Prolonged discharge after childbirth. What should be the discharge after childbirth. Stages of postpartum recovery of the uterus

Bloody discharge after childbirth is a completely natural phenomenon. On average, they last up to 1.5 months, but this period may vary in one direction or another. Some women worry when they still bleed a month after giving birth. What could be the reason for this, is it considered normal and what symptoms should alert a young mother? We will deal with these issues in our article.

The nature of postpartum discharge

During pregnancy, women significantly increase the volume of blood circulating in the body. According to statistics, the amount of blood can increase by 30-50%. Thus, nature provides sufficient nutrition and oxygen supply to the developing child in the womb, and also creates a kind of blood reserve to alleviate the consequences of childbirth and the postpartum period. The vessels of the uterus expand and by the time of birth, its blood supply reaches a maximum.

In the process of childbirth and after them, for 2-3 days, quite active discharges are observed, which are designated by the medical term "lochia". This is a natural process, you should not be afraid of it. With such secretions, the female body can lose up to 1.5 liters of blood, and this is also the norm. Moreover, a small amount of lochia brought out may indicate their accumulation in the uterus, which can cause an inflammatory process. However, it is extremely important to distinguish lochia from uterine bleeding in time, which has approximately the same appearance. After all, such bleeding is fraught with a fatal outcome, therefore, it requires urgent medical intervention.

Late postpartum discharge

Bleeding that occurs in women a month after giving birth can have various causes. If a woman in labor is tormented by any doubts, then it is better for her to consult a doctor.

Long lochia. Spasmodic contractions of the uterus, which begin after childbirth and continue for some time, intensify when the baby is attached to the breast and help the uterus to clear itself of blood particles and clots in it. Lochia are the remains of the birth canal, placenta, endometrium, which are brought out for several days after childbirth. By the end of the first week after childbirth, their color changes, they acquire a brown tint, become paler, more and more scarce, and by the end of the first month, the release of lochia stops. In some women, the release of lochia is delayed for a period of 1.5 months after childbirth and even more. This is the limit of the norm and can usually be caused by the following reasons:

The woman is not breastfeeding. At the same time, the hormone prolactin, which stimulates uterine contraction, is not produced, so its cleansing occurs more slowly. If there are no blood clots or an unpleasant odor in the discharge, then there is no reason to worry, they will gradually disappear.
Childbirth was carried out by caesarean section. The suture on the uterus prevents it from contracting properly, which is why the process of its recovery is delayed. In a similar way, the duration of bleeding injuries and ruptures obtained during childbirth, the imposition of internal sutures.
The uterus during pregnancy was greatly stretched due to the large size of the fetus or the presence of several fetuses, which increases the recovery time of the previous shape.
The presence of fibroids, fibromyomas, polyps prevents the normal contraction of the uterus, which increases the duration of the discharge.
Impaired blood clotting. The doctor should be warned about the existence of this problem at the stage of planning a child. And, of course, a woman should be prepared for the fact that natural bleeding after childbirth will last much longer than usual.
Excessive physical activity can lead to muscle strains and even bleeding, which will slow down the postpartum recovery process and delay the duration of the discharge.

Causes of strong weight loss after childbirth

The appearance of menstruation. Usually, women do not have periods for two months after giving birth. But this is true in relation to those mothers who breastfeed the baby. In this case, the released prolactin inhibits the production of estrogen, which is responsible for the maturation of the follicles and the restoration of the menstrual cycle.

For those women who, for one reason or another, do not put the baby to the breast, menstruation can resume as early as a month and a half after childbirth.

This is a good sign and indicates a rapid recovery of the uterus and the hormonal background of the female body. Since during menstruation the discharge becomes plentiful and has a bright red color, a woman needs to correctly determine whether it is really about menstruation, or she has started uterine bleeding, which is extremely dangerous to health and requires emergency medical care.

Inflammatory process in the internal genital organs. It can be caused by particles of the placenta, endometrium remaining in the birth canal, or an infection attached during surgery.
early sexual relations. Usually, doctors recommend refraining from intimate relationships for two months after the birth of the baby. During this period, the pelvic organs should recover. If partners begin sexual relations earlier than the recommended time, this can lead to bleeding.

