Discharge in women after childbirth for how long. Postpartum discharge at home

When the long-awaited baby sees this world for the first time, the placenta separates from the uterus. Many vessels that served as a connecting link between the uterus and the placenta rupture. Some signs of the baby's vital activity before birth, along with parts of the placenta, leak out through bleeding.

Doctors call this discharge in women lochia. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid them. Such menstruation can occur with or without complications. It all depends on the woman’s body and external factors.

The discharge may not only be accompanied by a bad odor, but also cause various infections. During this period, the fair sex must be given Special attention personal hygiene, and therefore the cosmetic product she uses.

You need to be careful when choosing hygiene products; you should always read the ingredients of the product.. A large number of chemicals can harm a woman’s body, especially during this recovery period. You should not buy products that contain parabens and sodium laureth sulfate. These components can penetrate a woman’s blood through the pores and clog the body. Doctors categorically do not recommend using gels with similar components in the composition while breastfeeding the baby.

What to use during breastfeeding? Safe means for personal hygiene at any time will become cosmetical tools based on natural ingredients. They do not contain harmful substances and dyes, which can cause health problems.

Duration of discharge

When does the discharge end after childbirth? Since each person and his body are individual, the recovery period may be different for each woman. Every young mother can be guided by generally accepted norms for the duration of discharge, but deviations from the norm may also occur. When the discharge ends after childbirth will depend on the woman’s health and lifestyle.

The norm of discharge, which has been established by the community of gynecologists, is considered to be 6-8 weeks. If a young mother’s discharge lasts from 5 to 9 weeks, then these are acceptable deviations. But with all this, you need to pay attention to the thickness, color and smell of the discharge.

Deviations from the norm

Deviations from the norm that should alert a woman regarding the duration of menstruation are considered to be too short a period (1 month) or a period of more than 2 months. IN such a case mom needs to mandatory visit your local gynecologist to get tested necessary tests and identify the cause of the malfunction of the mother’s body. The doctor will prescribe subsequent treatment based on the test results.

Many women experience relief and joy if their postpartum menstruation passes in too short a period. In this case, you need, on the contrary, to behave extremely carefully. Most likely, mommy’s body was not able to completely cleanse itself of all microelements labor activity, and soon the body will begin inflammatory process involving these elements.

It is possible to identify various deviations of menstruation from the norm not only using the recovery period of the body, but also based on other qualitative characteristics.

Composition of a woman's discharge

A woman can identify serious health problems by looking at the composition of lochia.

• First few days bloody issues, which are based on burst vessels.
• The next stage: the healing process of the uterus. During this period, there should be no pronounced bleeding.
• Discharge with clots (a piece of placenta or endometrium).
• Liquid lochia without clots in the composition a week after labor.
• Lochia may contain mucus in the first week of menstruation. The presence of mucous discharge in women is due to the release of waste products of the child inside the mother. This discharge also goes away after a week.
• After 5 weeks, the young mother may see smears more familiar during menstruation, which are based on clotted blood.

There is no need to be afraid of lochia if they meet the above points. The worst thing is if postpartum menstruation is accompanied by purulent discharge. In this case, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Characteristics of lochia that do not correspond to the norm:

• Purulent discharge indicates an inflammatory process that has begun in the woman’s body. The cause of this process is usually infectious complications. They may be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen of a young mother, high temperature and the unpleasant odor and color of lochia. The discharge may be greenish in color.
• The presence of clots or mucous formations in menstruation 7 days after birth.
• Transparent and watery lochia should also not be called normal. They may indicate gardnerellosis or transudate. Gardnerellosis is a disease of the vagina in which the patient feels itching and observes copious discharge from the vagina. Transvascularization is the process of leakage of fluid from lymphatic or blood vessels through the vagina.
• A young mother's knowledge about the normal and abnormalities of postpartum lochia can help prevent serious health problems for a woman. If you suspect problems with discharge, a woman should consult a doctor for help, and also immediately take the necessary tests: smear, urine and blood. It is on the basis of their results that the specialist will prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis.

Menstruation after childbirth and its color

The color of lochia can tell about abnormalities in the female body. It is considered normal if:

• In the first 3 days, the color of the lochia is bright red due to uncoagulated blood.
• Brown menstruation after childbirth may occur within 2 weeks after labor.
• 3 weeks after birth, spotting may take on a yellowish tint.

The presence of a wider range of colors of lochia may indicate inflammatory processes in the body of a woman in labor.

Yellowish lochia may indicate such processes in the body:

• The normal state of the body is confirmed by pale yellow lochia.
• Inflammation of the uterine mucosa occurs if a woman sees bright yellow mucus already on the 4-5th day.
• Endometritis in hidden form may reveal a bright yellow discharge.

Endometritis, as a rule, is not treated at home. It is impossible to completely cure it at home. Endometritis requires treatment with antibiotics, as well as surgical intervention in some cases. The doctor may insist on the help of a surgeon if the healing process of inflammation of the uterus does not occur long time. To speed up recovery, the surgeon removes the inflammatory layer of the uterine epithelium, cleanses the mucous membrane and makes it possible top shell the uterus to recover as quickly as possible.

Greenish mucus may indicate a more complex and advanced process of inflammation of the genital organs. If purulent discharge is detected Green colour you need to see a doctor immediately.

Lochia white after the delivery process, as a rule, indicate genital infections or genitourinary organs. When examining a patient with such discharge, the local gynecologist must take a smear from the vagina. After receiving the test results, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment.

White discharge may accompany:

1. Sourish smell.
2. Redness of the genitals.
3. Curdled consistency of discharge.

Due to hormonal changes, black bleeding may occur. If they are not accompanied by an unpleasant odor and itching, then they are considered normal. Quite often they visit the local gynecologist with a complaint about the black color of lochia. But it’s the green lochia that you need to be most afraid of.

Red lochia is considered normal if it appears only in the first days. There is no need to be afraid. It’s just that the uterus during this period resembles a wound that bleeds. Soon the healing process will become more intense and the lochia will turn brown.

Thanks to the color of lochia, a woman can monitor the healing process of the uterus on her own. If a young mother sees deviations in the color or abundance of menstruation, she needs to visit a gynecologist to identify the disease and its treatment in the future.

Caesarean section and lochiometer

The nature and color of the discharge will be the same as with natural childbirth, and during caesarean section. Appear after caesarean section they should no later than 12-14 days after delivery. To avoid complications, a woman is prohibited from getting up for 10 hours.

The occurrence of lochiometry after cesarean section is becoming quite common. Lochiometra after cesarean section is a disorder of the outflow of postpartum secretions in women. Lochia can accumulate in the uterus and thereby cause inflammation in the uterine cavity.

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The postpartum period is a time of recovery female body. Bloody discharge after childbirth is part of this stage. We'll talk about why they happen and how long they should last below.

After the baby is born, there are still accumulations of blood, mucus, particles of dead tissue and placenta in the uterus. Everyone calls it lochia, they are the ones that must leave the woman’s body.

In addition, the uterus itself is damaged during childbirth. An open wound remains on it from the detached placenta with many damaged vessels.

It is from the blood oozing from a healing wound and lochia that postpartum discharge consists. This is a completely natural process of cleansing the body., which you don’t need to be afraid of. In the first hours it is most active and intense. Since the muscles of the uterus begin to contract, trying to accept natural shape, and push out everything unnecessary.

It will not be possible to completely avoid bleeding after childbirth, since the placenta in any case, detaching from the uterus, damages it. But gradually the amount of discharge should decrease. If this does not happen or the bleeding increases, urgent need to apply for medical assistance.

To avoid worsening your condition, follow these recommendations:

• roll over onto your stomach from time to time, this will help the uterus cleanse itself faster;
• Empty every 2-3 hours bladder, even if you don’t feel the desire, since a full bladder prevents the uterus from contracting;
• periodically apply a cold heating pad to the lower abdomen for 10–15 minutes, this helps to constrict blood vessels;
• avoid any physical activity;
• breastfeed, as this leads to contraction of the uterus and its rapid cleansing.

The first days after childbirth are especially dangerous. Firstly, all the lochia have not yet come out, which is a favorable environment for the proliferation of microbes. Secondly, the wound on the uterus is open and can easily become infected.

