Settling in

Day 17 postpartum

In short: what happens on day 17 postpartum?

On day 17 postpartum visitors may increase, but your baby’s immune system is still developing. Keeping visits short, asking everyone who touches your baby to wash their hands and inviting anyone with a fever or cough to come another time reduce the risk of infection. Limiting visitors protects both your baby and your right to rest.

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Day 17 postpartum – animated guide

Day 17: the 40-day postpartum dial, your womb shrinking, postnatal bleeding, your baby’s stomach capacity and weight change (illustrative animation).

What the animation shows

RING: Coloured ring: the 40-day postpartum period and its stages; the gaps in the ring mark the weeks
LOCHIA: Inner band and pad: the colour of postnatal bleeding (red → pinkish-brown → yellowish-white) and how heavy it is
BLUES: Blue arc: days 3–14, when the baby blues may appear
UTERUS: Womb: its weight (g) and height relative to the belly button (cm); the dashed line marks the belly button
STOMACH: Circle: roughly how much milk your baby can take per feed (ml); dashed rings show day 1, day 3, week 1 and month 1
FEED: Drop and nappy: feeds in 24 hours and the minimum number of wet nappies to expect
WEIGHT: Graph: your baby’s weight compared with birth weight (%)
ICONS: Outer icons: first feed, milk coming in, heel prick test, cord falling off, back to birth weight, 1 month, 6-week check

Stage

Settling in

Postnatal bleeding

Yellowish-white (lochia alba)

Womb

≈ 260 g

Milk

Mature milk

Baby’s stomach (per feed)

74 ml

Baby’s weight (vs birth weight)

+4.4%

Wet nappies (24 hours)

Days until day 40

23 days

What’s happening in your body?

While your body is still healing, sitting up for long periods hosting guests can tire you more than you expect. A brief increase in discharge on days when you are on your feet a lot is a sign that you need rest.

Your baby today

Because a newborn’s immunity is immature, even minor infections such as a cold can hit them harder. Kissing a baby, especially on the face and hands, is one way germs such as the cold sore virus are passed on.

Feeding and nutrition

Don’t delay feeds because guests are there; whether you move to a quiet room or use a cover is entirely your choice. Delaying feeds can lead to breast fullness and blocked ducts.

Emotions and rest

There is no need to push yourself for fear of seeming rude; setting your limits kindly is for your health and your baby’s.

Care and hygiene

Putting hand sanitiser by the door and asking guests to wash their hands before holding your baby is a simple but effective precaution.

Tips for today

Set visiting times in advance and share them with family and friends
Kindly ask anyone who is unwell to visit once they have recovered
Ask your partner to take charge of greeting and seeing off guests

When to seek medical help

Go to A&E without delay if your baby has a temperature of 38 °C or above, won’t feed, is unusually sleepy, is breathing fast or turns blue. A fever in a newborn must always be taken seriously.

Tradition and evidence

According to the Turkish belief known as ‘kırk basması’, if two mothers or two babies who have not yet completed their 40 days meet, one of them will fall ill, so objects such as needles or mirrors are exchanged. The belief has no medical basis; but it is true that staying away from crowds and not tiring the new mother helps protect a newborn from infection. You can keep this protective heart of the tradition alive through handwashing and limits on visits.

Postpartum day-by-day table

Day	Topic	Stage
Day 1	The First Day After Birth	First 72 hours
Day 2	Colostrum (First Milk)	First 72 hours
Day 3	Milk Coming In and Jaundice	First 72 hours
Day 4	Breast Engorgement	Milk comes in
Day 5	The Baby Blues	Milk comes in
Day 6	Stitch Care and the Toilet	Milk comes in
Day 7	The End of Week One	Milk comes in
Day 8	When Can I Have a Bath?	Healing
Day 9	Sleep and Tiredness	Healing
Day 10	The Umbilical Cord Falls Off	Healing
Day 11	Eating Well After Birth	Healing
Day 12	Yellowish-White Discharge	Healing
Day 13	Caesarean Wound Care	Healing
Day 14	The End of Week Two	Healing
Day 15	Postnatal Depression	Settling in
Day 16	Cracked Nipples and Mastitis	Settling in
Day 17	Visitors and 40-Day Beliefs	Settling in
Day 18	Pelvic Floor and Kegels	Settling in
Day 19	Night Sweats and Hormones	Settling in
Day 20	Can I Go Out With My Baby?	Settling in
Day 21	The Three-Week Growth Spurt	Settling in
Day 22	Tummy, Binders and Diastasis	Settling in
Day 23	Lifting and Driving	Settling in
Day 24	Support From Partner and Family	Settling in
Day 25	Medicines, Tea and Coffee	Settling in
Day 26	Expressing and Storing Milk	Settling in
Day 27	Anaemia After Birth	Settling in
Day 28	Week 4: Is the Bleeding Ending?	Settling in
Day 29	Exercise After Birth	Recovery and day 40
Day 30	Your Baby’s First Month	Recovery and day 40
Day 31	Losing Weight After Birth	Recovery and day 40
Day 32	Sex After Birth	Recovery and day 40
Day 33	Contraception After Birth	Recovery and day 40
Day 34	Hair Loss and Skin Changes	Recovery and day 40
Day 35	Week Five: Building a Routine	Recovery and day 40
Day 36	Preparing for Your 6-Week Check	Recovery and day 40
Day 37	Pelvic Floor and Core Strength	Recovery and day 40
Day 38	Saunas and 40th-Day Bath Rituals	Recovery and day 40
Day 39	What to Watch for After Day 40	Recovery and day 40
Day 40	Day 40: The End of Postpartum	Recovery and day 40

Frequently asked questions

When is it OK to visit a newborn baby?

There is no set day; short visits can be made when the family feels ready. A visitor being healthy and washing their hands matters more than the timing.

Is it safe to kiss a newborn baby?

It is best not to kiss a baby on the face or hands, as infections such as cold sores can spread this way. Stroking the back of their head is a lovely way to show affection.

Is there any truth in 40-day folk beliefs about meeting other new mothers?

Beliefs such as ‘kırk basması’ have no scientific basis. To protect a newborn from illness, keeping away from crowds and paying attention to hand hygiene is enough.

Postnatal care at SoftCare Clinic

Book an appointment with our specialist doctors for a postnatal check, breastfeeding problems, a stitch or wound check, or support with postnatal depression.

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The information on this page is general guidance for an uncomplicated postpartum period and does not replace a medical examination. Heavy bleeding, fever, breathlessness, chest pain, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby are emergencies: call your local emergency number (999 / 911 / 112).

Medical content editor: Op. Dr. Şükrü Sanus