# 2 weeks pp and bleeding and cramping - help??



## lollie2357 (Feb 18, 2008)

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this - I'm feeling kinda worried so TIA for whatever help you can give.

I gave birth Sunday the 14th, my bleeding and lochia was almost gone early this week, but I was still wearing pads. Wednesday morning I started having this strong cramps, not when nursing - just all the time. Thursday night I had blood on my pad. It wasn't bright red, sort of dark. But then it went away. Then on Friday the cramping and bleeding returned.

It's saturday, so should I wait till Monday to call my midwife - or is this serious and I should call her now?

Is this a sign of infection or retained placenta? We're nursing well, and I had a good/problem free natural childbirth.


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## MsBlack (Apr 10, 2007)

Go ahead and call your mw. It could be from retained placenta/membrane bits, small enough that it didn't cause problems earlier but still needing to be expelled; could be from a blood clot that formed during the days when the bleeding seemed nearly stopped. Either way, all the cramping seems to be a sign that your uterus is trying to push something out. If you don't have a fever, or continuous pain/throbbing, it's probably not an infection but it would be good to have that fully ruled out by your mw. Meantime, probably best to take it easy--drink plenty of fluids, eat well, lay around with baby.

good luck!


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## lollie2357 (Feb 18, 2008)

I don't think I have a fever (though I haven't acutally taken my temp) - but I am still cramping.

I think I will call her after 8:00 - not too much longer.


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## lollie2357 (Feb 18, 2008)

I called my mw at 8:00 and she said it sounded normal. She said it could be some over exertion - which is likely because before this I've been feeling great and doing whatever I wanted. She said if it was retained placental fragments, I wouldn't have cramped up right after birth (which I did) and there would be a big gush of blood now (which there isn't). She also said breastfeeding can cause you to bleed again later.

I still feel a little uneasy though. The cramps are more constant than before, and they don't only occur when I'm nursing. Also, I keep expecting the blood to just go away like it did on Wednesday but it still hasn't.

One thought though - my little one was nursing for short times very frequently at first, and just in the last few days she's started nursing a bit more "normally." I could see how that could cause the cramping to start again.


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## MsBlack (Apr 10, 2007)

Hmmmm....I don't consider this normal, even with your baby's longer nursing sessions now compared to earlier. Not constant strong cramps, tho stronger cramps while nursing could be normal with longer nursing sessions. I'd keep an eye on it, watch for fever, odor, any developing symptoms.

"She said if it was retained placental fragments, I wouldn't have cramped up right after birth (which I did) and there would be a big gush of blood now (which there isn't). She also said breastfeeding can cause you to bleed again later."

As a mw I disagree with this. I would see you right away--I do anyway at 2 wks pp--check your fundal height, firmness of uterus, ask a lot of questions. That big gush could still be coming--usually once it does, the cramping eases/stops very soon because it's done the work it was meant to do. I've also seen a few to pass placental/membrane fragments in the first weeks pp, even though they did cramp hard after birth.


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## lollie2357 (Feb 18, 2008)

thanks, for your response. I felt like this wasn't quite right just based on what I'd read in WTEWYE. Maybe I didn't explain it well on the phone... I'll watch for any changes and call again if anything is different.

If it is placental/membrane fragments - will they just pass and then it will be over? If that is the case, it doesn't sound too serious.


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## wbg (Mar 28, 2008)

I had something similar after my second.

I thought for a minute, I might have a hidden twin hiding in there waiting to be delivered







! I went in and got checked out and I did have retained fragments. My OB at the time was comfortable monitoring me for a couple of days to see if they came out naturally. She gave me something to ease the pain. For the life of me I can not remember exactly what it was but I think it was magnesium or potassium or something like that. Perhaps a more knowledgable birth pro might know! It was still very horrible but I was nursing and she did not want to give the baby anything too hard core. I remember thinking that one should only have to "labour" when one is getting the "reward" of a baby! She said that I needed to monitor my temp and if it did not resolve in a few days we wold need to do another US and consider options. Luckily for me it took a couple of days and then I did pass some very tiny parts. Amazing to me how the smallest bit of placenta could cause the uterus to go into full blown labour-like activity to pass it.

I would definitely get it checked out. My placenta had appeared to be delivered fully, and there was no reason to believe that I had not. Uterus seemed firm and how it was supposed to. Also I remember her having me eat a very strict diet of all natural, no processed foods. Something to do with keeping my immune system high. Sorry I am being so vague, but this was 8 years ago and a couple more babies have arrived and its all a little fuzzy!!


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