Postpartum

Postpartum care

The first six weeks after giving birth are considered a recovery period, even if your pregnancy and delivery were relatively normal. During this time, it’s critical for women to heal, rest and have access to the support and resources they need to transition into the challenging role of mothering a newborn.

After giving birth, you can plan to stay at the hospital between one and four days, or possibly longer if you experienced complications during your pregnancy or delivery. If you deliver at a health system location, you typically will receive a follow-up call from your nurse approximately two weeks after delivery to discuss your recovery, any concerns you may have, and, if you are interested, contraception options. An assessment will also be taken using a postpartum screening tool, and your 6-week postpartum visit will be scheduled.

What to expect after delivery

  • Incontinence
  • Loose-feeling joints
  • Fuller-feeling breasts
  • Feeling much more out of shape than expected
  • Weak abdominals, which could result in low-back pain

Talk to your doctor or seek specialty care if you experience:

  • Trouble breastfeeding directly after exercise
  • Any fresh (red) bleeding during or after exercise
  • Continued wrist pain that interferes with the ability to exercise
  • Continued incontinence after four months postpartum

Postpartum depression

Within the first two weeks of childbirth, many new parents experience “the baby blues,” which are characterized by feelings of mild sadness and emotional ups and downs. However, if these feelings persist in duration or worsen in severity, they may be symptoms of postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that arises following the birth of a baby and is characterized by sadness and a loss of pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. It can also include changes in eating habits, sleeping habits (either more or less), difficulty concentrating or making decisions, feelings of hopelessness, guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide or harming others. Another important warning sign is persistent sadness that:

  • Doesn’t fade after two weeks
  • Gets worse or more intense
  • Makes it difficult to care for your baby
  • Makes it hard to complete everyday tasks

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, reach out to your doctor or connect with one of these free resources:

Breastfeeding and baby feeding resources

We’re here to support you in your baby feeding journey.

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If you are considering breastfeeding, try to learn about the basics before your baby arrives.

As a new parent, one of the most important decisions you will make is how to feed your baby. Breastfeeding promotes optimal health for both you and your baby. We care about your health and your baby, and we want to be sure you have accurate information when making this decision.

Breastmilk is a living food and immune support system that provides protection from many diseases. Breastfed babies have lower risks of asthma, childhood leukemia, childhood obesity, ear infections, respiratory infections, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and type 2 diabetes. Breastfeeding parents also benefit from a reduced risk of certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. For these reasons, most health organizations and medical groups recommend babies receive only breastmilk for their first six months of life and continue to receive breastmilk in addition to solid foods until they are at least two years old.

The decision to breastfeed is a personal matter. If you are unsure, your nurse and/or dedicated lactation consultants will be available to discuss breastfeeding and bottle feeding options with you after delivery. Before you leave the hospital, a nurse and/or lactation consultant will review your baby’s feeding plan and provide community breastfeeding support information.

If you are planning to breastfeed, do your research about getting a breast pump through your insurance plan. If you have one of the health system’s insurance plans, learn how to obtain a breast pump through the health system insurance.

Remember, becoming a new parent can be challenging. Be patient and give yourself grace as you navigate this new stage of life with your baby, especially if you are breastfeeding.

 

The decision to breastfeed is a personal matter. If you deliver at The University of Kansas Health System, your nurse and/or dedicated lactation consultants will be available to discuss breastfeeding and bottle feeding options with you after delivery. If breastfeeding is not for you, we will support you in your informed choice and provide you with resources on how to prepare formula and safely bottle-feed your baby. Before you leave the hospital, a nurse will review your baby’s feeding plan. Remember, becoming a new parent can be challenging. Be patient and give yourself grace as you navigate this new stage of life with your baby.

Pumping and returning to work

If you are breastfeeding, keep open lines of communication with your supervisor or manager as you prepare to return to work. Previously, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and now expanded by the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act), most employers must offer breastfeeding employees reasonable break times to pump in an area that is shielded from view and free from intrusion. The health system is committed to offering support and flexibility to breastfeeding employees.

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The health system has dedicated lactation rooms to accommodate our breastfeeding employees. To locate and reserve a lactation room near your work area, see below and contact your manager or HR partner. You also can talk with your manager to identify a space that works best for you to pump while at work.

To schedule a date and time to use one of these lactation rooms, use the calendar in Outlook to view room availability. Search for “Lactation” in the Outlook Address Book to find the room you wish to reserve and follow these step-by-step instructions for reserving a room.

Location

Specific Room Information

How to Access the Room

Broadmoor

New Mother’s Room; Level 3 common hallways across from the restrooms

Passcode 97531#

Search in Outlook for Lactation Room – Broadmoor;
select Scheduling Assistant for room availability.  

Indian Creek Campus

First floor Lactation Room; rooms 3039 and 3061

Passcode 10700

Search in Outlook for Lactation Room – Indian Creek;

select Scheduling Assistant for room availability.

KU Medwest

Contact the clinical manager to arrange a suitable location within the department.

