What will be happening to my body for the first few days?

You will have a lot of physical and emotional changes in the first few days after having your baby. This page explains what to expect after a vaginal or caesarean birth.

Lochia (bleeding from your vagina)

After having a baby, you’ll bleed from your vagina. The blood is called 'lochia', and usually has 3 stages.

'Lochia rubra' is bright red and heavy and might have clots. This usually happens around 3 to 4 days after birth. At this stage, you should change your maternity pads often.

'Lochia serosa' usually happens around 4 to 10 days after birth, and is when the bleeding will become lighter and change to a reddish-brown colour.

'Lochia alba' will usually start around 10 to 28 days after birth. At this stage, the discharge is white or yellow in colour and contains very little blood.

You can expect to see lochia for up to 6 weeks.

Bleeding from your vagina is normal, but if you pass large clots or notice a bad smell, tell your midwife.

After-birth pains

After-birth pains can feel like period pain. This pain is due to your uterus contracting back to its pre-pregnancy size.

You are more likely to get after-birth pains if this is not your first baby.

You might notice after-birth pains when you’re breastfeeding. As your baby suckles, your body makes hormones that shrink your uterus (make it smaller).

A warm pack on your tummy may help. You can also take paracetamol 30 minutes before breastfeeding.

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Your vulva and vagina

Your vagina and vulva may continue to feel tender for a few days after a vaginal birth. An icepack and pain-relief medicines should help with the pain.

Lying down and taking the pressure off your bottom can also help relieve the pain.

Wearing firm supportive underwear may help reduce any pain and discomfort. Consider wearing control briefs for the first 6 weeks after birth. You will need clothes 2 sizes bigger than your pre-pregnancy size. So, if you were a size 12 before you were pregnant, buy size 16 briefs.

If you’ve had stitches, bathe the area often in clean, warm water to help it heal. Have a bath or shower with plain warm water and then dry yourself carefully. Your stitches will dissolve in 1 to 2 weeks.

Remember to sit down gently and lie on your side rather than on your back whenever possible.

Pelvic floor exercises will help with healing. It’s recommended that you start pelvic floor exercises as soon as you are comfortable to do so. These will also help with any incontinence issues you may be having.

Using the toilet

Drink lots of water. This will dilute your urine and may make it sting less. It will also help to stop you becoming constipated.

You probably won’t open your bowels (poo) for a few days after giving birth.

To avoid constipation, eat lots of:

• fresh fruit
• fresh vegetables
• wholemeal bread
• wholemeal cereals

This will also help to lower your chance of haemorrhoids (piles). Try not to strain.

You may find yourself leaking urine (wee) after you laugh or cough. Pelvic floor exercises can help with this.

If you don’t see an improvement, tell your doctor who can refer you to a physiotherapist.

Caesarean section scar

It will usually take longer to recover after a caesarean section (C-section) than after a vaginal birth. Your scar may be sore and uncomfortable for a few weeks.

Generally, dissolving stitches are used. This means that you won’t have to get your stitches removed.

It’s safe to bathe the area in clean, warm water. Remember to dry yourself carefully. You may find it more comfortable to wear loose clothing.

If your stitches are uncomfortable or you have signs of infection, speak with your doctor or midwife as soon as possible.

When do I start breastfeeding?

Between 2 to 5 days after your baby is born your breastmilk will come in. This is when your breasts start making breastmilk. Breastmilk is thin and blueish white in colour.

The more often your baby breastfeeds, the sooner you’ll build up a good supply.

It’s common for newborns to feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. This means that you’ll be feeding every 2 to 3 hours — including at night.

Feed your baby whenever they want to feed. This makes sure that your milk supply keeps up with your baby’s needs.

If your baby is very sleepy, you may need to wake them up to feed them.

When is the best time to sleep?

Early on, you won’t get a lot of sleep at night. So, try to sleep any time your baby is asleep, day or night.

Newborns tend to sleep for as little as 50 minutes to 2 hours at a time. So, try to get some sleep when you can.

What emotional changes should I expect?

Giving birth is both physically and emotionally exhausting. Your hormones will also change in the first few days after birth.

You might find that your emotions go up and down — from being elated to feeling very down. This is normal.

In the first few days after giving birth, you may feel:

• teary
• irritable
• more sensitive than usual

These feelings are known as the baby blues, and they’re normal, too. This will usually pass in less than 2 weeks.

When should I see my doctor?

If you’re still having the blues 2 weeks after giving birth or thinking about hurting yourself or your baby at any time, call your doctor. This could be a sign of postnatal depression.

Also talk to your doctor or midwife straight away if you feel unwell and have:

• pain, swelling or redness in the calf muscle of one leg
• pain in your chest
• sudden, heavy vaginal bleeding
• high temperature
• severe headaches
• blurred vision
• vomiting

These are signs that you need immediate treatment.

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What vaccinations will I be offered?

If you are not immune to rubella, you may be offered a mumps, measles, rubella vaccination (MMR).

You should also have the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine soon after giving birth. If you had your baby in hospital, it will be offered before you leave. Your partner and any other close friends or family members should also be vaccinated against pertussis.

When will I go home?

You may be able to go home 4 to 6 hours after a vaginal birth in a public hospital or birth centre. A midwife may visit you at home to give postnatal care and breastfeeding advice.

You may need to stay in hospital longer if:

• you had an assisted delivery (forceps or ventouse)
• you had a caesarean birth
• you are unwell
• your baby is unwell

If you have your baby in a private hospital, you might be able to stay longer. Ask your hospital how long you can expect to stay in hospital.

If you had a home birth you can be supported at home after the birth by a midwife.

Should I have any visitors?

You might find a lot of people want to come to see you and meet your baby. That’s great, but it can be tiring for you both.

It’s up to you how many visitors you have, and when. Try to get as much rest as possible.

If you feel exhausted, you can always avoid visitors for a while.

When can I have sex again?

There is no right or wrong time to start having sex again. Don’t be surprised if you have little interest in sex after giving birth. Sexual desire can be affected by:

• your physical recovery — your vulva and vagina may be sore for weeks or months
• exhaustion — due to a lack of sleep
• hormonal changes — can lead to discomfort during sex

To avoid another pregnancy, you should use contraception from 21 days after giving birth. It is ok to use:

• condoms
• progestogen-only pills
• a contraceptive implant

At your 6-week check-up, discuss other options for contraception with your doctor or midwife.

While breastfeeding can reduce your fertility, it should not be relied on for contraception.

Recovery from birth

Whether you have a vaginal birth or caesarean section, sometimes birth isn’t straight forward.

If you have had a difficult birth or complications after birth, it’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider while you are still in hospital.

If you or your partner are struggling with your feelings, support is available. The Australian Birth Trauma Association offers advice, resources and a peer-to-peer support service.

Resources and support

You can find out more about your baby's first 24 hours.

ForWhen — connects new and expecting parents to perinatal and infant mental health services and supports in their local area. You can call them on 1300 24 23 22.

The Australian Birth Trauma Association offers advice, resources and a peer-to-peer support service.

The Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) provides information and a list of support services.

Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) — call 1300 726 306 to speak with a counsellor.