The presence of cervical erosion can provoke brown or bloody discharge in the late postpartum period. A gynecologist can confirm the diagnosis. He will prescribe the appropriate treatment, during which sexual intercourse is not recommended.

What should cause concern

If, instead of subsiding, the volume of discharge suddenly increases sharply, the woman needs to see a doctor, as in this case it may be a symptom of uterine bleeding. If for several hours in a row a standard pad is soaked with blood in 40–60 minutes, we are talking about internal bleeding.

What causes back pain after childbirth

If the discharge acquires an unpleasant putrid odor or a yellowish-green hue, then most likely an inflammatory process develops in the internal genital organs. The reason for it may be the bending of the tubes of the uterus and, as a result, the accumulation of lochia there.

The inflammatory process in the uterus can lead to the development of endometritis. It may be accompanied by severe pain in the lower abdomen, fever and purulent discharge. When confirming the diagnosis, the doctor will definitely prescribe a course of antibacterial drugs and curettage of the uterus.

In addition to these factors, the reason for an urgent visit to the doctor are also:

the appearance of clots, mucus;
pain in the lower abdomen;
fever, weakness, deterioration of health;
the duration of the discharge is more than 6-7 days.

In order for the uterus to recover as soon as possible after the birth of the baby, doctors advise sleeping on the stomach more often, or at least resting in this position. Also, you should not walk with a full bladder, it is better to go to the toilet when the first urge occurs.

After the baby is born, the placenta separates from the uterus, which provokes the rupture of numerous vessels that connected them together. This is how bleeding is formed, along with which the remnants of the placenta, already dead particles of the endometrium and some other traces of the intrauterine life of the fetus come out.

Such discharge after childbirth in medicine is called lochia. None of the newly-made mothers will be able to avoid them. However, there are a number of questions they raise. The more a woman is aware of their duration and nature, the less the risk of avoiding complications that often occur against the background of such postpartum "menstruation".

Particular attention during this period should be paid to personal hygiene. To avoid possible infections and an unpleasant smell, because a girl always wants to remain attractive, she should be very careful and attentive to the detergents and cosmetics that you use.

The choice of hygiene products should always be treated more carefully and do not neglect reading the composition. After giving birth, your body goes through a period of adaptation and recovery, and therefore many chemicals can only aggravate the condition and prolong the recovery period. Avoid cosmetics that contain silicones and parabens, as well as sodium laureth sulfate. Such components clog the body, penetrating into the blood through the pores. It is especially dangerous to use such products during breastfeeding.

To be calm about your own health and the health of your child, as well as to always remain beautiful and attractive, use washing cosmetics only from natural ingredients, without dyes and harmful additives. Mulsan Cosmetic remains the leader in natural cleansing cosmetics. The abundance of natural ingredients, development based on plant extracts and vitamins, without the addition of dyes and sodium sulfate - makes this cosmetic brand the most suitable for the period of breastfeeding and postpartum adaptation. You can find out more on the website mulsan.ru

Each female body is very individual, and the timing of its recovery after the birth of a child is also different for everyone. Therefore, there can be no unambiguous answer to the question of how long the discharge after childbirth lasts. However, there are limits that are considered the norm, and everything that goes beyond them is a deviation. It is on them that every young mother should be guided.

Norm

The norm of postpartum discharge established in gynecology is from 6 to 8 weeks.

Tolerances

They range from 5 to 9 weeks. But such a duration of discharge after childbirth should not be reassuring: despite the fact that doctors consider this a slight deviation from the norm, it is necessary to pay attention to their nature (quantity, color, density, smell, composition). These descriptions will tell you exactly whether everything is in order with the body or it is better to seek medical help.

