Features of discharge after childbirth and normal lochia. Discharge after childbirth: duration, smell and color of lochia in normal and pathological conditions. The importance of the hormone oxytocin in the postpartum period

Lochia (postpartum uterine discharge from the vagina) is an inevitable phenomenon after childbirth. After a woman gives birth - naturally or by caesarean section - to a child, the walls of the uterus are a huge wound surface. During the postpartum period, which usually lasts for 6-8 weeks, the uterus will restore its size, returning to the "pre-pregnancy" state. By contracting, the uterus will get rid of unnecessary tissues accumulated inside - the remnants of the placenta, the ichor, the remnants of the cavity, so vaginal discharge during this period is the absolute norm.

How long does lochia last after childbirth

Postpartum discharge lasts for 6-8 weeks (lochia after cesarean lasts a little longer than with natural childbirth). The first 2-3 days of lochia are scarlet blood, which comes out so abundantly that the pad has to be changed almost every hour. Bright scarlet lochia have such a color due to the fact that at the moment the remnants of tissues emerging from the uterus contain a large number of red blood cells. Usually during this period, the woman in labor is in the postpartum department, under the supervision of doctors, so early postpartum bleeding and any other complications will be immediately detected by gynecologists who assess the woman's condition by the color of the discharge.

2-3 days after the birth, the lochia changes color and becomes dark red and brown, brown. Normally, such lochia lasts up to 2-3 weeks after childbirth, gradually brightening and turning into white or light yellow. Equally dangerous is the situation when the scarlet lochia lasts longer than 3-4 days (late birth bleeding), and when the lochia stopped before 5 weeks (the uterus does not contract properly and not all tissue remnants come out). Stopping discharge up to 5 weeks after birth indicates a possible accumulation of lochia in the uterus, which can later lead to endometritis.

White, almost transparent, discharge can last up to 40 days after birth. By the end of this period, a woman often needs 1-2 daily pads per day.

So, what do lochias look like:

the first 2-3 days after childbirth - bright scarlet profuse bleeding, similar to menstruation on the first day of the week,
the next 2-3 weeks the norm is sanious dark red, brown, brown lochia,
starting from 4-5 weeks - white, grayish and yellowish odorless discharge.

If the lochia ended a week after the birth or the lochia stopped and started again, this is a reason to see a doctor. The inflammatory process, which also requires a visit to the gynecologist, is also evidenced by lochia with an unpleasant odor, as well as the green color of the lochia.

How do lochias smell after childbirth

Normally, lochia has a slight, non-rejection-causing odor, similar to the smell of discharge during menstruation. If the smell becomes too unpleasant, putrid, this indicates an infection and the onset of an inflammatory process in the uterine cavity. The color of the discharge then becomes green.

Menstruation after lochia

In some cases, women are faced with the fact that they have menstruation immediately after lochia. If this happened before the 40th day after childbirth, such discharge is very easy to confuse with late postpartum bleeding, therefore, if a month after childbirth, blood has started again, it is better not to let the situation take its course and visit a gynecologist. However, do not rush to panic: bleeding after lochia is not so common. The color of the discharge will help you to distinguish it from menstruation: if a month after the birth, scarlet blood has gone, then with a high probability we can talk about the onset of menstruation.

Many women mistakenly believe that they will not start until the end of lactation (breastfeeding). However, if you supplement your baby with formula or water, if you feed your baby off-demand and less than every three hours, or if you skip nighttime feedings, your period will start much earlier. In addition, during the entire period of lactation, cycle disorders are the absolute norm.

In some cases, scarlet blood a month after childbirth may begin due to rupture of the sutures, which can be caused by excessive physical exertion. Therefore, try not to heavily burden yourself with household chores or sports exercises in the postpartum period - physical activity should be moderate.

How to prevent late postpartum bleeding, inflammation in the uterus and other complications

A woman can help the uterus contract faster and get rid of secretions that have accumulated inside her if she follows simple recommendations.

