What You Need to Know After Natural Labor

After five natural births, I feel compelled to share what I’ve learned about what postpartum may look like. I have six essential postpartum instructions that have been super helpful in my healing; most of these tips are what my experienced midwife asked me to do after labor, and I am excited to pass this wisdom on to you!

You can also sign up for my Labor Without Fear course if you’re looking for something more hands-on.

Are you still pregnant?

Before we get into the post-labor tips, I have two videos to share with those of you who are still carrying your little bundle; I believe these videos will transform your labor experience:My Positive Natural Birth Story and How to Stay Calm During Labor.

Life after Natural Birth

Congratulations, mama! You did it! In this post, I am going discuss lochia (bleeding after birth), afterbirth contractions, how to care for your perineum, when to start kegels, rest and what to expect with your milk supply.

If you’re a more visual learning, I have a video covering all of this information, but be sure to check out the post, as well, for additional insights.

A Word about Medical Advice:

While I’m not a medical professional, my personal experiences with natural childbirth have inspired me to share the knowledge I wish I had before going through labor. I hope my insights can be helpful to you.

One of the most important decisions you make is who you choose to trust with your health, so taking the time to interview your medical professional is key!

If you want a list of questions to ask them see this Pregnancy Survival Guide.

What to Expect After Natural Labor

If you have a natural birth, your body should recover more quickly than if you have a c-section or an epidural, but there is still healing that needs to take place.

After your baby’s arrival, your body will still be working. Instead of growing a human, it will be trying to rest and heal. My intention for sharing what you may experience after labor is to provide you with realistic expectations that will provide greater peace in postpartum.

For example, when I passed a large clot following my labor, I became concerned; had I been prepared for the what-ifs, I would have been far less alarmed.

1. What is Bleeding Like After Labor? (aka Lochia)

Why do you bleed after giving birth?

I was worried when I first saw the blood clot after having my first child 7+ years ago. I had no idea the reason I was bleeding was because there was a massive wound inside of me; it was created when the placenta detached from the uterine wall after I delivered my baby.

You will deliver your placenta a few minutes after you deliver your child. Good news: this is nothing compared to delivering the baby.

Your blood will start out bright red but should slow down and begin to turn a dull brownish color. You should not be soaking more than 2 pads every 2 hours immediately following your delivery. If your bleeding is more heavy, you need to contact your health provider ASAP.

Why am I bleeding bright red again after I had been bleeding brown?

If you begin to bleed bright red again, after the blood has begun to fade brown, you have probably been too active, and you need to rest. Rest is very critical after having a baby for so many reasons, but bleeding is a big one.

After your delivery, it is beneficial to continue to massage your uterus (I show you how in this video at the 1:40 mark).

A helpful routine to help you remember this important step may include emptying your bladder, massaging your uterus (I have found the toilet to be a prime location for massaging because you’re able to release the clots without filling up lots of pads), changing your pad, using the peri bottle to clean yourself (more on this below), dabbing the water off, and then nursing your baby.

2. What are Contractions Like After Labor?

Yes, you read that right! There are contractions that happen after birth. I know, you are probably shaking your head and asking, “Are you kidding me?!” Let me ease your mind: they are nothing compared to labor contractions. You will continue to contract to

1) birth the placenta

2)help your uterus go back into place.

These contractions are very helpful to your body’s recovery, but they can be painful.

Taking Afterease helped me soooo much with the pain of after-birth contractions. It was so effective that I didn’t take any pain medication or ibuprofen at all. I did 5-7 pumps in a shot glass with water every couple of hours. After a week 1/2 the bottle was gone and so was the pain.

How painful are afterbirth contractions?

The answer to this question varies for each person, but in my experience, they have seemingly gotten more intense after each labor. You will need to work through these contractions much like you did through labor: You can help keep your body calm and relaxed by (1) keeping a very neutral face and (2) breathing slow (without having a tight mouth). A more relaxed body dramatically reduces the amount of pain you feel. Just remember, a tight muscle is more likely to be a painful muscle, so relaxing is key.

Again like I said above, making sure to order some Afterease. It helps a TON! It doesn’t taste the best, so I take it in a shot glass quickly.

How can I help ease contractions and pain following birth?

A heating pad or hot water bottle on your stomach is always a great option for reducing pain. You can also try laying on your stomach, which you have likely been dreaming of most of your pregnancy!

Another trick that has always made a HUGE difference for my pain is emptying my bladder before nursing my baby. Nursing may bring on afterbirth contractions, so anticipating that with an empty bladder seemed to help. Keeping your bladder empty will also help your uterus clamp down effectively.

Again make sure to order some Afterease and make sure to use it. This will help you a ton!

Should I use pain relievers after natural labor?

You can discuss pain medication with your doctor or midwife, but I certainly kept some Tylenol and Ibuprofen on board and tapered off a little bit each day.

I could certainly tell when it was time to take my pain reliever, and I tried to stay on top of the pain by maintaining a schedule and taking my medicine on time.

But with my 5th birth, I did Afterease and I didn’t have to take any pain medication at all!

3. How should I Care for My Perineum After Labor?

What is your Perineum?

I think of your perineum as the skin outside of your vagina. Some women stretch and tear during labor and may require stitches or glue. I know this can sound terrifying, but many women have great perineum recoveries when they’re given time to properly heal. God has given the body an amazing capacity to heal itself!

I have personally never torn and I think a lot of that has to do with using a birthing tub to help soften the skin. I also believe it was because I knew how and when to push because I wasn’t numb.

I could feel when my perineum was stretching while I was pushing the head out. My midwife was completely shocked I did not tear with my first child and I was, too! The student midwife added coconut oil to my perineum the entire time I was pushing, so I know she had a lot to do with me not tearing, as well!

