The postpartum experience of low-risk women: a time of adjustment and change.

To describe the postpartal experiences of low-risk women after discharge from the hospital, 50 puerperal women were interviewed in their homes within 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital. Fatigue was identified as an underlying factor for many issues during this time period, including physical complications, emotional changes, and changes in relationships. Several women commented that their short hospital stays left them with too little time to recuperate before they were discharged from the hospital. Caregivers of childbearing women need to be cognizant of the needs and concerns of contemporary low-risk puerperal women to provide adequate education, guidance, and support.