Dangerous deviations

Lochia should be alert, the duration of which is less than 5 weeks or longer than 9. It is imperative to detect when the postpartum discharge ends. It is equally bad when it happens too early or too late. These terms indicate serious disorders in the body of a young woman that require immediate laboratory testing and treatment. The sooner you see a doctor, the less dangerous will be the consequences of such prolonged or, conversely, short-term discharge.

You need to know! Many young mothers are happy when their postpartum discharge is over within a month. It seems to them that they “got off with little blood” and can enter the usual rhythm of life. According to statistics, in 98% of such cases, after some time, everything ends with hospitalization, because the body could not be completely cleansed, and the remnants of postpartum activity caused an inflammatory process.

Deviations from the norm can be acceptable and dangerous. But in any case, they can have serious consequences for the health of a young mother in the future. Therefore, every woman should monitor how long the discharge after childbirth lasts, comparing their duration with the norm established in gynecology. If in doubt, it is better to consult a doctor in a timely manner. Much depends not only on how many days they last, but also on other, already qualitative characteristics.

Lochia composition

To understand whether everything is in order with the recovery of the body after childbirth, a woman should pay attention not only to the duration of lochia. Sometimes it fits into the norm, but their composition leaves much to be desired and may indicate serious problems.

Fine:

the first 2-3 days after childbirth there are spotting due to bursting blood vessels;
then the uterus will begin to heal, and there will be no more open bleeding;
usually in the first week you can observe discharge with clots - this is how the dead endometrium and the remnants of the placenta come out;
after a week there will be no more clots, the lochia will become more liquid;
no need to be scared if you observe mucous discharge after childbirth - these are the products of intrauterine vital activity of the fetus;
mucus should also disappear within a week;
5-6 weeks after the birth of the baby, the lochia become similar to the usual smears that occur during menstruation, but already with coagulated blood.

So bloody discharge after childbirth, which scares many young mothers, is the norm and should not be a cause for alarm. It is much worse if pus begins to mix with them, which is a serious deviation. You should consult a doctor if the composition of lochia differs in the following characteristics:

purulent discharge after childbirth indicates the onset of inflammation (endometrium), requiring immediate treatment, its cause is infectious complications, which are most often accompanied by fever, and lochia is distinguished by an unpleasant odor and a greenish-yellow color;
if mucus and clots continue to go longer than a week after childbirth;
watery, transparent lochia is also not considered the norm, because it can be a symptom of several diseases at once: it is fluid from the blood and lymphatic vessels that seeps through the vaginal mucosa (it is called transudate), or it is gardnerellosis - vaginal dysbacteriosis, which is characterized by abundant discharge with an unpleasant fishy smell.

If a woman knows which discharges after childbirth are considered normal, depending on their composition, and which ones indicate abnormalities, she will be able to seek advice and medical help from a gynecologist in a timely manner. After passing tests (usually a smear, blood and urine), a diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment is prescribed. To understand that not everything is in order with the body will also help the color of lochia.

The color of postpartum menstruation

In addition to the composition of lochia, it is imperative to pay attention to what color they are. Their shade can tell a lot:

the first 2-3 days, normal discharge after childbirth is usually bright red (blood has not yet clotting);
after that, brown discharge occurs within 1-2 weeks, which indicate that it is happening without deviations;
the last weeks of the lochia should be transparent, slight turbidity with a slight yellowish tint is allowed.

All other colors of lochia are deviations from the norm and may indicate various complications and diseases.

yellow lochia

Depending on the shade, yellow discharge can indicate the following processes taking place in the body:

pale yellow, not very abundant lochia may begin by the end of the second week after childbirth - this is the norm and should not cause concern for a young mother;
if bright yellow discharge with an admixture of greenery and a putrid odor has gone already 4 or 5 days after the birth of the baby, this may indicate the onset of inflammation of the uterine mucosa, which is called endometritis;
if after 2 weeks there is a yellow discharge, a fairly bright shade and with mucus, this is also most likely a symptom of endometritis, but it is not so obvious, but hidden.