To avoid complications need to stick to simple rules hygiene:

• On the first day, use sterile diapers instead of pads. Then you can switch to regular pads that you are used to, just take the maximum number of drops. Such pads need to be changed 8–9 times a day.
• Wash your perineum after using the toilet warm water, directing the jet from top to bottom. Must be used baby soap. Only the outer surface can be washed.
• You need to take a shower every day, but under no circumstances take a bath.
• You can use any ointments for healing only with the permission of a doctor.
• It is strictly forbidden to wear tampons instead of pads. This will not only delay the release of lochia and increase the possibility of infection, but can also damage the vagina.

How long does discharge last after childbirth?

How long and how many days does the discharge last after childbirth? It is quite normal for blood discharge after childbirth lasts up to 2 months. Therefore, there is no need to panic. For some women, the recovery process ends by the sixth week, but such cases are rare. You should seek medical help if the discharge lasts more than 2 months. This may indicate the occurrence of complications.

It is difficult to accurately create a single allocation schedule, since this physiological process tied to individual characteristics body. However, there are certain average rates of discharge after childbirth:

• First 3–5 days– intense light red discharge. At this moment, the woman is under constant medical supervision. The amount of discharge can reach up to 400 ml per day.
• 5–6 days– the amount of discharge noticeably decreases, they acquire a brown tint. May contain blood clots and mucus. They intensify with physical activity. During this period, if there are no pathologies, the woman is discharged.
• 11–14 days– discharge after childbirth acquires a brownish-yellow color, which gradually lightens to white. This process can take up to a month.

At the same time, the discharge should not be accompanied by pain, fever or itching.

Pathological discharge, its cause and when it’s time to see a doctor

Let us list the situations in which you need to seek medical help:

• Discharge stops before the fifth week. This may be a consequence of uterine spasm. In this case, lochia cannot leave the body, which leads to infectious complications.
• The color of the discharge remains bright red after the first 5 days. This may indicate a clotting disorder or new bleeding.
• After the discharge has acquired Brown color, they turned red again. Indicates intrauterine bleeding.
• The discharge after childbirth has become putrid or sweetish, bad smell, which may be caused by the development of infection in the uterine cavity.

For any of the above violations urgently need to consult a doctor. Delay may lead to serious consequences, even death.

Share with us your experience, what hygiene products did you use it after childbirth, how quickly did the recovery process go? Our readers are very interested in the real experience of mothers and their tips for those who have yet to go through this!

Pregnancy and childbirth lead to numerous changes not only in life, but also in a woman’s body.

Later certain time after childbirth the body returns to the initial state, but before this unusual phenomena are observed. One of them is postpartum discharge, which is called lochia.

Lochia occurs in all women after childbirth. Their cause is the rupture of blood vessels between the uterus and placenta when the child is born. The result of such a rupture is bleeding. Its occurrence is a natural process, since the uterus must be cleansed of the remains of the placenta, dead particles of the endometrium and traces of the vital activity of the fetus.

Some women who have given birth do not know about this phenomenon, so they are nervous when it occurs. But even with this information, young mothers need a detailed study of this process in order to understand when it is normal and when there are pathologies. This will help you avoid complications by calling for help in time. medical care.

How long does discharge last after childbirth?

Each woman differs from others in the individual properties of her body. Therefore, pregnancy, childbirth and the duration of the recovery period after them are different for everyone. Therefore, it is impossible to determine in advance how many days the discharge lasts after childbirth. We can only name an approximate framework from which to build. Anything outside of them is considered a deviation.

Normally, the duration of the period when there is postpartum discharge is 6-8 weeks. Sometimes allowed small deviations, when lochia may stop a week earlier or later than the period established in gynecology. These deviations are considered normal, but only if there are no violations in other features. Therefore, when postpartum discharge lasts 5 or 9 weeks, doctors analyze indicators such as smell, color, thickness, quantity, composition, etc. Based on this, one can judge whether the recovery period is normal.

The danger is when lochia lasts less than 5 or more than 9 weeks. Therefore, a young mother needs to take into account the time when postpartum discharge stopped. Both completion too early and too late are considered deviations. This happens when there are disturbances in the functioning of the female body. Therefore, it is very important to consult a doctor in time to determine the causes. This will make it possible to prevent the development of complications.

