Sudden worry about post partum bleeding

[Nifedipine]

My wife gave birth 8 weeks ago via C-section and is still experiencing heavy bleeding. It was lighter after some weeks but now again heavier and doesn't seem to show any sign of stopping. She spoke to GP at 6 week check-up but GP wasn't concerned at all and said it takes a while for bleeding to settle. However, my wife has suddenly become very anxious about it, especially because it seems it is getting increasingly heavier. Next check up will be in a week's time, I don't think she can live with the anxiety until then and I also feel if she thinks this isn't right then chances are it indeed isn't. Does someone have experince with whether this sounds normal? Googling suggests bleeding should stop after 6 weeks which it clearly hasn't. Thank you!

After my c sections the bleeding had all but cleared up after 3 weeks.
With dc3 it restarted and became heavier and heavier - turned out I had an infection.

If she’s worried it’s worth ringing the gp again tomorrow.
If it is getting heavier to the point of the concern then I’d ring 111, who may suggest A&E.

I'd get it checked sooner. Mine went on just a bit longer that 6 weeks with the first pregnancy, less time with my second one.

Thank you! How did they find out you had an infection? Swab?
I think she is anxious in equal measures about something being wrong but also going to the doctor. I am really worried about her because she had preeclampsia and is still on medication but not much monitoring is going on since she left hospital.

Thank you, pwheuss. I'll ask her to ring the doctor tomorrow. This is second baby, with the first she also had the bleeding stop sooner.

A&E if it's filling a cup an hour. I had similar bleeding and I had an infection and ended up in hospital. It can progress very quickly.

Thank you, FatherNeilHannon. She has finally managed to fall asleep sp don't want to wake her, but will check with her about amounts and by the sound of it we will be heading to doctors tomorrow.
When people say infection, what does that mean? Infection of the uterus?

Yes, endometritis, which is a uterine infection. Happens after childbirth, especially csections or prolonged labour.

My symptoms were bleeding that didn't stop and in fact got heavier. By the time I sought medical help I had rigors (shivering from a high fever then sudden drop) and bad smelling discharge. It's not to be messed with - I would tell your wife to go to A&E personally. They will take her seriously.

In a nutshell, yes - there may be some tissue left behind, or something else causing an infection.
But, unless she declines overnight (running a temperature, or bleeding is concerning), it can wait until the morning if she's getting some rest.

The treatment is antibiotics - they may want to keep her in for IV antibiotics or send her home with some strong ones, a two week course. They may also give tranexamic acid to help reduce the bleeding.

Yes, be on the lookout for a high temperature. If she develops one she needs to go straight to hospital. I'm suggesting hospital rather than the GP as they can also do an ultrasound there and look for retained products, which can be the source of infection.

Thank you all, I will try to take her to A&E tomorrow morning. She will be very upset, unfortunately this birth didn't go to plan at all and she ended up with a long hospital stay that really took its toll on her. It will be very difficult for her to have to go back there.
Do you happen to know if she can still breastfeed on those strong antibiotics?

It depends - the Breastfeeding Network is a great source of info: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-factsheets/

I totally sympathise with your wife, after a traumatic birth it's the last thing you need. But postpartum infections can develop into sepsis so it is really important she is checked out.

Absolutely, she needs to be checked. I will discuss with her in the morning and take it from there. I am so grateful for your replies, thank you all! I will try to take some rest too and then hopefully have some answers tomorrow.

After my c section, I bled heavily for 8 weeks, reduced a bit for 3 days and stopped after that. The suddenness of the end surprised me.

Maybe a really silly question, but is there any chance it could be her period? Unlikely I know if she's only 8 weeks post partum and breastfeeding.

But definitely encourage her to get it checked out, the early post partum days are hard enough without something like this making you feel worse.

Hi PrimeraVez, not a silly question at all, she thought exactly the same that it was her period and this is what they kind of discussed with the gp at 6 weeks. But it isn't stopping at all and somehow last night she suddenly got very anxious about it. I don't know what the first period after birth should be like but I guess it shouldn't last 2 weeks?

I had this after DC1. I was told they only investigate after 9 weeks. At this time they did an ultrasound and I had a tiny piece of “retained products” finger nail size but my body was trying to flush it out. I ended up with a D&C at about 11 weeks and the bleeding stopped after that. I never had a fever or other signs of illness.
Similar thing with DC4. Was put on antibiotics about 8 weeks as had the fever and rigours by this stage. Had some cramping but passed a large (palm sized) piece of “retained products” at home. Ultrasound to check but it had all cleared.

Was still able to breastfeed both times.

Make sure they check her iron levels. I had to take iron supplements both times.

It is very frustrating when the bleeding seems never ending.

Did she get seen, OP?

Thank you for checking on us, so kind of you FatherNeilHannon (your name cracks me up 😁). She spoke to GP the next day, but he wasn't concerned. She is refusing A&E and I can't force her. She has a face to face check up with GP next Friday and doctor said they would send her for ultrasound if still bleeding then. I am not happy to wait that long but she is refusing to go to A&E, so will have to hope it is not something serious. I am trying to keep a good eye on her wellbeing to see if she starts feeling unwell, unfortunately she is the type of person that normally hides feeling unwell, which is not helpful in this situation...

Hi Nifedipine! (Love the play on anti hypertensives by the way)
I am a midwife and I would say A&E or call 111.
Is she filling a pad, back to front in 1 hour or less, smelly loss? Would sight clean and healing well?
I realise you can’t check this as I would, but is her tummy tender to touch? I would expect her uterus to be tender and not involuted properly if a uterine infection present, not always the case though.
Any temp? Rigours? Pulse normal?

I had an an emergency c section and bled for a few months. Dr then said it was for an infection and a course of antibiotics cleared it up instantly.

Hi CuppaTandCake! She doesn't fill a pad in an hour, she says the flow is similar to the end of period weaker flow, but it seems to vary from day to day without ever completely stopping. No abdominal pain or cramps, only some discomfort, although I must add she has high pain threshold, so not sure whether for an average person this would be more pain than discomfort. Definitely no temperature or rigours. Pulse normal. Blood pressure a bit raised, she is on medication because of post partum pre-eclampsia (my username comes from that, I had to take advice from Mumsnet on how to source her medication...) and they are in the process of trying to find the right dose for her.
She had a very traumatic experience in the hospital unfortunately and is extremely anxious about the possibility of having to go back. She is normally a very calm person, so it is really difficult to see her anxious, almost in panic mode, and I am not sure how best to help her. I managed to convince her to call 111 tomorrow if things not any better.
Thank you everyone for your helpful posts!

Hi ittakes2! Dp you remember how many weeks after birth you were given antibiotics? She will be 9 weeks at the check up appointment and I worry that is too long to wait with treatment.

I completely understand the trauma, some events at birth can have a huge effect on an individual.

However, if she does have a uterine infection or retained products, or both then it will need at the very least antibx, the sooner this happens the less intervention will be needed and the sooner she will feel human again. A degree of discomfort is to be expected after a section but it would be localised around the incision site, not abdominal as such.
I can’t give medical advice on here per se but it sounds me like a different hcp needs to take a look, maybe a different gp if necessary

I had the exact same symptoms. It was retained products, which caused a uterine infection. My GP was hopeless, suggesting that it was my period. It wasn't. I kept going back, but they wouldn't listen.

In the end I had to see a private GP to get a diagnosis, antibiotics and referral about a d&c to remove the retained products.

Please insist on a second opinion, an untreated infection can result in damage to the Fallopian tubes which can affect fertility.