The FOURTH Trimester?
I have four children. Three completely different birth experiences. Three completely different versions of coming home to a physical space and to myself as a parent. Each child held up a mirror, forcing me to look at a different part of myself. My children’s ages range from 17 to 7 months, and that span of time has been a wild thing to experience as a parent postpartum.
The “fourth trimester” is such a foreign idea for many. Try as I might, I can’t always get the families I work with to fully grasp the importance of prenatal preparation for postpartum. It’s something they have to come to on their own. You don’t know what you don’t know. You have to come to an understanding of it on your own time. You have to admit that you can’t do it alone and that you do, in fact, need support. It can catch you way off guard, and then suddenly you’re casting your net far and wide.
The fourth trimester is the twelve weeks after birth. Your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb. You’re still creating a container and cocooning in a protective shell where only a few are invited in.
If you saw the size of the wound in your womb after birth on the outside of you, you would permission yourself to rest.
I always go by the age-old rule - 10 days in the bed, 10 days on the bed, and 10 days near the bed. This often gives families an idea of what I mean when I say “this time is sacred. Do less. If you don’t do the 40-day ritual, at LEAST do this.
You may bleed for up to six weeks or more. You’re in a hormonal freefall. You’re hardwired to keep life very simple and be with your baby nonstop. Now, we know this isn’t possible for many (going back to work, caring for other children). If you had a cesarean birth or significant tearing, all the more reason to do less, find your people. Say YES to the offers that come in. If that’s still a challenge for you and the bare minimum you can do is care for your physical body post-birth, these are my go-tos: Earth Mama's organic skin and scar balm is something I recommend to almost every postpartum client. It is gentle, effective, and made for exactly this.
For perineal soreness and swelling, the Nyssa below-the-belt recovery kit is one of the best things you can have waiting for you at home. It comes with supportive underwear and reusable ice and heat packs. And Earth Mama's herbal sitz bath and perineal spray together are a combination I recommend every time.
Feeding Babies Is Hard
If you are breastfeeding, expect it to take several weeks to establish. Latch issues, engorgement, questions about supply, all of it is incredibly common. A lactation consultant in the first week home is one of the best investments you can make. In the meantime, Earth Mama's nipple butter and Booby Tubes for engorgement relief are things I keep stocked and recommend constantly. If you are pumping, Momcozy's hands-free pump and pumping bra are a combination that genuinely makes the logistics easier, especially in those early weeks when everything feels like a lot.
If supply is a concern, Earth Mama's Milk Maid lactation tea is something many of our clients swear by. And Needed's postnatal hydration support (code CARRIAGE for 20% off) is worth having on hand because staying hydrated is directly tied to milk supply.
If breastfeeding is not working for you, or is not what you want, that is a complete sentence. Fed is what's best.
What You Actually Need in the First Weeks
Food. Hot food, ideally, that someone else has made. Welcome Home delivers nourishing postpartum meals designed specifically for recovery. If a meal train isn't something your people are organizing, it is a meaningful thing to arrange for yourself in advance. If you are in the Hudson Valley, Common Table is another one we love. And Oma's bone broth (use code CHB15 for 15% off) is something I genuinely recommend keeping in the freezer. It is warming, nourishing, and easy to heat up at two in the morning.
Sleep
The Halo Bassinest is our top recommendation for the early weeks. Being able to reach your baby from bed without fully getting up makes the night feeds so much more manageable. Pair it with Halo's breathable crib mattress and a Halo sleep sack for safe, comfortable sleep from day one.
Comfort For Your Body
Saalt's leakproof postpartum underwear and Belly Bandit's postpartum belly wrap for core support are two things I wish someone had put in a bag for me after each of my births.
Someone Who is There For You, Not Just the Baby
A postpartum doula is trained specifically for this. They hold the baby so you can sleep. They help you figure out feeding. They watch you for signs that you need more support. At CHB, we have a team of postpartum doulas who do exactly this work, and we have watched it change the whole early postpartum experience for families.
Low Expectations for Everything Else
The laundry, the social media posts, the thank you notes. All of it can wait.
"You do not have to perform wellness rightnow. You have to live it."
For Birth Workers: The Fourth Trimester Is Where We Can Do More
If you are a doula or birth worker reading this, Week 11 of our current mentorship delves into postpartum care and babywearing. The conversations that come out of that week are some of the most honest and valuable we have all year.
If you are building your practice and want to go deeper into this work, our 12-week CHB Doula Mentorship runs on Wednesdays from April 29 through July 15, 2026. Sliding scale from $275 to $450. All the details and registration are here. We would love to have you.