Breastfeed as often as possible: feeding promotes the release of oxytocin and uterine contraction, which will quickly get rid of secretions accumulated inside.
In the first 2-3 days after childbirth, lie on your stomach more often so that the discharge flows out faster.
Try not to lie too long after childbirth, but to conduct moderate physical activity. However, heavy lifting (for example, a stroller with a child) and active sports (for example, gymnastics for weight loss) should be avoided.
Go to the toilet regularly to empty your bladder and bowels, even if you don't feel like it. In the postpartum period, when the muscles are weakened, the body can not always "suggest" that the bladder and intestines are full. Therefore, going to the toilet every 3 hours is a must.

To avoid the occurrence of infections, you need to carry out a daily toilet of the external genital organs (without douching!) And change the pad every 2-3 hours, regardless of how it is filled. Under no circumstances should tampons be used.

It is permissible only two months after the end of pregnancy, since the wound surface inside the uterus can be infected with even the most harmless bacteria that are normally present on the genitals of any man.

If you still can not endure this period, be sure to use a condom.

When lochia runs out after childbirth, you need to visit a gynecologist for an examination to make sure that everything is in order with your health.

Forum discussions .

Within a few weeks after the birth of a child, the normal state of the uterus is restored in a woman, the remains of the dying endometrium are removed, and the surface of the wound heals at the location of the placenta. The successful recovery of a woman or the appearance of some complications can be judged by the nature of the discharge from the genitals. It is important to know what they should be in the norm. In this case, the duration and abundance of secretions, as well as their color, smell and consistency, are important. In case of trouble, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Content:

What should be lochia

The discharge that occurs in a woman after the birth of a child is called lochia. Their appearance is caused by the fact that during childbirth damage occurs to the mucous membrane and vessels of the uterus, especially at the site of attachment of the placenta. Allocations after childbirth are associated with the cleansing of the uterus from the remnants of the fetal bladder, exfoliated epithelium, blood clots. They also contain mucus produced in the cervical canal.

Lochia exist until the wound in the uterine cavity heals and it returns to its normal state (the size is restored, the epithelium is renewed). If the process of cleansing the uterine cavity passes without complications, then the lochia stops after about 5-8 weeks.

How long the cleansing of the uterus continues and the formation of lochia depends on the following factors:

the ability of the uterus to contract (individual for each woman);
the age of the woman, the condition of the tissues of the uterus;
blood clotting, the state of the hematopoietic system;
physical activity of a woman;
lactation.

In appearance, lochia in the first 3 days resembles menstruation. Their volume gradually decreases from 500 ml to 100 ml per day.

Video: What are the discharge in the postpartum period

Types of normal postpartum discharge

Bloody lochia. The first postpartum discharge is bright red and has the smell of fresh blood. Consist of blood clots and particles of dead tissue. The color is due to the high content of red blood cells.

Serous lochia. A lighter brownish-pink discharge appears around day 4. The content of erythrocytes falls, but the number of leukocytes increases. The discharge has a musty odor.

White lochia. The discharge becomes yellowish-white on the 10th day from the moment of delivery. They have a more liquid consistency. There is no smell. Gradually they become more and more scarce, smearing. After 5-6 weeks, they already contain only mucus from the cervical canal of the cervix.

Contractions of the uterus, causing the removal of lochia from its cavity, lead to the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen in women in the first days after childbirth. The pain is like contractions. Moreover, pain is more severe after repeated births.

Sometimes women develop black lochia after the 3rd week. If there are no painful symptoms and an unpleasant odor, then such discharge is not considered a pathology. They can appear as a result of hormonal processes occurring in the body and changes in the composition of the mucus secreted by the glands of the cervical canal of the cervix.

Postpartum uterine bleeding and its causes

In the first 2 hours after childbirth, there is a risk of severe uterine bleeding (hypotonic), which can be caused by poor contraction of the muscles of the uterus after it relaxes during pregnancy. To prevent this from happening, a woman is given a drug to increase uterine contractility (oxytocin). In addition, the bladder is emptied through the catheter, a heating pad with ice is placed on the lower abdomen. During uterine contraction, damaged blood vessels are clamped, dangerous blood loss is prevented, the signs of which are increasing weakness, dizziness, and headache.

The cause of incessant bleeding in the first hours after the birth of a child can also be ruptures of the cervix, if they went unnoticed or were poorly sewn up. In this case, local hemorrhages occur in the tissues of the vagina and perineum. In the presence of bleeding, the doctor, after a careful examination, detects and opens these hematomas, sews up the gaps again.