Important! Women whose lochia lasted less than a month are usually happy about this fact. But when the discharge ends so quickly after childbirth, one should be wary, since the vast majority of such cases subsequently led to hospitalization. With a shortened period of postpartum discharge, the body fails to get rid of all pathological residues. After some time, these residues begin to decompose, which leads to the development of inflammation.

This means that any young mother needs to compare the duration of lochia discharge with normal values. Even if the deviations are acceptable, you need to consult a gynecologist to make sure there are no problems.

Composition of secretions

To understand whether postpartum recovery is proceeding normally, a young mother needs to take into account not only the duration of lochia, but also their composition. Sometimes the duration of the discharge is within normal limits, but its composition indicates abnormalities in the functioning of the body.

Normal indicators discharge after childbirth:

1. For the first 2-3 days, spotting is considered normal. During childbirth, blood vessels burst, leading to bleeding.
2. After this, the uterus heals and open bleeding should stop.
3. The first week is the stage when the remaining placenta and dead endometrium are released. Therefore, clots may be present.
4. After a week, the secretion of clots ends and the lochia becomes liquid.
5. The presence of mucous discharge is also normal - these are waste products of the fetus. They should also disappear within a week.
6. 5-6 weeks after birth, lochia becomes a spotting discharge. They are similar to those observed during menstruation.

The presence of bloody discharge after childbirth should not be alarming. Dangerous is the presence of pus in them - this is a sign of violations. You need to urgently go to a gynecologist in such cases as:

• Appearance purulent discharge. This indicates the onset of an inflammatory process that occurs due to infection. The diagnosis confirms the presence elevated temperature, pain in the lower abdomen, unpleasant smell of discharge.
• Discharge of mucus and clots a week after the birth of the baby.
• Transparency and wateriness of lochia is also a deviation. This may be caused by gardnerellosis ( vaginal dysbiosis), in which there is copious discharge that has a fishy odor. Another reason for the appearance of this deviation is the release of fluid from the lymph nodes.

Knowledge of the characteristics inherent in normal lochia will allow the new mother to seek medical help in time.

Discharge color

After childbirth, important characteristic lochia is their color. It can also be used to judge how successfully the body of the woman who gave birth is recovering. The norm is:

1. Bright red color in the first 3 days. At this time, the blood has not yet coagulated.
2. For 2 weeks after this, the color should be brown. This indicates that the uterus is healing normally.
3. Shortly before the end of the lochia (in the last weeks) they should become transparent. Slight turbidity and a yellowish tint may be observed.

Any other shades of postpartum discharge are considered pathological.

Yellow discharge after childbirth

What kind of problems there are in the body can be judged by the shade of such discharge.

1. If pale yellow, light discharge appears at the end of the second week, there is no need to worry - this is one of the normal variants.
2. The appearance of bright yellow lochia with greenish tint 4-5 days after birth (especially with the smell of rot) indicates endometritis.
3. The bright yellow color of the discharge when it contains mucus, detected after 2 weeks, indicates the development of latent endometritis.

Endometritis cannot be cured at home; for this it is necessary to take antibiotics or surgically remove the inflamed area of ​​the uterine epithelium.

Green discharge after childbirth

Green discharge is a more dangerous phenomenon. They appear when inflammation of the uterus is at an advanced stage. Therefore, you need to contact a specialist as soon as the first purulent impurities with a slight greenish tint are noticed.

This is another reason for concern and a visit to the gynecologist. Especially if white lochia is accompanied the following manifestations:

• sour unpleasant smell,
• itching in the perineal area,
• curdled consistency of discharge,
• redness of the genitals.

These symptoms indicate the development infectious diseases genitourinary tract(thrush or yeast colpitis).

In the presence of black discharge that is not complicated additional symptoms like pain or unpleasant odor, there is no reason to worry. This is another type of normal, caused by changes in blood composition due to hormonal changes.

Bloody discharge after childbirth

Lochia is red in color normal recovery organisms can be only a few days after the birth of the child. This is due to the presence open wound in the uterus, which is why bright red lochia is released. After a week, the color should turn brownish-brown, and then gray-yellow.

Number of allocations

Features of the course of the recovery period can be determined by the amount of discharge. The normal course of the process is indicated by the following:

1. The presence of abundant lochia during the first postpartum week. At this time, the removal of residues unnecessary for the body occurs.
2. The more time passes, the less discharge should become. A small number of them in 2-3 weeks is normal.

