Prevention tips

Prioritize your postpartum health. Start thinking about your postpartum care plan before you give birth. After childbirth, talk to your health care provider about your risk of a pregnancy-related complication and any special follow-up care you might need. Know the signs and symptoms of a problem.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also now recommends that postpartum care be an ongoing process rather than just a single visit after your delivery. Have contact with your health care provider within the first three weeks after delivery. Within 12 weeks after delivery, see your health care provider for a comprehensive postpartum evaluation. If you're having trouble making time for an appointment, talk to your provider. Reach out to family and friends for help with child care.

During this appointment your health care provider will check your mood and emotional well-being, discuss contraception and birth spacing, review information about infant care and feeding, talk about your sleep habits and issues related to fatigue, and do a physical exam. This might include a check of your abdomen, vagina, cervix and uterus to make sure you're healing well. This is a great time to talk about any concerns you might have, including resuming sexual activity and how you're adjusting to life with a new baby.

Also, any time you see a health care provider in the year after childbirth, be sure to share the date that you gave birth. This can help your provider know that your symptoms might be related to your recent pregnancy.