This study claims women need a full YEAR to recover from childbirth

Having been lucky enough to have had my children in Norway, I got a enjoy 12 months of maternity leave with both of them. Lovely as it was to have a full year to just focus on being a mama, I am also aware this might seem totally luxurious and even a little indulgent, especially compared to countries where maternity leave is far shorter and you are expected to be back on your feet after birth a lot quicker. But, actually, recent research claims you actually need this long to recover after birth. Because while new mums are often told they will be back to 'normal' within six weeks of giving birth, a new study has now found that most women take much longer to recover. Dr Julie Wray of Salford University interviewed women two to three weeks, three months and six to seven months after they had given birth to gain a unique insight into postnatal recovery. And what she concluded, was that recovering from childbirth takes a full 12 months. That's right, mamas. Three months is not enough, nor is six. Worringly, Wray's study also revealed significant dissatisfaction amongst new mothers with postnatal services. Many were disappointed by the six-week check, which all mothers receive from either their midwife or their GP. Some did not receive a physical examination, and others were not told whether or not their bodies had recovered yet. And never mind just your body. Everyone who has had a baby know that the emotional shift and the psychological effects can also take much longer to recover from. The research shows that more realistic and woman-friendly postnatal services are needed. "Women feel that it takes much longer than six weeks to recover and they should be supported beyond the current six to eight weeks after birth," Wray explains. "The research shows that more realistic and woman-friendly postnatal services are needed." There is no denying much has changed for new mums over the years, and only a generation or two ago new mums were allowed to stay on in hospital a lot longer after birth, while many now feel like they have to go home before they are ready. As well as this, many mums nowadays work outside the home, and have to return to work in order to keep their jobs and incomes long before they might actually feel ready to do so.