A young mother should tell her doctor if there is too little discharge in the first days after the baby is born. This happens when pipes and ducts become clogged, which interferes with the cleansing of the body.

If the amount of discharge does not decrease within 2-3 weeks, this indicates that the healing of the uterus is not progressing properly. For some reason, this process is delayed, so you need to undergo an examination.

The smell of discharge

After childbirth, the smell of lochia can also be used to judge how well the uterine restoration process is normal.

For the first days, a combination of the smells of fresh blood and dampness is considered normal. Then it should be replaced by such features as rottenness or mustiness.

Harshness of smell, sour notes or a hint of rot are considered abnormal. If the smell is accompanied by deviations related to the color, composition or number of lochia, you should immediately contact a gynecologist. Waiting for everything to go away on its own is unacceptable.

Discharge intermittently

Women who have given birth are very concerned about the situation when lochia stops, and after a week or several weeks it starts again. Such an incident is a reason to contact a specialist to find out the reasons. They may be different.

• The appearance of scarlet discharge after 2 months is sometimes the beginning of menstruation. For some young mothers, the body recovers very quickly. If the woman does not feed the baby breast milk, then her periods resume at short time. Another reason for this phenomenon is rupture of seams. It can be caused by problems (for example, physical or emotional overload). To establish the exact reasons, an examination is needed.
• The return of lochia after 2-3 months requires a careful analysis of all other features. It happens that for some reason, postpartum waste partially remains in the body and comes out after a decent period of time. It may be normal if the discharge is different dark color and a normal odor without purulent inclusions (mucus and clots may be present). If the listed symptoms are still observed, it is impossible without examination. Probably, the woman has developed an inflammatory process that can only be eliminated with antibiotics or surgery.

Having such a break is not always dangerous. But if a young mother doubts the condition of her body, she should talk to a gynecologist. This will help you calm down and notice deviations in time.

Discharge after caesarean section

Artificial birth slightly change the duration and composition of lochia. Their main features:

• Recovery after a cesarean section is similar to that after a normal birth. Lochia is a mixture of blood and dead endometrium.
• IN in this case You need to be especially careful about hygiene, since the risk of infection is higher.
• The first week is characterized by the presence of clots and mucus. The discharge at this time is abundant.
• The color of the lochia should be red at first, and after a few days they turn brown.
• After a cesarean section, the uterus contracts and heals more slowly, which leads to a longer presence of bloody discharge. But this period should not exceed 2 weeks.

There are few differences in this case, but they also need to be known and taken into account.

Hygiene during discharge

To avoid infection and inflammation, you need to follow good hygiene. Basic Rules:

1. Washing the genitals after each visit to the toilet. You only need to wash the outside, the correct direction is from front to back.
2. Daily shower. A bath during this period is contraindicated, as is douching.
3. You should refrain from using pads on the first day, replacing them with sterile diapers.
4. Change pads at least 8 times a day. Tampons are prohibited.

Based on the characteristics of postpartum discharge, one can judge how well the healing is proceeding. A woman who has given birth needs to very carefully monitor their compliance with the norm and consult a doctor if there are any deviations.

As soon as the long-awaited baby is born, the mother tries to surround him with care from all sides, sometimes forgetting that her body also needs increased attention. At this time it is restored hormonal background, uterine tone, abdominal wall, and any deviations from the norm can become life-threatening. How to determine whether everything is fine in the body of a woman who has given birth to a child?

In the first months, a lot can be judged by the lochia. This is the name for postpartum discharge from the genital tract. How long does the discharge last after childbirth? What is considered normal? Is yellow discharge harmless after childbirth? How can you understand what problems need to be treated based on changes in the amount or duration of lochia?

Normal lochia

There are certain standards by which one can judge whether lochia is normal or whether it indicates the need for urgent care. medical intervention. The characteristics of the discharge must correspond to the period that has passed since birth.

In the first days, when the woman is still in the maternity hospital, the condition of lochia should be monitored by a doctor. But if he didn’t pay attention to something, it’s better to ask again than to leave the problem unnoticed. And after discharge, all responsibility for observing how postpartum discharge changes falls on the woman in labor herself. Therefore, she also needs to be able to distinguish between normal and pathological conditions, to know how long lochia should last and at what intervals their appearance will change.

