Redefining and Understanding the Needs of Women in the Postpartum Period and Beyond

Abstract

The true definition of the term postpartum period remains elusive. Some scholars define the postpartum period as the time between giving birth to the return of the reproductive organs to their normal state (puerperium) or as the time between the fourth stage of labor (up to 2 hours postdelivery) and the postpartum recovery year. The postpartum period has also been divided into three continuous phases that include the acute period (first 6–12 hours after birth), the subacute phase (2–6 weeks after birth), and the delayed phase (lasting up to 6 months postdelivery) ( Romano et al., 2010 Romano M. Cacciatore A. Giordano R. La Rosa B. Postpartum period: Three distinct but continuous phases. Journal of Prenatal Medicine. 2010; 4: 22-25 PubMed Google Scholar ). Without a clear definition, best nursing practices for women in the postpartum period and beyond are unclear. To improve outcomes for women, it is critical to recognize that the transition to motherhood after birth encompasses multiple health, developmental, and situational transitions that occur simultaneously and sequentially throughout the recovery year following childbirth. Patricia D. Suplee, PhD, RNC‐OB, is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing‐Camden, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ.