Postpartum Wellness & the Fourth Trimester: What No One Tells You (But We Will)

Congratulations—you’ve just had a baby! 🎉 You’ve survived pregnancy, labor and delivery. Now you’re home, holding your tiny bundle of joy…and possibly wondering, “Why didn’t anyone warn me about this part?”

Welcome to the fourth trimester—a real thing, not just a clever title. It’s the three months after birth when your body, brain, and emotions are adjusting, often dramatically. It can feel like you’re running a marathon without sleep. Let’s talk about postpartum wellness and how to stay (mostly) sane during this wild, beautiful, exhausting chapter.

1. Your Body Just Did Something Epic. Now It’s Recovery Time.

This is the time to prioritize:

• Hydration (iced water, not just iced coffee)

• Rest (nap when the baby naps… or at least sit down)

• Pelvic floor recovery (hint: peeing when you sneeze isn’t always normal)

🔍 Pro tip: Look for St. Louis pelvic floor therapists who specialize in postpartum rehab. It's not just for athletes—though lifting a car seat with one arm does count.

2. Mental Health Is Health (Yes, Even Yours)

Postpartum depression and anxiety don’t always look like “sadness.” They can look like rage, overwhelm, or feeling like you’re failing at everything—even though you’re keeping a human alive. That’s no small feat.

There are incredible local resources right here in St. Louis and I'm happy to provide referrals. If you feel like you’re not yourself, reach out. You wouldn’t ignore a fever—don’t ignore your mental health either.

3. The Feeding Frenzy: Boobs, Bottles, and Beyond

Whether you’re breastfeeding, formula-feeding, combo-feeding, or simply praying for the baby to latch and not scream—you’re doing great.

Need help? St. Louis has excellent lactation consultants that I'm happy to connect you with.

Remember: Fed is best. And pumped is still fed. And if your milk comes in like a busted fire hydrant—welcome to the club.

4. Let’s Talk About Support—The Real Kind

You don’t need 17 swaddles or five different kinds of pacifiers. You do need:

• Someone to hold the baby while you shower

• Meals that aren’t granola bars

• An OBGYN who checks in on you, not just your uterus

Ask for help. Accept it. No one gets a medal for doing postpartum alone.

5. When to Call Your OBGYN

If you’re experiencing:

• Bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour

• Fever, chills, or signs of infection

• Severe sadness or scary thoughts

• Breast pain that feels like it’s been hit with a baseball bat

Please call. We’re here for stitches, soreness, and sanity checks. You’re not being dramatic—you’re being smart.

Bonus: A Quick Shoutout to Dads, Partners & Support People

Want to help? Do dishes. Change diapers. Bring snacks. Tell her she’s amazing (because she is). Drive her to her six-week checkup and hold the baby while she gets five minutes alone with her doctor and maybe even uses two hands to drink a smoothie. That’s the dream.

You’re Not Alone

Postpartum is tough—but you don’t have to white-knuckle it. Whether you live in Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Clayton, or somewhere between the Zoo and Ted Drewes, there’s a village here to support you.

We’re your trusted OBGYN team in St. Louis, and we’re proud to care for women before, during, and especially after childbirth.

Need a postpartum check-in or pelvic floor referral? We’re here to help. Contact our office today—we’ll save you a seat, a smile, and possibly a warm compress.