What kind of discharge after childbirth and for how long. Postpartum discharge: description, duration, composition. When to see a doctor

Every new mother worries not only about the health of her baby, but also about her own well-being. One of the most common questions that doctors in the maternity ward hear is: "How long does the discharge last after childbirth?" This is what will be discussed next. You will find out how long after childbirth there is spotting. Also find out what color they take on later. Be sure to consider several options for the flow of the process.

How long does discharge last after childbirth? The answer of gynecologists and obstetricians

If you consult a doctor with this question, you will find out the following information. Discharge after delivery lasts a little more than one month. Doctors usually call a time period of 42 days. However, every woman's body is different. Some mothers recover faster. For others, the recovery process is delayed. Discharges have a completely different duration in the case of the development of a pathological process or complication.

Lochia is the contents of the reproductive organ, which comes out after the separation of the child's place. This includes blood from the wound surface, mucus from the walls of the uterus, remnants of decidual tissues and membranes that did not come out during the expulsion of the placenta.

The color of normal lochia is an important indicator

How long does the discharge go after childbirth, you found out. However, this is not all the information you need to know. The consistency and color of the mucus plays an important role. It is by this indicator that one can suspect a pathological process that has developed as a result of delivery. Quite often, in maternity hospitals, midwives regularly examine the discharge of newly made mothers. If a pathology is suspected, information is provided to the doctor. Such women are assigned additional studies in the form of ultrasound, blood tests and gynecological examinations.

First five days

How long does bleeding last after childbirth? A little less than one week. This is what the doctors are talking about. While the woman in labor is in the walls of the maternity ward, the outgoing mucus has a rich red color. It may also contain impurities of clots and lumps.

Often, such discharge acquires an unpleasant odor. This is the absolute norm. Indeed, during this period, what was in the cavity of the genital organ for a long nine months of gestation is separated. However, if after five days the mucus (consistency and color) has not changed, then we are talking about a complication.

Two weeks after childbirth

How long does the discharge last after childbirth (after heavy bleeding has ended)? When the remnants of tissues and blood come out, we can say that the wound surface has almost recovered. Now the discharge has a pinkish-red hue. It is worth noting that they should not have an admixture of clots. Unpleasant odor is also eliminated.

These discharges continue for about two weeks. During this period, they are no longer so abundant. This allows a woman to abandon the postpartum pads and use the usual hygiene products.

After a month

How long after childbirth is bleeding - you already know. This period is approximately three weeks. By the end of the first month, the discharge acquires a mucous consistency and an orange color. They are more like sucrose. Such mucus indicates that the internal cavity of the genital organ continues to rapidly recover.

Such a mucous ichor can normally stand out for about one week. Remember that all terms are very conditional. So, for some women, by the end of the first month, the discharge ends altogether.

Fifth week after birth

How long does the discharge last after childbirth, and what color should it be? Normally, by the fifth week after the appearance of the baby, the lochia become white. They got their unusual name because of the mucous consistency of the secretions of a transparent color. A new mother can observe such a phenomenon for about another one or two weeks.

During this period, a woman no longer needs sanitary pads for menstruation. She may well use daily protective inserts. The amount of such mucus is very small. Up to 5-10 milliliters can stand out per day. For clarity, one teaspoon contains 5 ml.

When do lochias end? What does it depend on?

How long the discharge lasts after childbirth and the smell of this fluid are very important indicators. Usually, lochia ends one and a half months after the birth of the child. This deadline is the last one. If after the specified time the lochia is still going, then there is a possibility of developing a pathology. Early completion of allocations also does not mean anything good. What determines how long the discharge after childbirth lasts?

Reviews of doctors say that the weight of the baby and the course of pregnancy play an important role. when a large child is born to a mother (more than 4 kilograms) or there is polyhydramnios, the reproductive organ is greatly stretched. Because of this, the recovery process takes longer. Often, for the speedy contraction of the uterus, such women in labor are prescribed oxytocin after the baby is born. This drug helps mucus to leave the cavity of the genital organ faster.

How long does discharge last after childbirth (caesarean section)? In the case when the baby is born with the help of surgeons who dissect the abdominal wall of a woman, lochia may be of a slightly different nature. In this case, the duration of bleeding can increase up to two weeks. All due to the fact that in addition to the wound surface from the placenta, there is also a scar in the uterus. It should be noted that with this method of delivery, there is a high risk of developing infections and complications.

Possible pathologies

Sometimes after the birth of a baby, a woman faces problems. Statistics show that about every fifth newly-made mother is sent by doctors for gynecological curettage. When is it really necessary?

