Day 9 postpartum
In short: what happens on day 9 postpartum?
On day 9 postpartum lack of sleep and built-up tiredness are among the most common complaints; newborns sleep 16–17 hours a day, but in short stretches. Sleeping when your baby sleeps, doing night feeds in dim light and sharing tasks work best. Always put your baby to sleep on their back in their own cot.
Day 9 postpartum – animated guide
Day 9: 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
Healing
Postnatal bleeding
Pinkish-brown (lochia serosa)
Womb
≈ 430 g
Milk
Transitional milk
Baby’s stomach (per feed)
58 ml
Baby’s weight (vs birth weight)
-1.9%
Wet nappies (24 hours)
6
Days until day 40
31 days
What’s happening in your body?
Your womb is shrinking fast and within a few days will no longer be felt through your tummy. Bleeding should be pinkish-brown and lighter; it may increase slightly on very tiring days, which is a sign that you need rest. Blood loss at birth and iron deficiency can add to tiredness.
Your baby today
Newborns can’t yet tell night from day and get hungry every 2–3 hours. Keeping daytime feeds bright and lively and night feeds dim and quiet helps their body clock develop. The growth spurt may mean they wake more often now.
Feeding and nutrition
Night feeds are especially important for prolactin, the hormone that keeps milk production going, so avoid very long gaps at night. To fight tiredness, add iron-rich foods such as red meat, lentils, chickpeas and leafy greens to your plate.
Emotions and rest
Lack of sleep makes every feeling more intense; even a single 20–30-minute nap during the day makes a noticeable difference.
Care and hygiene
To avoid falling asleep on a sofa or armchair during night feeds, feed in your bed in a safe set-up and put your baby back in their cot afterwards. A short walk and daylight during the day help regulate your own sleep too.
Tips for today
- Put your baby to sleep on their back on a firm, flat mattress, without pillows or toys
- For the first months, keep your baby’s cot in your room but as a separate sleep space
- Take turns with your partner for night-time nappy changes and winding
When to seek medical help
See your doctor if you can’t sleep even when your baby is asleep, if tiredness comes with palpitations and breathlessness, or if you feel drained and hopeless all day. Chest pain and sudden breathlessness are an emergency.
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
How many hours a day does a newborn sleep?
Newborns sleep an average of 16–17 hours in 24 hours, but in stretches of 2–4 hours. A day–night rhythm develops gradually over the first months.
Is it safe to sleep in the same bed as my baby?
The advice is for your baby to sleep on their back in their own cot in your room for the first months. Sleeping with your baby on a sofa or armchair is especially dangerous, particularly when you are very tired.
When does postpartum tiredness go away?
Tiredness usually eases over weeks as sleep settles. If you have extreme weakness, paleness and palpitations, a blood test to check for anaemia is worthwhile.
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.
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