# Postpartum recovery: the first weeks

> What your body goes through after birth, and what is not normal

Category: Pregnancy & postpartum · 5 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026
URL: https://splash.care/learn/pregnancy-postpartum/postpartum-recovery

## Quick answer

- Bleeding, cramps and soreness are normal in the first weeks. Bleeding usually stops by 6 to 8 weeks.
- Rest, help and gentle pelvic floor work aid recovery.
- Wait to use tampons or cups until after your 6-week check.
- Heavy bleeding, fever, leg or chest pain or severe headache need urgent care.

You have just grown and birthed a human. Your body deserves time, rest and a lot of snacks. Recovery takes weeks to months, and it is very different for everyone, whether you had a vaginal birth, a caesarean, stitches or a very straightforward birth.

## What is normal

- Bleeding called [Lochia](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/lochia). It is redder and heavier at first, then browns and eases. The NHS says it usually stops after 6 to 8 weeks, but can last longer. You may notice it is heavier when you breastfeed.
- [Cramps](https://splash.care/learn/period-care/cramp-relief), especially while breastfeeding, as your womb shrinks back
- Sore stitches or a sore tummy after a caesarean. Bathe stitches daily in plain warm water and pat dry.
- Tender, full [breasts](https://splash.care/learn/body-literacy/breast-changes) as milk comes in
- [Tummy muscle separation](https://splash.care/learn/glossary#diastasis-recti), a gap between the tummy muscles, which the NHS says usually goes back to normal by around 8 weeks
- Some leaking when you cough or sneeze
- Piles, which usually settle within days or weeks

## Helping yourself heal

- Rest when the baby sleeps, and accept every offer of help
- Start gentle [Pelvic floor](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/pelvic-floor) exercises when you feel ready: squeeze and lift, hold up to 10 seconds, and work up to 10 repeats a few times a day
- Eat well, drink plenty and keep things moving to avoid constipation
- Use maternity or period [pads](https://splash.care/learn/period-care/products-compared), not tampons or cups. The NHS says wait until after your 6-week check, as the womb still has a healing wound.
- For now, skip sit-ups, planks and heavy lifting if your tummy muscles are still apart

**Quick quiz:** When can you use tampons or a menstrual cup after birth, according to the NHS?

1. After the first week
2. After your 6-week postnatal check
3. Whenever the bleeding gets light

Answer: After your 6-week postnatal check. The NHS says not to use internal products until after your 6-week check, because they could raise the chance of infection while the womb heals.

**6 to 8 weeks** When the NHS says you should be offered your postnatal check. You can ask for it yourself.

> **Splash says:** write down questions as they pop up, then take the list to your postnatal check. Nothing is too small to ask, including leaks, pain, mood and sex.

### When to see a doctor

Tell your midwife, GP or health visitor straight away if you have bleeding that smells unusual, gets heavier or contains clots, a temperature over 38C or shivering, worsening tummy or perineum pain, a painful red area on your breast for more than 24 hours, a severe or lasting headache, or leg swelling and tenderness. Call 999 for sudden, very heavy bleeding, feeling faint or dizzy with a pounding heart, chest pain, or trouble breathing. These can be signs of infection, haemorrhage, a blood clot or pre-eclampsia.

## Sources

1. [NHS: Early days after birth](https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/early-days/)
2. [NHS: Your body after the birth](https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/your-body/)
3. [NHS: Your post-pregnancy body](https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/your-post-pregnancy-body/)
4. [NHS: Your 6-week postnatal check](https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/your-6-week-postnatal-check/)
5. [NICE NG194: Postnatal care](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng194)

This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).