Postpartum Recovery: 5th Week Home

What Hurts:

• Very little compared to 5 weeks ago!
• As you get back to regular activities, sore muscles and a sore back may be expected.

What Works:

• Bowel movements may still be sore in the area of your episiotomy or your rectum from time to time.
• Bladder and bowel control have returned.
• You may be getting a little anxious to go back to work. You have missed your friends and the work you do.

What Doesn't Work:

• You—but you may be returning to work soon.
• It may be hard to go back to work and not be there for every moment with your baby.

What Spells Trouble:

• Not planning for after-birth contraception. Decide on some type of birth control and be ready to start it.
• Feeling depressed, blue or sad every day. Baby blues should be getting much better, if they haven't disappeared already.

It's OK If:

• You're a little nervous about going back to work. You may even have a touch of baby blues occasionally.

Don't Look Now, But . . .

• Clothes may still be a little snug.
• When you go in for your 6-week postpartum checkup, you'll have to get weighed again.
• You meet a friend you don't see often, and she asks you when your baby is due.

Remember to:

• Remind yourself it took 9 months of pregnancy to gain the weight you did and it'll take awhile to get back your prepregnancy figure.

Call in the Troops:

• Returning to work requires planning. Start now to put your "back-to-work" schedule into effect.
• Plans for daycare, tending, nursing and other things need to be in place soon. Family and friends can be an important ingredient.

Stop and Smell the Roses:

• Have you noticed the smile on your partner's face? How proud he is when he holds the baby and talks about him.

Red Light, Green Light

• Red Light—Still red for sex and heavy exercise, but you're getting closer to the Green Light.
• Green Light—Do a little more exercise, such as swimming and walking, if you have stopped bleeding and are doing well.

Postpartum Recovery: 6th Week Home