Something that doesn't get talked about all that often. Definitely nothing I have read about except on here. How long do you bleed or have gross discharge post birth? Is this something they teach you about at birth classes or essentially something you learn as you are going through it?
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My childbirth classes and friends prepared me for it but it was still disgusting! I hated using giant pads!
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I bled and had ickyness for a solid 6 weeks (like, real bleeding - nighttime pads 24/7). It also took that long for my hemorrhoids to heal. It was very unpleasant.
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I think I bled for 3 weeks? I was so distracted with the baby that I hardly noticed though.
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Ugghh see? No one tells people these things! @autumnlove: I'm glad to hear your childbirth class prepared you for it.
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The bleeding lasted 3.5 week for me.
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I just finally forced myself to read the postpartum chapter in What to Expect. It's pretty horrific, but with only 5 weeks to go until my due date, I decided that I had better learn about what to expect after delivery. My childbirth class didn't really go over that stuff.
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with charlie, a c-section, it was 6 weeks.
with olive, a v-bac, it was shorter... maybe 4 weeks?
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It was about 2 weeks for me and then another week of spotting. It was gross and it irritated me to have all that stuff to do EVERY time I went to the bathroom.
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They talked about it in my birth class because they had everyone get in a group and come up with questions and that was one of them. For me it lasted about a month. But that was nothing compared to the pain... I knew it would hurt after, but not as long as it did. But its because I had a bad tear.
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I don't remember exactly how long, but I was bleeding for a long time. I'm going to say a little over 2 months, which seemed much longer than most people. It bothered me because it was just one more thing that I had to deal with that I could have done without.
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By the book, it is around 6 weeks of "flow" after birth, but it should change from lots of red right away, to pink/large volumes of white by 6 weeks time. I am so not looking forward to that part AT ALL!
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I want to say 2-3 weeks of real ICK and then another 2 or so of spotting/light ick. I had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery.
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I bled for 2 weeks, then after complications I bled for another 2-3 weeks. It was just like having a very heavy period (cramps and all, since your uterus is contracting back down to normal size). It is not pleasant at all... but nothing compared to HEMORRHOIDS. Ugh.
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How many of you got hemmeroids?!
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Before ever giving birth I dreaded this... I couldn't imagine bleeding for that long... But most of my friends and I agree that it's really not that bad (I think this is because new moms are usually more preoccupied with breastfeeding and sleep deprivation in the beginning).
And you don't HAVE TO wear heavy pads. You could use, you know, modern day pads that are thin but very absorbent (I like Infinity ones by Always). No tampons though til cleared by your OB.
Anyway, by Day 2 in the hospital (vaginal birth), it was just like a heavy-moderate period for me... It got lighter and lighter each day. Around week 4 I was fine with just pantiliners. With my 2nd baby, it stopped completely at Week 5.
I'm pretty sure this is talked about in pregnancy books!
ETA: to deal with the icky-ness, remember that the squeeze bottle they give you in the hospital is your friend!
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2 weeks of real ick
1 week of something normal to heavy flow period
1 week of light flow -
I think I bled for maybe 3 weeks. The first 24hours were just horrendous and I didn't care about the ginormous hospital pads. It tapered off fairly quickly. The thinner maternity pads were much easier to deal with.
They mentioned post birth in classes and I read about it in books. I think it is kind of downplayed though. I am not sure I was prepared for the pain, suffering and ickiness. TMI but I think I was scared/scarred for life by my first post birth BM. Truly, truly horrible. If I have another LO I'm gonna want a bucket of stool softeners straight after delivery. Sorry ladies for the TMI, it's still harrowing 10 months later!
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