Duration and quantity

To understand how long the discharge lasts after childbirth, you need to understand why it appears. First, the remnants of the placenta and waste products of the fetus are expelled, then blood and lymph are released from the damaged inner layer of the uterus. Its recovery takes approximately 40–50 days. Accordingly, lochia continues for the same amount of time - from 6 to 8 weeks - after childbirth.

The intensity of the discharge depends on how much time has passed after childbirth:

• The first two hours, when the woman in labor must still be in the maternity ward under the close supervision of a doctor, are especially dangerous. There is a lot of discharge; in relation to body weight, it is approximately 0.5%, but not more than 400 ml. Large losses will definitely affect the general condition.
• For another 2 or 3 days, lochia continues to be abundant - 300 ml in 3 days. At this time, it is better to use diaper pads rather than pads to make it easier for the doctor to assess the volume of lochia.
• The next week the amount of discharge is approximately the same as during menstruation. Every day their volume decreases little by little. For hygiene purposes, it is more convenient to use regular pads with high degree absorption of moisture, not diapers. But it is strictly contraindicated to use tampons.
• When the first month has passed after childbirth, lochia should still be observed, but it is already very scanty.
• In 8, at as a last resort, 9 weeks, lochia discharge should stop.

How long the discharge lasts after childbirth depends on the severity of the body’s ability to recover, the woman’s nutrition, and daily routine. They should not be too long (lasting more than 9 weeks) or too short (less than 5 weeks).

Color, smell and consistency

The appearance of the discharge also depends on how long the lochia lasts after childbirth and on its composition.

Norm of qualitative characteristics of postpartum discharge:

• The first few days they are liquid, bright red, with the smell of blood. This is due to the fact that they contain large percentage pure blood. Small blood clots and mucus may occur. Such lochia is considered normal only for a few days.
• By the middle of the first week, their color should change and turn brown. The smell of lochia at this time is similar to normal menstruation.
• When a month has passed after childbirth, the lochia becomes mucous, cloudy, and grayish in color. Over time, there are fewer of them, and the color approaches transparent.

By the end of the postpartum period, the discharge is very scanty and mucous, the same as that of any healthy woman before pregnancy.

Signs of pathology

Any deviation from the parameters described above may indicate the presence serious problems. Throughout the postpartum period, there is a risk of bleeding, infection of the genital tract or uterine cavity. In order to prevent the development of severe complications, it is important to know how long lochia lasts normally, and to consult a doctor at the first suspicion of pathological changes.

Possible deviations from the norm:

1. Reducing or increasing the duration of lochia secretion.
2. Abrupt cessation or increase in volume.
3. The discharge stopped, and after a while it started again.
4. Change in color.
5. The appearance of an unpleasant odor.
6. Change in consistency.

You should consult a doctor in any case, even if only one characteristic has changed, for example, just the color has changed.

Quantitative changes

Most a common complication early postpartum period is the development of bleeding. In this case, you feel that the diaper gets wet very quickly, and you may feel a little dizzy. However, there are no pain. This condition can be caused by blood diseases or too weak uterine contractions. For stronger contractions to begin, it is necessary drug therapy(injection of a dose of Oxytocin).

Deviations from the norm in a later period:

• If the remnants of the placenta for some reason are not completely expelled immediately after birth, bleeding may develop even more long term. Its sign will be a sharp increase in the volume of discharge.
• An abrupt cessation of lochia, especially if not even a month has passed after giving birth, may be a sign that something is preventing them from coming out. This could be a backward bend of the uterus, cervical spasm, or a neoplasm. In any case, this can lead to infection of the endometrium and the development of endometriosis.
• If the lochia has not stopped 8 or 9 weeks after birth, you need to undergo an examination to find out why the endometrium is not recovering at the required speed.

Often, women in labor are happy when the lochia ends quickly. But in fact, with normal recovery processes, healing of the uterine mucosa occurs after at least 40 days. If lochia stops earlier, this should be alarming, not pleasing.

Changes in color or odor

The color of lochia may suddenly change if some undesirable processes occur in the uterine cavity or cervix. Often, especially if yellow discharge appears after childbirth, an unpleasant odor is felt. No matter how harmless such deviations may seem, any of them is bad sign and cannot pass without medical help.