If, after giving birth, the discharge after a week has not become less abundant, but still has impurities of lumps, we can talk about incomplete separation of the placenta. After the expulsion of the child's place, obstetricians should examine it well for damage. If they are, then manual cleaning is carried out directly on the birth table. With late detection of pathology, curettage is carried out using anesthesia. How long is the discharge after childbirth (after cleansing)? With this set of circumstances, lochia ends somewhat faster. All due to the fact that an artificial separation of mucus and the remaining areas and tissues in the uterus was made.

Also, quite often, women in labor are faced with inflammatory diseases. In this case, the infection can be acquired long before childbirth. However, after such a complex process, which is accompanied by the formation of a wound surface, pathological microorganisms begin to multiply actively. Allocations in this case can have not only an unusual character, but also a strange consistency. Simultaneously with lochia, pus is released. The blood takes on a brownish-green color and a fishy odor. Treatment must be carried out necessarily with the help of antibacterial agents.

Lochia or postpartum discharge may end in less than a month. In this case, the blood comes out in small volumes. This is explained by the fact that the cervical canal closes very early. Pieces of tissue and mucus just can't get through the small hole. Quite often, this phenomenon is faced by women who have given birth by caesarean section. In this case, the representative of the weaker sex is carried out all the same gynecological curettage.

In order for lochia to come out as it should after childbirth, a woman must follow certain rules. The following tips will help the postpartum discharge to be emptied in a timely and complete manner.

Immediately after childbirth, you need to use an ice compress on the abdomen.
When you are transferred to the ward, take the prone position. This will allow the uterus not to bend over and free itself from the contents.
Breastfeed your baby. Sucking provokes the production of oxytocin, which enhances the contractility of the reproductive organ.
Follow your doctor's instructions and take prescribed medications.

Summing up the article

You now know how long the discharge after childbirth lasts. You also learned what color they should be. If you have recently become a mother, then after one month you should definitely visit a gynecologist. Your doctor will examine you and evaluate your discharge. By that time, they should already be light and slimy. If you suddenly find increased bleeding or the addition of an unpleasant odor and foam, then you should visit a medical facility as soon as possible. You may need some medical correction. Remember that during this period you can not swim in open water and be exposed to thermal effects. Health to you and a speedy recovery!

Discharge after childbirth is called lochia. These discharges are dead particles of the endometrium, as a result of detachment of the placenta from it. As a rule, the first 2-5 days after the birth of a child (it does not matter if he was born naturally or as a result of a caesarean section), the discharge is bright red, very abundant (more abundant than during menstruation). It is difficult to manage with ordinary sanitary pads; you need to purchase special postpartum ones. At the time of discharge from the hospital (5-7 days), vaginal discharge becomes less abundant and acquires a brown tint.

And how long does the discharge after childbirth normally last? Everyone is different. It depends on how well the uterus will contract, as well as on the characteristics of the course of pregnancy and childbirth. For more intense uterine contractions in many maternity hospitals, women in labor are injected with Oxytocin for the first three days (although this is not necessary). How well the uterus contracts can be seen both visually and on ultrasound. Someone leaves the maternity hospital with an impressive tummy at 6 months of pregnancy, while someone else's abs begin to appear. Normally, the discharge one month after the birth already stops, the maximum "daub" can last 6 weeks after the birth of the child. If the process drags on, or the bleeding becomes strong again, it is urgent to contact the antenatal clinic and do an ultrasound.

Slow postpartum involution (reduction, recovery) of the uterus may indicate an inflammatory process. Also, slow recovery is often observed if there are fibromatous nodes in the uterus, with infantilism, backward bending of the organ, reduced blood clotting, and other pathologies. If you suddenly start bleeding heavily - this may be a symptom that part of the placenta remains inside, in which case the uterus is “cleansed” in a hospital setting. By the way, it has been noticed that the uterus contracts faster and returns to normal in women who are breastfeeding at the request of their babies (during feeding, the hormone oxytocin starts the process of uterine contractions); with timely emptying of the bladder; when lying on the stomach (this condition is not met by everyone, since after childbirth the abdominal wall hurts quite a lot).

A dangerous symptom, if the discharge after childbirth has an unpleasant smell, plus temperature, chills have joined in - this can be a sign of a serious inflammatory process (postpartum discharge is a wonderful breeding ground for pathogens), infection. Sometimes such discharge after childbirth occurs due to the obstetrician or doctor "forgetting" a cotton swab in the woman's vagina. It is not necessary to ignore the yellow discharge after childbirth or white cheesy, the latter may indicate a relapse of candidiasis (thrush).

