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How long does bleeding last after birth?
Postpartum bleeding explained: how long lochia lasts after birth, how it changes week by week, and the signs of postpartum hemorrhage.
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In short
How long does bleeding last after birth?
Bleeding after birth, called lochia, usually lasts up to 6 weeks, after a vaginal birth or a C-section. It starts heavy and bright red, with a few small clots, then slowly turns pink and finally yellow or white. Most of the slowdown happens in the first week. Soaking a pad in an hour or passing clots bigger than a golf ball needs care right away.
Written by the Gyne team · Medical review: pending
Key takeaways
- Lochia is the blood and tissue that lined your uterus in pregnancy, and it usually stops within about 6 weeks.
- It gets lighter in flow and color over time, though a short red bump around days 7 to 14 can be normal.
- Soaking a pad in an hour or less, or passing clots bigger than a golf ball, needs medical care right away.
- Use pads, not tampons, until your doctor says it's fine, usually after about 6 weeks.
- Bleeding that gets heavier, smells bad or comes with a fever should be checked, even weeks after birth.
What is lochia?
Lochia (say LOH-kee-uh) is the bleeding and discharge you have after giving birth. It's made of the blood and tissue that lined your uterus during pregnancy, and it comes out as the place where the placenta was attached heals.
Everyone who gives birth has lochia, whether the baby was born vaginally or by C-section.
How does bleeding change in the weeks after birth?
Bleeding is usually heaviest in the first few days and eases the most during the first week. A typical pattern looks like this:
- First few days: heavy, bright red bleeding, like a heavy period, sometimes with small clots.
- End of week 1: lighter flow that turns pink.
- Around days 7 to 14: a short increase in red bleeding for a day or so can happen as the scab over the placenta site comes away.
- Weeks 2 to 6: a lighter yellow or white discharge that slowly fades and stops.
How much bleeding is normal after birth?
Passing a few small clots is normal early on, especially when you first get up after lying down. The flow should keep getting lighter over time, not heavier.
Bleeding that soaks more than 1 pad an hour, or clots bigger than a golf ball, is not normal. Bleeding that is still as heavy as a period after the first 4 days, apart from that short bump around days 7 to 14, should also be checked.
Is bleeding after a C-section different?
Not much. After a C-section you still have lochia for up to 6 weeks, and it follows the same red, then pink, then yellow or white pattern.
Call your doctor if bleeding is still very heavy after 4 days, if light bleeding lasts beyond 4 weeks, or if you pass large clots. Also watch your cut for redness, warmth, swelling, leaking or opening.
What are the signs of postpartum hemorrhage?
Postpartum hemorrhage means heavy bleeding after birth. It most often happens in the first 24 hours, when it means losing about 500 ml (a pint) of blood or more, but it can also happen later. It needs fast treatment. Signs include:
- Soaking through a pad in an hour or less.
- Passing clots bigger than a golf ball.
- Bleeding that suddenly gets heavier instead of lighter.
- Feeling dizzy, light-headed, faint or sick to your stomach.
Why would bleeding get heavy again weeks later?
Heavy or unusual bleeding between 24 hours and 12 weeks after birth is called a late, or secondary, hemorrhage. It's often linked to an infection in the uterus, or sometimes to a small piece of placenta that stayed behind.
It usually happens after you're home. Call your doctor if bleeding gets heavier, the discharge smells bad, or you feel unwell or feverish. Treatment may include antibiotics or, less often, a small procedure.
How can you look after yourself while you bleed?
Use pads, not tampons, and wait about 6 weeks before using tampons or having sex. Your doctor can tell you when it's fine for you, often at your postpartum checkup.
Period-like cramps are common in the first days, especially while breastfeeding, as your uterus shrinks back. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which pain relievers are safe for you, especially if you're breastfeeding.
Rest when you can, pee often and drink plenty of fluids to help prevent bladder infections. If you lost a lot of blood, you may feel very tired, and your doctor may check you for anemia, a low red blood cell count.
When to see a doctor
- You soak through a pad in an hour or less, or pass clots bigger than a golf ball: call your doctor right away, and call 911 or your local emergency number if you also feel faint or dizzy.
- Bleeding is still as heavy as a period after the first 4 days and isn't easing.
- Bleeding gets heavier again, or comes back after it stopped for more than a few days.
- Your discharge smells bad, or you have a fever over 100°F (37.8°C) that doesn't go away.
- Pain in your belly gets worse instead of better.
- One leg is swollen or painful, and looks redder or feels warmer than the other.
- After a C-section, light bleeding lasts beyond 4 weeks, or your cut is red, swollen, leaking or opens.
How Gyne helps
Gyne's postpartum recovery guide goes week by week, matched to a vaginal birth or a C-section. It tracks your bleeding and healing and shows the warning signs to watch for.
PostpartumThis guide is general information, not medical advice. Only a doctor can diagnose a condition.