The puerperium, or postpartum period, begins
physiologically with the birth of the baby and lasts
for approximately six weeks. During this time the
maternal reproductive organs recover from pregnancy
and ovulation may return in non breastfeeding
mothers. Psychological adjustment to the
birth of a new baby certainly may take longer
than six weeks. Sometimes a “fourth trimester” is
described to include mental and emotional adaptation
as well as the physiologic recovery from
childbirth.