"Is it time for my wife to perform ghusl after a week of childbirth, and does this custom have any connection to Islamic law? "

"Praise be to Allah.

When a woman delivers her newborn, the blood discharged is called ""nifas (definition)"" and she is called ""nufasaa’."" She does not pray or fast, and her husband does not have intercourse with her until she becomes pure or forty days pass after which she must perform ghusl (definition) (ritual purification). If she sees purity before the forty days, she performs ghusl, prays, fasts, and her husband is permissible to have intercourse with her. If the blood continues after forty days, it is considered irregular bleeding like istihadah (definition) (non-menstrual bleeding) unless it coincides with her menstrual period, in which case it is considered menstruation. The obligatory ghusl for nufasaa’ is to be performed after she becomes pure from the nifas blood and it is required. As for taking a bath for cleanliness during the nifas period, there is no harm; however, it does not entail any legal rulings."