Women Are Wounded Postpartum: Why We Need to Start Saying Ouch
Written by Jess Rosenberg, moode Founder | Last reviewed June 2026
Perineal bruising. Tearing. Stretching. Cutting. Stitching. Scar healing. Major blood loss.
Women are undoubtedly wounded postpartum.
But somewhere along the way we felt we couldn't say ouch. Because postpartum pain is so common, we're told it's all normal. And so, we wear these major bodily traumas with a smile, and often in a cloud of silence.
The physical reality of postpartum injury: what the statistics show
According to Birth Trauma Australia, the scale of physical postpartum injury is staggering:
1 in 3 women identify their birth as traumatic. 1 in 4 first-time mothers suffer major physical damage during birth. Up to 90% of women experience tears to some extent during childbirth. Caesareans, which are major abdominal surgery, routinely result in pain lasting three to six months. More than 50% of women have some degree of pelvic organ prolapse.
These are not edge cases. These are the majority experience of birth in Australia.
The six-week gap in postpartum care
Post birth, women wait six weeks before anyone formally checks in about their recovery. This gap in medical care, at the precise moment when women's bodies experience the most dramatic flux and change of any life stage, sets the stage for women to manage whatever is happening in their body entirely on their own.
This is particularly problematic given that 94% of women report one or more health problems in the first six months postpartum, according to research published in BJOG. Many say they do not know who to turn to for help.
How the healthcare system has failed women in pain
In a landmark 2011 report from the Institute of Medicine, a team of experts noted that women experiencing pain have faced not only severe physical suffering, but also misdiagnoses, delays in correct diagnosis, improper and unproven treatments, gender bias, stigma, neglect, dismissal and discrimination from the healthcare system. Among the reasons why: healthcare professionals not only lack education on how to deal with chronic pain, but also discount women's pain as emotional.
The same pattern plays out in postpartum care. Pain that is common is not the same as pain that is acceptable. The distinction matters enormously.
Christina Clifford: five years to get help after tearing at birth
Artist and writer Christina Clifford notes that her vagina tore when she had her first child, but it took five years before she received the medical attention she needed. She is not the only one. Now, every time she sees a woman walking down the street with a newborn, all she can think is whether she has a traumatised vagina.
If you do, welcome to the club.
What postpartum physical recovery actually involves
Physical recovery after birth is rarely discussed before birth happens, and even more rarely discussed with adequate honesty after. The reality is that whether you birth vaginally or by caesarean, your body has been through something significant that requires real recovery time, real support, and real medical attention if something does not feel right.
For women experiencing postpartum sexual pain or difficulty, pelvic floor dysfunction or low libido, these are treatable conditions, not permanent states. See Postpartum Sex: What Nobody Tells You and What Actually Helps for more on what is common, what is not normal, and where to get specialist support.
For women navigating the care model question and who to see in the postpartum period, see Prenatal Care Options: Australia.
What does your body need nutritionally after birth?
Physical healing from birth requires nutritional support that is rarely given attention. Iron, protein, zinc, vitamin C and B vitamins all support wound healing and tissue repair. For women who lost significant blood during birth, ferritin and iron levels are worth checking before they become a problem.
The Prenatal by moode is iron-free, which means iron can be supplemented at the dose your blood results actually indicate rather than at a blanket level. It contains a full B complex, zinc and calcium folinate, nutrients that support recovery at a cellular level. A Prenatal is recommended postpartum, so if you're already on one- keep up the routine after baby is born. Always read the label and follow directions for use. For more on postpartum nutrition, see Why Prenatal Vitamins Are Important Postpartum.
Where to get postpartum support in Australia
We, the moode community, are built by the moody. The quiet sufferers, the warrior women who know we deserve better, and who are ready for the change.
If you are experiencing postpartum pain, pelvic floor issues, or struggling with your recovery, please advocate for yourself with your healthcare provider. A referral to a pelvic floor physiotherapist is one of the most consistently underutilised postpartum resources available. You do not have to wait for someone to offer it. You can ask.
Australian resources for postpartum support:
Birth Trauma Australia for information and support on physical birth trauma
PANDA on 1300 726 306 for perinatal mental health support
Pelvic Health Matters in VIC for pelvic floor and prolapse information
The Royal Women's Hospital for clinical postpartum care in Victoria
About the author
Jess Rosenberg is the founder of moode and a trained nutritionist and naturopath. She created The Prenatal after her own experience of pregnancy left her questioning the quality of what was available on the Australian market. Learn more about moode.