It is very important for the prevention of the inflammatory process to observe personal hygiene. It is advisable to change the pads more often, and the postpartum pads should not be scented, as this may cause allergic reactions. While there is spotting after childbirth, you should not take a bath, only a shower. You can wash yourself periodically with decoctions of healing, safe herbs, for example, chamomile. But with manganese, you need to be more careful (manganese is recommended to process sutures on the genitals after an episiotomy), since at its high concentration in water, you can get a burn of the mucous membrane.

Pregnancy and childbirth - provoke serious changes in the body of a woman. Therefore, do not be surprised that it will take time to return to a familiar state. Due to the fact that the recovery mechanisms are actively involved in the process, there are discharges after childbirth - lochia.

Often, new mothers are asked a lot of questions. One of the most common is how long will the discharge last? Also concerned is the question of whether there are any signs that speak of a pathological recovery process. Each woman has her own term, but you definitely won’t have to wait 3 months after giving birth to stop the discharge.

Immediately after childbirth, bleeding is abundant, but despite this, you should not use ordinary pads, the best option is absorbent diapers. This may seem inconvenient for a woman, and it is better for a doctor to assess the condition.

A few hours later, and then days after childbirth, red discharge has a slightly sweet smell, because their main composition is unchanged blood. In addition to it, it contains the secret of the uterine glands, which is activated after childbirth. The volume of secretions decreases gradually.

A deviation from the norm is considered to be a sudden decrease in the amount of brown discharge after childbirth, which indicates a spasm of the cervix. It is also abnormal if the discharge becomes excessively abundant, which means that the contractile activity of the uterus is impaired.

The doctor may decide that the new mother has problems with blood clotting. In the case of the development of DIC, medical procedures will be required, since such a complication is life-threatening.

If the woman was carried out, the picture will be slightly different, namely, how long the discharge after childbirth is observed. The duration is delayed because the uterus cannot contract so quickly. But it is important to consider that the discharge after cesarean should not go more than two weeks.

Why do discharges occur?

Regardless of how the birth took place, for a long time, discharge is observed in women. This is due to the fact that the surface of the uterus after the separation of the placenta is actually an open wound.

In the third stage of normal labor, the functional layer of the endometrium, which thickened throughout pregnancy, is shed. At this time, the uterus begins to shrink in size.

After discharge from the hospital, you must independently monitor the volume, smell and color of discharge after childbirth.

What determines the duration of the recovery period

A woman wants to get rid of the need to constantly change pads as soon as possible, in addition, abundant discharge interferes with recovery.

The question - how long does the discharge last after childbirth, especially worries a woman. The terms of involution of the uterus are different, their duration depends on the course of labor and the characteristics of the body. Usually the process takes a month, but it happens that after 5-6 weeks, pink discharge remains.

How much discharge will go after childbirth also depends on the breastfeeding of the child. With frequent feedings, the uterus will contract faster.

If after such a time the woman is still worried about the blood, you need to see a doctor. Such a long recovery process has its reasons, which need to be determined as soon as possible.

Blood loss for a long time in itself harms a woman. A sharp increase in the number of lochia is an alarming symptom - the doctor should examine the woman immediately. 2 months after the birth, the discharge should definitely remain in the past. Therefore, with an excessively long recovery process, it is important to urgently take action.

However, stopping bleeding too quickly after childbirth is another good reason to see a specialist. Most likely, the body quickly returned to normal, but there is another option. Blood can accumulate in the uterus without going out.

Statistics show that 98% of cases of rapid cessation of secretions ends with hospitalization for a woman. The female body does not cleanse itself, and excess residues provoke the development of inflammation.

Lochia composition

To assess her condition, a woman must not only observe the duration of dark secretions, but also the composition.

Normal picture

A couple of days after birth, bleeding is noted.
Discharge a week after childbirth is blood clots that have appeared due to the release of the endometrium and placenta. After another week, there will be no clots, the lochia will become liquid.
If there is mucus secretion, this does not indicate pathology. This is how the products of the intrauterine life of the child are excreted. Within a week, the mucous discharge that appeared after childbirth will disappear.
A month after giving birth, spotting resembles smears at the end of menstruation.

All of the above signs should not worry new moms, because they are the normal course of the recovery process. But if the discharge a month after childbirth or earlier turns out to be purulent. This is cause for concern.