Possible color changes:

• Bloody discharge after childbirth is considered normal only in the first few days. If a week has passed after childbirth, and they remain bright red, this is already a pathology, a sign of impaired epithelial healing or problems with hematopoiesis. If the lochia has already changed color, but then turns red again, there is a high probability that bleeding has occurred.
• Black color scares women in labor the most. But it is relatively harmless, since it speaks of changes in the composition of the blood caused by hormonal changes.
• Yellow discharge after childbirth, they occur when bacteria enter the uterine cavity and endometriosis develops. A faint yellow tint to the discharge after 2 weeks is considered normal. Yellow discharge after childbirth is often accompanied by an unpleasant putrid odor.
• Green discharge after childbirth, mucous or purulent lochia is a sign that infectious process progresses, inflammation is already advanced. In such a situation, there is a risk of developing sepsis. This is due to the fact that the infection can very easily enter the bloodstream through the endometrium, which has not yet recovered.
• The white color of lochia, especially if they have become cheesy, indicates infection with the fungus Candida. This discoloration may be accompanied by itching and burning in the genital area.
• Brown discharge after childbirth usually appears 3 or 4 days after delivery and stops when 3 weeks or at most a month have passed after delivery. If more than a month has passed and brown discharge after childbirth they did not become light, this may indicate slow regeneration of the endometrium.

Each of the above changes is dangerous for the health and even life of a woman, so you should immediately consult a doctor. Remember, the baby needs a healthy mother who monitors both his condition and her own.

Discharge after 2 months

When 2 months have passed after childbirth, there should be no postpartum discharge. At this time, the risk of bleeding is already very low, especially if the postpartum period went well and the discharge has long stopped. But what then does the discharge mean at this time?

After a woman gave birth to a child, her menstrual cycle recovers quickly. If she breastfeeds, ovulation is suppressed. But when the child is on the artificial feeding, menstruation can resume within 2–3 months. Therefore, mucous bleeding 2 months after the birth of a child can be normal menstruation.

If a woman is breastfeeding, the discharge that appears again will appearance does not look like your period or there are any other reasons to doubt that there is no problem, it is best to contact your doctor. Such cooperation will help you successfully recover from pregnancy and happily raise your baby.

They appear regardless of how the woman gave birth to the child - independently or by caesarean section. Discharge begins after the release of the placenta, which was firmly attached to the uterus blood vessels. Common vessels connecting the placenta and the surface of the uterus form a wound surface from which blood oozes. Uterine contractions compress the ruptured vessels and the rupture closes over time. But this does not happen immediately, and sometimes problems arise during wound healing. That is why you should listen to your feelings and consult a doctor in time.

To determine the condition of a woman in labor after childbirth, the main diagnostic criterion for the attending physician is the smell and duration of postpartum discharge. Their consistency and thickness, character and time when they become scanty and transparent are also assessed.

The postpartum period begins not after the birth of the child, but after the placenta is separated. In obstetrics, a distinction is made between the early postpartum period, lasting 2 hours, and late period wearing individual character, the duration of which can be from 6 to 8 weeks.

How long the late postpartum period will last depends on several interacting factors, and the time required can only be roughly predicted. The norm in medicine is a relative concept, derived from average statistical indicators, and each patient can experience it differently, and not only in relation to others. Even for one woman, after each pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum discharge may occur differently.

Postpartum recovery of the body

The first two hours, in the early postpartum period, which begins immediately after the separation of the placenta, a bright scarlet, moderately abundant substance will be released. Normally, this can last about 2 hours, and the bloody nature of the discharge is explained by the outflow of blood from uterine vessels, on which a wound surface has formed. The uterus, whose vessels are damaged by the separation of the placenta, begins naturally contract so that the vessels stop bleeding.

It is believed that normal level blood loss - half a percent of total weight postpartum women. In some obstetric schools, a figure not exceeding a quarter of a liter will be considered normal.

The difference in the duration of the late postpartum period is due to several factors, the main ones:

• uterine contraction and its speed;
• no complications;
• normal condition blood coagulation system;
• physiological birth process;
• natural postpartum restoration of the female reproductive system.