The consequence of uterine bleeding is anemia - a lack of hemoglobin, a violation of the supply of body tissues with oxygen. If a woman in this state breastfeeds a child, then anemia will also appear in him.

Prevention of postpartum hemorrhage

The reduction of the uterus and the reduction of blood secretions after childbirth contributes to the frequent emptying of the bladder.

It is important to breastfeed your baby. When the nipples are irritated, oxytocin is produced - a pituitary hormone that enhances uterine contractions. During feeding, because of this, a woman has pains in the lower abdomen, resembling contractions. Moreover, the pain is stronger in those women who have already given birth before.

With incessant bleeding, the lower abdomen is cooled with ice.

Danger of stagnant secretions in the uterus

Medical help must be sought urgently, not only if the woman's bleeding is too strong, but also in the case when the bleeding suddenly stops completely after a few days.

Stagnation of lochia in the uterus is called a lochiometer. If it is not eliminated, inflammation of the endometrium (endometritis) may occur. The absence of lochia is a symptom of a serious postpartum complication. To achieve the restoration of bleeding, a woman is injected with oxytocin, which enhances contractions, and no-shpu is administered to relieve spasm of the cervix.

In order to avoid stagnation of secretions in the uterus, it is useful for a woman to lie on her stomach. Due to the weakening of the tone of the abdominal muscles after pregnancy and childbirth, the uterus deviates back, while the outflow of blood is disturbed. When a woman lies on her stomach, the uterus assumes a position in which the outflow improves.

Pathological discharge in postpartum complications

Signs of complications during this period are:

Yellow color and a sharp unpleasant odor of discharge. They indicate either stagnation of lochia in the uterus and their suppuration, or infection of a woman during childbirth. An inflammatory process in the lining of the uterus (endometritis) is usually accompanied by fever and pain in the lower abdomen. If the visit to the doctor is postponed for a long time, then due to the appearance of pus in the discharge, they become green.
The discharge of blood after childbirth intensifies instead of weakening. Sometimes they reappear. This happens even 2 months after the birth of the child. It is possible that this is the first menstruation (the likelihood of early menstruation is high in women who are not breastfeeding). However, often such discharge indicates incomplete removal of the placenta from the uterus, due to which its contractions are difficult.
White curdled discharge can appear if a woman takes antibiotics for health reasons, which provoke a deficiency of lactobacilli in the vagina and the appearance of thrush. A woman is concerned about itching and burning in the external genital organs and in the vagina.

Video: Thrush, treatment methods

Factors contributing to the occurrence of endometritis

During pregnancy and childbirth, a woman's immunity decreases sharply. This provokes the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the endometrium of the uterus after childbirth. The body's resistance to infections begins to increase towards the end of the first week in women who have given birth naturally and on the 10th day after a caesarean section.

The likelihood of endometritis increases if a woman has other serious diseases (endocrine glands, kidneys, respiratory tract). Obesity, anemia, beriberi, smoking contribute to the occurrence of endometritis. In addition, inflammation often occurs in women who have had many abortions or have undergone curettage for medical reasons.

Sometimes the cause of stagnation of lochia and the occurrence of an inflammatory process is the low location of the placenta in the uterus, when the exit to the cervical canal is blocked. If labor lasts too long, despite the fact that the water has already broken, there is also an increased risk of endometritis.

Treatment of this disease is carried out only in a hospital. Antibiotics, enhancers of uterine contractions are used. Disinfectant solutions are introduced into the cavity. In some cases, vacuum aspiration or curettage of the uterus is performed in order to completely remove the endometrium.

Discharge after caesarean section

Bleeding lasts longer and complications occur more often if a woman gave birth by caesarean section. The contractility of the uterus is difficult due to the imposed seam, swelling of the tissues surrounding it. The risk of infection during childbirth and the occurrence of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity increases.

However, despite the peculiarities of this method of delivery, spotting after childbirth should appear within 2 weeks, but no more. Just like with normal childbirth, the color of the discharge gradually changes from bright red to pale brown, and then turns white.

Normal menstruation after a caesarean section occurs at about the same time as after the birth of a child in a natural way. They occur later if the woman had postpartum complications (uterine bleeding, endometritis, blood poisoning) or there are diseases of the thyroid gland, liver.

