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The 6-Week Postpartum Checkup

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The Office on Women's Health says your doctor will check your recovery at your postpartum visit, about six weeks after birth. 1 The NHS says you should have your postnatal check 6 to 8 weeks after your baby's birth to make sure you feel well and are recovering properly. 2

Key takeaways

  • The Office on Women's Health says your doctor checks your recovery at the postpartum visit, about six weeks after birth. 1
  • The NHS says the postnatal check should happen 6 to 8 weeks after your baby's birth. 2
  • The NHS says a general discussion about your mental health and wellbeing is usually offered as part of the postnatal check, though this may vary depending on where you live. 2
  • The Office on Women's Health says a mother can ask about resuming normal activities, eating and fitness plans, having sex, and birth control. 1
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians screen new mothers for postpartum depression at the baby's 1, 2, 4, and 6 month well-child visits. 3
  • The Office on Women's Health says to see your doctor if sadness lasts more than two weeks, and not to wait until the postpartum visit. 1

When to seek help before the checkup

**The Office on Women's Health says to see your doctor if sadness lasts more than two weeks, and not to wait until the postpartum visit. 1 The Office on Women's Health says signs of postpartum depression include feeling restless or irritable, feeling sad or crying a lot, having no energy, being overly worried about the baby or having no interest in the baby, feeling worthless and guilty, and having thoughts of harming your baby or yourself. 1 The American Academy of Pediatrics says a mother who is feeling depressed during pregnancy or after having a baby should not suffer alone, and should tell a loved one and contact her doctor right away. 3 In the UK, the NHS says not to struggle alone or put on a brave face, that it is not a sign you are a bad mother, and that you need to get help as you may have postnatal depression, which your doctor or health visitor can provide help and support for. 2**

**A quick, honest note:** we're not medical professionals - everything here was researched by us from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page, and it isn't professional advice. Read our full note ↓

When is the postpartum checkup?

The Office on Women's Health puts the timing simply: "Your doctor will check your recovery at your postpartum visit, about six weeks after birth." 1 The NHS says you should have your postnatal check 6 to 8 weeks after your baby's birth to make sure you feel well and are recovering properly. 2 The NHS says your GP surgery should offer and provide you with a postnatal check. 2 The NHS says your postnatal check can be done immediately before or after your baby's 6 to 8 week check, or at a separate time if you would like it to be. 2

What happens at the 6-week postpartum check?

Below is what the Office on Women's Health and the NHS say the six-week postpartum check covers. The Office on Women's Health says your doctor will check your recovery at the postpartum visit, about six weeks after birth. 1 The NHS says you will be asked how you are feeling as part of a general discussion about your mental health and wellbeing, although this may vary according to where you live. 2 The NHS says this check can be done immediately before or after your baby's 6 to 8 week check, or at a separate time. 2

What should I ask at my postpartum visit?

Your postpartum visit is a natural time to raise questions about getting back to daily life. The Office on Women's Health says to "ask about resuming normal activities, as well as eating and fitness plans to help you return to a healthy weight," and to also ask your doctor about having sex and birth control. 1

When should I see a doctor before my postpartum checkup?

Below is what the Office on Women's Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics say about seeing a doctor before the postpartum checkup. The Office on Women's Health puts it plainly: "if sadness lasts more than two weeks, go see your doctor." 1 HealthyChildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics says, "Most women typically only have 1-2 postpartum visits with their obstetricians, where depression screening may not always occur." 3 For that reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians screen new mothers for postpartum depression at the baby's 1, 2, 4, and 6 month well-child visits. 3

Frequently asked questions

When is the postpartum checkup?

The Office on Women's Health says your doctor checks your recovery at the postpartum visit, about six weeks after birth. 1 The NHS says the postnatal check should happen 6 to 8 weeks after your baby's birth. 2

What happens at the 6-week postpartum check?

The Office on Women's Health says your doctor will check your recovery at the postpartum visit. 1 The NHS says a general discussion about your mental health and wellbeing is usually offered as part of the postnatal check, though this may vary depending on where you live. 2

What should I ask at my postpartum visit?

The Office on Women's Health says to ask about resuming normal activities, as well as eating and fitness plans to help you return to a healthy weight, and to also ask your doctor about having sex and birth control. 1

When should I see a doctor before my postpartum checkup?

The Office on Women's Health says to see your doctor if sadness lasts more than two weeks, and not to wait until the postpartum visit. 1 The American Academy of Pediatrics says a mother who is feeling depressed during pregnancy or after having a baby should not suffer alone, and should tell a loved one and contact her doctor right away. 3

A note from us

We're the team behind Yael & Michal. We are not doctors, nurses, lactation consultants, or psychologists, and nothing here is professional advice.

Everything above was researched by us from public, reputable sources - we name and link every one of them below - and summarized as carefully as we could, as a free resource for other mothers. We do this because we wished something like it had existed for us.

When we name an organisation such as the CDC, the NHS, La Leche League, or the Israeli Ministry of Health, we are only citing their published guidance; it does not mean they endorse, sponsor, approve, or are affiliated with us. They have no involvement with this site, and we never use their logos or seals.

Yael & Michal sells nursing bras, which are comfort garments and not medical devices; we do not claim they prevent, treat, or cure any medical condition. The health information here is written for you as a free resource - it is separate from anything we sell.

We try hard to get it right, and we cite our sources so you can check us. But we are not a medical authority, and this cannot replace talking to a professional who knows you and your baby. Please check anything that matters with your doctor, midwife, or an IBCLC lactation consultant. This content has not been reviewed by a medical professional. Reading this site does not create a doctor-patient relationship, or any other professional relationship, between you and us.

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Sources

  1. Office on Women's Health (womenshealth.gov). https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-and-beyond/recovering-birth (retrieved 2026-07-10).
  2. NHS (nhs.uk). https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/your-6-week-postnatal-check/ (retrieved 2026-07-10).
  3. HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics). https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/postpartum-depression-breastfeeding.aspx (retrieved 2026-07-10).