Pathological signs

Pus is released in case of inflammation. The cause may be infections, accompanied by fever, pulling pain in the lower abdomen. Outwardly, lochia looks like snot.
Mucus and clots should appear no earlier than a week after the birth of the baby.
Clear discharge, like water, is considered abnormal. This may indicate gardnerellosis, or separation of fluid from the lymphatic and blood vessels.

It is important that the young mother knows which discharge after childbirth is normal and which is not, in order to contact a specialist in time.

Color and amount of postpartum discharge

Normal Current:

Within two to three days from the moment of birth, bright scarlet discharge is observed. At this stage, the blood has not yet clotted.
Two weeks later, brown discharge appears, which indicates proper recovery.
At the end of the lochia is a transparent color or with a slight yellowish tint.

Pathology:

Pale and mild yellow discharge should not worry a woman. Bright yellow discharge with a green admixture and a putrid odor on the fifth day indicates inflammation of the uterine mucosa. If such lochia appeared after 2 weeks, this indicates a latent endometritis.
When green secretions appear, one can also be suspected, but they are more dangerous than yellow ones, because they speak of an already running process. To prevent this, you need to contact a specialist when the first traces of pus appear. If you have time in time, you can avoid greenish discharge.
It is worth worrying if lochia has gone with an unpleasant sour smell, a curdled consistency. Such white discharge is accompanied by itching and redness. This indicates an infection or thrush.
After childbirth, black discharge without other symptoms is considered normal and is the result of hormonal failure. With such secretions, women are treated most often because of the color.

Smell

The discharge has a specific smell. It will also help determine if everything is in order.

At first there should be a smell of fresh blood and dampness, and after a while mustiness and charm will appear. There is nothing pathological in this.

If after childbirth there is a discharge with an unpleasant odor - putrefactive, sour, sharp, you should be wary. Together with other changes (color and abundance), such a sign may indicate inflammation or infection.

Signs of inflammatory discharge

If an inflammatory process begins in the uterus, a young mother will notice the following signs:

Unpleasant and painful sensations in the lower abdomen.
Weakness, dizziness, body aches, etc.
An increase in temperature, not associated with lactostasis.
Changes in color, odor and profuse discharge.

Hygiene rules in the postpartum period

Postpartum discharge is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. During this period, it is important to carefully monitor intimate hygiene:

It is necessary to choose the right sanitary pads - there are special postpartum ones, but you can use absorbent diapers. At home, after discharge, it is allowed to switch to regular pads. It is necessary to change them in a timely manner - every 4-6 hours. Depends on how intense the brown discharge is.
The use of tampons is prohibited.
It is necessary to regularly carry out the toilet of the genital organs. The water jet is directed only from front to back.
If a woman needs to process stitches on the perineum, you need to use antiseptics - a solution of potassium permanganate or furatsilin.

Every mother should realize how important her health is. You can independently determine whether the recovery is correct by how many days the discharge after childbirth lasts, by their color and abundance. You should not hope that the unpleasant symptoms will go away on their own and wait for 4 months, and then consult a doctor out of hopelessness. It is better to immediately eliminate unpleasant symptoms in order to be able to enjoy motherhood to the fullest.

Useful story about the postpartum period:

Answers

Childbirth is a difficult test for the female body. After them, several weeks must pass so that the uterus can recover. During such a period, an appearance is observed, which are commonly called lochia. According to their number and characteristics, the health of the mother is judged. Each girl needs to remember how much discharge after childbirth goes, what shade and aroma they will have.

What is postpartum discharge?

Lochia is commonly referred to as spotting after childbirth. In the initial couple of days they will be plentiful. Sanitary pads will need to be changed hourly. Subsequently, their intensity decreases. If there are clots and mucus in the separated liquid, this is natural.

On the first day after delivery, small vessels located in the uterine cavity remain ruptured. This leads to massive bleeding. The uterus is released from particles of the placenta and epithelium. Intensive contractions help her with this. Such a process helps to restore the normal menstrual cycle and the functioning of the reproductive system. How long it will take is determined based on the condition of the woman.

The entire period while there is spotting, a woman should be under the supervision of a doctor. This will allow timely detection of pathologies and start therapy. If there is too little or no secretion at all, this indicates the development of postpartum complications. In such a situation, medical treatment is used. Sometimes it does not bring the desired result, you will have to carry out an artificial cleaning of the uterus.

Stages of postpartum recovery of the uterus

If, after pregnancy and the birth of the baby, no pathological changes have occurred in the female body, then the picture of the discharge will be as follows:

The next day after delivery, the separation of the bloody secretion begins.
After a week, clots and particles of mucus appear in the discharge.
After 3 weeks, the volume of the secret begins to decrease. Their color fades.
On the fifth - sixth week, the discharged secret resembles a daub on the last day of menstruation

The total duration of discharge after childbirth should not exceed nine weeks. After an artificial birth, a similar process may take longer. Everything is determined by the individual characteristics of the body of a young mother.

