Following on from the "going back to work after 2 weeks" thread... can I ask a TMI question

[emkana]

Now after all my three children I bled SO MUCH for WEEKS that it was just disgusting (sorry, you have been warned).

I had to have those disgusting maternity pads and change them constantly.

I am therefore astonished when I read about people going back to the office after 2 weeks. Just like I was astonished when I saw Penny Lancaster swanning out to dinner 8 days after giving birth.

Am I really that exceptional in bleeding so much ( as well as leaking milk everywhere, which also wasn't very pleasant)?

I'm a light bleeder too and also never leak milk for which I realise I am very lucky. However both my babies were swimming in blood so maybe it all came out then? I've seen some newborns who are very clean and the delivery room doesn't resemble a scene from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Still didn't go back to work for a few months though but with DD2 I got in trouble as the MW came to visit and I had taken both girls off to playgroup after a row with DP.

with ds1 i felt good just getting dressed in the mornings never mind wandering around!! was up and about properly at probabyl 2/3 weeks but still bleeding/.

with ds2 i was home the same day (wed)and took him to ds1s toddler group (walked the 2 mins!)on teh friday. bled like a heavy period for 6.5 weeks. boobs were constantly leaking with ds2, at one point i had breast pads inside my bra and outside!

bump because I find this really interesting - it's not something I have the courage to ask people in RL!

I bled for 10 weeks with DS1 (18 hr labour, followed by emergency CS) DS2 was born by elective CS in Sept, and I stopped bleeding after 2 weeks, and was driving after 3. ) I started working again after 6 weeks, but as I am a self employed cello teacher, I couldn't really afford not to. I only do 3 hrs from home anyway

i bled for 3 weeks and for about a month felt as if entire front of my body was made from jelly - had to wear maternity clothes for this whole time until belly subsided. it still looks like an elephants arse, just one that fits into workwear. plus i had massive rockhard boobs for several weeks including mastitis - it was an effort to get out of bed let alone go to work!

I just remember being in terrible pain after my C-sections. The thought of going back to work after 2 weeks would have scared the life out of me. I didn't go back for at least 8 months!