How to Stay Healthy After Giving Birth

Posted On: 12/19/2025

After your baby is born, the first days and weeks back home can be exhausting. It’s important to take extra-good care of yourself as you recover from childbirth.

Your labor and delivery might be normal. However, you should watch for signs of infection, high blood pressure, and other symptoms.

Otherwise, you could end up back in the hospital!

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of the symptoms listed below.

“Postpartum depression” feelings, such as:

Extreme anxiety
Lack of interest in things you used to enjoy
Feeling anxious around your baby
Having scary, upsetting thoughts
Worrying that you are failing as a mom
Thoughts about harming yourself or your baby

Physical symptoms, such as:

A headache that won’t go away
A headache that gets worse over time
Feeling dizzy
Fainting
Having trouble reading or seeing
Fever of 100.4 °F or higher
Swelling in your hands
Swelling in your face
Trouble breathing
Chest pain
Fast-beating or pounding heart
Severe nausea
Throwing up
Severe belly pain that doesn’t go away
Bleeding from your vagina
Discharge from your vagina
Severe swelling, redness, or pain in your leg or arm
Overwhelming tiredness

Want more great information on taking care of yourself after childbirth? Check out “10 Health Tips for First-Time Mothers”

Earn Rewards for You and Your Baby

As a Parkland Community Health Plan member, you can earn rewards for completing certain wellness activities listed on this website, including gift cards and fun, healthy items from the Rewards Catalog. Rewards for new moms include:

Free Play Yard for a Postpartum Visit

Complete your postpartum checkup within 7-84 days of delivery and receive a portable play yard with bassinet (STAR members only). Learn more.

Rewards for Well-Child Checkups

Earn rewards when your child completes up to six timely well-baby checkups between 0-15 months and three timely well-child checkups between 18-30 months. Learn more.

Other benefits for moms include a free car seat and free meal service and the free Pyx mobile app.