Endometritis is useless to treat on its own, at home: it requires serious antibiotic treatment, and in severe cases, surgical removal of the damaged, inflamed epithelium of the uterus is performed to cleanse the mucosa in order to give the upper layer of the membrane the opportunity to recover faster.

green slime

Green discharge, which is much worse than yellow, can also indicate endometritis, because it means an already running inflammatory process - endometritis. As soon as the first droplets of pus appear, even if only slightly greenish, you should immediately consult a doctor.

White discharge

It is worth starting to worry if white lochia has gone after childbirth, accompanied by symptoms such as:

unpleasant smell with sourness;
curdled consistency;
itching in the perineum;
redness of the external genitalia.

All this indicates genital and genitourinary infections, yeast colpitis or vaginal candidiasis (thrush). In the presence of such suspicious symptoms, it is imperative to contact a gynecologist so that he takes a swab from the vagina or a bacterial culture. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, appropriate treatment will be prescribed.

black bleeding

If black discharge occurs in the postpartum or lactation period, but without any additional symptoms in the form of an unpleasant, pungent odor or pain, they are considered normal and are dictated by changes in the composition of the blood due to the restructuring of the woman's hormonal background or.

Useful information. According to statistics, women mostly turn to gynecologists after childbirth with complaints about black discharge, which scares them the most. Although in fact the most serious danger is the green color of lochia.

Red color

Lochia should normally be red only at the initial stage, in the first few days after the birth of the baby. The uterus during this period is an open wound, the blood does not have time to clot, and the discharge acquires a blood-red, rather bright shade. However, after a week it will change to a brownish-brown color, which will also indicate that healing occurs without deviations. Usually, the discharge becomes cloudy gray-yellow, closer to transparent, a month after childbirth.

Every young woman who has become a mother should clearly and clearly understand what color the discharge after childbirth should be normal, and what shade of bad will give her a signal that she needs to see a doctor. This knowledge will help to avoid many dangerous complications. Another characteristic of postpartum menstruation may alert during this period - their abundance or scarcity.

Number of selections

The quantitative nature of the discharge after childbirth can also be different and indicate either a normal recovery of the uterus, or some deviation from the norm. From this point of view, there are no problems if:

in the first week there are abundant discharges after childbirth: the body is thus cleansed of everything unnecessary: the blood vessels that have done their job, and obsolete endometrial cells, and the remains of the placenta, and the products of intrauterine vital activity of the fetus;
over time, they become less and less: meager discharge, starting from 2-3 weeks after childbirth, is also considered the norm.

A woman should be alerted if too little discharge is observed immediately after childbirth: in this case, the ducts and pipes could become clogged, some kind of blood clot could form, which prevents the body from getting rid of postpartum debris. In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor and undergo an appropriate examination.

Even worse, if abundant lochia does not end for too long and go for 2-3 weeks, or even more. This suggests that the healing process is delayed and the uterus cannot fully recover for some reason. They can only be found out during a medical examination, and then eliminated through treatment.

Smell lochia

Women know that any discharge from the body has a specific odor that can only be eliminated through good hygiene. In the postpartum period, this characteristic of lochia can do a good job and report problems in the body in time. Pay attention to how the discharge smells after childbirth.

In the first days they should come with the smell of fresh blood and dampness, after this time a shade of mustiness and charm can be observed - in this case this is considered the norm.
If there is postpartum discharge with an unpleasant odor (it can be putrid, sour, pungent), this should alert. Together with other abnormalities (color, profusion), this symptom may indicate inflammation or infection of the uterus.

If you think that postpartum discharge smells very bad, do not hope that this is temporary, will pass soon, or is the norm. In order to avoid complications, the most correct decision in this case would be to consult a doctor at least for a consultation.

Break in secretions

It often happens that the discharge after childbirth ended and started again after a week or even a month. In most cases, this causes panic in young mothers. However, such a break does not always indicate deviations from the norm. What could it be?