Continuous breastfeeding shortens the duration of discharge after childbirth. At the moment of applying the baby to the nipple, an intense contraction of the uterine muscles occurs, which accelerates its cleansing.

The color of natural lochia after childbirth

According to the characteristics of the discharge after childbirth, the state of the genitourinary system of a woman is judged. If the delivery went well, then the suckers will have the following shade:

Bright red. Such a secret has the smell of fresh blood. The presence of clots and particles of the epithelium is allowed. In this case, the content of red blood cells is responsible for the brightness of the shade.
Rose brown. They are observed on the 4th day after delivery. The concentration of erythrocytes in the separated secret is reduced, the content of leukocytes increases. There is a musty aroma.
Yellow - white. The separation of such lochia is observed 10 days after the last birth. The secret is quite liquid and does not smell like anything. After five weeks, the blood impurities disappear, only mucus remains. After that, the tricks will stop.

Postpartum discharge occurs against the background of pain in the lower abdomen. Seizures are like contractions. If the girl gives birth for the second time, then the pains are quite strong.

Before the discharge is over, do not have sex. This can lead to the development of serious complications.

In what cases is it necessary to urgently consult a doctor?

Normal discharge after childbirth does not cause concern. After seven to eight weeks, they should pass without causing any harm. You should immediately contact your doctor in the following situations:

The complete absence of secretions. This happens with spasm of the cervix of the cervix or after the cervical canal is blocked by large particles of the placenta. If the suckers did not go the next day after giving birth, consult a doctor.
On the 12th day after birth, the secret remains blood-red, there is an increase in body temperature, chills torment, the pulse increases to 100 beats per minute. This state lasts for about a week. Similar symptoms are accompanied by endometritis.
Discharge in women takes place against the background of an increase in body temperature to the mark of 39 degrees. The general condition remains satisfactory. With such symptoms, we can talk about the development of metroendometritis - an inflammatory process localized on the mucous surface of the uterus.
On the third day after the appearance of the baby, the color of the released liquid becomes brown. Severe headaches appear, sleep is disturbed, the heartbeat quickens, the temperature rises. On palpation, there is an increase in the size of the uterus. Such signs characterize the complicated course of endometritis.
Natural discharge after childbirth has the aroma of blood. If liquids are released that have a repulsive pungent odor, this indicates the development of an infectious process.

Only a specialist can judge the norm and deviation during discharge after childbirth. Therefore, after the appearance of the baby, a woman should be observed by a doctor for several months. The field of how the discharge ends, the girl can return to a full life.

The color and features of the discharge that are alarming

According to what discharge after childbirth is observed in a woman, a preliminary diagnosis can be made. The separable secret might be:

Yellow. Natural suckers become yellowish-white 6-7 weeks after delivery. They do not smell and do not cause much discomfort. If the yellow secret began to stand out significantly in the fourth week or even earlier, it has a pungent odor and is accompanied by itching and burning, which indicates the development of an infectious process. The sooner treatment is started in such a situation, the more likely it is to maintain the health of the reproductive system.
Green. Sometimes such discharge appears 2 weeks after delivery. They indicate the presence of a bacterial infection in the fallopian tubes or vagina. In the absence of proper therapy, endometritis develops. Gonococci, chlamydia, gardenella, Trichomonas can color the secreted liquid green. Other symptoms of the problem are pain in the suprapubic area, itching and burning in the genitals.
Brown. Normally, the lochia in the initial few days after the birth of the baby should be blood-red. After artificial childbirth, the separation of the secret is noted a little longer, since the process of involution of the postoperative suture takes place. If the released liquid acquires a rich brown hue, this indicates the development of pathology. Dark tint has clotted blood. The reason for this often lies in the violation of the hormonal background, endometriosis or uterine fibroids. The inflammatory process in such a situation is not accompanied by painful sensations. Brown lochia after natural childbirth may indicate the appearance of a tumor or polyps in the uterus, endometrial hyperplasia.
White. Beli after childbirth often talk about the presence of thrush. The reason for its appearance is a sharp decrease in the protective functions of the body. The secret of the curdled consistency stands out. By itself, such a disease does not cause much harm to health, but it can give impetus to the development of severe inflammation and the addition of a bacterial infection.
Pink. If, two weeks after the birth, the suckers turned pink, one can judge the presence of erosion, injuries of the genital tract or polyps in the uterus. After a caesarean section, it can be a sign of divergence of postoperative sutures.
Black. If the discharge after childbirth ended on time, but at the same time it was too dark, almost black, this is normal. This condition is the result of serious hormonal changes in the body.
Slimy. A week after childbirth, there is bloody discharge with a high content of mucus. They are considered normal. If the mucous discharge lasts longer than the prescribed period and acquires a repulsive odor, we can talk about the presence of an infectious disease.

