# Still bleeding 7 weeks postpartum :(



## NightOwl (Sep 12, 2004)

I'm still bleeding at almost 7 weeks postpartum! At 3 weeks pp my midwife told me to rest as much as possible and it should stop. So, I did...I didn't do any housework or go anywhere. And it kept stopping and starting. It would be almost gone, then bright red again, then taper off again. Well, now I've been bleeding more and bright red for over a week now. It's about the amount of the middle of a period and it's staying the same, not tapering off. I saw my midwife last week and she said that if I'm still bleeding in 2 weeks then she'll have me see the CNM at my birth center. She said my uterus has shrunk down back to normal and that my cervix was closed. She seemed confused as to why I'm still bleeding. She said maybe my hormones just haven't figured things out yet.

So...has this happened to anyone else? What reasons could there be for this? I wouldn't think I could be getting my period back because I am exclusively breastfeeding. Plus this new red bleeding has gone on longer than a period would and not tapering off. Help please.


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## mwherbs (Oct 24, 2004)

increase greens in your diet for example cooked broccoli, leaf lettuce, kale,spinach with a bit of lemon on wilted spinach salad and/ or buy some liquid chloryphll and take it daily

you could also try some tea like raspberry leaf with a side of cinnamon toast and see if it helps

is the bleeding from a hemorrhoid ?

what is a typical resting day for you consist of ? do you ride in a car much?


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

I bled for I think eight weeks postpartum both times. I have always read that 6 to 8 weeks is the norm, but I keep encountering women who quit bleeding much earlier.


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## icxcnika (Dec 4, 2002)

+

I'm sorry, mama!

This sounds a lot like what happened to me after my most recent babe was born. I ended up finally taking methergine (prescribed by my midwife [CNM]) at about eight weeks postpartum. About a week or so later, the bleeding was done.







I was reluctant to take it at first, (wanted to wait it out a bit to see if it would go away by itself, so I waited until about 8 wks) but it ended up really helping.

I have heard that eating foods with ginger can be therapeutic. Also, mwherbs' suggestion of the chlorophyll, leafy greens, and red raspberry leaf tea sounds very good. Keep up with all those high-iron foods, or an iron supplement, and vitamin C too.

Do you have to go up and down any stairs at home? My mw said that for some reason that can make bleeding last longer.

Keep resting! I hope it stops soon!

God bless you,
icxcnika


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

This happened to me too. I think mwherbs has some good advice.


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

I've had 4 kids and have bled anywhere from 1 week to 10 weeks, depending on the child. I would drink RRL tea and make sure you are taking in adequate levels of iron.

Do research/ ask your MW first, but you might want to try Squaw Vine tincture.


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## snugglebutter (Mar 19, 2003)

Methergine can cause some pretty nasty cramping, though I think that is only if you take it soon after the birth when the uterus hasn't returned to normal size yet.

I had really good results with chlorophyll capsules.


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## NightOwl (Sep 12, 2004)

Thanks everyone!

No, the bleeding is not from a hemorrhoid.

I am resting as much as a person could with a baby. I have only gone to midwife and pediatrician appointments since the birth. No stairs in my house. DH has taken over all the housework, cooking, and errands. All I do is nurse, change diapers, surf the internet when DS is sleeping. Geez...I'd really like to start being more active! I swear...I actually _want_ to do housework at this point because it just feels weird to not do it!

I probably don't eat enough greens; I'll try eating more. My iron levels were tested last week and are fine. I have some iron pills though...is it ok and necessary to take them when I know my iron levels are fine? I have been drinking RRL tea for a week now. Is once a day enough?

I am thinking now that this has something to do with hormones. I read something about how if your hormones aren't balanced it can keep you at the "bleeding threshold". I've also been having other symptoms since the birth that I read can be from a hormonal imbalance. I have really dry skin, a rash on my chest and neck that comes and goes, really bad memory problems, and having some PPD. One of my midwives suggested using progesterone cream for the PPD. I did it for about a week, then I guess DH put it in the closet while cleaning and I forgot about it! I remembered it today, so I'm going to start using that again. Maybe it will help.


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## wendy1221 (Feb 9, 2004)

I bled like a medium flow period for 8 weeks with my first and 6 with my second. My mw has me taking extra chlorophyll and iron to build up my iron before delivery this time. And after the birth, she says she may have me take shepherd's purse, depending on how my bleeding is going. She also talked about something else, but I can't remember what it was.

Also, I found out a bleeding disorder runs in my family, and this is a big sign that I may have it. I still haven't decided if I'm going to bother with testing or not. I can't get tested while pregnant or nursing cuz your body makes extra clotting factors during those times (but can't keep up after the blood loss from delivery if you have a bd, so there is often rolonged bleeding then). But my dh has a bleeding disorder, so it would be a bad thing for our kids genetically if we both had the same one, so I probably should find out.


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## Yummymummy74 (Jun 7, 2004)

I have always bled anywhere from 2 weeks to 10.. so I think what your describing is still in the range of normal.. how do you feel otherwise?


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## MrsSmall (Jan 19, 2005)

That jus happened to a friend of mine and she found out that she still had a small peice of placenta left in her uterus post birth. Has your midwife ruled that out?


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## Roseberry (Jun 14, 2005)

How does the Raspberry tea help?


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