Video: Features of discharge after cesarean section

Prevention of complications

In order to reduce the risk of complications after childbirth, a doctor should monitor the woman's condition from the very beginning of pregnancy. Regular examination allows you to monitor the composition of the blood, detect and treat gynecological and other diseases, strengthen the immune system.

If, after the onset of labor, it turns out that the contractility of the uterus is insufficient, then drugs are used that enhance labor activity. They also help to accelerate the cleansing of the uterine cavity after the birth of a child.

In order to avoid stagnation of secretions in the uterus, a woman is recommended to start getting out of bed and walking 4-5 hours after a normal birth. After a caesarean section, this can be done after 10 hours.

Before discharge from the hospital, an ultrasound is done to study the condition of the uterine cavity and assess its size in order to follow the recovery process. Within a few weeks, a woman is advised to rest more, avoid activities associated with abdominal tension, lifting weights.

Of great importance is the observance of the rules of hygienic care for the body and genitals (frequent washing with warm water, daily bathing in the shower).

Warning: For several weeks, a woman should not take a bath. Warming up the body, firstly, increases blood flow, and secondly, with such bathing, the likelihood of infection in the internal genital organs increases.

Douching during this period can bring great harm. It also contributes to the rapid spread of infection and the occurrence of endometritis.

On the first day, instead of sanitary pads, it is recommended to use diapers to avoid leakage. In addition, it is easier to follow the nature and volume of secretions. In the future, gaskets should be changed at least every 2 hours.

It is strictly forbidden to use tampons during the entire period of existence of lochia. Blocking the exit from the uterus, they delay the outflow of secretions and the recovery process, creating a great threat of an inflammatory process.

With a sharp change in the nature of the discharge, increased pain in the lower abdomen, fever, dizziness, a woman needs urgent medical care.

Pregnancy and childbirth are left behind. Now the body of a young mother needs to adapt to a new state. The reproductive organs, especially the uterus, require the most time to recover, since its changes during pregnancy were the most noticeable. In addition, after the separation of the placenta, an extensive wound surface formed in it, which needs time to heal.

While the vessels are healing and the mucous membrane of the uterus (endometrium) is being restored, discharge will occur from the woman's genital tract. In medicine, they are called lochia. They are made up of blood cells, plasma, dead endometrial cells, and mucus from the cervical canal.

Normal discharge

Allocations after childbirth go for 4-6 weeks, this is how much time it will take for the reverse development (involution) of the uterus after pregnancy and childbirth. Their number decreases over time, which indicates the healing of the wound surface. Not only their number changes, but also the color. At each stage of the postpartum period, lochia must correspond to certain characteristics, a deviation from which can become an unfavorable diagnostic sign.

Early postpartum period- the first 2-4 hours after birth. All this time, a woman should be under the close supervision of medical personnel, since it is this time that is dangerous for the occurrence of complications caused by a violation of the contractility of the uterus in the field of childbirth and the development of hypotonic bleeding.

important, plentiful, but their number should not exceed a volume of 400 ml (taking into account blood loss during childbirth). The general condition of the woman is not disturbed. But if suddenly during this time you are weak, and the lined diaper is all wet - immediately inform the doctor about this!

If the early postpartum period went well, then the woman is transferred to the postpartum department. Coming late postpartum period which lasts up to 6 weeks.

The first 2-3 days of lochia after childbirth have a bright red color, due to the predominance of erythrocytes in their composition. They are quite plentiful, so it is difficult to manage with ordinary sanitary pads, it is better to use special postpartum ones.

By 3-4 days, lochia take on a bloody-serous appearance, leukocytes predominate in their composition. The normal course of the postpartum period is controlled by the doctor by daily rounds in the wards. He evaluates the amount and nature of the discharge, as well as the process of involution (recovery) of the uterus.

By the time of discharge from the hospital for 5-7 days, vaginal discharge becomes brown, mucus appears in them, and they become scarce. With the physiological course of the postpartum period, lochia has a peculiar rotten smell.

In order to avoid postpartum complications in the hospital, the following recommendations must be observed:

Go to the toilet and empty your bladder frequently, even if you don't feel the urge to urinate
Attach the baby to the chest at his first request;
During the day, lie on your stomach more often;
Put ice packs on your lower abdomen.

