Scared of bleeding

[joojoobean99]

How do all of you cope with the post-labour bleeding? I know this can vary massively, some people don't bleed for longer than a few days whereas others can bleed heavily for weeks afterwards, but I see so many people that go out with a baby that's only a few days old and they don't seem to have any worries about bleeding through their pads/clothes! I'm not very good at dealing with my period (take time off work and bury myself in the duvet for 5 days!) so i don't know how I'm going to cope with potentially 6 weeks of heavy bleeding after giving birth. Is it really as bad as everyone says it is?

Aside from a bit clot in the first few days it was no worse than a period. Mine went on for 6 weeks but no leakages etc. You'll be fine!

You really take 5 days off work for a period? How awful are they?
Both times I tore so was a bit sore for the first few days and not out too much. VVV heavy initially but it soon tapers of.

I'm impressed work let you take 5 days off every month! Your periods must be horrendous.

I bled for around 6 weeks, fairly heavy at first but not terrible. I bled through pads for the first 24 hours after birth but after that it wasn't an issue. Just make sure you get the thick maternity pads rather than normal period pads.

I work part time so any days I'm due at work and on my period I end up taking as holiday, as my periods have been super heavy and painful since I was a teenager. I bleed through tampons and pads on my heaviest days, so that's probably why I'm so fearful of the post-birth bleeding as I figured it'll be much worse than my periods.

Someone recommended on here somewhere to use incontinence pants instead of maternity pads - would this work??

Yeah even a pad AND pants. My NCT teacher said to wear a pad, knickers and incontinence pads over.

I personally never needed to as my bleeding was so minimal after.

You may well find your periods get better post childbirth. Postnatal bleeding is rarely too awful.

I bled for about 6 weeks but it wasn't heavy after the first couple of days.

..What I hated, though, was having to wear pads and not use tampons.

Just how many days holiday to you have per year OP?
Do you have any left for an actual holiday?

Your periods could well change after having a baby, I was extremely light only 2-3 days until I had my first, now I'm heavy for a full 7-10 days.
Maternity or not very flattering incontinence pads work well, explain to your midwife too so they may be able to give you something to lessen bleeding after the birth.
Good luck

Heratnumber7 I work flexible hours so I try to build up a day or two per month and use those days if possible. But yeah, about half of my annual leave goes on period days. V depressing but it's something I've had to do since I was 17 so I'm used to it now.

Buzzkillington Im dreading not being able to use tampons! I just hate the feeling of bleeding onto a pad.

Ellieboolou Im under the care of a birth support team due to my anxiety surrounding childbirth so I'll mention it to them in case they can do anything, thanks for the idea 👍

First couple of days vv heavy and I had a bit of a shock with a hand-sized clot that passed in the shower the day after I gave birth to my third! I found the thick boots maternity pads coped ok although I had to change them frequently those first couple of days. Everything eased off quite quickly though. My bleeding lasted about 6 weeks (longer after #2 but I had retained products that were missed until I started passing tissue about 8 weeks).

You might be surprised by afterpains, which not everyone knows about before they give birth. They can be surprisingly strong and uncomfortable. Particularly if you breastfeed, this can trigger contractions which cramp your uterus down and can cause heavier flow during feeding.

I imagine you will not find your lochia nearly as difficult to cope with as your periods sound though. Heavy, but probably not so painful.

Before having dc I was heavy. Bloodbath heavy. Super plus tampon , nighttime towel and sleeping on bath towels with an alarm set for every three hours. Awake I changed every hour. I completely understand taking days off work- if d faint and bleed through had I worked.

After children was nothing compared. Really. The "after pains" "post natal bleeding" well- it was child's play comparatively to what went before. Since then it is clear than I had undiagnosed endometriosis. Commonly symptoms improve after children.

If you are wearing tampons and pads and regularly bleeding through them then see a GP. (Obviously see how things are after birth). That's not normal.

I was a bit self conscious about the smell of lochia, especially with having to wear pads.

It wasn't a bad small - just a strong, sweet odour.

My mum told me I'd be passing massive clots for weeks - but that was obv her experience, not mine.

I had a c-section so not sure if it's the same for a vaginal birth.

Brace yourself for TMI...

Day 1, stood up, knickerless, torrent of blood on the floor - DH didn't know to expect it so thought I was dying.

Days 2-5, heavyish period (I have super heavy periods normally). I found big, bulky maternity pads quite reassuring.

Day 6 to end of week 2 - less and less blood, paler, more mucous. Could wear normal sanitary towels.

Week 2 to week 4 - only pale pink, still quite a lot of mucous.

Weeks 4-6 - the odd day of red blood, but nothing like as heavy as a period, but mainly just transparent.

All-in-all it's a bit of a bore, but even with my mega-periods, it wasn't that bad. Like Buzz I was hyper aware of the smell, it was sweeter and more yeasty smelling than normal.

And better yet... for the first time in three months I didn't need to per every 45 seconds!

Also it didn't 'feel' like a period to me, I didn't get the upset tummy or the stuffy too hot feeling, or the waves of physical exhaustion.