If you’ve ever been told that “you should be back to normal by six weeks,” you’re not alone—and you’ve probably discovered how far from reality that expectation can be.
The six-week postpartum check-up is often treated like a finish line. But for many new parents, it’s just the beginning. Healing—physically, emotionally, and mentally—takes time. And real recovery doesn’t fit neatly into a six-week box.
Let’s reframe postpartum and talk about what real recovery actually looks like.
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The Myth of the 6-Week Milestone
Traditionally, the six-week mark is when:
• You’re “cleared” to return to sex or exercise
• Your OB or midwife signs off on your physical healing
• You’re expected to bounce back into work or everyday life
But in reality:
• Hormones are still shifting dramatically
• Sleep deprivation is peaking
• Breastfeeding or chestfeeding may still be regulating
• Mental health challenges may just be beginning
• Emotional waves of grief, anxiety, identity shifts, or trauma are rising
Many people feel pressure to “be okay” by that six-week appointment—even if they’re far from it.
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The Truth About Postpartum Recovery
True recovery includes more than just physical healing. It includes:
1. Emotional Healing
You may be processing a birth experience that was beautiful, traumatic, or both. Therapy can help you make sense of it, grieve parts that were hard, and find meaning.
2. Mental Health Monitoring
Many Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders (PMADs)—including postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, or PTSD—don’t show up until weeks or even months after birth. Ongoing emotional check-ins matter.
3. Identity Integration
You’re not just adjusting to life with a baby—you’re adjusting to a whole new version of yourself. Postpartum is a time of deep transformation, not just recovery.
4. Relationship Shifts
From intimacy to co-parenting, your relationships are evolving. These changes take time, patience, and often support to navigate.
5. Nervous System Regulation
Labor, birth, and early parenting can flood your nervous system. Slowness, rest, support, and therapy can help restore regulation and resilience.
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The Fourth Trimester—and Beyond
Many cultures around the world honor the first 40 days after birth with rest, warmth, and village care. But the truth is: postpartum lasts far beyond that.
Some experts now talk about the first 12–18 months postpartum as an ongoing recovery period. Others describe it as matrescence—the process of becoming a mother or parent, which can take years to fully integrate.
There is no deadline for healing.
There is no timeline for feeling like yourself again—or getting to know your new self.
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What Realistic Postpartum Support Looks Like
As a therapist and doula, I support new parents with care that honors the full scope of postpartum needs, including:
• Ongoing therapy sessions focused on perinatal mental health
• Postpartum doula visits to support rest, feeding, emotional check-ins, and more
• Space to grieve, process, and feel seen
• Resources and referrals for pelvic floor care, lactation, trauma recovery, and support groups
Whether you’re 6 weeks or 6 months postpartum, you still deserve support.
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You’re Still Postpartum—and That’s Okay
If you’re still tired, still weepy, still overwhelmed, or still healing—there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not behind. You’re human.
Real recovery is messy, layered, and nonlinear.
You deserve care that lasts longer than your hospital stay.
You deserve support that holds your body, mind, and heart.
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Need someone to walk with you through it? I offer therapy and postpartum doula care designed to support your healing—no matter where you are in your journey.
Let’s redefine postpartum together.
