How much did you bleed after birth? (TMI Post!)

[FirstTimer2020]

Hello everyone, so sorry to post about this sort of thing but I was wondering how your postpartum bleeding experiences were? I am now 12 days after giving birth and everything I've read has said that by day 10 bleeding should have turned brown and be slowing down? I would say right now I am having a heavy period on normal pads and changing every few hours but it is still bright red blood. I had stitches as well which have gone past the itchy stage but it's now feeling a bit swollen and bruised down there and I don't know if this is normal or not? I thought I'd ask on here before I contact a midwife as I really don't want someone poking and prodding unnecessarily when it still feels quite tender!

Thanks in advance!

I had a c section so they removed a lot of the "stuff" and I bled for about 3/4 weeks. It never really turned brown just kind of tailed off.

Every body is different so hard to know what's normal. I bled for 2 weeks with my first but if u do too much housework walking etc I found bleeding got worse and kept on longer. Has the bleeding been normal period like have you passed any big clots?

If I remember from 3 years ago im sure it was at least 3 weeks. 10 days may be for some but that won't be standard for everyone. If your worried do mention it to your HV but it could just be normal for you.

I think I was bleeding for about 2 weeks reasonably heavy!

I’m now 3 weeks and 3 days bleeding as almost stopped unless I do too much then gets a little heavier! I’m also still feeling very bruised and swollen!

I wouldn’t worry :) maybe you’re doing too much?

There's no difference in lochia between a vaginal birth and a Cs really. I bled quite heavily for the first 2 weeks after my first and only then did it lighten bug lasted 6 weeks total. With my second, it started to lighten after a week, stopping by 2-3 weeks. There really is a spectrum.

Are you feeling at all unwell? Any pain except for the tenderness? Fever? Offensive smell? Lost any tissue or large clots?

I think I bled for close to four weeks after both of mine, but it definitely increases if you start rushing around, doing housework, etc. I had a lot of stitches with my first as well. Perhaps try taking it easier for a couple of days and see what happens?

Congratulations on your LO!

I bled for 6 weeks after my elcs, and then straight in to my first period afterwards!

Thank you all for your quick responses! I haven't passed any clots I don't think as such, I tend to have heavy periods anyway and it doesn't really look much different to day 1 or 2 of my normal periods. @ShowOfHands I haven't felt feverish (though not taken my temp in all fairness, should probably check) and there is no offensive smell. I've been on iron tablets and fragmin as well as I lost a lot of blood during delivery, so I don't know if that makes a difference? @Samantha1712xx I'm sorry to hear you're still feeling bruised but glad it's not just me! I might see how I feel this time next week and check with a midwife if it hasn't slowed down!

I bled for nearly 4 weeks before it started to ease off with my 2nd child, and I remember one day having done a lot of walking getting to the toilet to find the bleeding was very heavy again. It was about 5 weeks post birth before it went brown.

I did speak to my midwife after 3 weeks when the bleeding was still pretty heavy and she said as long as there was no vile smell which would indicate an infection then it was ok. Although she did say that they would do a blood test to check my iron levels if it didn't ease up in the next week or so.

I was still bleeding at 6 week check. Spoke to GP who could not have been less interested. Went back two weeks later, saw different GP who was horrified and stuck me on antibiotics. Stopped within two days

I know this was a few years ago but I'm in exactly the same situation and wondered how you got on? Also on fragmin and iron here too! Still bleeding more heavily than I would have thought 12 days post birth x