Articles & Expert Guides on Postpartum Care

Medically-reviewed expert guides, tips, real-life stories, and articles on Postpartum Care

C-Section Shelf: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How to Actually Deal With It

Tassia O'Callaghan

Can’t Keep Your Cool? Surviving Postpartum Rage Without Losing Your Mind

Tassia O'Callaghan

What’s an Epidural Headache & How Can I Treat It?

Katie Mill

Your Complete Guide to the 4th Trimester

Tassia O'Callaghan

First Night Home from the NICU: What to Expect

Dr. Frankie Harrison

Postpartum Discharge: How Long Does It Last?

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Postpartum Workout Plan Tips: How to Start and Why

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Postpartum Preeclampsia: Risks, Symptoms, and Treatment

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Postpartum Hemorrhoids: What You Need to Know

Deborah Vieyra

What is Postpartum Thyroiditis? Triggers and Treatment

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Why Do I Get Postpartum Night Sweats?

Deborah Vieyra

40 Postpartum Essentials for Mom After Birth

Tassia O'Callaghan

Postpartum Diet: Top Tips On What to Eat After Birth

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

All You Need to Know About a Vaginal Tear

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Sex After a C-Section: 6 Things You Need to Know

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

What are the Possible Postpartum Complications?

Deborah Vieyra

What’s Causing My Postpartum Headache?

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Postpartum Bleeding: What’s Normal and What’s Not

Peanut

Postpartum Hypertension: High Blood Pressure After Birth

Mairi Bunce

Your Guide to Postpartum Swelling

Deborah Vieyra

From the community

Struggling to make a decision

Hello. Prior to pregnancy I suffered from depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Now that I am 10 weeks postpartum and preparing to return to work I'm realizing how much my depression and anxiety are hitting. I exclusively breastfeed my daughter and am now torn with the decision of getting back on Lexapro (which works wonders) or continuing to do therapy weekly and try to manage the depression without meds. All medical professionals I've spoken with and my husband stress that the benefits outweigh the risks if it's needed but that now has me questioning how much is it needed. I'm not at my lowest (I don't want to hit my low) but I'm also scared of the risks. To say very small amounts are passed to baby but monitor for drowsiness, fussiness, changes in appetite, and then withdrawal makes me feel like there is more than a very small amount getting to baby. Has anyone used this medication while nursing? Is anyone else going through similar? I'm so torn and feel so alone because I don't have much support when it comes to this. Thank you all for the safe place to vent 💕

Rant alert

My MIL is driving me crazyyyy and I feel like she says things on purpose for a reaction and I do bite my tongue but how much am I meant to take?
It might not seem like a lot to some people but the type of person she is is she always has to have one up on me and be better than me, she does make me feel welcome but sometimes I feel like it’s all for show as she always has to be better than me.
But I obviously refer to my baby as ‘my baby’ like ‘oh come here my baby’ and the past month or so she’s been saying it to him aswell and OMFG I want to just go mad because he most definitely IS NOT YOUR baby. Why do they say things like this?!
When he was born I called him my blue eyed boy and not long after she said it to him which now makes me feel like I’m the one copying her if I even call him that so I don’t anymore and f*** me, now I can’t even call my baby… my baby without her saying it too.

Am I overreacting??

Okay so I like my MIL. I’ll just start with that. But I feel like the dynamic has just changed so much between us. Before my hubby and I got married, she and I were pretty close, she was welcoming, etc. Since we got married 2 years ago, that changed a bit but that’s to be expected. And now that we have a 9 month old son together, I just feel like it’s been somewhat tense. At least for me. She wants to babysit more often, which I get, because this is her first grandchild, but I’m not sure I trust her anymore. I feel like she’s almost trying to pretend that he’s her son or something. For context, my husband is definitely her favorite of her two sons and she’s had some issues letting him go. Honestly most of that is fine, I get it. But she loves to call my son “my baby.” And she’ll call my husband her “sweet baby boy,” which to me is wayyy too much. He’s an adult. And I know this is just her trying to express her love so I let it roll off my back, but it’s still annoying sometimes. His whole family loves to be passive aggressive and will make comments about how they never see us, or miss the baby, or whatever. (We definitely visit or see them at least once a month, so it’s not like they haven’t seen us) They RARELY ever initiate to get together, but will blame us for not planning anything. Anyways. Whatever. I guess I just don’t know what to do with this… she recently said to my son (in front of my husband and me) that’s she’s so excited to babysit and do things together that “your parents won’t know about!” Like…. What?! My hubby and I just kind of looked at each other, stunned. It was weird. She also loves to make comments about how when he gets older she can teach him about mental health and blah blah blah. It just bothers me that it seems like she’s trying to have a secret-ish type relationship with him or something. I know he’s only 9 months but it’s still weird to me. So I don’t really want her to babysit. She’s babysat once and it went fine, but after those comments and the way she acts, it just bothers me. She also was talking behind my back to my husband basically saying that I wasn’t doing enough for him as a SAHM, which I found incredibly disrespectful. He defended me, just everything has been bothering me. Does it sound like I’m overreacting?

Sorry for the gigantic paragraph, yikes.

Helppp

Had anyone been thru severe hair loss during post partum and came back from it. I have fine hair already

Needy baby

My baby has always been a bit mummy needy. But this week it’s been so bad. I can’t even put her down or leave her for a second. If I do she screams and tears streaming down .

Anyone else in this stage and now why it might be ? Advice ? X

Its hard to believe I’m a mom now!

I still can’t believe she’s my baby and that I gave birth to her.

Sometimes when she’s sleeping, I forget she’s even there. Then she wakes up, smiles at me, and for a split second it feels like there’s just a random adorable baby sitting in my living room.

It’s such a strange feeling because I’m not disconnected from her at all. I love her more than anything. My brain just hasn’t fully caught up with the fact that she’s actually mine.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who has felt this way.

Is it too soon to think about pregnancy or is it just my hormones

I’m four months postpartum and loving motherhood but I wanted to know how soon or when do you feel would be the perfect time to give your child a sibling . I know it’s too soon, though constantly having baby fever and missing my pregnancy . I

I told my hudband I want to leave him

I think I have PMDD and each month I have rage and tell my husband I want to leave. And that he's a moron.

I haye myself for doing this because I get so angry I just want to punch something but I stop myself.

The I wish I was dead.

I am trying to get help and am going therapy and doctors but nothings working, I'm even trying to pray but nothings working

I am literally crying my eyes out as we speak because I have no one to turn to anymore

Postpartum knee pain

I’m 3 months postpartum and have been getting quite bad knee pain.

I’ve had some swelling just above the kneecap for about a month that won’t seem to get better.

I’ve been trying to rest as much as possible but it’s quite hard with a baby and know it’s probably only going to get worse when my baby gets bigger.

Anyone else experience this or have any advice?

I’m going to book a doctors appointment but worried they’ll just say to ice and rest which is what I’m already doing or take ibuprofen which I can’t do due to a sensitivity.

New mum to rainbow baby

I'm a new mum to my beautiful rainbow baby . Just looking for advice on postpartum anxiety. I can not sleep or do anything as I am constantly worried that something bad is going to happen such as SIDS. Has anyone else had this experience and how did you manage.