All these actions contribute to a better contraction of the muscles of the uterus. As they contract, they close open blood vessels, preventing blood loss.

For some women, according to indications, in order to prevent bleeding in the postpartum period, injections of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes better uterine contraction, are prescribed for 2-3 days.

After being discharged home, a woman must control her condition herself. She needs to continue to monitor the nature and amount of discharge. It is very important to notice changes in time.

information After childbirth, the discharge usually lasts 5-6 weeks. Within 6 weeks, about 500-1500 ml of lochia is released. Every day their number decreases, gradually acquiring a yellowish-white color (due to the large amount of mucus), may contain streaks of blood. Already by the 4th week after childbirth, the discharge becomes scarce, “smearing”, and by the 6th week, the lochia stops altogether.

In women who have had a caesarean section, or those who are not breastfeeding, things may be slower because uterine contractions are worse. Allocations in this case can last up to 8 weeks.

When to see a doctor

The amount of discharge has increased sharply in volume or the bleeding does not stop for a long period. Developed bleeding may be due to the retention of parts of the placenta in the uterus, which does not allow it to contract normally. In this case, the rest of the placenta can be removed only under intravenous anesthesia in a hospital setting;
Postpartum discharge suddenly stopped. This may indicate that an accumulation of lochia (lochiometer) has occurred in the uterine cavity. If the lochiometer is not eliminated in time, the likelihood of endometritis is high;
The discharge has changed color, acquired a purulent character, and has a sharp, unpleasant odor. Such symptoms indicate an ongoing inflammatory process in the uterus (endometritis). The general condition of the woman is also deteriorating: the temperature rises, pain in the lower abdomen bothers;
The appearance of curdled discharge from the vagina signals the development of thrush (candidiasis). Untreated colpitis in the postpartum period can become a source of infection;
The occurrence of heavy bleeding requires immediate hospitalization!

A woman's attentive attitude to changing the nature of postpartum discharge will help her avoid many complications and seek medical help in time.

For the successful course of the postpartum period, it is very important to follow the recommendations of the doctor and the rules of personal hygiene.

Compliance with simple rules of hygiene will help to avoid the occurrence of infectious complications.

Throughout the time while the discharge lasts, you need to use sanitary pads with a soft surface. They need to be changed every 3-4 hours. The use of scented pads and tampons is not recommended;
You need to take a shower several times a day. It is better to refuse a bath for this period, since there is a possibility of infection in the uterus;
It is also worth delaying the onset of intimate relationships, referring this date to full recovery (in 6-8 weeks), since it can provoke bleeding.

additionally If complications associated with changes in discharge in the postpartum period still arise, then you can contact the antenatal clinic or the maternity hospital where the birth took place with questions that concern you.

Lochia after childbirth creates a few inconveniences for a woman, but with careful attention to her health and proper hygiene, they can be experienced calmly and without consequences.

Lochia is a discharge that comes from the genitals (vagina) of a woman in labor. The excretion process begins immediately after childbirth and continues until the damaged tissues of the uterus return to normal as a result of the regeneration process. The main positive effect of this function of the female body is the cleansing of the uterine cavity from all those substances that have accumulated in it during the 9 months of pregnancy.

Different stages of discharge after childbirth

The amount, nature and duration of discharge in all women are different. Doctors usually divide the duration of normal lochia into 3 stages. The first stage lasts 3-4 days after childbirth, the second one starts from the 4th day and lasts about 7 days, after which the 3rd stage begins, which lasts 2-4 weeks.

What is considered normal

How long does lochia last after childbirth? The most abundant bleeding occurs within 2-3 days after childbirth. Then, violations of the integrity of the tissues in the uterus gradually begin to recover, and postpartum discharge gradually declines, both their number and duration (duration) decrease.

All young mothers are very much concerned about these questions - how long does lochia go after childbirth, when do they end. In order not to worry too much, doctors recommend studying this topic well. If you know exactly how long postpartum lochia lasts, what the discharge looks like after childbirth, how long it takes after the second birth, then you can always adequately control the situation on your own.