How long the discharge after childbirth lasts will depend on the characteristics of the body, as well as some other factors. For example, in girls who are breastfeeding, the separation of the secret ends earlier due to the active contraction of the uterus. If there is a discharge of an unnatural color or there is none at all, this is an occasion to immediately consult a doctor. Any diseases identified in the initial ten days are easier to treat.

postpartum hemorrhage

Abundant lochia in the first two to three hours after birth indicates the appearance of uterine bleeding. The reason for this phenomenon is a weak contraction of the muscles of the organ after its strong relaxation in the process of delivery. In such a situation, the patient is shown the introduction of Oxytocin. This drug increases muscle contractility and prevents bleeding. At the same time, the bladder is emptied with the help of a catheter.

Another reason for the bleeding after childbirth is the rupture of the cervix. Sometimes the doctor misses such damage or puts the wrong suture that diverges easily. Bleeding can continue for a long time and threatens the health and even life of a woman. Therefore, it is necessary to take adequate measures as early as possible.

What factors influence the appearance of unnatural discharge after childbirth?

The following factors can influence the development of postpartum complications, and, consequently, change the nature of the discharge:

Violation of the principles of proper nutrition, abuse of harmful products.
Smoking and drinking by a woman during the period of bearing a baby.
The presence of obesity.
Anemia.
The state of acute immunodeficiency.
Gestosis during pregnancy.
Polyhydramnios.
Isthmic-cervical insufficiency, in which sutures were placed on the cervix.
Prolonged wearing of an intrauterine device before pregnancy.
Many transferred instrumental interventions or abortions.
Inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system.

If childbirth lasts longer than 12 hours and is accompanied by weak labor activity, this also negatively affects the woman's health. Danger carries and manual intervention in the uterine cavity.

Preventive actions

How long the discharge lasts after childbirth will depend on the individual woman. Such a process brings a lot of inconvenience, but is necessary to restore the normal functioning of the reproductive system. To alleviate the condition on such days and prevent the development of complications will help compliance with the rules of prevention:

Empty your bladder as often as possible. On the first day after childbirth, you must go to the toilet as soon as there is the slightest urge. On average, you will have to visit it at least once every three hours. A full bladder interferes with normal uterine contractions.
Breastfeed your baby. During feeding, an active release of oxytocin occurs. This hormone acts on the brain, which leads to intense contraction of the uterine muscles. Thanks to this, it is more likely to be freed from the remnants of the placenta and the discharge passes more quickly.
Spend more time lying on your stomach. This position prevents stagnation of the secret in the uterus and becomes an excellent prevention of bleeding. After the birth of the baby, the uterus deviates closer to the posterior abdominal wall, which prevents the full discharge of the secret. Lying on your stomach, you return the uterus to its normal position.
In the first two weeks after the birth of the baby, apply a cold compress to the uterine area three times a day. It promotes muscle contraction and normalization of the state of blood vessels. Make sure that the procedures do not last longer than five minutes. Otherwise, hypothermia will occur.
If the baby was too large or there were several of them, then the uterus is stretched too much. In such a situation, it will be problematic to restore her normal state without the use of medicines. Most doctors use Oxytocin. It is administered intramuscularly for three days.
The entire period while the separation of the secret continues, it is necessary to carefully monitor the hygiene of the genital organs. Wash your face after every visit to the toilet. For these purposes, specialized detergents are used. They should contain as few dyes and flavors as possible. Compliance with hygiene standards will help to avoid infection.
Until the suckers have stopped, it is forbidden to take a bath. This often provokes the development of inflammation and facilitates the entry of infection into the uterus.
Change your panty liners frequently. The first 3 weeks they are updated very often. It is impossible to save on such hygiene items. A dirty pad becomes a favorable environment for the activation of pathogenic microflora. The use of tampons during this period is prohibited. They cause the development of endometriosis.
In cold weather, dress as warmly as possible. Hypothermia at such moments is fraught with serious complications.
Heavy lifting is strictly prohibited.

