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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

is post-CS bleeding like a miscarriage, or worse?

23 replies

parentsvsPIL · 22/10/2016 09:16

I'll be having an elCS for DC1.

Have already had numerous miscarriages, both early (6 weeks ish) and a bit later (15 weeks ish), so I know what a bloodbath can look like.

Do I assume post-CS bleeding will be much the same as a lateish miscarriage? Or is it worse?

OP posts:

GlitteryFluff · 22/10/2016 09:19

Sorry about your losses

I haven't had a miscarriage but I've have a caesarean and I didn't think i bled much at all. It wasn't as heavy as a period I don't think just lasted a little longer but again not much longer. (It was only two years ago, you'd think I'd remember!)

CatsCantFlyFast · 22/10/2016 09:21

It can vary so much. My lochia post dd1 (vb) was like a very very heavy period for about 4 days and then abnormal period flow for another week or so, no clots. Post dd2 (cs) it was much lighter and shorter - I've had heavier periods. However some people have clots and much worse so it's really difficult to predict

littlepooch · 22/10/2016 09:23

Generally I would say the bleeding with my miscarriages was heavier and worse than post my cs.

But I believe everyone is different!

TheChineseChicken · 22/10/2016 09:27

I had pretty much no bleeding after mine - one rush of blood the day after but just a bit of spotting after that. I was really worried until I was told by a MW that they 'clear you out' during the procedure.

TheChineseChicken · 22/10/2016 09:28

Also I have had a MC and it was totally different

Flisspaps · 22/10/2016 09:31

Chinese most of the bleeding post birth isn't to do with being cleared out or not, it's from the site of the placenta having to heal (which is a pretty big wound)

OP - I had 2 vaginal births and the lochia was different with both.

NotSpartacus · 22/10/2016 09:38

Its massively variable.

After Dd1 I bled for a couple of weeks, heavy at first (with largish clots) then lighter, except for the day I went for a lengthy walk and it ramped back up. I specifically remember this as I had read in a book that it would be gone within 10 days, so I was worried and conferred with my older sister. She had been given a leaflet when she had her baby which explained all the different variations that were normal, from a little bleeding to a few weeks of it while it tails off.

What i didnt have with Dd1 was flooding, so although i bled a fair bit it wasn't hard to contain.

Now for the TMI part...

With Dd2 when i first stood up and walked down the corridor I felt something and when I looked down I had made a big bloody puddle on the floor. Some poor new dad happened to look out of their side room at that moment, and the look of horror on his face...

Mermaid36 · 22/10/2016 09:40

I hardly bled after my CS. It was no worse than a period and I ended up ditching the maternity pads for normal sanitary pads on day 3

memyselfandaye · 22/10/2016 09:41

My bleeding post cs was horrific, but as I had been told by a "friend" that I would bleed a lot and there would be large clots I did'nt say anything to anyone, I thought it was normal.

On day 5 the midwife came to visit, took one look at me and called an ambulance, I was actually very ill and needed two further surgeries and two blood transfusions.

So if you are'nt sure don't do what I did and assume it's normal, speak to the midwife.

LuchiMangsho · 22/10/2016 09:43

I bled very little. Maybe a teaspoon of blood a day. But I bled for 10 weeks. And no it wasn't like a MC at all.

TheChineseChicken · 22/10/2016 09:44

Fliss I didn't realise that - was just going by what the MW told me (they must just make things up sometimes!)

Shutupanddance1 · 22/10/2016 09:46

I'd say it was like a normal period but for 4 weeks.

Heirhelp · 22/10/2016 09:46

My MC lasted over 10 weeks of light ish bleeding. Post c section my bleeding was less than a period but I was bleeding internally. The first time I stood up after my c section blood did pour down my legs and onto the floor.

Honeybee79 · 22/10/2016 09:57

Sorry to hear about your miscarriages.

I had an EMCS with DS. The bleeding was like a fairly heavy period for the first 5 days or so then began to taper off. Nothing too horrendous and in fact I have probably had worse periods since.

MistresssIggi · 22/10/2016 10:00

It's similar to any post birth bleeding, not to a miscarriage which as you know varies enormously. And it's just not the same at all as you will be so wrapped up in your baby - I don't remember much about my two post-cs bleeds, whereas I remember almost every detail of my mcs.

FlouncingIntoAutumn · 22/10/2016 10:09

Three c sections and numerous miscarriages - none have been the same.

Best C-section was DS2 in a teaching hospital, he was 15 days overdue sweeps hadn't worked, I had a bit of stop start progression so the decision was made. So many people in the room, with my permission, it was like being on stage. They talked through everything happening - really interesting. Cut the fat here -flop it over here. If there's lots of fat like this then.... It was far slower than my other two but DS just snuggled in and gazed into my eyes (love those first moments). They sort of vacuumed me out felt a bit like those sucky things at the dentist. Hardly any blood after. Medium period like bleeding for about 24hrs.

The biggest difference whether it's heavy or light is having a focus that's bigger than anything I could have ever conceived. With a miscarriage if you're lucky you have a bit of sympathy but it's still too easy to get lost in thoughts and for sadness to be a bit overwhelming. I think that can make every element of life just that bit more challenging - like the bleeding seam worse.

kiki22 · 22/10/2016 10:13

I've had a MC vaginal birth and CS I would say the CS was the least amount of blood but it went on for 5 weeks.

Original poster

parentsvsPIL · 22/10/2016 22:57

thanks all. Just trying to work out whether I need to go and buy full-on leggings & black PJs & black dressing gown combination for hospital; or whether i can get away with the lovely pale blue PJs that DH has just bought! (need a how-trivial-is-this emoticon)

OP posts:

ConvincingLiar · 23/10/2016 06:21

Take pale blue back/save for later. Whilst they might be ok, they might not. I would have been worried wearing something light coloured because you just don't know. Post CS bleed for me was more than a normal period.

ButtMuncher · 23/10/2016 06:37

I bled a lot after my section. I was soaking pads and onto sheets until about day 5, and reverted to being a heavy period for the next 5 days following. I'm 5 weeks post section now and bleeding stopped around 3.5 weeks, replaced with brownish discharge which has now gone completely.

I'd skip anything pale when you're in hospital - you may barely bleed at all, or you may bleed a lot like I did - scared the shit out of me as a midwife had said pre surgery that I wouldn't have much bleeding as the aspirate the blood.

Good luck and congratulations

frazzlebedazzle · 23/10/2016 06:46

I agree - save them. My bleeding from EMCS was extremely heavy including clots, and went on for weeks and weeks. Nothing that requires further treatment though.

HiDBandSIL · 23/10/2016 07:12

Wear the lovely ones - it's a special occasion!

Original poster

parentsvsPIL · 24/10/2016 07:03

Caved in & bought some navy blue PJs. Will save the lovely pale blue for when the bleeding calms down.

Thanks for the advice also on having a different focus - the bloodbath/pain/dizziness/nausea aspects of a miscarriage were looking fairly daunting with a baby in the picture - so the thought that DS will be sufficient distraction is rather appreciated!

OP posts:

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