What to Expect at Your Postpartum Visit

Your provider will discuss several topics at your postpartum visit.

• Physical recovery – we will ask about bleeding, pain, healing of stitches from a vaginal tear or cesarean section, and difficulty with leaking urine, stool, or gas.   
• Emotional transition – the postpartum visit is a good time to ask questions about any events during your birth that were stressful or traumatic.  After birth, the emotional transition to a new phase of parenthood can be challenging, whether it is your first baby or you are an experienced parent. We will give you screening questionnaire to look for postpartum anxiety or depression. These conditions are common and can be helped by therapy, support groups, or medication.   
• Breastfeeding support – if you choose to breastfeed and need help meeting your breastfeeding goals, we can troubleshoot common issues.  We may refer you to lactation consultants or support groups outside the hospital for more support.  If you need help before your postpartum visit, don’t wait, reach out! 
• Sex and birth control – we will talk to you about resuming sexual activity, healthy spacing of any future pregnancies, and birth control options to help you meet your family-planning goals. 
• Other medical conditions – if you have a medical problem, such as high blood pressure, we will make a plan for a primary care doctor or specialist to manage this now that you are no longer pregnant. If you developed a pregnancy complication such as pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes, we will discuss how this affects your health in the future.