Most postpartum changes are part of recovery, but some symptoms need professional assessment. You do not need to wait for a scheduled postpartum visit if something feels wrong.
Contact a healthcare professional promptly for symptoms that are severe, worsening, or concerning. Seek emergency care for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, seizures, very heavy bleeding, signs of a blood clot, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly
- Fever or feeling acutely unwell.
- Worsening abdominal, pelvic, breast, perineal or incision pain.
- Redness, warmth, swelling, oozing or other signs of wound infection.
- Heavy or increasing bleeding, large clots, or foul-smelling discharge.
- Pain, swelling or redness in a calf, thigh or groin.
- Painful urination, difficulty urinating or persistent bladder symptoms.
- Persistent or severe mood symptoms, anxiety or intrusive thoughts.
Seek emergency care
Chest pain, difficulty breathing, seizures, fainting, severe bleeding, suspected blood clots, postpartum psychosis symptoms, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby require urgent or emergency care.
This page summarizes general public-health guidance. It is not a diagnosis or a personalized treatment plan.
Sources
Key takeaways
- Some postpartum emergencies can happen after you have already gone home.
- Chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, seizures, very heavy bleeding and signs of a blood clot need urgent assessment.
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, hallucinations or severe confusion are emergencies.
What this means day to day
Postpartum recovery includes many normal discomforts, which can make it hard to know when a symptom crosses the line. A simple rule is to pay attention to severity, sudden change and how sick you feel. A symptom that is intense, rapidly worsening or paired with fainting, shortness of breath or high fever is different from routine soreness.
Watch for signs of infection such as fever, worsening pain, a red or draining incision, a very sore red breast with systemic symptoms, or bad-smelling vaginal discharge. A one-sided swollen, red or painful leg can be a sign of a blood clot and needs prompt assessment.
Mental-health emergencies matter just as much as physical ones. Hallucinations, delusions, severe confusion, extreme agitation, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby require immediate emergency care.
A simple checklist
- Save your healthcare provider’s phone number where you can reach it quickly.
- Know where you would go for urgent care after hours.
- Tell someone close to you about important postpartum warning signs too.
- Do not drive yourself if you are faint, severely unwell or having a mental-health emergency.
- When in doubt about a severe symptom, seek professional help rather than waiting for it to “become bad enough.”
Common questions
What postpartum symptoms are an emergency?
Examples include chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, seizures, very heavy bleeding, signs of a blood clot, or a severe mental-health crisis.
Can postpartum complications happen weeks after birth?
Yes. Some complications can develop after discharge from hospital, so new or worsening symptoms still deserve attention.
What should I do if I am not sure?
Call your healthcare provider, provincial health line, urgent care or emergency services depending on how severe the symptom is. It is reasonable to ask.
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