en ● Health Education مقاله اصيل پژوهشي Orginal Article <strong>Background</strong>: &nbsp;Counseling is vital for postpartum health. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of counseling on maternal self-efficacy, social support, and perceived barriers during the postpartum period.<br> <strong>Methods</strong>: This randomized controlled trial included 112 primiparous women with vaginal delivery from Hamadan City, Iran, assigned into intervention and control groups using two-stage cluster sampling. The intervention group attended three 45&ndash;60-minute weekly counseling sessions on postpartum health topics, supported by follow-up and an educational booklet. Data were collected using four questionnaires on demographics, self-efficacy, social support, and perceived barriers before and after the intervention.<br> <strong>Results</strong>: The mean ages of mothers in the experimental and control groups were 23.46 and 23.77, respectively. In the experimental group, after the intervention, the mean self-efficacy increased from 27.77&plusmn;4.62 to 33.43&plusmn;5.73 (P<0.001), and the mean social support increased from 21.25&plusmn;6.34 to 24.07&plusmn;6.26 (P<0.001), while in the control group, the mean self-efficacy (P<0.001), and social supports decreased after the intervention. However, the mean perceived barriers in the experimental group decreased from 36.29&plusmn;7.23 to 31.54&plusmn;5.40 and increased in the control group after the intervention (P<0.001).<br> <strong>Conclusion</strong>: Counseling during the postpartum period enhances mothers&rsquo; self-efficacy and social support while reducing barriers to healthy behaviors. This intervention significantly improved outcomes in the intervention group compared to the control group. Therefore, small-group counseling sessions (comprising 5 to 10 participants) may be considered for integration into public health services for first-time mothers who have delivered vaginally, to support their mental well-being and encourage healthy lifestyle habits.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp; Postpartum period, Self-efficacy, Social support, Perceived barriers 243 254 http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2608-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Nazli Alafchi 100319475328460045590 0009-0001-7214-9491 No Department of Science in Midwifery, School of School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Mojtaba Norouzi 100319475328460045591 100319475328460045591 No Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. Mostafa Eghbalian eghbalian1992@gmail.com 100319475328460045592 100319475328460045592 Yes Department of Public Health, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, School of Health, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.