Postpartum Care

The postpartum period, sometimes called the fourth trimester, is the stage of physical and functional recovery that follows birth. It applies after both vaginal and caesarean deliveries and unfolds over months rather than weeks. This page outlines what recovery typically involves and the services that can support it.

Postpartum recovery

Postpartum recovery covers the gradual return of core and pelvic floor function, healing of any perineal or abdominal scar tissue, and adjustment to feeding, sleep, and mood changes. Recovery varies between individuals, and support can begin at any point — whether birth was recent or some years ago.

Registered Ontario physiotherapists and allied practitioners can coordinate care so that physical rehabilitation and adjunct supports are addressed together rather than in isolation.

Core and pelvic floor rehabilitation

Pregnancy places sustained load on the pelvic floor regardless of delivery method, and a caesarean birth involves abdominal surgery in addition. Diastasis recti — a separation of the abdominal muscles — is common after pregnancy and persists in roughly one-third of individuals at 12 months postpartum.

The routine six-week check is a general medical review and does not assess pelvic floor strength or coordination in detail. Pelvic floor physiotherapy helps address this through individualized, progressive exercise. Postpartum incontinence is common and responds to pelvic floor muscle training, and physiotherapy can also help with heaviness, pelvic pain, and scar mobility.

Lactation support

Lactation support can help with latch difficulties, questions about supply, and the demands of frequent feeding, whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, or combining methods. It complements rehabilitation rather than replacing it, and care is provided without assumptions about how you choose to feed.

Mental health

The postpartum period involves changes to sleep, hormones, and daily routine that can affect mood and wellbeing. Perinatal mental health support is a recognized part of recovery and can be accessed alongside physical care. It is relevant to birthing parents and partners alike.

Coordinated care

Postpartum support often works best when the different elements are aligned. Pelvic floor physiotherapy, postpartum massage, lactation help, and mental health care can be coordinated by a team that shares information, so that each part of your recovery supports the others.