The “40-Day Postpartum” Tradition: What It Means and Why I Believe in It

There’s this idea in our culture that postpartum recovery ends at six weeks.

Your appointment happens, you get “cleared,” and suddenly you’re supposed to bounce back — physically, emotionally, mentally, sexually, socially. Like your body and mind reset the moment a doctor signs a piece of paper.

But anyone who’s lived through postpartum knows that six weeks is a joke.

Healing after birth takes time.

Real time.More than we’re taught to expect, and definitely more than we’re supported through.

That’s why the 40-day postpartum tradition matters to me so much. It’s found in cultures all around the world — sometimes called the “lying-in period,” “quarentena,” “zuo yuezi,” “sitting the month,” and so many other names. The details differ, but the heartbeat is the same:

Birth requires deep rest, nourishment, community, and recovery — and people deserve space to heal.

What the 40 days are really about

It’s not about being stuck in bed or following rigid rules.

It’s about honoring how massive birth is.

Physically, your organs shift back into place.

Your hormones are moving like a tidal wave.

Your stitches are healing (even if they’re invisible ones inside you).

Your pelvic floor is adjusting.

Your bleeding is tapering.

Your milk is coming in or your body is adjusting from not breastfeeding.

Your sleep is fragmented.

Your entire identity is shifting.

Forty days gives your body permission to slow down.

Permission to say “I can’t do everything.”Permission to allow others to care for you — not just the baby.

And honestly, if we lived in a world that prioritized postpartum wellness, it wouldn’t stop at 40 days. Full recovery can take months… even years. But those first 40 days set the foundation for healing instead of depletion.

Rest isn’t a luxury — it’s survival

The 40-day tradition emphasizes rest because postpartum bodies aren’t just tired — they’re recovering from one of the most intense physical events a human can experience.

Rest supports:

• bleeding to slow properly

• pelvic floor healing

• emotional regulation

• stable milk production (if you’re chestfeeding)

• reduced postpartum depression and anxiety

• long-term hormonal balance

We are not meant to be vacuuming, entertaining visitors, running errands, or “bouncing back” while our bodies are repairing themselves.

Rest is not weakness.

Rest is wisdom.

Nourishment matters more than people realize

Warm foods, easy digestion, bone broth, herbal teas, soft meals — these aren’t trends.

They’re traditions rooted in actual recovery.

Postpartum digestion is slower.

Hormones are in flux.

Your body needs warmth and grounding.

Nourishing yourself helps rebuild blood, stabilize your mood, and replenish nutrients lost during birth. And it’s also a way to care for yourself when everything else around you feels chaotic.

Community is the backbone of postpartum care

One of the core parts of the 40-day model is this:

You’re not supposed to do it alone.

Families, friends, aunties, neighbors — someone was always there. Cooking. Cleaning. Holding the baby so you could sleep. Making sure you were supported, not stretched thin.

But modern culture has moved away from that.

We celebrate pregnancy and the birth day… then parents are left isolated afterward.

That’s why I believe in rebuilding these postpartum traditions — through doulas, community groups, meal trains, resource lists, and actual support networks that don’t just show up for Instagram photos.

People heal better when they’re held by others.

My own journey shifted how I see postpartum support

After Meadow was born — and especially after the NICU and the months that followed — I learned firsthand how deeply postpartum runs. It wasn’t six weeks. It wasn’t even six months.

It was years of rebuilding.

Physically. Mentally. Emotionally.

Slowly finding my footing again.

That experience changed how I care for the families I support.

I don’t rush their healing.

I don’t downplay the intensity of postpartum.

I don’t pretend rest is optional.

I see the whole person — not just the parent with a new baby.

Why I believe in the 40-day tradition as a doula

Because it honors the truth:

Birth is big.

Postpartum is bigger.

And people deserve time to land.

Forty days isn’t confinement.It’s protection.

Forty days isn’t old-fashioned.It’s human.

Forty days isn’t a rulebook.It’s an invitation to honor your body, your emotions, your relationships, your identity, and your healing.

Every family deserves that kind of care.

Every body deserves that kind of rest.

And every postpartum journey deserves to be taken seriously — without the pressure to bounce back into a world that moves too fast.