Is it normal for lochia

Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Lochia, also known as postpartum bleeding, is a normal discharge of blood and mucus from the uterus after childbirth. It begins right after delivery and can continue for four to six weeks postpartum, with the heaviest flow occurring for the first 10 to 14 days.

Some women may have a shorter period of discharge, while others may have lochia for slightly longer than four to six weeks. Lochia is similar to menstrual blood, but is typically heavier and lasts quite a bit longer than a normal period. It also contains elements not found in menstrual blood, like remnants from the placenta.

As the lochia passes, it may look pink, brown, yellow, or watery. When your baby is born, the uterus sheds all this extra material through postpartum uterine contractions, which are also normal—they help your uterine shrink back down to its normal size.

The uterus is usually about the size of an orange. By the time you deliver your baby, it will have stretched to about 38 centimeters, or in other words, the size of a watermelon. It's often benign. Postpartum diarrhea after a C-section is normal.

Sharing our experiences of pregnancy and infant loss can help us heal. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Why am I bleeding? After a vaginal delivery After a cesarean delivery What to do Increased bleeding Calling the doctor Recovery We include products we think are useful for our readers. Postpartum bleeding. It contains: blood pieces of the uterine lining mucus white blood cells Like a period, this bleeding is caused by the shedding and restoration of your uterine lining.

Bleeding after a vaginal delivery. Bleeding after a cesarean delivery. As the bleeding slows, you can transition to a regular menstrual pad. Why your bleeding might increase. But a few things can temporarily increase the blood flow, including: getting out of bed in the morning breastfeeding your body produces the hormone oxytocin while you nurse, which stimulates uterine contractions and accelerates healing exercising straining when urinating or defecating.

When to call your doctor. Also, tell your doctor if you notice: signs of infection, like foul-smelling discharge a fever of Getting back to normal. If you had an episiotomy or tear during birth, you may bleed from that site as well until it's stitched up. Your caregiver may massage your uterus and give you synthetic oxytocin Pitocin to help it contract. Breastfeeding, which prompts your body to release natural oxytocin, also helps your uterus contract.

That's why you may feel cramps, or afterpains , when you nurse. Occasionally, the uterus doesn't contract well after delivery, resulting in excessive blood loss called a postpartum hemorrhage. In the beginning, use heavy-duty sanitary pads. The hospital will send you home with some, and you can stock up on more if you need to.

As your lochia tapers off, you can switch to minipads. Don't use tampons for at least six weeks, because they make it more likely that you'll get an infection in your healing vagina and uterus. Pee often, even if you don't feel the urge to go. In the first few days after you give birth, your bladder may be less sensitive than usual, so you may not feel the need to urinate even when your bladder is quite full.

In addition to causing urinary problems, a full bladder makes it harder for your uterus to contract, leading to more afterpains and bleeding. If bright red spotting reappears after your lochia has already lightened, check in with your midwife or doctor. Yes, lochia can have a distinct odor, similar to menstrual blood. But if your lochia has a foul smell or you come down with fever or chills, call your doctor.

That can be a sign of a postpartum infection. Watch for these warning signs during your postpartum recovery. Learn how a postpartum doula can help. Get tips on how to get the help you need as you adjust to life with a newborn. Find out when you'll get your period again after having a baby. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. Read time 7 minutes.

Breadcrumb Home Life as a parent Your body after birth Bleeding after birth: 10 things you need to know. Email Post Tweet Post. Bleeding after birth may last for a while Bleeding typically lasts around for 24 to 36 days Fletcher et al, Heavy flow that probably soaks one maternity pad every few hours, with one or two clots or several smaller ones. Day 2 to 6: Darker brown or pinkish red blood.

Moderate flow with 7 cm to 12 cm stains on your maternity pads and smaller blood clots. Day 7 to Darker brown or pinkish red blood, becoming lighter. Variable but lighter flow, with less than a 7 cm stain on your pads. Days 11 to Darker brown or pinkish red blood, becoming lighter. Lighter flow, you may have some sanitary towels that are hardly stained. Week 3 to 4: Paler, possibly a creamy white blood loss. Lighter flow. Week 5 to 6: Brown, pinkish red, or creamy yellow stains, possibly for several weeks, and possibly only on some days.