PLEASE HELP still bleeding 4.5 weeks after childbirth and it's getting much worse.

[Kaedsmum]

I'm a regular, just changed my name because I'm bored of the old one.

I had my baby 4 weeks and 4 days ago and obviously there was a lot of blood for about 2 weeks and then for the third week it got less. I started the mini pill on day 21 and the bleeding stopped for 2 days. Then I had sex in the morning and then at night I noticed some blood. This then got worse and worse, so 3 days ago I came off the mini pill as the doctor said she thought it was the mini pill causing the bleeding. It is still just as bad though. It's worse than it was when I had the baby.

TMI but just to let you know how much there is, I'm putting on two of the nighttime always pads at a time, and within an hour it will have bled through both, gone through my clothes and, at night, soaked the sheets and mattress.

This cannot be normal. I'm worried I'll bleed to death or something at this rate!!!

I've seen the doctor and she wasn't helpful at all. She said to see how it goes. But it's just getting worse and worse.

Anyone else got the same? Or any advice?

[belgo]

You should ring your maternity ward, and speak to a doctor, today. There might be something they can give to stop the bleeding.

And rest as well.

[Kaedsmum]

Also, I had a scan and there's no bits left in there... so I don't know what it could be.

I'll try to rest, it's hard work though coz baby's a screamer

[lou031205]

You really need to be wearing proper maternity pads at this stage, and then guage how bad the bleeding is through those. If a maternity is pad is soaking through in an hour, then you do need to speak to the maternity ward and ask for advice.

[NotABanana]

Bleeding after childbirth can last up to 6 weeks and for longer if you are doing too much. Are ou passing any clots? If you are, you need to be seen immediately. I would ring the hospital where you had the baby and if they can't advise, see another GP.

[Egg]

I bled for 6 weeks after DS1 and 7 weeks after DTs. Even after that I had a bit of spotting. However it was never as heavy as you describe apart from the first few days.

I would definitely seek advice, if only to set your mind at rest, although if a scan shows nothing is left then I am sure everything is ok. Good luck.

[Klaw]

Continued bleeding may be a sign of infection, so maybe ask to get checked out. Don't be fobbed off with any lame excuses.

I suppose the mini pill could have screwed things up and it may need time to get back to 'normal'.

It's still fairly early days after a pg and you need to be resting a lot and not acting like Superwoman! So, delegate some chores to willing family and friends

[wabbit]

If it's any help at all I bled for 9 weeks after ds - first 4 or 5 were very heavy, maternity pads were absolutely necessary.

After that when my periods returned they were heavy as heavy as you're describing your post partum bleeding... are you in any discomfort?

[Kaedsmum]

thanks this is all really helpful.

also, baby doesn't sleep at night so i'm only getting half an hour per night, and none through the day- could this be a factor? i'm also very stressed.

[Klaw]

What was the birth like? Sometimes babies benefit from Cranial osteopathy

Are you breastfeeding?

what support do you have?

are you going to any post natal groups?

Have you spoken to your HV?

Do NOT suffer in silence! Early motherhood can feel very isolating, but it needn't be. Don't feel you can't talk to anyone and that you are 'supposed' to just get on with it, there is support out there.

[Kaedsmum]

The birth was a little traumatic, waters broke 50 hours before he was born, got induced and ended up in more pain with the prostin pains than I was with contractions,he was turned sideways and it was very progressive. I also had to have 2 lots of pethadin and gas and air. What's cranial osteopathy?

He's very good in day but he has bad reflux and colic at night.

I gave up on bfing as he was on my boob 24 hours a day or screaming.

I don't know of any post natal groups.

I have spoken to my HV but she's not ver good, for e.g, baby choked on a lot of reflux when she was there and she ran around my front room in circles flapping and screaming 'he's not blue yet' while I sorted him out, so she's generally hopeless.

DPs also started a new job and he's working long hours, then getting woken with the baby at night so he's quite down too. My family are very busy at the moment but mum tries to make some time for me.

[Kaedsmum]

Klaw- Oh my word, I just looked up cranial osteopathy and that is him to a T!!! What can I do about it? Do the NHS do anything? Who do i see about it?

[NotABanana]

We had CO for our youngest and it was brilliant. It was about £30 per session and money well spent imo.

