Recovery and day 40

Day 37 postpartum

In short: what happens on day 37 postpartum?

On day 37 postpartum strengthening your pelvic floor and deep tummy muscles is the priority. Kegels and breath-supported core exercises are a safe start; wait for your 6-week check before sit-ups and heavy exercise. If bladder leaks, a feeling of heaviness or a gap in your tummy muscles persist, working with a pelvic floor physiotherapist is very effective.

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Day 37 postpartum – animated guide

Day 37: 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

Recovery and day 40

Postnatal bleeding

Yellowish-white (lochia alba)

Womb

≈ 80 g

Milk

Mature milk

Baby’s stomach (per feed)

107 ml

Baby’s weight (vs birth weight)

+20.9%

Wet nappies (24 hours)

Days until day 40

3 days

What’s happening in your body?

Pregnancy and birth stretch and weaken the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder, womb and bowel. The muscles down the middle of your tummy may also have separated, and their recovery needs regular, correct exercise.

Your baby today

Short spells of tummy time while your baby is awake strengthen their neck and back muscles. Only do this while they are awake and you are beside them; sleep should always be on their back.

Feeding and nutrition

Exercise doesn’t reduce your milk supply; simply drink more water on active days. Feeding before exercise makes your breasts more comfortable.

Emotions and rest

Trusting your body again takes time; noticing small improvements keeps you motivated. Moving improves mood and can improve sleep quality.

Care and hygiene

Do 10 Kegels several times a day: squeeze the muscles for 5 seconds and relax for 5 seconds. If a dome-shaped bulge appears along your tummy during exercise, make the movement easier.

Tips for today

Make Kegels a habit while feeding or washing up
Gently tighten your pelvic floor before lifting anything heavy
Instead of sit-ups, lie on your back and draw your tummy in with your breath

When to seek medical help

See your doctor and ask for a physiotherapy referral if you keep leaking urine when you cough or sneeze, feel heaviness or something coming down in your vagina, or leak wind or stools.

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

Does bladder leakage go away after birth?

For most women it improves markedly within weeks or months with pelvic floor exercises. If it lasts longer than 3 months, pelvic floor physiotherapy is recommended.

When can I do sit-ups after giving birth?

Traditional sit-ups should be introduced gradually, once any tummy muscle gap has improved and you have the go-ahead at your 6-week check. After a caesarean this may take longer.

How do you do a Kegel?

Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as if trying to hold in a wee, hold for 5 seconds, then relax for 5 seconds. Do 10 repetitions without tensing your tummy, buttocks or legs.

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