Giving birth to your baby after 9 months can be a relieving, beautiful and exciting experience. Postpartum your body will still be going through adjustments for a while, and as you care for your new baby, you’ll need to remember to take care of yourself as well.
Postpartum bleeding, also known as lochia, is normal after both vaginal and c-section births, however, it is best to know what is and isn’t common in post birth bleeding.
Normal postpartum bleeding
Lochia is similar to menstruation in the way in which it is made up of blood and tissue, it’s just heavier and longer lasting – it should stop between 4 and 6 weeks after giving birth.
Initially, your bleeding will be heavy. This first phase of postpartum bleeding is known as lochia rubra and you’ll experience this in the first 3 to 4 days. Bleeding will be red to reddy brown and you may have small clots.
In the next few days after birth your lochia will decrease in volume. Lochia serosa lasts 4 to 10 days and during this period your blood will darken in colour and become more watery. Blood clots should get smaller and disappear.
Finally you’ll experience lochia alba, which usually lasts about another 1 to 2 weeks, but can be up to 28 days. Discharge will be yellowy white in colour, you may see pinkish or brown stains on some days. There should be no smell other than what you would experience during a normal period – a strong odor can be a sign of an infection.
When to reach out to your doctor
Even though lochia is normal, if you are bleeding heavily this can indicate that you have a postpartum haemorrhage. If your bleeding is heavy a week after birth, you experience fever or chills, a tender abdomen or foul-smelling discharge, you’ll need to seek medical assistance.
For 2025 we have a renewed Female Health Programme:In collaboration with CareWorks, it’s accessible to all female members aged 18 and above, with an emphasis on preventative care and early detection of female-specific health issues. In addition, we have an enhanced Maternity Programme to support expecting mothers. This includes early identification of and weekly engagement for high-risk pregnancies, post-childbirth care and associated mental health follow-up calls for new mums, given the prevalence of pre and postnatal depression. Also, milestone reminders for children under 3 and cover for antenatal vitamins through savings, day-to-day benefits or the Benefit Booster
Bonitas Medical Fund
0860 002 108
View Website: www.bonitas.co.za
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2 thoughts on “Postpartum bleeding – what is normal?”
As a mom of a newborn I am all too familiar with this, great educational read indeed. Very important to know what is normal and when to seek medical care.
very insightful article. Vital information to know as a new mom.