Post-natal blood loss; how long?

[toohardtothinkofaname]

Mad how this didn't even occur to me! Had baby Wednesday & had normal delivery. Passed 2 large & 2 small clots & have what resembles light period bleeding. How long will this last?

I have cuts which need to heal but wearing maternity pads just makes it constantly warm & moist. I want to pee without it stinging again! Haha

[dementedpixie]

It can last a few weeks, sorry. Congrats on your new baby

[NotNob]

With DC1, vaginal foreceps delivery was about 7 weeks I think (after retained placenta removed) but Dc2 was much longer, about 11 weeks. Although that was a traumatic one with complications.

[ayria]

8 weeks or so for me. I don't even know if having an episiotomy, tears and a 400ml blood loss has anything to do with it, but... yeah, by the time it finished I had rashes from the towels and wanted to rip my vagina off myself if it hadn't already kindly been done for me!

I saw the blood loss afterwards as though it was just helping with the healing, tbh. I took baths to soothe me down there with tea tree oil in. I hated not being able to have bubble bath and soap!

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

Mine lasted about six weeks, but settled down to a much more manageable level after about two weeks

Congratulations!

[Stylingwax]

Bout 3 weeks with DS. 1 week in with DD and it's very light, but then I did lose 1500ml of blood on the day so I think most is out. It will all heal and will feel better in a couple of days, I have a few stitches down there but feel ok now. Change pad a lot, and if you've got no visitors park yourself on a towel and let yourself air dry if you see what I mean.

[ohidoliketobe]

I had post partum haemorrhage with DS so presume I lost most of it in one (quite scary) go! I had very heavy for 2-3 days (big clots and pads needing changing every couple of hours) then a medium/ heavy flow period type for approx 1 week. Then got lighter for 10 days after that. 3 weeks in total I reckon

[Wardrobespierre]

Regardless of method of delivery, pph etc, lochia lasts between 4 and 6 weeks on average. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter.

I had a pph and an emcs (so a hoovering out post delivery) and still bled for 7 weeks. There's a lot of stuff to lose and a wound the size of a dinner plate left by the placenta. It just takes a while to heal.

[KP86]

Wow, I never imagined the placenta would leave an internal wound. That's interesting!

I think I bled for about six weeks post EMCS. Heavily for first week then pretty light from then on.

[Junosmum]

2 weeks for me but I had surgery to remove the placenta and they gave me a really good clean out during the surgery to ensure no placenta remained. It was really light as well.

[Melmam]

About 2 weeks for me after foreceps delivery.

[TheCatsMeow]

About 2 weeks but I had a c section which can make it lighter

[Dixiechick17]

2 weeks for me following a fairly straight forward labour with 2nd degrew tar. Boota do an ultra slim maternity pad which is a little more comfortable when the bleeding lessens. After a week I switched to normal thin sanitary towels.

[toohardtothinkofaname]

Wow, interesting stuff thank you all.

Definitely going to 'air dry'. My cuts are teeny but just awkwardly placed. Have figured out some spectacular peeing positions which a pro contortionist would approve of. Even tried a peeing like a man/squat/forward bend sort of thing, if you can imagine how ridiculous that was haha

[Junosmum]

Try using a jug to pour water on yourself when you pee, then dry well and change pad at most loo stops.

When at home try drying your foof with a hairdryer on cool or low after peeing and showering.

[ohthegoats]

I was swimming by 5 weeks pp, so it must have stopped by then. The first week was pretty hefty, and anytime I did any exercise after that it got heavier.

[Flossiesmummy]

I think around 8 weeks for me. I found changing towels super regularly helped with staying comfy. Agree with PP about tea tree oil in the bath

[toohardtothinkofaname]

Junosmum, the cuts are internal so the water misses it! I mean forward & touch the floor to make sure no wee gets near them :)

[Wardrobespierre]

Do NOT use a hairdryer. They harbour all sorts of germs. You must also avoid blowing air up there due to the risk of air embolism (tiny risk but extremely serious).

[mrsjoker35]

I was bleeding for almost 3 weeks then after that coloring changing discharge. 6 weeks pp tomorrow, and im pretty sure my period has just started (TMI ? Sorry lol)
Im gonna put a post up about it actually hehe

[HackerFucker22]

10 days with DC1 and 6 weeks with DC2 (mainly just light bleeding after 2 weeks)

[NickyEds]

4-5 weeks with ds, 2-3 weeks with dd but with dd it was much heavier, I think due to the after pains which were like mini contractions when I bf her. It surprised me too op!