The Importance of Postpartum Care: Tips for the Newborn Days

🌿 The Importance of Postpartum Care

Your recovery matters as much as your baby’s arrival.

Many new parents pour their energy into preparing for baby — birth classes, nurseries, tiny outfits, endless checklists — but few plan for their own recovery. Yet the postpartum period, often called the fourth trimester, is one of the most important times to care for yourself.

During pregnancy, your body undergoes incredible changes to grow and sustain new life. After birth, it begins another equally important process: healing and rebalancing. This phase is not about “bouncing back” — it’s about rebuilding strength, connection, and stability.

One of my favorite guidelines to share for postpartum care is the 5-5-5 Rule: a flexible guideline suggesting 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed.

These first 15 days aren’t a countdown to productivity — they’re a permission slip to rest. Establishing feeding routines, sleeping when you can, and letting your body begin to heal from the inside out. Rest and recovery are as important as bonding with your baby!

💩 Supporting Digestive Health

Your digestive system may take time to “wake up” after delivery — especially after a cesarean birth, perineal tears, or pain medications. Constipation and bloating are common and can be stressful, particularly when your pelvic floor is already healing. For known constipation issues, discuss with your health care provide about taking supplements or stool softeners to help make the first few bathroom trips a bit easier. Don't wait until things get difficult to start addressing the issue.

Here’s how to support healthy digestion during postpartum recovery:

• 💧 Stay hydrated. Sip water or electrolyte-rich drinks throughout the day, especially if breastfeeding.

• 🥦 Eat fiber-rich foods. Fruits, vegetables, oats, beans, and flaxseed help prevent constipation naturally.

• 🪑 Use a footstool on the toilet. Elevate your feet so your knees are above your hips — this helps align your colon and allows easier bowel movements.

• 🌬️ Breathe or hum. Slow breathing or gentle humming when using the bathroom relaxes your pelvic floor and reduces strain.

• 🕰️ Take your time. Avoid rushing or bearing down — a calm body releases more easily.

A comfortable, supported digestive system helps reduce pelvic pressure, protects stitches, and allows your body to focus on healing.

Bathroom time can be a bit easier if you have a chance to do a little prep work beforehand. Create a little basket of items to manage caring for the perineum and keep it handy in the bathroom. Useful items might include water bottles, extra pads for bleeding and discharge, hemorrhoidal wipes, and a squirt bottle to cleanse the perineum and reduce the need for wiping. Other bonus treats might include some chocolate, a protein bar, hair ties and a brush, a massage tool or cozy socks - anything that will help you feel pampered!

A prepared basket of bathroom supplies and pampering items can make the first few postpartum trips to the bathroom much more comfortable!

🌬️ Breathwork & Core Connection

Your diaphragm and pelvic floor are partners — they should move together with every breath. During pregnancy, this coordination can become disrupted, leading to feelings of weakness or disconnection in your core. Reestablishing this relationship is one of the first steps toward a strong, stable recovery.

Try this simple exercise for breath and pelvic floor connection:

1. Inhale through your nose. Feel your ribs expand sideways and your belly gently rise.

2. Exhale through your mouth. Allow your ribs to soften, your belly to draw in slightly, and your pelvic floor to lift gently.

3. Repeat 5–10 times while focusing on calm, even movement.

This kind of mindful breathing helps your nervous system relax, encourages circulation, and gently reactivates your deep core muscles — the foundation for long-term strength and stability.

💪 Gentle Pelvic Floor Engagement

In the early postpartum weeks, your goal is awareness and connection, not intensity.

Many people think postpartum care and recovery starts with “doing Kegels,” but early healing is about reconnecting with your body — feeling where your muscles are, how they move, and when they relax.

Try this:

• As you exhale, imagine lifting a blueberry with your vaginal muscles.

• As you inhale, let it go completely.

This image encourages gentle activation without overworking the muscles.

And remember, relaxation is just as important as strength. New moms often carry tension in their abdomen, jaw, or pelvic floor — especially under stress or fatigue. Taking moments to soften and release helps promote circulation and balanced muscle recovery.

Start increasing activity slowly, beginning with gentle walks.

🚶‍♀️ Returning to Exercise

Once your healthcare provider clears you for movement, it’s time to rebuild gradually — from the inside out.

Start with:

• Short, slow walks around your home or neighborhood.

• Gentle stretching or mobility work - consider a postpartum yoga routine or stretch video.

• Mindful breath and posture awareness.

Notice how your body feels before, during, and after activity. If you experience heaviness, increased bleeding or leaking, or pelvic pressure, pause and reach out for professional support.

A pelvic floor physical therapist can help you safely progress toward your goals — whether that’s returning to yoga, running, lifting, or chasing your toddler around the playground. We assess breathing mechanics, core coordination, and pelvic floor function to ensure everything is working together for long-term strength and comfort.

Intentional movement now helps prevent common postpartum challenges like diastasis recti, leaking, or prolapse, and gives you confidence to move freely again.

💛 You Deserve Care, Too

Postpartum recovery isn’t just about your body — it’s about your well-being, confidence, and connection to self.

You’ve done something extraordinary, and your body deserves time, patience, and support to heal. Give yourself permission to rest, ask for help, and invest in your recovery — not as a luxury, but as a vital part of motherhood.

At Fundamental Physical Therapy, we specialize in individualized postpartum pelvic floor therapy that meets you where you are — whether you’re two weeks, six months, or two years postpartum. Our team provides gentle, evidence-based care to help you restore strength, comfort, and confidence in your body.

✨ Ready to Begin Your Recovery?

Your journey doesn’t end with birth — it transforms.

Let’s help you feel strong, supported, and at home in your body again!