# How much blood loss is normal during birth?



## ScotiaSky

Just looking over my medical records from my son's birth and I remember the amount of my blood lost during the birth was a concern for them.

They put down a estimated 500 ml I would think that is normal for a birth, anyone know for sure though? It doesn't seem like a lot to me. Just curious.

Thanks


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## pamamidwife

yep, 500cc/ml is considered the top of what is normal. anything beyond that is considered a hemorrhage.


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## loved

Yes...medically, it's consider the edge of normal. In my mind, not a bad blood loss at all though. What's more important is how you are - not the amount of blood you lose.
I've seen huge hemorrahges where the mother was totally fine.


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## flapjack

So- if you had a client who had lost an estimated 500 ml with her last birth, would you be concerned during her next pregnancy? Is there anything you'd want her to do differently either during the pregnancy or in the third stage? Curious- I'm in the same position- I have no idea how much I lost with Alex, but I know I lost around 500ml (I suspect more) with Isaac and didn't do too well on it- I had a day or two of feeling a little rough.


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## danav

I had a hemmorhage with my first birth - the midwives estimated about 700ccs. They got it under control with a little pitocin and some rather painful uterine massage, and I was home with my baby a few hours later. No problems. My midwife told me that it should be no concern for future births, that the fact I hemmorhaged with the first did not put me at greater risk for it happening again. I did not have any excessive bleeding with my second birth.

When I was reviewing my birth history with the OB I saw to confirm this pregnancy, he seemed to feel that the amount of blood I lost in that first birth was not any big deal.

When it was happening, I didn't even realize there was really anything wrong - the midwives were so cool about it, and I was holding my baby lost in bliss anyway. I felt fine, just a little dizzy when I finally got up a few hours later to get ready to go home. (I later found out, though, that DH thought I was going to die when it was happening and it really affected him deeply - he didn't tell me that until after my second baby was born! )


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## loved

I wouldn't be worried. I really believe that the vast majority of hemorrhages are caused by the environment (lack of privacy, disturbances, too cold, too bright) or the practitioner (fiddling with the cord, clamping, pulling - even a little, touching the uterus at all, impatience or worry).
What would I do? Ensure that you have NO disturbances, lots of warmth and privacy and just wait for your placenta to come. Nature is designed for your survival. I would trust it.

Your nutrition needs to be optimal (but it does anyway!) - making sure you are doing all you can to have good iron store in the last trimester of pregnancy.


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## Undercover Hippie

I'm really glad to happen upon this thread! I've been wondering this too. I lost a lot of blood in my last birth (a fabulous homebirth) and my MW said it was on the very upper edge of normal. It must have been about the same amount you lost? I've been wondering what that meant and if there were any implications for a future birth.

Quote:

I wouldn't be worried. I really believe that the vast majority of hemorrhages are caused by the environment (lack of privacy, disturbances, too cold, too bright) or the practitioner (fiddling with the cord, clamping, pulling - even a little, touching the uterus at all, impatience or worry).

Your nutrition needs to be optimal (but it does anyway!) - making sure you are doing all you can to have good iron store in the last trimester of pregnancy.
I don't think any of these would be relevant in my birth... But there are other factors too, right? I know my MW mentioned that she generally sees it when the uterus is just worn out--very big baby/babies so it was very stretched, a very fast or very slow labor where the uterus has really worked hard. Not that a woman can control or change any of these things...









I do think I should have had a better iron store. I was only borderline anemic, and was supposed to take alfafa tablets to help me out, but they made me feel nauseated so I wasn't very good. I think I would try to figure out a way to get more iron into me next time.

Anyway, thank you!


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## Yummymummy74

I bleed a ton period! no matter what part is bleeding :LOL I only know of one of my births a few years ago hospital birth I lost 700 cc's got up and walked away a couple hours later? felt good in fact..

no clue about my last birth but it looked like alot but it was UC so who knows! but hey I am here







and I felt fine after that one too.. I think the problem with some of these "guidelines" is like everything else they allow no room for individuality.


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## Artistmama1

*Blood loss with twins*

I had 1000cc blood loss with the birth of my twins - anyone know if that's normal for twins? They were large - 8.6 and 6.12 - with a fused placenta. I also had a third degree tear.


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## katelove

Depending which textbook you read, normal blood loss can be up to 500ml, up to 1000ml or any loss which doesn't cause symptoms of hypovolaemia. 

Twins are a known risk factor for pph. I would say 1000mls with twins, a large placenta and a third degree tear is pretty good but, I would still actively treat it. The thing about blood loss is you don't know the final estimate until the bleeding stops so you want to *prevent* a pph rather than waiting until someone has bled enough to qualify 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Ratchet

I also want to point out- nature is not designed for your personal survival, but rather the survival of the species. Nature doesn't care personally about you (I say this as a personal failure of evolution- my babies were born prematurely and would not have survived, and I am certain that future births would go the same way without significant medical intervention). PPH is a leading cause of maternal mortality, especially in places where there are no medical providers (so, not just due to medical people fussing with you or the environment). 


Michel Odent has some great stuff on preventing PPH that involves a lot of the great suggestions above- there was a 2013 publication in Midwifery Today that he wrote about that that I couldn't find a quick link to but is probably easy to find.


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## SofiaDE

500 mls apparently is normal v/delivery
1000 mls or 1 litre is normal for c/s
In my case I lost 2 & 1/2 litres about 5 minutes after a v/delivery. The blood just poured out & crashed onto the floor in this godful noise. This is about 1/2 or over 1/2 of the total volume of blood in a human. 1/3 sudden blood loss can be fatal. Anyhow, there was no reason for it although I suspect the fact that I was induced & had a vacuum delivery had something to do with it. Two nights later I was given a blood transfusion [2 units of blood]. It was an awful experience to go through. I couldn't move, even lift a finger for nearly 2 days.


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