Top Tips: The Six Week Postpartum Checkup
/It’s been nearly six weeks since your world changed forever (or perhaps changed forever a second or third time!) and maybe the postpartum fog is slowly beginning to clear. Hopefully things are going well with infant feeding and - fingers crossed - you are getting a little more sleep than you were six weeks ago. You’re probably getting to know this little person that has taken over your life and heart and learning how to read their cues.
But we also want to say that if life still feels like a never-ending roller coaster ride, you are well within the range of normal! A mere six weeks is a scant amount of time to expect life to return to normalcy.
But that six week mark is when most OB/GYNs and midwives like to check in on new parents and see how their postpartum recovery is going. You probably scheduled your six-week check-up weeks ago and all of a sudden it’s here. Crazy how time flies these days! (And if you haven’t scheduled one yet, now is the time to call and get that on the calendar.)
So what can you expect at this six-week check-up anyway? Check out our top tips to help you feel prepared and ready for your visit.
Get ready to talk about birth control.
It is at this visit when your medical provider will normally “clear” you to begin sexual relations with your partner again. Following birth, your uterus needs to heal, along with any tearing at the perineum. Your provider will perform an external and internal exam to assess how your body has healed and, if everything looks normal, will tell you that you are safe to resume sexual intercourse.
And we just want to say, if you already have resumed sexual intercourse, good on you! Your body, your choice. And if you don’t feel like you ever want anyone to touch you again, also totally cool. Your body, your choice.
But either way, your provider will most likely discuss birth control options with you if you are not planning to have another baby right away.
To prepare for this visit, you can begin researching the birth control option that is right for you. Are you looking for something temporary or permanent? Are you currently breastfeeding? If so, you will need to explore options that are breastfeeding friendly. A little research ahead of time will prepare you with all the questions you want to ask your provider at the six-week visit.
Let’s get honest about postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.
The six-week postpartum check-up is also normally the time when your provider will screen you for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). (Let’s put aside how wrong it is that new parents are not screened WAY before this! If I climb up on that soapbox, I might never get down.)
Most likely your provider will use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale self-assessment tool to have you answer some questions about how you have been feeling lately. You can find a copy of that here.
Can I ask you a favor? Pretty please?
Go ahead and click on that link and use the questions on that scale to assess yourself. Do this before your six-week checkup, in the privacy of your own home, when you feel ready. And please do it honestly.
We know that for some people they are caught off guard by this at their check-up. Maybe they weren’t expecting to talk about this. Or maybe they don’t feel ready to divulge these answers. Or maybe this visit feels too rushed. For whatever reason, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to discuss PMADs at your six-week checkup and we want you to be ready to talk about anything that has been bothering you and get help if you need it.
What is going on with your postpartum body.
The six-week postpartum check-up is also the time to check in with your provider about your physical recovery from birth. For many birthing people, your postpartum bleeding should have stopped by six weeks. If you are still bleeding or having other discharge, it is definitely worth discussing with your provider at this visit.
Ask your provider to check for diastasis recti, the phenomenon by which your abdominal wall muscles separate. This is very common during pregnancy, but for some birthing people that separation can be large and can result in a bulging stomach. For many people, physical therapy can help repair the separation and your medical provider might refer you to someone if needed.
If you are dealing with urinary or fecal incontinence following delivery, it is also a good idea to discuss this with your provider at this check-up. Crossing your knees when you sneeze or cough does NOT have to be your new normal. A visit to a pelvic floor therapist is a good idea and your care provider should be able to refer you to someone.
If you are dealing with any other physical symptoms post-birth that have you feeling a little “off,” don’t hesitate to bring those up with your provider at this check-up. Never ignore your gut instincts.