Most people know pregnancy to be three trimesters, but a lot of people consider postpartum to be the fourth trimester of pregnancy. Postpartum is the period after giving birth where you adjust to having a new baby while your body adjusts to no longer being pregnant.

How long does postpartum last?

Those who have recently given birth are considered to be physically recovered from the process after two months. However, this doesn’t mean that your body will feel or look the same way it did before you were pregnant. In reality, it can take nine months or more before you feel like you are back to normal, and if you are breast-feeding, you may not feel like you have gone back to normal for a lot longer.

In your first few weeks after pregnancy, your hormones will fluctuate, your organs will move back to their original positions, and your breastmilk will come in. Alongside these changes, you may experience postpartum bleeding while dealing with the discomfort of the physical healing process.

In addition to physical changes, you will have emotional changes as well. Adjusting to the stress of taking care of a newborn can lead to less sleep and emotional ups and downs. You also may experience postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety, which can also extend the post-birth healing process.

Postpartum can be stressful for new parents because it is one of the least talked about parts of childbirth. The body goes through many physical and emotional changes, and the whole process can feel incredibly overwhelming. Most doctors consider the body to be physically recovered after two months, but in reality, it can take over a year before you start feeling like your old self again.