Most often, during the first 6-7 days, discharge with clots occurs - this is how the remnants of tissues come out of the uterus (dead endometrium and placenta). After a week, these clots should dry up, the discharge should become more liquid. The same can be said about slime. After about a month and a half, lochia is more reminiscent of the usual smears that occur during menstruation, only the blood has already clotted.

You should start worrying when something else, for example, pus, is mixed with ordinary blood secretions with mucus or clots. Also, the reason for an indispensable visit to the doctor should be the situation when, after a certain number of weeks, bleeding and spotting after childbirth should have ended, but they continue.

The main characteristics of lochia

The norm in the case of lochia is determined by several criteria. One of them is color, consistency, size (volume). The second point indicating the normal nature of postpartum discharge is the change in their appearance, color and volume at different times of the day, depending on the physical activity of the woman. After the body has been at rest for several hours, the discharge may intensify, while walking and breastfeeding, they are also more abundant, and then should become less.

Compound

If lochia looks like a scarlet ichor, interspersed with blood clots and mucus, and is very abundant during the first few days after childbirth, this is normal.

Color

It is also normal that the lochia changes every day - there are fewer of them, the color becomes lighter, the smell also decreases. At first they become more brown or even brown, then their color gradually changes towards yellow, and then they become transparent. In the composition of the lochia, after a few days there should no longer be blood, only mucus. After 1-1.5 months, postpartum discharge should stop.

Smell

The smell of lochia is most often acceptable, it is not very unpleasant. The peculiarity of this smell is that it is quite specific (rotten).

Are lochia different after caesarean section?

How long does lochia last after caesarean section? The nature of the discharge in this case is different, but it concerns only the duration and composition. Since the uterus does not shrink as quickly after surgery, the duration of lochia is an order of magnitude longer than after normal childbirth. But most often after childbirth by caesarean, the blood goes no more than 15 days.

Hygiene in the postpartum period

Stock up on pads, it is undesirable to take a bath (only a shower), rinse your genitals several times a day, go to the toilet as often as possible.

Reasons for concern and medical attention

When should you see a doctor? There can be many reasons for this. The most common signs in which you must immediately go to the clinic or even call an ambulance:

discharge from the labia goes too long, or their number gradually increases;
bleeding suddenly stopped on its own, despite the fact that they should still continue in terms of time;
the lower abdomen hurts, the temperature has risen, the general state of health has worsened;
the discharge itself acquired an abnormal appearance (for example, pus appeared).

In any case, it will not be superfluous to seek medical help. It would be better if the alarm turned out to be false than vice versa.

What is a "lochiometer"

If suspicious inclusions first appeared in the composition of the lochia, and then the discharge suddenly stopped, then this may be a symptom of the disease, which is called the lochiometer. It can be detected only with the help of a vaginal examination and ultrasound.

Pathological lochia

How long does discharge last after childbirth? Normal ones should not stand out much and go longer than usual. If they are delayed, then this is an occasion to consult a doctor.

bright red discharge lasts more than a week;
the discharge changes color dramatically - after being pale, it becomes bright red again;
acquired a strongly unpleasant odor;
showed signs of chills and fever.

Sexual relations during lochia

Intimacy is strictly contraindicated for at least one and a half months after childbirth. Active sexual intercourse most interferes with the normal recovery of female organs, and can promote the growth of bacteria.

If everything is all right with you, pains in the abdomen do not bother you, the remnants of the placenta in the uterus, according to your feelings, have disappeared, then after 6 weeks you can try sexual relations, but only after consulting a doctor.

As you know, after childbirth, the uterus of a woman is not cleansed and does not recover immediately. After the birth of the placenta, the "exit" of the remnants of mucus, fetal membranes, dying epithelial cells, blood clots, and ichor continues. Such postpartum discharge is commonly called lochia.

How long does it take for lochia to come out after childbirth?

The answer to the question of how much discharge goes after childbirth and when they end for quite specific reasons excites every young mother. Generally speaking, the isolation of lochia continues for several weeks, usually 4-6. Over time, their color and consistency change, and, finally, they stop.

Immediately after the birth process, lochia resembles bleeding. And partly it is. A cold heating pad (with ice) is placed on your stomach for several hours to reduce bleeding and prevent real bleeding from starting. Normally, when cold is applied, the uterus contracts faster, blood vessels constrict and, thus, the discharge becomes less intense. To "revitalize" these processes, appropriate drugs are also administered intravenously. When the bladder is full, urine is expelled using a catheter.

