Baby2Body’s Guide To Postpartum Recovery: What To Expect In Week 2

When it comes to postpartum recovery, it can be difficult to know what to expect, especially if you’re in your third trimester and really focusing on getting through labor and delivery. And yes, sometimes looking ahead can feel overwhelming, but often knowing what to expect can also help you to feel more in control of the weeks and months ahead.

That’s why we’re sharing a week-by-week guide to postpartum recovery & what you can expect, so you can take it all in when you need to — maybe you want to be prepared now, maybe you want to save these posts and read them as the time comes — it’s completely up to you!

Just remember, every woman is different, every pregnancy is different, and every delivery is different, so what to expect after birth varies a lot. We’re sharing some common symptoms of postpartum recovery — but you might not experience everything you see here & you might find you notice other things more. Let us know how you’re feeling in the comments!

If you missed it, here’s the first post in our series: What To Expect In Week 1 Of Postpartum Recovery, and here’s a dedicated post about what to expect in the first 2 weeks of postpartum recovery if you had a c-section!

Here’s what you can expect in week 2 of postpartum recovery:

As you enter into the second week of postpartum, you may be starting to feel better, but you are definitely still in recovery so the most important thing is to still take it easy, don’t do any vigorous exercise, and listen to your body. Here are some things you might experience this week:

1. Bleeding

Last week, we talked about lochia, the name for bleeding from the vagina after birth. This will continue this week but may feel lighter. Continue to use sanitary towels and avoid using tampons until your 6-week check as it may increase the risk of getting an infection. If you are losing blood in large clots then you should tell your midwife. 

2. Swelling

If you have experienced swelling in your hands, feet, or face during pregnancy then you might have noticed it’s still there —that’s normal and it may take some to go away.

4. Sweating

Unfortunately, you can continue to expect that sweating (particularly at night) will continue this week. Your hormones take a while to level out post-birth.

What you can do to be more comfortable: If you’re uncomfortable try sleeping on a towel that you can switch out easily if you’re waking up, wear light clothing, and remove heavy covers from your bed.

5. Your tummy will look like baby is still inside

As we said, your body is still in full recovery mode this week & so your uterus is still making its way back to pre-pregnancy size. Whilst it might not feel good or you may be feeling pressure to “bounce back“, it’s totally normal for your body to take this time to recover.

What you can do to be more comfortable: wear comfortable loose clothing! We know that you might not want to keep the maternity clothes out now that you’re postpartum — try some of your loser pre-baby clothes that allow a little space. Hear from other mamas who’ve been there: Baby2Body Mamas Get Real About The Pressure to “Bounce Back”.

6. Your emotions will be all over the place

In the first few weeks after birth, it is common to feel a mix of emotions, including feeling irrational, crying out of the blue, and feeling depressed or ‘low’ — this is known as the “baby blues”.

What you can do to be more comfortable: Try to sleep and rest as much as you are able to, ask for help or support from your partner, friends & family, and connect with other new mamas who are experiencing it too!

If symptoms last longer than a few weeks and are unmanageable: you may be experiencing postpartum depression. Speak to your doctor as soon as you can to help manage symptoms.

Not sure if it’s the baby blues or something more? Check out this video from our CEO and Founder Melinda Nicci:

Our top 3 tips for week 2 of postpartum

For your fitness:

Continue to take things slowly & stick to light walks, pelvic floor, exercises, and guided stretching — if you don’t feel confident knowing what’s safe for you in this week of postpartum, head over to the Baby2Body app where everything is tailored and safe for your specific week of recovery.

For your wellness:

Start building your self-care toolkit with our health & mindfulness coach Lou Murray! Over in the Baby2Body app. Your first self-care tool kit session is all about setting boundaries that better help you protect yourself, your needs, and your health. Your toolkit will also come with micro-zen sessions including Boundary Setting, How To Say No, and A Bridge Of Shared Intention.

For your nutrition:

Try to get some iron into your diet this week to replenish your body after labor. Here are our top 4 Iron-Rich Recipes For Postpartum!

How’s your postpartum journey, mama? Let us know in the comments!

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