Postpartum blood loss is known as lochia.
It is absolutely normal to have vaginal bleeding after birth even if you’ve had a caesarean.
Postpartum blood loss can last anywhere from a few weeks right up to 6 weeks and sometimes even longer. You’ll likely find that the bleeding during the first week will be quite heavy and may contain some clots as the lining of your womb empties. Clots are common, however, if you’re passing very large clots make sure that you mention them to your midwife. Severe blood loss such as soaking right through a maternity towel every hour or more is a cause for concern and it is essential that you seek immediate treatment. Postpartum haemorrhage can happen at birth but it can also happen days afterwards.
It’s important to keep an eye on your postpartum blood loss but if there is any associated abdominal pain, unpleasant smell or fever, you must speak to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
After the first week, the blood loss should start getting lighter until it stops completely. Initially, the blood will be bright red in colour changing to a more brown or pink colour as the bleeding slows down.
Always trust your intuition, if something doesn’t feel right or you have concerns about your bleeding please speak to someone and get it checked out.
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