support is always okay to ask for. [List resources here]

💭 Your Emotions May Go Up and Down
You might feel:

• Happy and in love
• Overwhelmed or anxious
• Tearful for no clear reason

This is very common, especially in the first couple of weeks.

If sad or worried feelings last a long time or feel too big, it’s important to talk to your doctor. You deserve support. [Link to the difference between baby blues and when it could be something more]]

🏠 Daily Life Will Change
Simple things—like showering, cooking, or leaving the house—may take more effort.

Your baby will need a lot of care, and your routine will shift. This is a big adjustment, not a small one. So be patient with yourself. Say no to more in order to carve out extra time to move through the world a little slower. Protect your peace.

🤝 You Will Need Support
You are not meant to do this alone.

Try to line up help now:

• Someone to bring meals
• Someone to hold the baby while you rest
• Someone to talk to

Support is not a luxury—it’s part of your care.

⏳ It Takes More Than 6 Weeks
You may hear that postpartum lasts 6–8 weeks. That’s just physical healing.

In reality, recovery and adjustment take much longer—months, even longer for some things.

There is no rush to “bounce back.”

🤍 A Note for You
You are not just caring for a baby—you are becoming a new version of yourself.

Take it one day at a time.
Lower the pressure.
Accept help.

And remember—we’re here for you through every moment of postpartum. Not just the first few weeks… but all of it 💛

Need answers from other moms in the same boat: Explore our community boards to ask a question or leave behind a comment or tip that has helped you before. [[Link to community boards]]