As a rule (and this is considered the norm), the amount of discharge during this time does not exceed 0.3 liters.

If the muscles do not contract very well or there is a rupture of the birth canal, then the bleeding may be more severe.

After the time spent with a heating pad on her stomach, the woman in labor is transferred to the postpartum ward. Here it is worth stocking up on gaskets, as the discharge will not be much less. However, their color will already be somewhat different - darker, with a brownish tint. You will observe such a picture for several days (usually within 3 days).

Over the next few weeks, the nature of the lochia will change: the discharge after childbirth will begin to lighten, and its consistency will become more liquid. There will be less and less bloody particles every day and gradually, by the beginning of the fifth week, the lochia will become whitish or yellowish-white. Allocations of this color go on for 7-10 days, and their color is determined by a large number of leukocytes and decidual tissue (which was previously a nourishing and protective layer for the fetus).

By the end of the sixth week, postpartum discharge should stop altogether.

If you are not breastfeeding, then literally a month after that you can wait for the first menstruation.

Bloody, brown and white discharge before period

What do you need to pay attention to?

The first few weeks after the birth of a baby, when the birth canal is open and the uterine cavity has not yet fully recovered, the female body is very vulnerable and can easily be affected by any infection. Therefore, special attention must be paid to the observance of the rules of personal hygiene.

Also, during the period of isolation of lochia after childbirth, it is recommended to refrain from sexual intercourse, including oral sex and the so-called non-penetrative sex (caressing the genitals with your hands). Despite popular belief, these options for sexual contact are also fraught with infections with the ensuing consequences. Sex during this period can also be quite traumatic, since the genitals are too sensitive at this stage. And this is another reason for abstinence.

During the period of discharge after childbirth, it is highly undesirable (and most doctors simply forbid this to their patients and, I must say, they do it right) to use tampons. In this case, pads with increased absorbency are best suited. They should be changed as often as possible, and savings in this case are unacceptable and even dangerous (the secretions are a very favorable environment for the reproduction of bacteria!).

In addition, a woman must make sure that the discharge does not exude an unpleasant odor and that there are no unpleasant sensations in the genital area (itching, burning, etc.).

If any of the above has been noticed, you should immediately consult a doctor to rule out an infectious disease, in order to avoid the risk of bleeding and prescribe appropriate treatment.

An unpleasant odor can be due to several reasons. This is, in particular, a decrease in the contractility of the uterus, the development of an inflammatory process in the genital tract and even the development of endometritis (inflammation of the inner layer of the uterus), the main signal for concern is an increased body temperature, accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen.

Causes of irregular periods after childbirth

You should be aware that an increase in temperature during the period of discharge after childbirth is possible. However, normally it is insignificant and can continue in the first 3-4 days. If hyperthermia lasts longer and along with this, the brown color of lochia persists for a long time, this is considered a pathology and requires a mandatory examination by a specialist.

Also, you need to consult a specialist if the change in the nature of the discharge deviates from the described standard course, which is normal. The question is also important: how long does the discharge last after childbirth and what is their quality. If, for example, the discharge is bloody for longer than the prescribed period or lasts more than a month and a half, the discharge is plentiful for quite a long time. You should be alert to the need to use more than 6 fully soaked pads throughout the day.

There are cases when the discharge from the uterus after childbirth stops too quickly. This is also not good: your uterus is probably overdistended and cannot contract properly and push out the proper contents to exit. In this case, the mother is given drugs that stimulate contraction.

How to avoid bleeding?

In the first time after childbirth, it is best to limit active movements and lead a sedentary - recumbent lifestyle. At least for a week.

Make sure that your bladder is emptied in a timely manner. It should not be tolerated, because filled, it, due to its physiological location, prevents the normal contraction of the uterus and, accordingly, the removal of lochia.

Also, at first, you can continue the practice of applying an ice heating pad. However, you should not get too carried away with this.

One of the best preventive measures to avoid bleeding is breastfeeding. When feeding a baby, a woman's body secretes a special hormone oxytocin, which stimulates uterine contractions. When a child sucks milk, many mothers feel how blood clots come out of them at this time, and more actively and in larger quantities than usual.