If postpartum pain is getting worse instead of gradually easing, contact your maternity team or healthcare professional today. Do not wait for your scheduled postpartum checkup. Seek emergency care for severe or sudden abdominal pain, chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, heavy bleeding, or a painful, swollen leg. Fever, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, and an increasingly painful surgical incision or perineal wound also need prompt medical assessment.

When Should You Seek Medical Help for Worsening Postpartum Pain?

Some discomfort is expected after childbirth, including uterine cramps, soreness around vaginal stitches, and tenderness near a cesarean incision. However, pain that becomes more intense, returns after improving, or starts interfering with walking, sleeping, feeding your baby, or caring for yourself deserves medical attention.

Contact your obstetrician, midwife, or maternity care team promptly if your pain is getting worse, even if you do not have other symptoms. Explain where the pain occurs, when it started, and how it has changed. If you cannot reach your usual provider, seek an appropriate urgent medical assessment rather than waiting for a routine appointment. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) identifies worsening pain around a perineal tear, episiotomy, or abdominal incision as a reason to contact a healthcare professional.

When Is Emergency Care Necessary?

Seek emergency medical care immediately if worsening postpartum pain occurs with any of the following symptoms or if you experience them on their own:

Severe or sudden abdominal pain, or pain that becomes intense and does not go away.
Chest pain, a racing heartbeat accompanied by concerning symptoms, or difficulty breathing.
Fainting, confusion, or persistent dizziness.
Heavy vaginal bleeding, especially bleeding that soaks through a pad in an hour, or bleeding accompanied by faintness or marked weakness.
Severe headache, especially with blurred vision or other changes in vision.
New or worsening pain, redness, swelling, or tenderness in one leg or arm.
Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

These symptoms can be associated with serious complications after pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises seeking immediate medical care for urgent maternal warning signs. Tell the emergency team that you recently gave birth, including how long ago the delivery occurred. Pregnancy-related complications can develop after the initial recovery period, so do not dismiss new symptoms because you have already left the hospital.

What Could Cause Postpartum Pain to Get Worse?

The meaning of worsening pain depends on its location, timing, and associated symptoms. Several different problems can cause pain after delivery, and symptoms alone cannot reliably distinguish between them. A clinician may need to examine the affected area, review your delivery and recovery, and arrange tests if indicated.

Infection: An infection involving a cesarean incision, vaginal tear, episiotomy, or reproductive organs may cause increasing pain. Fever, chills, redness, swelling, pus, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge can provide additional clues.
Problems with a wound or stitches: A healing incision or tear may become more painful if healing is disrupted or a complication develops. Increasing tenderness, drainage, or an opening in the wound should be assessed.
Uterine or pelvic complications: Increasing abdominal or pelvic pain, particularly with fever, tenderness, or unusual vaginal discharge, needs prompt evaluation.
Excessive postpartum bleeding: Heavy bleeding accompanied by abdominal or pelvic pain, dizziness, or weakness may indicate a serious complication.
Blood clots or other pregnancy-related complications: Pain in one leg with swelling or redness may be associated with a blood clot. Severe abdominal pain, persistent headache, or vision changes can also occur with serious conditions after childbirth.
Persistent or changing musculoskeletal pain: Back, hip, pelvic, or joint discomfort can occur during postpartum recovery. Pain that worsens or limits normal movement still warrants assessment.

According to ACOG's guidance on conditions to watch for after childbirth, infection of the uterine lining can cause abdominal pain or tenderness, fever, and foul-smelling vaginal discharge. These symptoms do not prove that an infection is present, but they are reasons to seek prompt medical attention.

What Should You Do About Pain After a Vaginal Birth?

After a vaginal delivery, the perineum—the area between the vaginal opening and anus—may be sore or swollen. Pain can also occur around stitches placed after a tear or episiotomy. Uterine cramps and discomfort during urination or bowel movements may occur during recovery. These symptoms should generally become easier to manage over time rather than steadily intensify.

If pain around your stitches increases, contact your maternity team promptly. Tell them if the area becomes more swollen, red, hot, or tender, if you notice unusual discharge, or if the wound appears to be opening. Increasing lower abdominal pain, fever, heavy bleeding, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge also needs medical review.

While waiting for advice, gentle measures may help with ordinary soreness, provided they do not delay medical assessment:

Use a wrapped cold pack on the perineal area for short periods, following your maternity team's instructions.
Clean the area gently with water and pat it dry rather than rubbing it.
Rest when possible and avoid activities that noticeably increase discomfort.
Ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist which pain relievers are appropriate for you, particularly if you are breastfeeding or have other medical conditions.

The MedlinePlus guidance on care after vaginal delivery recommends contacting a healthcare professional about increased abdominal pain, increased pain around an episiotomy or tear, persistent fever, or vaginal discharge that becomes heavier or develops an unpleasant smell.

What Should You Do If Pain Gets Worse After a Cesarean Birth?

A cesarean delivery involves abdominal surgery, so tenderness around the incision and discomfort during movement can persist during recovery. However, pain that increases instead of improving should not automatically be attributed to normal healing. Contact your maternity team promptly if the incision becomes more painful, swollen, red, or warm, or if you notice pus, unusual drainage, or a gap in the wound.

