Postpartum Care

You just did something remarkable. Now, let us take care of you.

At the Providence Swedish Women's Health Institute, we build your postpartum care around your recovery, mental health and feeding decisions. The big day is over, but our team is here for as long as you need us.

Our Services

After giving birth, your care centers around you and your recovery:

  • Postpartum follow-up visits with your OB or midwife
  • Lactation consultants and breastfeeding support
  • Pelvic floor physical therapy referrals
  • Postpartum doula services
  • Medicaid coverage for doula support
  • Classes and new parent resources

What to Expect After You Go Home

The fourth trimester is often ignored, but it’s a real stage of maternity care that requires specific support for you and your baby. In the first 12 weeks after giving birth, your body is healing, your hormones are shifting and you're caring for a new person – often on very little sleep. Your postpartum team at the Providence Swedish Women’s Health Institute is here to make sure you have the follow-up care, resources and support you need at every stage of that journey.

Plan for at least one postpartum visit within the first three weeks after delivery, with a comprehensive follow-up within 12 weeks. If you needed a cesarean birth, had delivery complications or your baby needed to be in the NICU, you may have more appointments. Bring your questions about physical recovery, mood, sleep, feeding and intimacy to each appointment so we can make sure to cover them.

Our clinicians also screen for postpartum depression and anxiety and will connect you to the right next steps, whether that's pelvic floor physical therapy, lactation support, behavioral health or specialist care. And, of course, don't wait for a scheduled visit if something doesn't feel right.

Your body does a remarkable amount of work in the weeks after birth. Afterbirth cramping, vaginal discharge (lochia), perineal soreness and fatigue are all expected. So are hair and skin changes. One change that commonly surprises people is called diastasis recti, the separation of abdominal muscles that occurs during pregnancy to make room for the growing uterus. For some people, this separation persists, causing weakness or discomfort. A pelvic floor physical therapist can help address it. If you had a cesarean birth, your recovery plan will include incision care and a slower return to physical activity.

Feeling sad, anxious or disconnected after birth doesn't mean something is wrong with you as a parent. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the most common complication of childbirth, affecting roughly one in five new parents. Symptoms can appear days, weeks or even months after delivery, and our team screens for these conditions at postpartum visits.

If you're experiencing persistent sadness or worry, trouble bonding, intrusive thoughts, difficulty sleeping beyond what newborn care demands, or anything that doesn't feel like you, reach out to your care team – effective treatment is available.

Before you leave the hospital, you'll connect with a postpartum nurse or lactation consultant. Questions and challenges often come up at home, and our support continues after being discharged. Our lactation specialists help with latch, milk supply, engorgement, mastitis and identifying potential issues like tongue or lip tie. Whether you plan to breastfeed exclusively, partially or not at all, our team will honor your decision and give you the support you need.

Leaking, pelvic pressure, pain and discomfort during intimacy are common after birth. They're also treatable. Our clinicians recommend that every postpartum patient sees a pelvic floor physical therapist at least once after birth, because the demands of pregnancy and delivery affect the pelvic floor in ways that need targeted care.

If you're experiencing incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain or sexual health concerns, ask your OB or midwife for a referral. Kegel exercises are a good start, but a physical therapist can give you a personalized plan and help ensure your muscles are rebuilding correctly.

A postpartum doula offers consistent support in the weeks and months after birth. Our doulas help with feeding cues, emotional adjustment and identifying your parenting rhythm. They're trained to recognize signs of postpartum mood disorders and can help connect you to clinical care when something needs attention. For families who qualify, Medicaid covers doula support. Self-pay options offer additional flexibility. Doulas are matched to your language, cultural background and preferences.

Find Care That's Close to You

Providers Specializing in Postpartum Care

At Swedish, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.

Female doctor wearing mask, doctors in background

Resources to Support Your Recovery

Your postpartum care connects to a full range of resources for you and your family.

Postpartum mom with baby
New Parent Support

Classes, groups and resources to help you navigate the early weeks of parenthood.
Mother holding newborn in hospital
Breastfeeding Support

In-hospital and follow-up lactation assistance to support your feeding journey from first latch onward.
Baby sitting with hands on table smiling
JUST Birth Network

Community-based birth equity support and culturally centered care for families.

Frequently Asked Questions

Call your clinician right away if you experience bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour or less, blood clots larger than an egg, vaginal discharge with a foul odor, a fever of 100.4°F or higher, pain or redness around a cesarean incision or episiotomy, pain or burning when urinating, or leg pain and swelling.

Seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden severe headache, vision changes or signs of stroke. For postpartum depression, don't wait for a scheduled visit – contact your care team as soon as you notice symptoms.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and postpartum psychosis. They can occur during pregnancy or any time in the first year after delivery and affect people of all backgrounds.

PMADs are the most common complication of childbirth. With the right support, most people fully recover. Our team screens for PMADs at every postpartum visit. If you're concerned about your mental health, reach out to your care team right away.

Your clinician will discuss returning to exercise at your postpartum visit – typically around six weeks after giving birth. This timing can vary based on your birth and how you're healing. Start slowly and build gradually. We recommend that all postpartum patients see a pelvic floor physical therapist before returning to high-impact exercise, as pregnancy and delivery affect the pelvic floor regardless of birth type. Staying hydrated, eating enough and resting when possible are just as important to your recovery as exercise.

It depends on whether or not you're breastfeeding. If you're not, your period will typically return within four to eight weeks after delivery. If you are breastfeeding, it may take 12 weeks or longer – sometimes not until you reduce or stop nursing. Even without a period, your body may ovulate, which means pregnancy is possible. Talk to your clinician about family planning at your postpartum visit if you're not ready to conceive again.

A cesarean is major surgery, and recovery takes longer than healing after a vaginal birth. Most clinicians recommend avoiding lifting anything heavier than your baby for the first six weeks, as well as avoiding driving until you're off prescription pain medication. You'll also want to avoid strenuous activity and sexual intercourse until cleared by your doctor. Keep your incision clean and dry, and report any signs of infection – redness, swelling, discharge or increasing pain – to your care team right away.

At a Safe Sleep Hospital:

  • Your baby will have its own sleep space in your room, but not in your bed
  • Your baby will be placed on its back to sleep
  • Your baby will be swaddled in a blanket securely not a blanket placed over baby
  • Nothing will be placed in the sleep space (objects, toys or blankets)

Additional information is available on the Safe to Sleep website .