If scarlet, fresh bloody discharge has started 2 months after childbirth, it can be either (in some women the body is capable of such a quick recovery, especially in the absence of lactation), or rupture of the sutures after heavy physical or emotional stress, or some other problems which can be identified and eliminated only by a doctor.
If the lochia has already stopped, and then suddenly returned after 2 months (for some, this is possible even after 3 months), you need to look at the qualitative characteristics of the secretions in order to understand what is happening with the body. Most often, this is how the remnants of the endometrium or placenta come out, which something prevented from leaving immediately after childbirth. If the lochia is dark, with mucus and clots, but without a characteristic putrid, pungent odor and in the absence of pus, most likely, everything will end without any complications. However, in the presence of these symptoms, we can talk about an inflammatory process, which is treated either with antibiotics or through curettage.

Since a break in postpartum discharge may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the uterus, do not delay visiting a doctor. After the examination, he will accurately establish whether this is a new menstrual cycle or a deviation from the norm that requires medical intervention. Separately, it is worth paying attention to lochia after.

Lochia after caesarean section

Those who have had a caesarean section should understand that the nature of the discharge after an artificial birth will be somewhat different. Although this will concern only their duration and composition. Here are their features:

the body recovers after a caesarean section in the same way as after a natural birth: blood and dead endometrium come out with secretions;
in this case, there is a greater risk of catching an infection or an inflammatory process, so you need to regularly carry out hygiene procedures with special attention;
in the first week after artificial birth, bloody discharge is abundant, with the content of mucous clots;
normally, the color of lochia in the first days should be scarlet, bright red, and then change to brown;
the duration of discharge after artificial childbirth is usually delayed, since the uterus in this case does not contract so quickly and the healing process takes a long time;
it should be borne in mind that blood after a cesarean section should go no more than 2 weeks.

Every young mother should understand how important the full recovery of the uterus after childbirth plays in her health. How it passes can be understood by lochia. It is necessary to track their duration, the timing when the discharge stops and starts again, their qualitative characteristics. There can be no accidents here: color, smell, quantity - each symptom can be a timely signal for visiting a doctor, identifying a problem and undergoing appropriate treatment.

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 approximately 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 actively multiply. 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!

In the postpartum period, women have many questions about the restoration of their body. One of them concerns vaginal secretion, because discharge after childbirth is an integral part of the holistic rehabilitation process. Basic knowledge of how to self-diagnose bleeding allows you to quickly respond to possible deviations from the norm.

After the baby is born, the mother's body is rebuilt. Changes relate to internal organs and hormonal levels. The uterus of a woman who has just given birth is reduced in volume, and vaginal flows occur. Together with blood secretions, the remains of intrauterine fluids accompanying pregnancy also come out. Such currents are called lochia. Their duration, intensity and color allow the doctor to conclude whether the restoration of the patient's internal organs is proceeding normally.

Bleeding duration

Every body is different, and every postpartum recovery story is special. Doctors are guided by the general scheme within which the rehabilitation process takes place in most young mothers. Many are concerned about the question of how much discharge goes after childbirth, since they cause a certain discomfort. How long do currents last and why are they the main indicator of women's health?

The minimum normal period for postpartum hemorrhage is 5 weeks. If they stopped earlier, you should be wary, because there is a risk of insufficient “cleansing” of the body;

The maximum period is 9 weeks when the course ends. In this case, a long course is a signal of insufficient blood clotting;

Duration evaluation is not separate from other indicators. With intense discharge, a short cycle of bleeding is expected;

Mothers after caesarean section have other standard terms. In their case, the restoration of the tone of the uterus is slower than in those who gave birth naturally, and the upper limit of the duration of the currents is set personally by the doctor.

So, the answer to the question of how long the discharge lasts after childbirth depends on the course of the birth of the child itself, and on other factors. What helps shorten the duration of secretion?
Breastfeeding the baby. Lactation stimulates the contraction of the uterus and the removal of fluids from it. Experienced mothers notice light contractions directly during breastfeeding.

Ingestion of large amounts of liquids. One way or another, a young mother needs to restore the body's water balance. If she is breastfeeding, the fluid intake increases by 1.5 - 2 liters per day. With the right water balance, the discharge after childbirth is intense, and cleansing is fast.

