Pregnancy is often one of the most supported periods in a woman's life. There are appointments to attend, milestones to track, books to read and classes to book. Conversations naturally focus on labour, feeding choices, nursery preparation and what to expect on the day a baby arrives. Much of this support is valuable, necessary and reassuring.

Yet as maternity care continues to evolve, there is an important question worth asking: are we preparing women for birth, or are we preparing them for the reality of what follows?

Six weeks. It is printed on appointment cards, delivered at postpartum check-ups, and offered as reassurance that recovery is complete. Six weeks and you are “cleared.” Cleared for exercise. Cleared for physical intimacy. Cleared, in theory, to return to life as it was before birth.

The problem is not the six-week check itself. It is what we have allowed it to represent.