The postpartum period—often called the fourth trimester —is tender, messy, exhausting, and incredibly transformative. Doctors tell us about bleeding, check-ups, and breastfeeding basics… but there are many things mothers only learn the hard way. Here are supportive, honest insights that many wish they had known earlier. 1. Your Emotions Will Swing—And That’s Normal Hormones after birth fluctuate wildly. You may cry for no reason, laugh 5 minutes later, or feel irritable or ov