Kegel exercises. Many women are familiar with special movements in the vaginal area even before pregnancy - they are designed to maintain the tone of internal organs. As soon as after the birth of the baby, the young mother will not be uncomfortable with tension and relaxation of the internal muscles, the exercise is performed daily. They also stimulate the contraction of the uterus and the removal of fluids from it.

Quality of bleeding

To assess the course of recovery of the internal organs of a woman, doctors use a number of characteristics of postpartum flows. Keeping track of how long the discharge lasts after childbirth is just one of the indicators. Others include the appearance of bleeding and their smell. Together, they allow you to determine the rate of discharge after childbirth and possible deviations.

Compound

The recovery period determines the normal composition of the secretion:

1-3 day: blood;
2 weeks: blood clots, mucus is allowed;
end of 1 month - blood smears.

Purulent fluids at any time speak of an internal infection.

The appearance of clots and mucus in the first days after childbirth.

Transparent discharge, approaching the consistency of water.

Color

1-3 day: currents of scarlet color;
after 3 weeks, brown currents begin (blood coagulates, the wound heals);
by the end of the restoration of the uterus, the secretion fluids become transparent, light pink or with a yellowish tint.

The bright yellow and greenish color of the currents signals inflammation. An obvious green color indicates an advanced form of endometritis disease and suggests immediate medical attention.

Smell

The smell of blood in the initial stage of secretion is the norm. After the third week, it becomes slightly musty, which, again, is in order.

Discharge after childbirth with an unpleasant odor - a signal of inflammation! The characteristic smell of rot indicates an inflammatory process. Sour - about a possible fungal disease. If such bleeding is accompanied by color deviations, a gynecological examination is mandatory.

It is important to remember several subtleties of the diagnosis of discharge.

Dangerous bleeding is accompanied by general malaise and dizziness. The temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius. There is a pulsating heaviness in the lower abdomen. It is important to listen to your body and monitor how you feel.
Redness of the vaginal mucosa, along with secretions such as "cottage cheese" speak of thrush. This is not uncommon when recovering from childbirth, and it is still better to see a doctor for treatment.
Dark secretions look scarier than they really are. At the end of 3-4 months, black-brown or black currents are normal.

Number of selections

By the amount of bleeding after childbirth, one can also judge women's health. What should be the discharge after childbirth - intense or weak? The strength of the secretion varies depending on the period. So, in the first few weeks, the normal intensity is one, and over time, another. The amount of liquid released is indicated by the fullness of special sanitary pads for young mothers.

Normal force of secretion:

in the first two weeks after childbirth, the course is very abundant;
the course becomes more meager after 2-3 weeks;
at the end of the recovery process (weeks 8-9), the discharges are only smears. For hygiene, special postpartum pads with maximum absorbency are no longer needed.

Deviation from the above scheme is a signal of the disease. If the bleeding in the first days is not intense, the cause may be congestion or a blood clot that prevents the release of pollution.

The reverse situation is also dangerous: heavy bleeding ends by the end of 2 weeks. If this does not happen and a large amount of fluid continues to flow out by the third week, the patient may have poor blood clotting.

In both extreme cases, an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary.

Resumption of discharge

How many times do you have spotting after childbirth? Nature provides for the cleansing of a woman's body only once. However, sometimes women register the resumption of bleeding. Should I be worried?

The most obvious option is to quickly restore the cycle. Menstruation comes for each woman individually, at the moment when she completely restored the function of childbearing again. Since postpartum bleeding and menstruation have similar characteristics in appearance, it is easy to confuse them. With the help of ultrasound, the gynecologist determines whether the cycle has come to the young mother or whether the cleansing of the body continues.

The exit of the remaining endometrium and particles of the placenta. In rare cases, the cleansing of the internal organs from the remaining elements that accompanied the pregnancy falls at the end of the recovery process. If the liquid has a slimy, transparent appearance and no unpleasant odor, most likely this is just such a situation. Usually such belated discharges do not last long.

