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.

LOVE the bloody hand prints up the wall image! The official birth photo my DH "released" has one of my boobs on display so that distracted from any blood. However no one in his football team has been able to look me in the eye since.

I dont remember loads during actual labour, but after, when I got up to shower, I left a trail of red footprints behind me! I was quite shocked, but nobody seemed bothered really!

DH told me there was loads, I didn't see any during the birth just afterwards for about 10 - 13 days

with DS, there wasn't a lot, 2 inco-pads, that was it. Bled very heavily for 2 days then it gradually petered out over 4 weeks.

with DD I had a ELCS, had to have 2 shots of whatever it is they give to remove the placenta and it still needed help to come out. Could hear the blood dripping on the floor

NoNoNoMYDoIt has said a lot of the extra blood volume that we get gets converted into wee. Interesting! So blood-tinged wee, right?

By the way, another one here for the ginger count :)

I didn't spot much blood actually during childbirth. The baby was a little bloody, but soon cleaned up. There was a pile of bloody linen/incopads to be cleared away and I did spot the bowl with the placenta in it (and what looked like loads of blood).

However the showers I had immediately after each birth did resemble a bit of a bloodbath. Quite a bit of blood, of course diluted with water so it seemed to be everywhere. And then trying to dry yourself and ending up with a towel covered in blood. With DC2, I was sent to shower on my own. I really didn't want to leave the shower room in a mess, so was trying to clean up to a minimal standard - but I seemed to be dripping blood and every time I moved I made a mess over the bit I had cleaned. Came over a bit peculiar (very low BP) and had to have a sit down for a while before giving up and apologising profusely to the MW for the mess (who took it in her stride - I guess it's just what happens).

After the first 24hours the bleeding settled down to period sort of levels,