Recovery and day 40

Day 38 postpartum

In short: what happens on day 38 postpartum?

On day 38 postpartum some families plan a traditional 40th-day bath. Turkish baths (hammams), steam rooms and saunas are safe once bleeding has completely stopped and stitches or a caesarean wound have healed, usually after weeks 4–6. Extreme heat, long sessions and crowds can tire you both; keep it short, drink plenty and protect your baby from the heat.

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Day 38 postpartum – animated guide

Day 38: 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)

108 ml

Baby’s weight (vs birth weight)

+22.1%

Wet nappies (24 hours)

Days until day 40

2 days

What’s happening in your body?

Whether your bleeding has stopped is the key test for a sauna or steam room; if discharge continues, waiting a little longer is safer. High temperatures can lower your blood pressure and make you dizzy.

Your baby today

Babies regulate their body temperature less well than adults; taking them into the hot, steamy air of a steam room or hammam is not recommended. For a 40th-day bath tradition, a short bath at home in warm water (about 37 °C) is all your baby needs.

Feeding and nutrition

You lose fluid through sweat in the heat; drinking plenty before and after also supports your milk supply. After your visit, it is best to cool down and rest before feeding your baby.

Emotions and rest

For many families the 40th-day bath is a moment of celebration and togetherness; enjoy that sense of support. If you don’t feel ready, postponing the tradition or holding a simple celebration at home is fine too.

Care and hygiene

Don’t share basin water or personal items such as towels or exfoliating mitts; don’t scrub wounds or stretch marks with a rough mitt. Rather than lying for long on the heated stone, cool down at short intervals.

Tips for today

Limit a steam room or sauna visit to 20–30 minutes
Take water and a light snack with you
Leave your baby at home with someone close rather than bringing them along

When to seek medical help

See your doctor if you have dizziness, feel faint, notice increased bleeding, a fever or foul-smelling discharge after a sauna or steam room.

Tradition and evidence

In Turkish tradition, the ‘kırk hamamı’ (40th-day bath) and ‘kırk suyu’ (40th-day water) are long-standing customs marking the end of the postpartum period; in some regions water blessed with prayers, with forty pebbles or a piece of gold placed in it, is poured over mother and baby. Many cultures, from the Middle East to Latin America, have similar closing rituals. The sense of community around this rite of cleansing and a new beginning is truly valuable. Medically, what matters is that the mother has fully healed and the baby is kept away from hot steam.

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 can I go to a Turkish bath or spa after giving birth?

Once bleeding has completely stopped and stitches or a caesarean wound have healed, usually from weeks 4–6. Keeping your visit short and drinking plenty of water are important.

Should a baby go into a steam room or hammam for a 40th-day bath?

It is not recommended. Babies’ temperature control is delicate, and hot, steamy air can raise their body temperature. A 40th-day bath tradition can be done at home with a warm bath.

When can I use a sauna after giving birth?

Once bleeding has stopped and wounds have healed, usually after the 6-week check and for short sessions. Anyone with blood pressure problems should ask their doctor first.

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