If all these conditions are met, postpartum discharge usually tends to end one and a half months (6 weeks) after the birth of the baby. If they continue to go on much longer than expected or have stopped earlier, you need to consult with your local gynecologist and be sure to go to see him, even if external signs no complications. Prolonged release an externally harmless substance that is watery in nature may indicate an incomplete process of uterine restoration; bloody - lead to the development of anemia, especially detrimental to a woman during breastfeeding, purulent - signal the beginning of the inflammatory process.

Normal discharge after childbirth

In the maternity hospital, the patient is under the constant attention of doctors. Under favorable circumstances, she is discharged home already on the 5-6th day. A copious flow of discharge can normally last 2-3 days, and all this time the body’s condition is closely monitored. Proper supervision is due to the enormous burden that a woman endures during childbirth.

The process, which lasts the first 2-3 days, is due to the presence wound surface on the walls of the uterus, and its intensity may increase or decrease, under the influence physical activity or breastfeeding. The fluids released at this time are called lochia by gynecologists, and their normal release is considered:

• bloody color in the first 2-3 days;
• less intensity and brown or meaty, not so bright color on day 5-6;
• starting from 6-7 days - a white or yellow tint, normally quite light;
• from 9-10 days they should look like an almost transparent substrate, of a meager nature.

Normally, the indicators, intensity and color of the discharge may take on a liquid appearance, but it is possible that they will be slightly stretchy. The appearance of blood clots, pain, and a longer period of uterine contraction is acceptable. These are the main ones diagnostic indicators, by which one can judge how successful the process is underway involution or reverse development of the uterus. The restoration of the physiological state of a woman in labor takes longer if the contractility of this organ is weakened, but it can pass quite quickly if the woman’s body is healthy and the birth took place without complications.

Pathological postpartum discharge

Subinvolution, or delayed return of the uterus to its normal state, is an indicator that occurs under the influence of certain factors, not always pathological. It is dangerous if the process of uterine contraction lasts longer than normal. Normally, the uterus is small in volume, and its non-contraction can lead to the development of purulent-inflammatory processes.

First, the doctor palpates and feels the uterus and evaluates the rate of its contraction. If its size has changed little, although it should already be small in terms of timing, it will insist on hardware and laboratory examination. Otherwise, delayed recovery can lead to pathological consequences.

The reasons for subinvolution can be called natural processes, and surgical intervention, and pathological complications:

• multiple births;
• rapid labor;
• oncological neoplasms (uterine fibroids);
• polyhydramnios;
• gestosis;
• long labor;
• remnants of membranes or placenta.

ABOUT pathological condition may indicate rotten smell discharge lasting more than a week beyond the prescribed period. Discharge that is bloody or white, in which the uterus continues to hurt, as well as normal-looking discharge that lasts for a month or more, should also cause concern. The main indicators to immediately send for examination are palpation and the nature of the discharge.

As for a caesarean section, the uterus contracts more slowly and weakly after it. The cesarean method involves longer healing and lochia after it is observed longer and more intense than after physiological childbirth.

Causes of pathological discharge

If deviations from relative norm accompanied by alarming symptoms (temperature, general malaise, prolonged or early stopping lochia, acute or dull pain), which means there is a reason to immediately consult a doctor.

Mucus, cheesy clots and a sour smell indicate a developed thrush.

Heavy bleeding and clots resembling meat, an unpleasant odor, a gradual transition from the meat-colored stage to discharge resembling slop may indicate acute endometritis. This is an inflammation caused by remnants of membranes or blood clots, in which the mucous membrane needs to be scraped, removal of pathological debris and disinfection. Otherwise, the most unpredictable consequences are possible.

What to remember after childbirth

There is no absolute standard in medicine, and how many women had to see this from their own example when they gave birth for the second and third time. After all, everyone recovery period proceeds in its own way, with of different durations and abundance. Therefore, it is worth focusing on the approximate normal range.

The mucous nature of the discharge can be both normal and pathological change the process of restoring the uterus to its previous state. White substance - appears after breastfeeding, or as a result of poor hygiene. Normal lochia can be shorter or longer, depending on the condition of the body, the course of labor, and uterine contractility.

Any actions should begin only after a medical examination, consultation with a specialist, laboratory tests, take any medications with the knowledge and approval of your doctor. This will help rapid recovery after childbirth.