The transformative benefits of the right postpartum care
Postpartum care is one of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of new motherhood. After months of pregnancy and the physical demands of childbirth, a woman’s body undergoes significant changes that require attention, care, and time to heal. The right postpartum care not only supports physical recovery but also nurtures emotional and mental well-being, helping new mothers adjust to the physical and emotional demands of motherhood. From addressing postpartum pain and fatigue to supporting breastfeeding and mental health, proper postpartum care can significantly ease the transition into this new chapter. Prioritising this care is not just an option, but an essential part of ensuring a healthy, fulfilling start to the motherhood journey.
What is the postpartum period?
The postpartum period begins soon after the baby's delivery and can be considered in three distinct phases.
Phase 1
Initial or acute/phase
6-12 hours after birth
Phase 2
Subacute period
Up to 6 weeks after birth
Phase 3
Delayed postpartum period
Up to 6 months after birth
Phase 2 is sometimes called the ‘fourth trimester’ or ‘the tenth month’ and is essentially the first 40 days postpartum. Since the first 40 days of motherhood are largely considered to impact the next 40 years of life, it is arguably the most critical period.
Benefits of the right postpartum care
Supporting your physical recovery
The right postpartum care is essential for a new mother's physical recovery after childbirth. It helps manage pain, heal wounds, and promote overall health, whether the mother had a vaginal birth or C-section. Proper care includes monitoring for complications like infections, providing guidance on postpartum exercises to rebuild strength, and addressing issues like pelvic floor weakness. Nutritional support is also key, ensuring mothers regain energy lost during labour, replenish essential nutrients lost during pregnancy, and support breastfeeding if they choose to. By focusing on personalised recovery plans, postpartum care helps mothers restore their physical health, making it easier to care for their newborn, adjust to motherhood and prevent long-term complications.
Supporting mental health
In addition to physical healing, the right postpartum care addresses emotional health. After childbirth, hormonal shifts, physical recovery, and the demands of caring for a newborn can lead to feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, or sometimes postpartum depression. Proper care provides emotional support, undisturbed sleep, regular check-ins, and mental health resources to help mothers navigate these challenges. Access to counselling, peer support, and education on managing stress can reduce feelings of isolation and promote mental well-being. In addition, mothers with greater support during this critical time have been shown to experience higher levels of life satisfaction overall, with mothers reporting significantly more positive attitudes towards parenting. By addressing emotional needs early, mothers feel more balanced, supported, and equipped to handle the joys and stresses of motherhood, gaining the confidence they need to care for themselves and their baby.
Newborn support and education
The right postpartum care plays a crucial role in newborn education and support. With proper guidance from healthcare providers, new parents learn essential skills such as feeding techniques, safe sleeping practices, and recognising developmental milestones. This care provides valuable insights into newborn behaviour, health, and needs, empowering parents to feel confident in their caregiving. Postpartum support can also help address concerns like breastfeeding challenges or infant care, ensuring that both mother and baby thrive during this critical bonding and growth period. Furthermore, women who benefit from postpartum care have been shown to benefit from a stronger infant-mother attachment at 12 months, and have been seen to be more sensitive to their needs.
Setting you up for success as a parent
Providing essential guidance, support, and education during the critical early stages of parenthood is crucial for new mothers and fathers. It equips both parents with the skills needed to care for their newborn, such as feeding and sleep routines. Access to expert advice and resources helps reduce stress and boosts parental confidence. Postpartum care also promotes healthy communication between parents, encouraging them to share responsibilities and navigate challenges together. This strong foundation of knowledge and support fosters a positive family environment and a smoother transition into parenthood.
Future-proofing your health
There is also evidence that dedicated postpartum care safeguards against recurring health conditions. Early interventions and proper care reduce the risk of chronic health problems such as incontinence, prolapse, or long-term pain, minimising the need for future healthcare interventions.
Challenges with postpartum care in the UK today
Access to postpartum care in the UK can be challenging. In the West in general, postpartum care is primarily focused on newborns and often overlooks the needs of the mother. In addition, due to the ongoing financial strain on the NHS, women are given limited access to follow-up appointments, reduced midwife visits and delays in accessing care. For example, many postpartum concerns, such as difficulty with breastfeeding and postpartum mood changes, occur within 1 to 2 weeks postpartum, but postpartum visits are commonly scheduled at 4 to 6 weeks after delivery.
In addition to barriers to receiving postpartum care, coordination of the care that is offered is often suboptimal.[1] When offered, care can be fragmented across multiple providers, each focusing on a specific aspect of maternal health (e.g., breastfeeding, pelvic floor recovery or mental health), with no single care or support provider available to address a new mother’s needs holistically.
To optimise the health of women and infants, postpartum care should become an ongoing process, rather than a single encounter, with services and support tailored to each woman’s individual needs.[2]
Addressing these challenges
Recognising the need for holistic postpartum care, we created The Tenth - a luxury postpartum retreat for new mothers based out of Central London. Based on traditional principles of rest, recovery and preparation, we prioritise mother-focused wellness services such as mental health therapy, belly binding massages, nutritious meals, access to spa treatments and more, while offering 24/7 baby care, parental education, and support for new fathers. From the luxury of a private room, we ensure new families have immediate and ongoing access to experts, educators and wellness practitioners during the critical postpartum period.
Discover more about what’s included during your stay at The Tenth here.
¹ Postpartum Care up to 1 Year After Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK592630/
² Optimizing Postpartum Care 2018: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2018/05/optimizing-postpartum-care#:~:text=Following%20birth%2C%20many%20cultures%20prescribe,%2Dto%2Dday%20household%20tasks