All repeated flows of yellow, green color that smell unpleasant are a signal of an inflammatory process. To avoid the risk of pathology of the female organs, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

How to maintain hygiene during postpartum discharge

Unfortunately, outward bleeding is a favorable environment for the growth of dangerous bacteria. In order to prevent their development, hygiene measures must be strictly observed.

To collect secretions, doctors recommend using special pads with enhanced absorbency. During the first days, a special product is used, which is sold in a pharmacy. Then regular night pads marked “5 drops” will do.

The use of tampons is strictly prohibited. In order to ensure the free exit of the liquid, nothing should stop its movement. In addition, tampons cannot absorb blood clots, which inevitably come out after the first week.

The sanitary napkin is changed every 2 hours, regardless of the intensity of the currents. It is accompanied by the washing of the external genital organs (if possible, if the woman is at home, also every one and a half to two hours).

The minimum number of ablutions is reduced to two or three per day. When using the toilet, use a mild cleanser labeled "intimate hygiene".

In the event that natural childbirth has passed with complications, and there are ruptures of the birth canal, it is necessary to continue to take care of the injured areas of the skin at home. At discharge, the doctor gives detailed instructions about hygiene in this case. Most often, liquid antiseptics such as a solution of potassium permanganate or furacilin are used.

For young mothers who have had an operative delivery, maintaining hygiene is especially important. Since there is an incision in the uterus, the recovery process must be protected from infection. In addition, daily hygiene includes taking care of the seam. The rule of "change of two hours" must be followed exactly.

Maintaining women's health is not the last task of a young mother. Observing how long the discharge lasts after childbirth, and what are their characteristics, allows women to avoid the risks of the recovery period and ensure their well-being. Despite the fact that new mothers have many concerns associated with a newborn, it is important to follow the doctor's recommendations for diagnosing currents and maintaining hygiene during this special period.

They appear regardless of how the woman gave birth to the child - on her own or with the help of a caesarean section. Discharge begins after the release of the placenta, which was firmly fixed in the uterus by blood vessels. Common vessels connecting the placenta and the surface of the uterus form a wound surface from which blood oozes. Uterine contractions pinch the torn vessels and the gap closes over time. But this does not happen immediately, and sometimes there are problems with wound healing. That is why you should listen to your feelings and consult a doctor in time.

To determine the condition of a woman in labor after childbirth, the main diagnostic criterion for the attending physician is the smell and duration of postpartum discharge. Their consistency and density, nature and time when they become scarce and transparent are also evaluated.

The postpartum period does not occur after the birth of the child, but after the placenta separates. In obstetrics, there is an early postpartum period, lasting 2 hours, and a late period, which is individual in nature, the duration of which can be from 6 to 8 weeks.

How long the late postpartum period will last depends on several interacting factors, and the time required for this can only be predicted approximately. The norm in medicine is a relative concept, derived from average statistics, and each patient can go through it differently, and not only in relation to others. Even in one woman after each pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum discharge can be different.

postpartum body recovery

The first two hours, in the early postpartum period, which occurred immediately after the separation of the placenta, a bright scarlet, moderately abundant substance will stand out. Normally, this can last about 2 hours, and the bloody nature of the discharge is explained by the outflow of blood from the uterine vessels, on which the wound surface has formed. The uterus, the vessels of which are damaged by the separation of the placenta, begins to contract naturally so that the vessels stop bleeding.

It is believed that the normal level of blood loss is half a percent of the total weight of the puerperal. In some midwifery schools, a figure not exceeding a quarter of a liter will be considered normal.

The difference in the duration of the late postpartum period is due to several factors, the main ones are:

contraction of the uterus and its speed;
no complications;
normal state of the blood coagulation system;
physiological birth process;
natural postpartum restoration of the female reproductive system.

Under all these conditions, postpartum discharge usually tends to end one and a half months (6 weeks) after the baby is born. If they continue to go much longer than the prescribed period or have stopped earlier, it is necessary to consult with the local gynecologist, be sure to go to see him, even if there are no external signs of complications. Prolonged release of an outwardly harmless substance that has a watery character may indicate an incomplete process of uterine recovery, bloody - lead to the development of anemia, especially detrimental to a woman during breastfeeding, purulent - signal an inflammatory process that has begun.

