How long does lochia last? It can vary between people, but lochia typically lasts about six weeks. However, some people have traces of lochia for up to eight weeks.
It usually happens within one day of giving birth, but it can also happen up to 12 weeks after having a baby. About 1-5% of women experience postpartum hemorrhage.
Lochia alba
Finally, the lighter bleeding of the lochia serosa stage will fade into discharge; the lochia color will now be more yellowish but can sometimes be mixed with a bit of spotting. This is the final lochia stage, called lochia alba, and it may last for up to six weeks after delivery.
Uterine atony.
This is the most common cause of PPH. It happens when the muscles in your uterus don't contract (tighten) well after birth. Uterine contractions after birth help stop bleeding from the place in the uterus where the placenta breaks away.
Prepare for the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed. This gives you a solid two weeks of focused intentional rest. It also helps to get your priorities in order when it comes to those eager visitors. They will get to see the baby, but they don't get to make the rules.
Starting with a daily brief walk after the first week or two is perfect. Watch for overdoing it, which is not hard to do early on. A good way to tell if you are doing too much is if your bleeding gets heavier or brighter red within a few hours of moving. Postpartum bleeding after exercise shouldn't change too much.
Your Postpartum Bleeding AKA Lochia has stopped
Once lochia has ceased, this generally means that where your placenta detached is healed. We recommend going for a short walk when this occurs and assess for any new bleeding. If you have new bleeding, rest a few days and then try again.
Instead, it's a nurse, midwife or OB pressing on your uterus through your abdominal wall, in order to help it shrink. This is often done in addition to Pitocin (artificial oxytocin), which studies show can also help your uterus shrink quickly.
Methylergonovine is used to prevent and control bleeding from the uterus that can happen after childbirth. It belongs to the class of medicines called ergot alkaloids. This medicine works by acting directly on the smooth muscles of the uterus and prevents bleeding after giving birth.
If your postnatal bleeding (lochia) gets heavier or changes colour (becomes pink or red) after activity, you could be overdoing it. You're also likely to feel very tired. Listen to your body. Pace yourself and make sure you get plenty of rest too.
If the placenta, or pieces of the placenta, stay inside your uterus, you can develop an infection. A retained placenta or membrane has to be removed and you will need to see your doctor right away. If you have major bleeding, this is a medical emergency and you should go to your nearest hospital immediately.
Heavy Flow
“Postpartum bleeding is normal for several weeks, up to 6 weeks, following a vaginal delivery,” she says. “The bleeding may also be inconsistent. Just when you think it's done, you'll have another day of dark red bleeding.
Tell your doctor or call 911 if you have any of these symptoms or signs: Bright red bleeding beyond the third day after birth. Blood clots bigger than a plum. Bleeding that soaks more than one sanitary pad an hour and doesn't slow down or stop.
Postpartum bleeding is different for every woman. For some moms it can last for a couple of weeks, and for others up to a month or longer. Generally, postpartum bleeding stops after about four to six weeks.
Occasionally, a week or two after your bleeding seems to have stopped, you may have a sudden gush of bright red blood. This is the normal process of the placental site scab coming off. This too will taper off over a few days.
If bright red spotting reappears after your lochia has already lightened up, it could be something called eschar bleeding. This is caused when the scab left behind from your placenta dissolves. This happens around the 10-day mark postpartum, and should only last for a few hours.
Stop the bleeding.
Cover the wound with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. Press on it firmly with the palm of your hand until bleeding stops. But don't press on an eye injury or embedded object. Don't press on a head wound if you suspect a skull fracture.
» Femoral artery (groin) If the bleeding is from the leg, press with the heel of one hand on the femoral artery in the groin where the leg bends at the hip. » Brachial artery (inside upper arm) If the bleeding is from the arm, squeeze the brachial artery located on the inside of the upper arm.
First aid actions to manage external bleeding include applying direct pressure to the wound, maintaining the pressure using pads and bandages, and, raising the injured limb above the level of the heart if possible.
How long does it take to heal after giving birth? By the six-week mark, your vagina, perineum or C-section incision should be healed, and your uterus should be back to its normal size. Throughout those first weeks, you'll experience a lot of changes – from new levels of tiredness to hormone fluctuations.