If you want to help yourself prepare for a natural birth which will less your chance of tearing consider taking my course Labor Without Fear

Why do you need a peri bottle after labor?

A peri bottle is a handy little spray bottle that helps you stay clean after delivery without having to wipe and pull at the perineum. You can use it to spray clean up the inside of your legs, as well. I liked to take a dry rag, rather than toilet paper, to dab myself dry. Your hospital or midwife will probably send you home with your very own peri bottle, but in case they don’t, here is a popular one you can order off Amazon.

Pro-tip for the Peri-Bottle

Make sure you use warm water, cold water is BRUTAL!

An herbal sitz-bath is magical after labor!

One of my favorite parts of having home births was enjoying a hot herbal sitz-bath after labor. My midwife placed an herbal sitz-bath mixture inside a baby cap and made a huge *”tea bag” for the bath. This bath was the relaxation and healing my burning perineum needed. FUN FACT: you can also use this bath for urinary tract infections.

I am not sure if you will have access to a tub at the hospital or birth center you’re using, but you could always ask and see if this is an option. My midwife placed the baby in the bath with me so I could snuggle my little one while the midwife washed some of the vernix (thick white coating on the baby) out of the baby’s hair.

*The tea bag is good for about three days, so I would dry it off between baths and reuse it in the days that followed!

What if I required stitches?

You have to be incredibly careful not to pull your stitches and keep your perineum clean, so you don’t get infected. I encourage you to avoid stairs and keep your legs from spreading too far (sex is the last thing you want to do; it hurts me to even think of sex right after birth). I would also keep from picking up older children and avoid riding in a car for at least a week. If you find yourself in a lot of pain or having other signs of an infection, make sure you let your health professional know.

4. When Can I begin Kegel Exercises After Labor?

You can start pelvic floor exercises a few days after labor. One exercise my midwife encouraged me to try was the modified kegel: begin by putting both of your feet flat on the bed with your knees bent, then pick your bottom off the bed and squeeze your cheeks together. She told me to try this as many times as I could the first day and try to work up to 200 keels a day in the following days.

Kegels should not feel like true exercise, but rather a subtle motion that allows you to begin moving your very stretched-out muscles. The pelvic floor is often mistreated and can cause women to struggle with incontinence in the future. In severe cases, it can cause the bladder to prolapse. I share this with you so you understand the urgency of caring and strengthening your pelvic floor.

I have gone to a pelvic floor physical therapist and been evaluated. She helped me gain a better understanding of how beneficial pelvic floor exercises can be, while also sharing some exercises I wasn’t as familiar with. If you find yourself peeing on yourself after sneezing in the months following labor, consider seeing a specialist for your pelvic floor.

5. Why is Rest KEY After Labor?

Goodness, if I could only share one thing, it would be to REST after you give birth. When I had my first child, I thought I had to prove how strong I was, so I hardly slowed down. I naively thought it would be a good idea to play tour guide to my family who was in town, just three days after giving birth. Now, I realize how foolish I was to jeopardize my long-term healing.

I now recognize that real wisdom is accepting my limitations and humbling myself to receive help.

How soon should you resume housework?

I was told to refrain from doing any housework for one week, which was initially hard advice, but now I see what a gift that break was for me. The housework will be there waiting for you in a week.

When people asked how they could help, I was honest. I let them love on my bigger kids and help me with laundry, cleaning, preparing meals, etc. Over time, I have realized my friends and family wanted to serve me.

6. What Can I Expect from My Milk Development After Labor?

The first milk you are going to produce is called colostrum. Colostrum is packed with protein and is very beneficial to the baby. You won’t have a lot of colostrum, though, because the baby’s belly is the size of a marble.

Be mindful that your milk can take several days to come in and nipple stimulation is going to help tremendously.

What should I do if my breasts become engorged after my milk comes in?

Your breasts may become engorged at some point during your milk development. Ice packs can be beneficial to hold on your breasts between feedings, but be sure to use a warm washcloth to warm yourself back up when it’s time for the next feeding so that baby doesn’t get ice milk :).

Being in a comfortable and private environment with access to fresh air and sunlight can be immensely beneficial for your nipples. This may be challenging with guests at home, so it’s worth contemplating the idea of having family members stay in a hotel. This way, you can ensure a more conducive atmosphere for rest and private time as you adapt to the learning curve that is breastfeeding.

Is breastfeeding painful?

Yes, your nipples are going to be very sore at first, but in most cases, your nipples get tougher and more calloused and will be less painful after about a week. Make sure the baby is getting a good latch. If you aren’t sure what a good latch looks like, there are fantastic resources out there to help you on this journey; my favorites come from the La Leche League. I also love The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding; it is helped me resolve many of my breastfeeding issues over the years.

I strongly believe in getting a lactation consultant on board. The money you spend will be well worth it! A consultant will look at your latch, weigh the baby before and after the feeding and give you an abundance of suggestions for nursing positions you likely hadn’t considered. The La Leche League can help you find a lactation consultant in your area. You can also utilize online or in-person support groups.

#1 Advice for Milk and New Mommas After Labor

The number one advice I would give moms about milk is to give your body some time and trust that it knows what to do. Leaning into doubts about your milk supply, whether they’re coming from you or others, will only hurt the process. If you have never breastfed, give yourself some grace and let your body do its thing.

I know this was a lot of information, but I hope you will bookmark this page and refer back to it in the weeks to come to help you heal and adjust to this new role of being a mom. I have a video that may be helpful with identifying baby’s crys and some ways to help keep baby feeling calm and happy.

I hope you leave my blog feeling more prepared by knowing what to expect after natural labor.