The Fourth Trimester Checklist

It can be hard to prioritize yourself with a newborn at home, but here’s our guide to caring for you. 

Schedule your first postpartum follow-up visit at the doctor’s office within three weeks of giving birth. If you had a high-risk pregnancy, it should be within one to two weeks. This can be over the phone or through a telehealth visit.   

Schedule and attend an in-person doctor’s office visit within 12 weeks of giving birth.

Take stock of how your body feels each week. Everyone is different, but typically it takes a person between four and six weeks to heal postpartum (longer if you’ve had a Cesarean birth). If you sense you have lingering issues, write them down and bring them up to your care provider.  

Let your friends or family help. Let visitors do household chores like folding laundry, doing the dishes or watching the baby while you rest or shower. 

Ease back into exercise with short walks or simple yoga within a few weeks of giving birth. 

Create a care schedule for the baby with your partner or family that will allow you to get adequate sleep.