bleeding after pregnancy? admittedly, TMI!

[dukie41181]

So what is normal? My bleeding had pretty much stopped about 5 1/2 post-partum, then about 6 weeks post-partum my husband and I were "active" for the first time. Since then I've had a bid of bleeding and I don't know if its normal (and don't remebeer this from last time). Did this happen to anyone else?

[MoJo]

My midwives said anything up to twelve weeks is in the normal range. Mine would stop and start with activity for that whole time.

[JenaW]

Are you breastfeeding? If not, 6 weeks is very common time for your 1st pp period to occur. I can't even tell you how many patients I have had come in for the 6week visit (though usually a few weeks later, around 7-10 weeks) already pregnant again. If you are breastfeeding, intercourse can certainly cause some bleeding, whether it is from vag dryness (caused by decreased estrogen during BFing), "leftover" blood still inside, your endometrium still sloughing off, etc. Like others mentioned, I usually don't get too worried within the first 12 weeks. especially if your bleeding seemed to stop early initially. With my last baby, I hardly had ANY pp bleeding in the hospital (nothing more than a regular/light period). Had nothing at home the first 2-3 days. Then went on a 5 mile bike ride (STUPID!) and literally looked and felt like I was hemorrhaging. Stopped bleeding again 2 days later. Had light spotting for a week or so. Took another bike ride around 3 weeks pp (this time with baby in her car seat in the trailer) and started bleeding again so heavy that I soaked through a heavy pp cloth pad, through my padded bike shorts, through the skirt over my bike shorts. I think it just did not all come out initially, so every time I upped my activity levels, it started the bleeding again. You can think of your uterine lining as being a cut surface once the placenta detaches. Like any other cut, it will bleed until it "heals." If you keep rubbing the "scab" off (with any increased activity, including intercourse) it will start to bleed again. This is part of its normal healing process. Unless you have large clots, soak through a pad in less than an hour and cont to bleed, or notice a foul smell, it is probably ok. As with anything you are concerned about, feel free to call your OB's office for reassurance. That is what I always tell my patients

J

[dukie41181]

Originally Posted by JenaW

Are you breastfeeding? If not, 6 weeks is very common time for your 1st pp period to occur. I can't even tell you how many patients I have had come in for the 6week visit (though usually a few weeks later, around 7-10 weeks) already pregnant again. If you are breastfeeding, intercourse can certainly cause some bleeding, whether it is from vag dryness (caused by decreased estrogen during BFing), "leftover" blood still inside, your endometrium still sloughing off, etc. Like others mentioned, I usually don't get too worried within the first 12 weeks. especially if your bleeding seemed to stop early initially. With my last baby, I hardly had ANY pp bleeding in the hospital (nothing more than a regular/light period). Had nothing at home the first 2-3 days. Then went on a 5 mile bike ride (STUPID!) and literally looked and felt like I was hemorrhaging. Stopped bleeding again 2 days later. Had light spotting for a week or so. Took another bike ride around 3 weeks pp (this time with baby in her car seat in the trailer) and started bleeding again so heavy that I soaked through a heavy pp cloth pad, through my padded bike shorts, through the skirt over my bike shorts. I think it just did not all come out initially, so every time I upped4 my activity levels, it started the bleeding again. You can think of your uterine lining as being a cut surface once the placenta detaches. Like any other cut, it will bleed until it "heals." If you keep rubbing the "scab" off (with any increased activity, including intercourse) it will start to bleed again. This is part of its normal healing process. Unless you have large clots, soak through a pad in less than an hour and cont to bleed, or notice a foul smell, it is probably ok. As with anything you are concerned about, feel free to call your OB's office for reassurance. That is what I always tell my patients

J

Thanks for your response! I am breastfeeding and it isn't heavy like a period. I only need a few liners or pads per day. Sounds normal just unexpected

[wellyes]

Normal, it's all wonky for weeks & weeks. Then the long happy period-free time begins!

[MSWR0319]

Same thing happened to me. I had quit bleeding around 5 weeks and started again around 6. Wasn't real heavy, but needed to change a pantyliner a few times a day. I was also breastfeeding and my midwife said it could just be ormolu pp bleeding still or I could be one of the lucky ones that gets my period while breastfeeding. She made she she mentioned not to use breastfeeding as birth control just invade. I never did have any bleeding after that until I quit breastfeeding, so I ink it was still pp bleeding.

[catsnkid]

Mine stopped for about 3-4 days about 3-4 weeks post partem, and then started again for another week.