# Can someone reassure me about my postpartum bleeding?



## sunnylady303 (Sep 17, 2004)

I gave birth two weeks ago. No complications, very little bleeding. I haven't bled a lot since then either. It's been sporadic and had faded to once or twice a day - mostly brown. Tonight though I started feeling pressure between my legs - and then passed several long and thickish clots (they looked a little tissue-y to me but my mom is a nurse and she said clots). I haven't had any clots. I called my midwife and she said that can be normal - to start cramping and pass leftover membrane or whatever and she wouldn't worry unless they were huge (like volleyball size) or I was bleeding a lot or running a fever. But I am still kind of freaking out. I feel like my uterus is trying to do something (or maybe it already has done what it was going to do) and it feels weird. I am trying to trust my body here. But I could use some reassurance that this could be normal and that I am okay. I am really freaking out. I just wasn't expecting this...


----------



## Persephone (Apr 8, 2004)

If you are really nervous about it, then insist on attention. Don't just listen to them if they're telling you everything is ok. Get a second, or a third, opinion. You ARE listening to your body if it's telling you something isn't right, and you're worried. I'm not trying to scare you, cause I really have no idea if what you're experiencing is normal or not. I'm just saying insist on being heard.

I can tell you my experience, though. I lost a lot of blood at birth, and it diminished to nothing very quickly, I was spotting in under a week. After a while though, it picked up again, even though I hadn't been overexerting myself. My mom said sometimes when she was anemic, her periods would stop or lessen, so what she thinks happened was that I was just gaining back some of my lost iron stores. I don't know how much blood or anything you lost, but maybe something like that rings true for you too?

BTW, congrats on the new baby! Maybe check in on the Jan due date club, people are wondering about you!


----------



## Slabobbin (Jan 29, 2004)

I did have some baseball size clots a few days after DD was born and my midwife said that as long as I didn't have anymore that size I was ok. But if you are really worried it won't hurt anything to have it checked out.


----------



## beansavi (Jun 26, 2005)

I delivered two weeks ago too. My midwife told me I could pass things as long as 18 days or so after birth and I would be fine. My placenta was completely intact but the attached amniotic sac was not. There was a "side" of it still inside. I pass clots on occasion, but have also recently passed ones that were "swirly" and she said that was probably the membrane/sac pieces finally coming out.

My bleeding waxes and wanes, too, and she said that was showing the hormonal shifts and adjustments. She said I may feel pms-y, and then that would mean I'd probably have more bleeding the next day or so. All normal.

I was told not to worry unless stuff I passed was the size of a grapefuit, and if I was just in general, too "smelly" in whatever I was discharging.

Sorry to be graphic, but sometimes it's necessary!

I'm gald you started this, I'd be interested in hearing and comparing stories with others whenever I worry a little...


----------



## fallingstar (Jul 21, 2005)

My bleeding had slacked off too, and I'd never had any clots, but then about two weeks after birth I also had one night where I had much heavier bleeding and several clots. My midwife said that as long as they weren't larger than a lemon, it was okay. None of mine were larger than about a third a lemon size, so I didn't worry about it. Two days later the bleeding had slacked off again.

That's just me, though, and everybody is different. If I were you I'd just watch to make sure it slacks off again. Too many clots, especially if they're big, though, and I'd be worried too. Keep your midwive informed, certainly, and if things just don't feel right, definitely have her see you.

Like I said, the same thing happened to me, and it was fine. Good luck!


----------



## KA29 (Jan 8, 2006)

I had my ds in July and passed clots like that on and off for probably 2 1/2 weeks....and then toward the end, I had 'clots' of mucously like stuff. My OB said it could be normal and as long as I wasn't consistently bleeding, not to worry unless I had a fever, pain or something sign something was wrong.

It was very different than what I experienced after my dd was born (2001) but also seemed normal and I recovered fine.

Anyway, all that to say ime it can be normal but if you are really worried, get it checked out.

hth


----------



## Orion'smommy (Jan 31, 2006)

I had little bleeding until 4 weeks after birth. At 4 weeks I experienced heavy bleeding that lasted 4 days.

I believe every body heals differently, and that your body is doing just fine!


----------



## onlyboys (Feb 12, 2004)

At about 2 weeks postpartum, maybe three, I felt that same thing you did--pressure, a little bit of pain in my vagina and lower abdomen, and I passed a retained piece of something about the size of my hand. It wasn't a clot, as it had what appeared to be a vascular system in it. Anyway, I felt much, much better after that, and my bleeding began to go away completely after that (it had been brownish and seemingly drying up).

It was a little frightening, and the midwife said it could be a lobe from the placenta.


----------