Normal discharge after childbirth

In the maternity hospital, the patient is under the vigilant attention of doctors. With a favorable set of circumstances, already on the 5-6th day she is discharged home. A copious flow of secretions can normally last 2-3 days, and all this time the state of the body is carefully monitored. Proper supervision is due to the enormous burden that a woman endures during childbirth.

The process, which lasts the first 2-3 days, is due to the presence of a wound surface on the walls of the uterus, and its intensity may increase or decrease under the influence of physical activity or breastfeeding. The fluids released at this time are called lochia by gynecologists, and their normal discharge is considered:

bloody color in the first 2-3 days;
lower intensity and brown or meaty, not so bright color for 5-6 days;
starting from 6-7 days - a white or yellow tint, normally quite light;
from 9-10 days should look like an almost transparent substrate, of a meager nature.

Normally, the indicators, intensity and color of the discharge may take on a liquid form, but it is possible that they will stretch slightly. The appearance of blood clots, pain, a longer period of uterine contraction is acceptable. These are the main diagnostic indicators by which one can judge how successfully the process of involution or reverse development of the uterus is going on. The restoration of the physiological state of the puerperal takes longer if the contractility of this organ is weakened, but it can pass quickly enough if the woman's body is healthy and the birth went without complications.

Pathological postpartum discharge

Subinvolution, or delayed return of the uterus to its normal state, is an indicator that occurs under the influence of certain factors, not always pathological. It is dangerous if the process of uterine contraction lasts longer than normal. Normally, the uterus is a small volume, and its non-contraction can lead to the development of purulent-inflammatory processes.

First, the doctor palpates and palpates the uterus and evaluates the rate of its contraction. If its size has changed little, although it should be small in terms of time, he will insist on a hardware and laboratory examination. Otherwise, slowed down recovery can lead to pathological consequences.

The causes of subinvolution can be called natural processes, and surgery, and pathological complications:

multiple pregnancy;
rapid childbirth;
oncological neoplasms (uterine fibroids);
polyhydramnios;
preeclampsia;
prolonged childbirth;
remnants of the membranes or placenta.

A rotten smell of discharge, lasting more than a week beyond the prescribed period, may indicate a pathological condition. Bloody or white discharge, in which the uterus continues to hurt, as well as normal in appearance, but flowing for a month or more, should also cause concern. The main indicator to immediately send for research is palpation and the nature of the discharge.

With regard to caesarean section, the uterus after it is reduced more slowly and weaker. The caesarean method involves a longer healing and lochia after it is observed longer and more intense than after physiological childbirth.

Causes of pathological discharge

If deviations from the relative norm are accompanied by alarming symptoms (fever, general malaise, prolonged or early termination of lochia, sharp or dull pain), then there is a reason for immediate medical attention.

Mucus, curdled clots and a sour smell indicate a developed thrush.

Profuse bleeding and clots resembling meat, an unpleasant odor, a gradual transition from the meat color stage to discharge resembling slop, may indicate acute endometritis. This is an inflammation caused by the remnants of the membranes or blood clots, in which the mucosa needs to be scraped, the removal of pathological residues and disinfection. Otherwise, the most unpredictable consequences are possible.

Things to remember after giving birth

There is no absolute norm in medicine, and how many women had to be convinced of this by their own example when they gave birth for the second and third time. After all, each recovery period proceeds in its own way, with different duration and abundance. Therefore, it is worth focusing on the approximate range of the norm.

The mucous nature of the discharge can be both with a normal and with a pathological change in the process of restoring the uterus to its previous state. White substance - will appear after breastfeeding, or as a result of poor hygiene. Normal lochia can be shorter or longer, depending on the state of the body, ongoing childbirth, uterine contractility.

Any actions should be started only after a medical examination, specialist advice, laboratory tests, any medications should be taken with the knowledge and approval of the doctor. This will help speed up recovery after childbirth.