[Notquitegrownup]

We had CO with our eldest too, and it worked magically! Totally worth £35 per session. We only needed two sessions and he was a different child.

[savoycabbage]

I don't want to cause panic or alarm but something similar happened to my friend three weeks after birth and the GP took no notice and she ended up having to have a hysterectomy at the age of 27. Her baby is not yet a month old.

[Klaw]

As I suspected, you sound like you need someone to 'mother' you. You are doing a very important job, as a mother, and we all need to be acknowedged and supported, whether we realise it or not.

Cranial osteopathy is done by an osteopath, and acknowledges that the baby's skull has been through the birth process, which is induced or augmented in any way could result in the very delicate bones in the lower skull and neck being compressed or pushed into positons which leave baby with a very sore head! It sounds (to my untrained brain) like your baby could benefit from a check up, and if he has treatment would mean that he would become a happier baby and therefore a happier mummy!

I am so sorry that you were not supported in bf, so many mums give up for lack of support. It is out there, we just need blardy HV to do their job and let you know where to get it, ffs! She should at least make sure that you're aware of the local groups to get out to so that you meet other local mums. Sometimes i think they think we've been given literature so that's it. They don't think about the fact we all have pg brain ad then baby brain and don't recall being given this stuff, we need gentle reminders of what's out there so that we can take it up if we want to.

There are national BF helplines, there is Birth Trauma Association (if you are feeling traumatised by the birth) and Birth Crisis, there is MN, obviously and loads of other online forums. I really think it should be HV job to make sure we know about theses things

If it's something you are interested in ask your mum to help you with cost and practicalities of getting some Cranial osteopethy for your little one, or maybe you and dh can afford it anyway, I don't know. See if it makes any difference.

And get some sleep when ever lo gets some sleep. Hang the housework, YOU are more important right now

((((Kaedsmum))))

[Klaw]

Xposts by the time I'd written a small novel!!

Phone round a few osteopaths in your area to see which one you get a feel for.

I organised one for a friend in N Yorkshire and he does clinics at a reduced rate and believes that ALL babies should get a check up on the NHS, so I know there are great baby-friendly osteopaths out there. (There were some that I called, who I did not warm to and hope that I chose the right one)

Anyway, get yourself check out (I had bleeding for 6 weeks and it turns out had an infection, also had a haemotoma on my episiotemy) and see if you can get baby checked out.

These early weeks are too precious to let pass by in a haze of misery

[Kaedsmum]

This is fantastic info, thanks so much for taking the time to explain it to me. I'll definately get in touch with osteopaths and see what they can do for him. Mum probably will help with the costs actually.

The only part of the birth I'm really traumatised by is that the midwives made my mum and DP go home and wouldn't let my mum come back, but let DP come back when I got to 4cms, but getting to 4cms was the worst part for me, it was the m0ost painful bit and I was in a room on my own crying. I'm just angry about that. But I'm not too upset by the rest as I got my son out of it and he's amazing.
Thanks for being so lovely.

Savoy- why what happened? Where was the bleeding coming from? How can SO much come out of one person??

[Klaw]

Ah yes, the feeling alone.... I can relate to that too!

Made the mistake of going in too early in the morning and so dp was sent away (he practically ran so that he could get back to have some sleep, poor love) and the mw all disappear to their little room and I'm left feeling alone and scared and trying not to wake anyone up!

Tis one of the reasons I decided to become a doula.

[Klaw]

PS, hope you get some help and that I've not been too presumptious.

Will you let us know how you get on please?

[savoycabbage]

It was something to do with her placenta not coming out complete after her birth. We are not that sure at the moment as it has just happened and she is still in intensive care.

[Klaw]

Thinking of your friend Savoy and wishing her well

[Kaedsmum]

Hi all,

The doctor gave me some tablets that are for slowing down heavy periods, and for pain after childbirth, and it's slowed the bleeding loads!!!! So I feel much better now. Thanks for all your help Klaw. However, will that solve the problem or just cover it up?

Savoy- fortunately I got scanned and there's nothing left in there thank God as that's what I was worried about. Hope your friend's as well as can be.

[belgo]

Kaedsmum - glad you got the treatment you needed. Hope you're feeling a lot better very soon.

[BetsyBoop]

Just wanted to add - did they do a blood test to see if you are anaemic? If not & you feel tired etc go back & ask for one.