Question for existing mums about the actual birth (may be TMI for some)

[HPonEverything]

This might sound like a silly question but is there a lot of blood during the actual birth? I'm not scared of blood, but I'd just like to know that the amount of blood is normal otherwise I'll get really anxious that there is something badly wrong.

I just wondered how it compares on the scale between having a period and having a limb cut off (not that I've ever had the latter done either). Also what's the consistency like, is it like a period?

Sorry if this post is TMI for anyone.

[tabulahrasa]

Um, I don't know...lol

there can't have been that much or I'd have noticed surely? I mean I've had two and I was there when my nephew was born as well.

[Byeckerslike]

You wont notice really, with my first ds the changeover midwife came in and said 'flippin heck its a mess in here' because of all the blood, i hadnt even noticed!
The midwifes tend to whip the mess away so you wont be sat/stood in a pool of blood

[Byeckerslike]

Sorry hit send too soon, meant to say good luck :)

[AngryFeet]

Apparently there is only 100ml of blood. I saw none during both of my births so as long as you don't ask for a mirror to look you should be fine

[Tigresswoods]

Hmm didn't notice

[tabulahrasa]

They change whatever's underneath you fairly often and are pretty discreet about it - I suppose with what might be on it it's better that way, lol

but you think I might have noticed when I wasn't the one giving birth rofl

[nickelbabe]

I want to know how much blood there is afterwards - maternity pads being so much bigger than normal pads - how long does it go on for?

[TimothyClaypoleLover]

I didn't really notice but DH said there was a lot of blood when placenta came out - it splattered up the wall!

Bleeding afterwards is far worse. Mine went on for about 6 weeks. The first 48 hours after birth I felt like I was bleeding non stop. It was gross.

[nickelbabe]

[nickelbabe]

[HPonEverything]

Thanks all. I think what I find weird is that if there's not actually that much during the birth, why does it all start coming along afterwards? Why doesn't it all (or majority of it) fall out during the birth? Where is it hiding?!

[tabulahrasa]

I know that one nickelbabe

It's massively heavy straight afterwards, much much heavier than the heaviest of periods, but only for the first few days then it calms down -though it can become heavier again if you start trying to do too much. Once it's slowed down it kind of carries on doing that for varying amounts of time, one of mine was 6 weeks, one more like 2

[SenoritaViva]

nickelbabe - the bleeding is worse afterwards. I ended up with an Emergency C-Section and I have a feeling that reduced it somewhat (disclaimer this is based on no medical knowledge just a hunch!), or perhaps I was just 'lucky'. Nevertheless it is worse, I think mine went on for 2 weeks.

[tabulahrasa]

Well I suppose until you actually give birth - you're um, sealed? Rofl, I can't really think if a better way of putting it - so before that it's just in your body doing what blood does

[MrsTittleMouse]

Maternity pads are bigger partly to give you a bit of cushioning - even after a straightforward birth it's normal to be a bit battered and bruised. I bled quite a lot afterwards, more than a period, but I've found out since that it was partly because I wasn't resting enough.

Moral of the story - make sure that you get plenty of rest and don't listen to well meaning friends and relatives who are impressed that you are up and about so quickly! Go back to bed!

:)

[BobbieSox]

Just to warn you there can be a lot of blood and that's not necessarily a problem!

I dilated quite fast and that can cause bleeding - I felt the midwife dabbing at my leg and tried to get her to stop faffing, turns out it was because I was bleeding everywhere. Think it was more clots than running blood ( sorry if TMI!) but I wasn't paying loads of attention...quite big ones if I remember rightly. According to my notes it was 500ml worth all in all.

This isn't all that common though from what I've heard from other mums - just to say it isn't necessarily anything to worry about if you do bleed, the midwife will know if there's a problem.

Hopefully it won't happen to you but I wish someone had warned me!

Good luck with your birth

[MrsTittleMouse]

I was told by the midwife that the place where the placenta was attached is basically a wound (which makes sense). So if you run up and down stairs constantly to get away from breastfeeding in front of visitors, or spend ages cooking (or all the other stuff that I ended up doing), you increase your blood pressure and make it harder for the wound to heal properly.

[AWimbaWay]

I don't know either and have had 3 dcs, so figure it can't be that much?

I did bleed ALOT afterwards though, for 3 months, but I think that is quite long compared to most people. Don't take normal sanitary towels, they really won't be enough, you need those hideous humongous maternity pads, and lots of them!

[Witchofthenorth]

To be honest, you won't really be payin that much attention....I lost about 500/700 mls of blood after each birth (3) as soon as babies were born. Afterwards it was like a very heavy period for about the first week, then tailed off to what it would be like near the end of your period. This lasted for about 4weeks.....if you start to bleed heavily a few days after the birth or it doesn't slow down then you ar probably overdoing it and get your self laid back down on that sofa! I always knew that my body was telling me to slow cos I would gush!

Hope that helps :)

[LoveInAColdClimate]

Isn't most of the blood (tears/cuts aside) from where the placenta detaches from the uterine wall, hence it not coming out until the placenta's out? Could be wrong, though!

[hildathebuilder]

I saw lots and lots of blood. But then I haemorraged which led to labour... we reckoned it was about 200-300 ml before birth and then a fair bit at birth probably another similar amount which went everywhere. And then almost nothing after. It had all gone by then. In my case the postnatal loss was like a light period for about 10 days then nothing

[AWimbaWay]

x-posted with Tempingmaniac, as you can see everyone is different.

Good luck with the birth btw .

[Honeydragon]

erm.... to be contrary, afterward I didn't bleed that badly. Certainly didn't need maternity pads. Used normal Always ones and with dd switched to my Mooncup after about 4 days.

[HPonEverything]

I'm really surprised to hear there's not actually that much blood (depending on birth, obviously). I MC'ed last year at 12wks and I have never seen so much blood in my entire life, I honestly thought I was going to die. I thought full-term bleeding would be 3x as much blood but I guess it doesn't work that way. I can't understand why it would be different giving birth, but maybe I'm better off not knowing.