Increasing abdominal pain that is not limited to the incision also needs medical assessment. Fever, chills, heavy vaginal bleeding, foul-smelling discharge, or feeling increasingly unwell make prompt evaluation especially important. Severe abdominal pain, chest pain, or breathing difficulties require emergency care.

The UK National Health Service (NHS) guidance on cesarean recovery advises getting medical help for severe pain, a wound that becomes increasingly painful and swollen, pus or foul-smelling wound fluid, heavy bleeding, shortness of breath, or lower-leg pain and swelling.

Until you receive advice, follow your discharge instructions for wound care and activity. Avoid pressing on, probing, or attempting to close a wound yourself. Do not stop prescribed medicines or add new pain medicines without checking that the change is appropriate for your circumstances.

How Can You Manage Postpartum Pain Safely While Waiting for Advice?

Comfort measures can support recovery, but they are not a substitute for an assessment when pain is worsening. While arranging care, note where the pain occurs, how it has changed, and whether you have a fever, abnormal bleeding, discharge, or other new symptoms. If possible, ask a trusted adult to help with your baby and accompany you to an appointment.

For pain relief, use only medicines that are appropriate for your health history and current treatment plan. Some pain relievers may be suitable during breastfeeding, but the choice depends on factors such as allergies, other medicines, and medical conditions. Ask your clinician or pharmacist before combining medicines or increasing a dose. Do not take extra medication simply to mask pain that is getting worse.

Drink fluids, rest when possible, and avoid lifting or physical activities that aggravate the pain. If a particular position or movement makes the symptoms noticeably worse, stop that activity until you have received appropriate guidance. Do not postpone medical care while trying home remedies, using a heating pad, or waiting for pain medicine to work if concerning symptoms are present.

What Should You Tell Your Healthcare Professional?

A clear description of your symptoms can help the healthcare team decide how urgently you need to be examined and what evaluation may be appropriate. Before contacting the team, make a note of the following details if you can do so without delaying care:

When you gave birth: Include the date and whether you had a vaginal delivery or cesarean birth.
Where the pain is located: For example, the lower abdomen, perineum, incision, back, pelvis, chest, or leg.
How it has changed: Explain whether the pain has steadily increased, returned after improving, or started suddenly.
Other symptoms: Mention fever, chills, bleeding, unusual discharge, wound changes, urinary problems, headache, vision changes, or leg swelling.
Medicines and treatments: State what you have taken, the doses and times if known, and whether the pain has changed afterward.
Your recovery and medical history: Mention any delivery complications, relevant medical conditions, allergies, and whether you are breastfeeding.

Your clinician may ask questions about the birth, examine your abdomen or affected wound, check your vital signs, and assess other symptoms. Depending on the findings, blood tests, urine tests, imaging, or other investigations may be recommended. Not everyone needs every test; the evaluation depends on the clinical situation.

How Long Should Postpartum Pain Last?

There is no single recovery timeline that applies to every person or every type of pain. Some discomfort improves over the first few days, while tenderness related to a tear, episiotomy, or cesarean incision may last longer. The type of delivery, the extent of any injury, and other aspects of recovery affect how long symptoms last.

What matters when deciding what to do is the change over time, not simply the number of days since delivery. Pain that is gradually easing may fit the expected healing process, but pain that is getting worse, returns after improvement, or interferes with daily activities deserves professional attention. New symptoms should also be evaluated even if your previous postpartum checkup was reassuring.

If you are unsure whether your pain is normal, contact your maternity team and describe what you are experiencing. You do not need to wait until your routine postpartum appointment to report worsening symptoms. Seek emergency care immediately for any urgent warning signs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about worsening pain during recovery after childbirth.

Is it normal for postpartum pain to get worse after a few days?

Some postpartum discomfort can last for days or weeks, but pain that becomes more intense rather than gradually improving should be assessed. Contact your maternity team promptly, particularly if you also have fever, unusual discharge, increasing wound tenderness, or abdominal pain. Seek emergency care for severe or sudden pain or other urgent warning signs.

Can postpartum infection cause increasing pain without a fever?

Increasing pain around an incision, tear, or the abdomen can have several causes, including infection. The absence of a fever does not establish that everything is healing normally. Contact your healthcare professional if the pain is worsening, especially if there is redness, swelling, unusual drainage, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge.

Should I go to the emergency room for worsening pain after a C-section?

Seek emergency care for severe or sudden abdominal pain, chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, heavy bleeding, or a painful swollen leg. Increasing incision pain, redness, swelling, or drainage also needs prompt medical assessment. If the pain is worsening but you have no emergency symptoms, contact your maternity team or seek urgent medical advice rather than waiting for your scheduled checkup.

What pain medicine can I take if I am breastfeeding?

Some pain relievers are compatible with breastfeeding, but the best option depends on your medical history, other medicines, and individual circumstances. Ask your obstetrician, midwife, or pharmacist which medicine and dose are appropriate. Do not increase a dose or combine medicines without professional advice, and do not use pain relief as a reason to delay assessment of worsening symptoms.

Can postpartum complications appear after I have returned home?

Yes. Some complications can develop after discharge and during the weeks or months following childbirth. Increasing abdominal or wound pain, fever, heavy bleeding, severe headache, vision changes, chest pain, breathing difficulties, or new leg swelling should not be ignored. Seek care according to the urgency of the symptoms, even if your hospital recovery initially went well.

Citations

Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified clinician regarding your specific health situation.

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