39th and Rainbow Campus

Rooms 2017, 4007 and 6124 in the main hospital

Search in Outlook for Lactation Room;

select Scheduling Assistant for room availability.


If you do not have access to book directly on the calendar, email HITS Service Desk at HITS_ServiceDesk@kumc.edu and ask for editing permission or call 913-945-9999 and put in a ticket. Once granted, you have access to self-book.

39th and Rainbow Campus; Heart Center

Rooms 8800 and 9813

Search in Outlook for Lactation Room;

select Scheduling Assistant for room availability.


If you do not have access to book directly on the calendar, email HITS Service Desk at HITS_ServiceDesk@kumc.edu and ask for editing permission or call 913-945-9999 and put in a ticket. Once granted, you have access to self-book.

39th and Rainbow Campus; Cambridge

Rooms 1631, 2323, 3302, 5231, 6232, 7232, 8206, 9224, 10224 and 11216

Search in Outlook for Lactation Room;

select Scheduling Assistant for room availability.


If you do not have access to book directly on the calendar, email HITS Service Desk at HITS_ServiceDesk@kumc.edu and ask for editing permission or call 913-945-9999 and put in a ticket. Once granted, you have access to self-book.

Medical Office Building

Fourth floor: far south at the end of the hallway; near 4C pod clinics (Dermatology, Nephrology and Infectious Disease)


Fifth floor: far south at the end of the hallway; near 5C pod clinics (Advanced OB/GYN and General OB/GYN)

Available on a first come, first served basis.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center

North provider office

Call 913-574-2556 or email lmitchell3@kumc.edu to reserve room; staff will provide additional instructions.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center: Green Hills

The lactation room is a small office area in the provider hallway.

Email lmitchell3@kumc.edu to reserve the room; staff will provide additional instructions.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center: Briarcliff

The lactation room is a small office area in the provider hallway.

Email lmitchell3@kumc.edu to reserve the room; staff will provide additional instructions.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center: Liberty

A dedicated lactation room is under construction and should be available in spring 2026. In the interim, staff can utilize an exam room or office area.

Email pmings2@kumc.edu to reserve an available room.

Lee’s Summit Campus

The staff will provide specific information on accommodating rooms.

Call 913-574-2393 or email cschuldt@kumc.edu to reserve a room, and the staff will provide instructions.

Overland Park Campus

The staff will provide specific information on accommodating rooms.

Call 913-574-2393 or email cschuldt@kumc.edu to reserve a room, and the staff will provide instructions.

Westwood Campus

Westwood Administration Building,

room located on level 2, to the left of the elevator from the lobby entrance doors.

Available on a first come, first served basis.

Westwood; Bloch Cancer Pavilion

Room located on level 1 at the end of the corridor, west of the café on the first floor.

Search in Outlook for “Westwood Lactation Room”;

select Scheduling Assistant for room availability.


If you do not have access to book directly on the calendar, email HITS Service Desk at HITS_ServiceDesk@kumc.edu and ask for editing permission or call 913-945-9999 and put in a ticket. Once granted, you have access to self-book.

Great Bend

Employees may use an open room on the Labor and Delivery unit for any lactation needs.

Breastmilk donations

The University of Kansas Health System serves as a breastmilk depot in partnership with the Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank. Donated breastmilk can be lifesaving for preterm or critically ill infants. The pasteurized donor milk can also serve as a much-needed “bridge” at times when a parent’s own breastmilk is not available.

If you are interested in becoming a breastmilk donor, which most often happens due to an excess supply or successful completion of your own breastfeeding journey, learn more or call 405-297-5683.

If you have already been approved by the Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank and would like to donate your breastmilk, call the University of Kansas Medical Center lactation specialists at 913-588-5642 to schedule a time that is convenient for you. Once approved, donors can drop off breastmilk at two health system locations:

  • Kansas City: 4000 Cambridge St. Kansas City, KS 66160
  • St. Francis Topeka: 600 SW 6th Ave, Topeka, KS 66606

Postpartum exercise

Your postpartum recovery journey is influenced by several factors, including how you took care of yourself during pregnancy and which method of delivery you experienced. Remember, it took nearly a year to get to where you are now, and your body has done incredible things in that time. Be patient and show yourself grace as you work to return to your exercise and activity goals.

Before resuming normal activity or exercise, be sure to talk with your doctor. In most cases, previously active women who had a normal vaginal delivery with no complications can safely begin low-intensity movement within a few days after giving birth. For mothers who had a cesarean birth or other delivery complications, talk to your doctor about when it is safe to resume physical activity. Your return to activity may depend on your individual labor experience. All women, regardless of their labor experience, should wait until they are no longer experiencing bleeding, vaginal pain or any type of infection before resuming regular exercise.

After your doctor gives you the go-ahead to resume normal activity, ease back in by starting with walking and Kegel exercises. Try approaching your postpartum journey back into fitness in nearly the reverse order that you adjusted your activity leading up to your delivery.

Community Resources

New and Expecting Parent Resource Guide