Six Weeks Postnatal Check: Why It’s Not the Green Light People Think It Is

When you’re deep in the fourth trimester, with sleepless nights, leaking boobs and maybe a pelvic floor that definitely didn’t get the memo about “healing in six weeks”, the phrase “six-week check” can start to sound like a promise. A promise that by the time your baby hits that milestone, you’ll be fixed.

Let’s unpack what this appointment actually is, what it typically includes, and why it’s not the finish line most people hope it will be.

What the Six-Week Postnatal Check Is

In the UK, the six-week postnatal check is a routine appointment offered by your GP about six to eight weeks after childbirth. It’s meant to be a chance to assess your physical and emotional recovery following birth. You can schedule it separately or at the same time as your baby’s six- to eight-week check.

Typical components of the check:

• A chat about how you’re feeling physically and emotionally

• Questions about vaginal discharge and menstruation

• Possible blood pressure check if indicated

• Optional examination of any stitches from tears or caesarean (depending on practice)

• Talk about contraception options

• Sometimes advice on vitamin D if you’re breastfeeding

It sounds thorough on paper. In reality, the experience can vary quite a bit, sometimes very quickly, as we’ll touch on below.

Why It’s Not a Magic Green Light for Full Recovery

Here’s the truth: six weeks is not a universal “healing deadline.” Your body doesn’t have a stopwatch set to magically switch from “broken” to “perfect” as soon as your calendar hits Day 42.

1. Physical healing isn’t linear

Even if your stitches have closed and the bleeding has stopped, tissues are still mending, muscles are still regaining strength, and your nervous system is still adapting to major life changes. Some discomfort or changes, such as pelvic floor weakness, low-back tension or abdominal muscle separation (diastasis), can persist long past six weeks.

A common misconception is that by six weeks you’ll be ready for high-impact exercise, heavy lifting or seamless sex life. That’s simply not the case for many people; in fact, people often talk about still feeling weirdly unstable or sore even into weeks 8–12 and beyond.

2. The check itself can be brief and variable

You might imagine a deep dive: strength checks, pelvic assessments, detailed discussions about movement and recovery. For some people that happens, especially in practices where clinicians are well versed in postnatal care.

But for others, the appointment can feel rushed and primarily focused on baby-related checks, contraception and a generic “how are you?” Many report that physical concerns like stitches or pain aren’t proactively addressed unless they’re raised.

3. Mental health matters, and it isn’t always fully explored

Postnatal depression and anxiety are real and common. Good practice includes checking in on your emotional wellbeing, but data shows that many people leave these checks without much discussion about mental health at all, or without enough time spent on it.

Your emotional experience is just as important as your physical signs of recovery, and it’s OK to say so.

So If It’s Not a Green Light, What Is It Really?

Think of the six-week check as a checkpoint, not a finish line. It’s a start of a conversation about what your body needs next, not confirmation that everything is perfect.

It’s your chance to:

• Ask about lingering pain

• Raise concerns about bladder or bowel control

• Get referrals (e.g., to specialist women’s health physio)

• Talk openly about how movement, exercise or intimacy feels

• Discuss emotional wellbeing without brushing “just coping” under the rug

And yes, if your appointment doesn’t feel like it did that, it’s completely reasonable to reach out for specific focus on the areas you’re struggling with.

When You Might Need More Support

If six weeks in and you’re still noticing:

• Leaking when you cough, sneeze or run

• Pain with movement or sex

• Weakness with lifting or core engagement

• Emotional overwhelm that feels more than “baby exhaustion”

…those are not just “things you should get over.” They’re valid places to seek specialised help, whether that’s pelvic health support, strength coaching, targeted soft tissue work, or further clinical review.

Six weeks sounds like a milestone because it’s a number folks hear on maternity wards, in postpartum pamphlets, on social media, and from employers’ leave policies. But bodies don’t operate by arbitrary time blocks.

The six-week check is useful and important, but it’s not a universal reset button. Think of it as a friendly but honest conversation starter about your ongoing recovery, not a badge of “done and dusted.”

Your body doesn’t have a deadline. Your recovery will be uniquely yours, and that’s OK.