difference between blood clots and bits of placenta?

[oldebaglady]

day 5 pp, yesterday I passed something which was small (less than 10p) but only party thickened dark blood-like and the rest was pale and stringy/solid like tissue

took a photo, saw MW today (- one who has been rubbish in the past) she didn't want to see the pic and said "like mucous" when I said that some of it was pale, I said "no not at all it was solid, like tissue", then she changed the subject

not really reassured

no temp, feel okay but have been having headaches (headaches also mentioned to MW, she took my BP and said that was fine then changed subject)

She didn't feel my tummy

I've seen this midwife before, she is not clinically minded at all - very much a box ticker, asks q2 after q1 without really listening to answer to q1 IYKWIM so not reassured at all

it what I passed normal ish? or was it a bit of placenta

blood loss is light and tailing off

I'd say it sounds normal tbh. I was told clots/placenta was only a problem if they were bigger than a 50p piece. But if you're concerned I'd go to your GP just to put your mind at rest.

It sounds like a bit of membrane. Its very common for a bit to stay stuck to the wall of the womb after birth. A healthy response from the body is to allow some blood to gather and clot aound it. This gives it a bit of bulk and allows the womb to expel it when it contracts. This commonly happens during feeding or when peeing or opening your bowels, which all encourage the womb to contract.

You want it out because its dead tissue and you dont want it to grow bacteria and give you an infection.

Sometimes after passing a clot you might have some brighter red bleeding for a few hours but should settle next day.

Bits of the actual placenta left behind is much less common.

Signs of problems:
Persistent clots over several days, not improving
Big clots ie fist sized or bigger
Heavy bleeding ie soaking pads every 2-3 hrs where it was previously lighter
Nasty smell eg fishy suggesting infection
Feeling fluey/unwell possible infection.

Most common treatment is antibiotics but some people end up in theatre having a clear out.

If I am concerned about a woman, I advise her to attend maternity triage.

thanks, I have none of the problems listed below.

I had "clots" with DS1 which were different and definitely just pooled blood, this one worried me as it is mostly light coloured solid stuff with a few chunks of dark/blood in it. It looks very odd

bleeding continues to be light, no more "stuff" passed

I have already attended the post natal clinic but got the rubbish woman who didn't even ask/listen. Her lack of concern didn't reassure me in the slightests as she missed a couple of obvious problems with DS1.

I had some retained products after ds1, I lost a price of greyish tissue with blood streaks through it, was hardish, it was quite large, midwife didn't seem concerned. When ds was 4wk old I was admitted back to hospital, with blood just gushing out, I'd change a pad and then in 1 bit that come out it filled it and overflowed, had to just sit on toilet a lot of the time, really wasn't like a normal bleed. I was examined and the doctor said my womb was very inflamed, it should have been back below pubic bone but it was raised quite a large amount above it. And he also pulled lots of membranes out with a long instrument. I was put on 28 tablets a day, to clear it out.

It's normal for bits to be inside after the birth as they stick to uterine wall, the womb normally expells them on its own. Please go get checked if your concerned though, cause I didn't notice anything was wrong till few weeks down the line xx

I got a second opinion, she actually looked at the pic and said it was membraine, her opinion was " better out than in" and wanted to discharge me from MW team before my next appointment but I asked to keep it as the bleeding, although light, isn't really changing

she felt my tummy and said it was good and low though so that's something