Lochia After Birth

Lochia refers to any bleeding which new mums experience after birth. Losing blood during birth and afterwards is perfectly normal and whether you have had a vaginal birth or a caesarean section, you will have some bleeding postpartum. Typically lasting between four and six weeks, lochia is rather like a heavy period containing blood and the lining of the womb, amongst other tissue and cells. It will eventually get lighter and change colour before stopping altogether.

Why will I bleed after giving birth?

During pregnancy, the amount of blood circulating around your body increases to help nurture and nourish the growing baby. After you have your baby, it stands to reason that this blood will be shed in order for blood levels to return to normal. The majority of the blood lost through lochia comes from the supply that was connected to the baby via the umbilical cord. When a baby is born, the placenta, which is no longer needed, detaches itself from the uterus and is expelled from the woman's body. This process leaves blood vessels open for a short time while the uterus continues to contract in order to shrink the womb back to normal size. The body is very clever by allowing women to have an unlimited number of pregnancies in a lifetime, so instead of creating scar tissue over the site where the placenta was once attached, a scab forms, which eventually falls off and is expelled in the lochia.

What should I expect and how do I manage lochia?

Midwives who visit you in the days following the birth will ask you about the amount of blood loss you are experiencing and the colour of the lochia. The questions are to ensure that your body is doing exactly what it should be doing after having a baby. Initially, the blood flow will be heavy and bright red in colour, much like a normal heavy period. As the days go on following the birth, the lochia will be lighter in volume and will change in colour from red, turning to pink and then brown. After a couple of weeks, discharge will eventually become yellowish and white before coming to a stop altogether.

Maternity pads offer the best sanitary protection for those dealing with lochia. These are readily available from supermarket and chemists and you'll probably need a least a couple of packs to see you through. The pads are made thicker and stronger than regular sanitary pads, but once your blood loss starts to tail off to a flow more like a light period, normal pads will be perfectly adequate. Tampons are not advised for six weeks after delivery due to the risk of infection immediately following childbirth.

Hygiene is very important at this time of your recovery as is the correct disposal of sanitary products, general standards of cleanliness with regards to toilets and also hand washing. This will stop the spread of bacteria. If you required an episiotomy, stitches or have other cuts, tears and grazes, these will need special care too. It is important to regularly change your maternity pad and take frequent baths or showers to keep the area clean, to freshen up and to help any wounds to heal. Following a vaginal delivery particularly, urinating can be a daunting prospect, especially if you have had stitches or have grazes or tears. It may sting a little to begin with, but it is important to make sure that you regularly empty your bladder fully so that your uterus has the space to contract and return to its pre-pregnancy size.

Taking care of yourself

Doing too much can affect lochia. Consequently the flow can be very heavy, or lochia can appear to stop and then start up again, so do try to take it easy. As difficult as it sounds with a new baby, you should try to rest as much as possible, avoid straining and lifting heavy objects. Passing clots is perfectly normal, especially if you have been lying down. Where the blood is allowed to pool, this can result in a gush or passing a clot, but anything bigger than the size of 50 pence piece should be reported to your healthcare provider. If you experience extremely heavy or prolonged bleeding or are regularly passing large clots, you should see a doctor. Similarly, if you develop a fever or your lochia has an unusual smell to it, you should also seek medical advice. In rare cases, these symptoms can be caused by the uterus struggling to shrink due to retained placental products which may need further investigations or may indicate a late post-partum haemorrhage.

Everyone who gives birth will experience lochia during weeks following delivery. Bleeding is a natural process and is down to your body shedding blood and tissue gained through pregnancy that are no longer needed. Lochia is managed in much the same way as a period, but particular attention should be paid to the amount of blood you are passing and also its colour. If you experience any unusual loss or clots that are accompanied by pain or fever, you should contact a midwife or doctor for advice.