Postpartum Is Not 6 Weeks — Oh Baby
Honoring the Season of Slow
Today’s culture praises new mothers for “bouncing back” after having a baby. They’re applauded for returning to work, running errands, and losing the “baby weight” just weeks after giving birth. They’re praised for appearing and living as though their lives are not undergoing a major transformational shift.
But what if we stopped measuring recovery by speed and instead focused on what mothers actually need?
Because here’s the truth: Postpartum is not six weeks. Postpartum is a season.
Honoring the sacred time of a woman’s transition from maiden to mother creates a solid foundation — and respecting this should be considered essential.
The Medical Definition Misses the Mark
In Western medicine, postpartum is defined as the six-week period after birth — the time it takes for hormone levels and the uterus to return to their non-pregnant state. At the six-week check-up, most mothers are given the “all clear” to resume their lives and activities. But this often leads to depletion, as women are expected to carry on as if nothing has changed.
At six weeks postpartum, most mothers are still in the throes of recovery and adjusting to an entirely new reality. Life with a newborn is nowhere near what it was before — physically, emotionally, or mentally.
Reducing postpartum to six weeks ignores the profound transformation of becoming a mother.
What We Can Learn from Traditional Cultures
Traditional cultures did it differently. For thousands of years, cultures around the world deeply valued the importance of nurturing this ordinary but extraordinary transition.
They honored an extended period of healing and adjustment for mothers after birth, during which female relatives and other women in the community would nourish her with ceremonial foods, tend to her needs, and relieve her of all responsibilities.
These traditions have many names:
In Latin America: La Cuarentena (“quarantine”)
In Malaysia: Pantang Bersalin (“post-birth forbidden period”)
In China: Zuo Yuezi (“sitting the month”)
In Korea: Sanhujori (“postpartum care”)
Each tradition has its differences, but they all center around one principle: protecting the mother and baby during this sacred window.
The mother’s only job? To rest, replenish, and care for her newborn.