Postpartum Is Not a Phase — It’s a Continuum
Why Perinatal Care Must Be Connected
Postpartum does not begin after birth. It begins long before it.
One of the most persistent misunderstandings in maternal health is that pregnancy, birth, and postpartum are separate stages. In reality, they are part of a single, continuous biological and psychosocial process - what clinicians call the perinatal continuum.
At Mommerz™, we work from a simple but radical belief: postpartum is not an event. It is the outcome of everything that came before it.
The Perinatal Continuum (And Why Systems Miss It)
The perinatal period includes pregnancy, birth, postpartum recovery, lactation (if applicable), and reintegration into daily life and work. Yet most medical and workplace systems treat postpartum as a six-week recovery window rather than a long adaptation period that can last 12–24 months.
During this time, the body is rebalancing hormones, replenishing nutrients, repairing tissue, and regulating the nervous system, all while women are often expected to return to full productivity.
Why the Science Is Incomplete
Until 1993, women - especially pregnant and breastfeeding women - were largely excluded from clinical trials. This changed with the NIH Revitalization Act, but its effects still linger.
NIH history of women in clinical research:
https://orwh.od.nih.gov/toolkit/recruitment/history
The long-term impact of this exclusion is summarized by the Association of American Medical Colleges:
https://www.aamc.org/news/why-we-know-so-little-about-women-s-health
Because research centered on male physiology, many pregnancy and postpartum guidelines were extrapolated rather than validated.
The Women’s Health Gap in Practice
Over 90% of medications lack adequate data for pregnancy
8 out of 10 recalled drugs had worse effects for women
Women experience more years of ill health than men
Peer-reviewed analysis:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4800017/
The Absence of Postpartum Guidelines
There are no standardized postpartum nutrition guidelines in the U.S. Lactation guidelines exist, but they prioritize infant outcomes, not maternal recovery.
CDC lactation nutrition guidance:
https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/diet-micronutrients/maternal-diet.html
This gap leaves many women undernourished and unsupported during the return-to-work transition.
The Mommerz™ Perspective
Postpartum begins with preparation. When pregnancy is supported with postpartum in mind, women recover more fully and re-enter work with greater stability, clarity, and confidence.
If you are pregnant, newly postpartum, or already navigating the return-to-work transition and thinking, “Why didn’t anyone explain this to me?” - you’re not alone.
Mommerz™ was created to support women across the entire perinatal continuum, not just one moment in time.