Strict adherence to prevention standards will affect how many days after childbirth the secretion will go. If the lochia stops on time and has a natural shade, then there is nothing to worry about. If any deviations are found, a specialist should be consulted immediately. Only timely treatment of pathologies will help maintain health.

Discharge after childbirth occurs in all women and in any case, regardless of whether the birth was natural (on time), premature, or a caesarean section was performed.

Why is there bleeding after childbirth? After the baby leaves the womb, the placenta begins to separate from the uterus. This causes a rupture of numerous blood vessels that connected these two parts. Bleeding begins, which performs an important postpartum function: it brings out the remnants of the placenta, dead parts of the endometrium and other products of intrauterine vital activity of the fetus, which after childbirth turn into ballast for the body.

Such selections are usually called the term "". Bloody discharge within a month after childbirth occurs in all women. But their character can be both absolutely normal and pathological. Therefore, every woman needs to know all the features of this process. First of all, you need to know how long the discharge after childbirth lasts, how much blood flows.

Each new mother has her own individual characteristics. The terms of recovery and healing of all damaged tissues and organs in women are always different. Therefore, it is impossible to give an accurate and exhaustive answer to the question "how much is the discharge after childbirth." There are some average frames that can be conditionally considered the norm. Anything that does not fit into this framework can be considered a deviation. And deviations, in turn, can be both not very disturbing and very dangerous.

Normal discharge

How long does bleeding last after childbirth? Most often, the duration of postpartum bleeding, equal to 1.5-2 months, is considered the norm. That is, if 5 weeks after the birth, the discharge has stopped, then this is normal. If the discharge after childbirth has not stopped after 2 months, then treatment is indispensable.

Non-dangerous deviations

If the discharge continues for more than two months, then you should not immediately panic, but you should definitely pay attention to the nature of the discharge - color, smell, composition, density (consistency - after childbirth, blood clots can be in the lochia). For all these parameters, you can make an approximate picture of what is happening inside the female body, and draw preliminary conclusions. In any case, you need to see a doctor. The doctor will make an objective conclusion and decide whether it is worth resorting to medical intervention in this case.

Dangerous deviations

If the discharge after childbirth ended after a week, or after 2 weeks, or 3 weeks after childbirth (before 5 weeks have passed), or if they continue for more than 9 weeks, then this is already a cause for serious concern. Be sure to fix the moment when they ended, if they ended ahead of time. All this may indicate malfunctions in the internal systems and organs. In such cases, examination and possibly treatment is required. It is not worth delaying a visit to the doctor, this is fraught with serious consequences. The longer you pull, the more likely you are to develop postpartum complications.

It often happens that young inexperienced mothers are happy if their discharge is over within a month. It seems to them that they were able to successfully enter the normal rhythm of life, and their young body successfully coped with all the difficulties that are associated with childbirth. But statistics show that more than 90% of such cases lead to complications that require serious treatment.

On the third day, very dark discharge should be replaced by lighter ones. After a month, the discharge becomes more and more scarce. If, after 6-6 weeks after the birth, the bloody discharge first ended, and then started again (the blood went again), then this is also a reason for a visit to the doctor. Blood clots in the period of the second to fourth week after childbirth should disappear, or their number should be minimized. Normal periods can begin two months after birth.

Features of uterine contraction

Contractions of the uterus, which provoke the discharge of blood from its cavity, often cause pain in the lower abdomen. The pain itself is like contractions. Moreover, it often happens that after the second and subsequent births, pain during lochia is stronger than after the first birth.

It happens that black lochia appears during the first few weeks after childbirth. If they are not accompanied by severe pain and an unpleasant odor, then, quite possibly, they are not a symptom of a pathological condition of the uterine cavity.

This character of postpartum discharge can be obtained due to the activation of the processes of restoring the hormonal background and restoring the mucous membranes.

During the first two hours after childbirth, there is a risk of severe uterine bleeding, which can then cause inflammation of the uterine mucosa. To avoid it, a woman is given drugs to increase uterine contractility. In addition, the bladder is emptied through the catheter. When the uterus contracts, blood vessels are pinched, which prevents dangerous blood loss through the vaginal mucosa. Signs of this condition in the mother's body are increasing weakness, dizziness, headache.

Discharge after childbirth. Norm and deviations

In order to objectively and adequately assess her condition after childbirth, a woman should pay attention not only to how long, how many days the postpartum discharge will go. The time period may be within the normal range, but the nature of the bleeding, the composition and other characteristics of the secretions themselves may show signs of serious deviations.

What discharge after childbirth is normal? When does the discharge end, how much and how many days after childbirth do they last?

