Postpartum Warning Signs: 7 Symptoms New Mothers Should Never Ignore
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Bringing your baby home is a moment you may have imagined for months. But while much of the attention naturally shifts to your newborn, your own recovery after childbirth deserves just as much care.
Bleeding, tiredness, soreness and emotional changes can all occur after delivery. The difficulty is knowing what is part of normal recovery and what could be a postpartum warning sign.
Certain complications can develop suddenly after childbirth, including heavy bleeding, infection, blood clots and postpartum pre-eclampsia. Some pregnancy-related complications can also occur after you have left hospital, which is why knowing when to seek help matters.
Here are seven symptoms every new mother and her family should know.
Vaginal bleeding after childbirth is expected. Known as lochia, it usually changes in colour and gradually becomes lighter as your body recovers. What should not be ignored is bleeding that suddenly becomes very heavy, continues to worsen, or is accompanied by large clots, dizziness, weakness or feeling faint.
Heavy bleeding after childbirth can be a sign of postpartum haemorrhage, which can sometimes occur after a mother has already returned home. ACOG advises urgent medical attention for bleeding that soaks through two sanitary pads an hour for more than one to two hours. If the amount of bleeding worries you, particularly if you feel weak, dizzy or unwell, seek medical care promptly.
Feeling tired and physically drained is common after having a baby. A fever is different.
A temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher is recognised as an urgent maternal warning sign and may indicate an infection. Postpartum infections can affect different areas of the body, including the uterus, urinary tract or a surgical wound. Fever may sometimes occur alongside chills, abdominal pain, unpleasant-smelling vaginal discharge or problems with urination.
Do not dismiss a fever as simply exhaustion from caring for a newborn. Contact your healthcare team for assessment.
Whether you have had a Caesarean birth, an episiotomy or a perineal tear, some discomfort during the early stages of healing can be expected. The important question is whether the area is gradually improving.
Pain that becomes worse rather than better, increasing redness, swelling, warmth or pus-like discharge can indicate that a wound is not healing normally and may suggest infection. Postpartum care should include assessment of physical recovery, including concerns about Caesarean incisions or perineal tears. If something about your wound looks or feels different, do not wait for your routine postnatal appointment. Speak to your healthcare team.
Breathlessness after childbirth should never automatically be put down to tiredness. Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, gasping for air or difficulty breathing requires urgent medical attention.
These symptoms can be associated with serious complications, including a pulmonary embolism, where a blood clot travels to the lungs. Breathing difficulties can also occur with heart problems or postpartum pre-eclampsia. If you develop sudden chest pain or have difficulty breathing after childbirth, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Sleepless nights, dehydration and physical exhaustion can all contribute to headaches after having a baby. However, a severe headache that persists, becomes worse or occurs with visual disturbances needs medical attention.
Watch particularly for blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, severe headache, breathlessness or markedly raised blood pressure. These can be warning signs of postpartum pre-eclampsia. Importantly, postpartum pre-eclampsia can develop even in women who did not have high blood pressure during pregnancy. It most often develops within a few days after delivery but can occur up to six weeks afterwards. If you have a headache that will not settle, especially with vision changes or high blood pressure, contact your doctor immediately.
Some swelling of the feet and legs can happen around pregnancy and childbirth. But swelling that mainly affects one leg, particularly when accompanied by pain, tenderness, redness or warmth, is different.
These symptoms may indicate deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, which is a blood clot within a deep vein. The concern with DVT is that a clot can potentially travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. ACOG lists one-sided leg pain, tenderness, redness and swelling among maternal warning signs that require prompt assessment. Do not massage the painful area or simply wait to see whether it improves. Seek medical advice promptly.
The emotional changes after childbirth deserve the same attention as physical symptoms. Many new mothers experience temporary mood changes in the first days after birth. But severe emotional or behavioural changes are different.
Confusion, hallucinations, extreme changes in mood or behaviour, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby require immediate help. Thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby are recognised as urgent postpartum warning signs. Family members and partners also have an important role here. A mother experiencing severe mental health symptoms may not always recognise that she needs help. If there is an immediate risk of harm, she should not be left alone. Seek emergency medical assistance straight away.
Some postpartum symptoms should not wait for a scheduled appointment.
Seek urgent or emergency medical attention for chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, very heavy bleeding, seizures, severe neurological symptoms, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
For fever, worsening wounds, persistent severe headaches, vision changes, high blood pressure or one-sided leg pain and swelling, contact your healthcare team promptly for advice and assessment.
And remember, not every serious postpartum problem fits neatly into a list. If you feel that something is seriously wrong, getting assessed is safer than waiting for symptoms to become more severe.
Recovery from childbirth does not end when you are discharged from hospital. Your body continues to heal in the weeks that follow, and postnatal care is an opportunity to discuss bleeding, wound healing, blood pressure, pain, feeding, sleep, emotional wellbeing and any new symptoms.
Postpartum care should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a single check-up.
For families, one of the simplest ways to support a new mother is to pay attention to her health as closely as everyone is watching the baby's.
The first weeks with a newborn can be overwhelming, and it is easy for a mother's own symptoms to move to the bottom of the family's priority list. They should not.
Most women recover well after childbirth, but recognising postpartum warning signs early can help serious complications receive timely medical attention.
Heavy or worsening bleeding, fever, a deteriorating wound, chest pain or breathlessness, severe headache or vision changes, one-sided leg swelling, and severe mental health symptoms all deserve attention.
At Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Child Care Centre, Guwahati, mothers can seek specialist support for postnatal concerns and recovery after childbirth.
For appointments, call 0361 711 5000.
Some vaginal bleeding is expected after childbirth and should generally become lighter over time. Bleeding that becomes very heavy, is accompanied by large clots, or makes you feel faint or weak requires medical assessment.
A temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher is an urgent maternal warning sign and should not be ignored. It may indicate an infection and needs medical advice.
Yes. Postpartum pre-eclampsia can occur after childbirth, including in women who had normal blood pressure during pregnancy. Severe persistent headache, vision changes, breathlessness or high blood pressure should be assessed urgently.
Swelling, redness, warmth or pain affecting one leg may be a sign of a blood clot and should be assessed promptly, particularly if the symptoms are new or worsening.
Confusion, hallucinations, severe behavioural or mood changes, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby require immediate professional help.
