Objective To explore the psychosocial adaptation experiences among postpartum women, so as to provide theoretical evidence for promoting family support systems and optimizing maternal and child health services. Methods A descriptive qualitative study was designed based on the self-regulation theory and key psychosocial adaptation elements. From June to September 2024, a total of 21 women within one year postpartum from Wuhan and Yichang, Hubei Province, were recruited by using purposive sampling to conduct one-on-one in-depth face-to-face interviews. The interview data were analyzed using conventional content analysis to identify, categorize, and refine themes. Results Four themes and twelve sub-themes were extracted:the perception of role shock (mother role arousal, complex emotional intertwining, multiple role tension, self-identity crisis); the process of role self-adjustment (emotional self-regulation, behavioral self-regulation, cognitive self-regulation); the reconstruction of role balance (integration of multiple roles, character self-development); and the family-social childbirth support (instrumental childbirth support, evaluative childbirth support, informational childbirth support). Conclusion The psychosocial adaptation among postpartum women is a multifaceted, dynamic, and complex process. Healthcare providers should enhance prenatal education and proactive, continuous follow-up during the early puerperium, systematically assess the psychosocial adaptation status of postpartum women, and provide early warning and support, so as to reduce the risk of poor role adaptation in postpartum women and promote the health of mothers and infants.