During the first 2-3 days after birth, bleeding occurs from burst vessels. Then the uterus begins to heal, and open bleeding stops. What selection should be at this time? During the first 7 days, the discharge can be not only in the form of liquid blood. Most often you can see clots that stand out. The placenta separates and, together with the remnants of the endometrium, comes out in the form of clots.

After about a week, there are no more clots, the discharge becomes more liquid. If mucous secretions are observed in the lochia along with the blood, then there is no need to be afraid of this, this is normal. This is how the products of intrauterine vital activity of the fetus come out. Mucus should also be released for a week, and then it should end.

How long is discharge after childbirth copious? Usually about a month. 30-35 days after birth, lochia takes the form of ordinary smears, like those that occur during menstruation, only the blood has already clotted.

But if they are accompanied by a sharply unpleasant odor, if abundant discharge continues for several weeks (and at the same time they not only do not stop, but do not change), then this is already a cause for concern.

Lochia

In addition to the composition and duration (duration) of lochia, you need to pay attention to their color, as well as how they smell. The color of lochia can say a lot. Normally, the first 2-3 days of discharge have a scarlet (bright red) color, since the blood has not yet coagulated. After that, within 7-15 days, the discharge has a rather brown color. This suggests that the restoration of the uterus takes place without complications and deviations. There are yellow lochia, which, depending on the shade, can talk about different processes occurring inside the female body.

yellow discharge

Despite the fact that blood clots come out after childbirth, they may not necessarily be red, the color may be different. They are also yellow, and may have other shades.

Pathological changes

Depending on the specific shade of yellow, doctors distinguish several conditional types of lochia.

Pale yellow. These are not very thick and not very profuse lochia, which can start towards the end of the second week. These are normal.
Bright yellow clots after childbirth, interspersed with a clearly green color and accompanied by a very unpleasant putrefactive odor, may appear on the 4-5th day. Such lochia is already an alarming signal. The reason, most likely, is inflammation of the lining of the uterus, which is called endometritis.
If yellow blood clots after childbirth began after 2 weeks, then such clots in the uterus after childbirth are most likely symptoms of endometritis.

Lochiometer

One of the most common postpartum complications is lochiometer disease. It lies in the fact that the discharge suddenly stops, i.e. blood in the uterus after childbirth begins to accumulate. Most often this occurs 7-9 days after birth.

endometritis

Green discharge after childbirth is much worse than yellow, because. may be a symptom of endometritis. As soon as a woman notices the first, even the most insignificant green blotches in the discharge, she should immediately consult a doctor. Some deviations in the health of the mother and other factors can contribute to the occurrence of endometritis during pregnancy.

Bleeding in the uterus

Normally, they should have a bright red color only at the initial stage, i.e. during the first few days after the birth of the baby. The uterus of a woman at this time is, in fact, an open wound in which the blood does not have time to clot. Therefore, the discharge has a pronounced bloody appearance. Blood clots that remain in the uterine cavity after childbirth are gradually removed, and their presence in the general flow of uterine secretions is the norm.

brown discharge

Brown discharge after childbirth begins after about 2 weeks, and indicates the normal course of the recovery process.

Green discharge

Green discharge after childbirth is a clear sign of the onset of the process of decay, which is very dangerous. Even if the greenish discharge is odorless, anyway, in this state, the body cannot be considered safe.

Bloody issues

Bloody discharge after childbirth is generally normal. Spotting a month after giving birth resembles the usual small smears that all women have at the end of their period.

Features of lochia after caesarean section

Allocations after childbirth, carried out by caesarean section, have a slightly different character, but in general the same. Only in this case it is more likely to catch an infection or provoke another inflammatory process, so there should be more attention to hygiene after a cesarean section. In the first week after childbirth, the discharge is very plentiful. The total duration of lochia is longer, because. the uterus does not contract as quickly, and the healing of damaged tissues is slower.

Prevention of complications and inflammation

To reduce the likelihood of complications, it is recommended to go to the toilet as often as possible. It is important to breastfeed your baby. When the nipples are stimulated, oxytocin is produced, a pituitary hormone that enhances uterine contractions. When feeding, pain in the lower abdomen may appear (or intensify), but this is normal. More severe pain in this case is experienced by women who have already given birth before.

Pay close attention to hygiene.

Hygiene in the postpartum period is the basis for the successful recovery of the female body. There are several main recommendations:

carefully select pads, change them at least every 3-4 hours;
do not use tampons;
flush the genitals as often as possible;
when processing seams, use antiseptics.