Healing Doesn’t Have a Deadline

Ah yes, the ol’ 6-week clearance.
That magical moment when your OB-GYN claps their hands, declares you “all healed up,” and sends you on your merry way to resume spin class, penetrative sex, and chasing your toddler while bleeding from three orifices. Nothing says “ready for action” like sleep deprivation, pelvic floor confusion, and a hormone soup that could peel paint off the walls.

Here’s the truth:
Six weeks is not a finish line. It’s barely the end of the first chapter.

So let’s unlearn the fantasy timeline of postpartum recovery and get real about what healing actually looks like—for your body, your brain, and your burnout meter.

The “6-Week Clearance” is a Joke (And Not a Funny One)

Let’s break it down. The six-week checkup is a formality. A liability box to check.
They’re not doing a full hormone panel, nutrient test, thyroid check, pelvic floor assessment, or even a “how-are-you-really” conversation.

Instead, you get:

• A quick look “down there” if you had a vaginal birth

• A peek at your incision if you had a C-section

• A robotic reminder to “use contraception if you’re not ready for another”

• And a vague pat on the back, as if motherhood is just a light jog you can cool down from in under two months.

Meanwhile, your body is still recovering from the equivalent of a biological marathon… while holding a baby.

How Long It Actually Takes to Recover (Spoiler: A While)

We love a tidy timeline. Our culture thrives on it.
But postpartum healing is more “choose your own adventure” than “complete by Q2.”

Here’s what the real timeline looks like, give or take your unique body, birth experience, and stress level:

Oh, and guess what?
If you had trauma, surgery, thyroid flare-ups, autoimmune issues, or 12 cups of caffeine trying to hold your soul together—your timeline is not linear. It’s custom. Like couture, but less glamorous.

Signs You’re Still In Recovery Mode (Even If You’re 2 Years Out)

Here’s a wild idea: just because you’re walking around, working, momming, and keeping tiny humans alive… doesn’t mean you’re recovered.

Look out for these lingering signs that your body and brain are still waving the white flag:

• Fatigue that naps can't touch

• Brain fog or "momnesia" that feels more like cognitive molasses

• Mood swings or anxiety that flare around your cycle or lack of sleep

• Hair still shedding like a Golden Retriever in summer

• Bloating, constipation, or unpredictable digestion

• Low libido (because your body’s still in “survival mode,” not sexy mode)

• Pain or pressure in your pelvic region that no one talks about unless you bring it up whispering in shame

None of these mean you’re broken. They mean you need real recovery support, not just a green light to “return to activities.”

What Functional Healing Looks Like After Year One

Okay, so you made it past the first birthday. You survived cake-smash chaos, you might be sleeping in 3-hour stretches again (congrats!), and everyone assumes you’re good now.

But year one is just the reset button—not the resolution.

Here’s what functional healing might look like in the post-year-one world:

• You’re rebuilding strength and endurance with gentler movement, not punishment workouts

• You’re working on blood sugar stability and not skipping meals just because the toddler threw oatmeal at the wall

• You’re starting to identify root causes of lingering symptoms—nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, maybe even thyroid or adrenal dysfunction

• You’re reclaiming your voice in doctor’s appointments, asking questions like, “But why is this happening?” instead of “What pill can I take?”

• You’re learning to track your cycle (or get it back) and work with your hormones—not fight them

Reset Expectations. Rebuild Health. Slowly. Sanely. Sustainably.

There’s no prize for fastest recovery.
There’s no postpartum Olympics.
And there’s definitely no gold star for pretending you feel fine when you don’t.

So here’s your new protocol:

1. Rest when you can. Like actually. Lay your ass down.

2. Eat food that nourishes—not just what’s leftover on your kid’s plate.

3. Say no to things that drain you, even if they’re “normal.”

4. Ask for labs. Demand better answers.

5. Move your body like it deserves love, not punishment.

6. Track wins that don’t involve weight loss or productivity.

And above all?
Give yourself time. Real time. Unapologetically long, boring, messy, healing time.

Because healing doesn’t have a deadline.
And you’re not a project to finish—you’re a person to care for.

Want more like this?
Check out the blog archives or download the Mom Reset Starter Kit for no-BS strategies to rebuild your health—on your own timeline.

🖤
Regina