Are you at the end of your pregnancy? Wondering about what is postpartum bleeding? How long will it last, what does it look like, and how to manage your postpartum bleeding?
Postpartum bleeding is also known as lochia. It occurs after you deliver your baby and the placenta either via vaginal birth or a c-section. This bleeding is part of the normal healing process of your postpartum body to rid mucus, blood, and tissue debris from childbirth. It is essentially a wound from the placenta site in your uterus that needs healing.
How long will it last?
Postpartum bleeding (Lochia) begins right after childbirth and will last about 4 to 6 weeks. Some women’s lochia might last a week or might last longer than 6 weeks.
What does lochia look like?
There are 3 different stages of lochia that your body will excrete after childbirth. These are:
🩸 Lochia Rubra occurs during the first 3 to 4 days after delivery of your baby and the placenta. It is a heavy flow of blood that is bright to dark red in colour with a few small clots.
🩸 Lochia Serosa occurs during postpartum day 4 through to postpartum day 10. It is more watery, less bloody, and pinkish to brownish in colour with fewer clots than during the lochia rubra stage.
🩸 Lochia Alba occurs during day 11 through to 6 weeks postpartum. It is yellow to white in colour with a little blood and some discharge. There should be no clots during this stage.
How to manage your postpartum bleeding?
You do not need to treat lochia and should not prevent it from occurring. It is a natural healing process after childbirth. However, you will need the following self care items to help you manage your postpartum bleeding:
✅ Leak proof panties or disposable panties: Use disposable or leak proof panties to manage your postpartum bleeding because the bloody mess will ruin your nice panties.
✅ Peri-bottle: Promotes comfort and reduce friction when cleaning the postpartum blood from your vagina.
✅ Cool compress: Promotes comfort and reduce pain to your perineum after vaginal birth.
✅ Large sanitary pads: Use sanitary pads and not tampons to manage your lochia.
✅ Sitz bath basin: Helps relieve hemorrhoidal pain and discomfort.
✅ Disposable or non-disposable urine mats: Due to the heavy flow of lochia, blood may leak during your sleep and soak the bed. The use of disposable or reusable urine mats will save your mattress from the bloody mess.
The above self care items for managing your postpartum bleeding can be found at the Bump 2 Baby Cuddles Online Shop under Pregnancy and Maternity Postpartum Care Essentials.
Important Note:
Do not confuse postpartum bleeding and lochia with postpartum hemorrhage! Learn more about postpartum hemorrhage here.
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