After Birth
Your baby is here. Now what about you?
After months of pregnancy and preparing for birth, the moment finally arrives.
Your baby is here.
And suddenly, everything can feel different.
There may be joy.
Relief.
Love.
Exhaustion.
Uncertainty.
A feeling that everything has changed.
Or perhaps you're feeling something you didn't expect at all.
There is no single way to feel after having a baby.
And becoming a mother doesn't mean that your own needs disappear.
The first days
The days immediately after birth can bring a lot of change.
You are getting to know your baby while your own body is adjusting to what you've just experienced.
There may be conversations with your maternity team, postnatal checks and information about caring for yourself and your baby.
You may also be thinking about feeding, sleep, recovery and what happens when you leave maternity care.
It can be a lot to take in.
Some things may feel straightforward.
Others may take time to understand.
Your body after birth
Your body has been through pregnancy and birth.
Whether your birth was vaginal, assisted or caesarean, recovery can take time.
You may notice physical changes that are new to you.
Some may be expected parts of recovery, while others may leave you wondering whether you should seek advice.
If something concerns you, speak to your maternity team, GP, health visitor or another appropriate healthcare professional.
You deserve care after birth too.
Feeding your baby
Feeding can become a big part of the early days.
You may breastfeed.
You may use formula.
You may combine different ways of feeding.
Your plans may change.
There can be expectations and opinions around feeding, sometimes from family, professionals, social media or other mothers.
But your feeding journey is your own.
If you need help with feeding, your maternity team, health visitor or other appropriate support can provide guidance for your circumstances.
The emotional side of after birth
Not every moment after birth feels the way you imagined.
You may feel deeply connected to your baby.
You may feel overwhelmed.
You may cry.
You may feel proud.
You may feel lost.
You may experience several of these feelings in the same day.
Becoming a mother can bring emotional changes alongside the physical ones.
And your emotional wellbeing matters.
If you're struggling, feeling persistently low, frightened, overwhelmed or unlike yourself, you deserve to talk to someone and receive appropriate support.
You don't have to hide how you're feeling because you have a healthy baby.
Your life has changed too
After birth, attention naturally turns towards the baby.
But there is still a woman underneath all those new responsibilities.
You may be adjusting to:
A new routine
Changes to your relationship
Caring for other children
Returning to work or thinking about when you will return
Money and household responsibilities
Changes to your friendships and social life
Depending on others more than you're used to
Finding time for yourself
Motherhood doesn't happen separately from the rest of your life.
You're learning how to be a mother while still being you.
Your support system
Support can make a difference during this transition.
That support might come from a partner, family, friends, your community or professionals.
You may have lots of support around you.
You may have very little.
You may discover that the people you expected to help aren't able to in the way you hoped.
And you may find support in unexpected places.
It's okay to recognise what you need.
Your culture after birth
The period after birth can also be a time when culture becomes especially visible.
There may be foods prepared for you.
Family traditions.
Faith.
Music.
Ways of welcoming the baby.
Advice passed down through generations.
Practices that are meaningful to you.
Some traditions may feel comforting.
Others may not fit with what you want for yourself or your baby.
You can honour what matters to you while also finding your own way.
You are allowed to create your own version of motherhood.
When maternity care starts to change
Your contact with maternity services will change as you move further into the postnatal period.
Other professionals may become part of your care, including your health visitor and GP.
You may find yourself asking questions you hadn't thought about during pregnancy.
That's part of the transition.
Pregnancy and birth may have been the focus for months.
Now you're learning what life looks like afterwards.
There is no finish line at birth
Birth can sometimes feel like the destination you've been working towards.
But birth is actually the beginning of another chapter.
You're meeting your baby.
You're recovering.
You're learning.
You're adapting.
You're becoming familiar with a version of yourself that may feel both recognisable and completely new.
After birth is still part of your maternity and motherhood journey.
CherisHer reminder
Your baby matters.
And so do you.
There is a woman becoming a mother here — and she deserves to be seen, heard and held too.
Keep exploring
Postpartum Companion
A CherisHer resource created to support you through the transition after birth.
CherisHer Real Talk
A space for the feelings, thoughts and experiences that can come with motherhood.
CherisHer Sounds
Music and gentle moments for different parts of the motherhood journey.
Resources
Explore more CherisHer resources for pregnancy, birth and after birth.
Your journey continues
Pregnancy brought you here.
Birth changed the chapter.
But you are still becoming.
Her journey.
Her culture.
Her voice.