What is going on-TMI!

[poopzmom]

I had my dd one week ago. My bleeding has been light-medium. tonight I was standing over the crib changing the sheet and i felt something coming out of me. felt like I was delivering the placenta again. I went over to the bathroom and a big clot came out. I know they said to call if it was bigger then a golf ball but it wasn't round. It was long and thick. I am not bleeding anymore just that one thing that came out. is this normal?

[lava mama]

Sounds to me like you've been on your feet a bit too much today. Remember that you basically have a scab inside your uterus where the placenta was attached. If you are "over doing it" then it's like you are picking at that scab and it starts to bleed again. You probably are feeling ready to hop into everyday activities, but passing clots is a sign you're not quite ready yet. That happened to me a lot during my recovery after DD's birth--I was so anxious to load the dishwasher but it ended up being a bit too much for me. You'll get there eventually!

[sharita]

Same thing with me last time.  I was on my own since DH had to go right back to work and my only family in the state my mom was away at the time.  My newborn had all this stuff (severe jaundice and RSV) so there was so sitting around I had appointments like twice a day and I definately passed clots when I was up and around too much too soon.  As soon as I got home for the evening and got off my feet and relaxed, it would stop.

[poopzmom]

I thought laying down was what causes the clots. Doesn't that make the blood pool together? I hate that they tell you to call for anything over a golf ball size but then it seems like everyone has big clots afterwards.

[lava mama]

I remember that it was important to get up frequently to use the bathroom immediately after DD's birth, and for the hours afterwards to help get rid of the clots associated with the birth--I'm pretty sure laying down isn't what caused them though. You're past that stage though, so now it's just down to the final healing stages. I remember having bigger-than-golf ball clots frequently, and I don't recall my midwife being alarmed. I think there would be more cause for concern if your bleeding really, really picked up or if you had frank blood (bright red blood) accompanying the clots.

[littleteapot]

Yeah, that sounds pretty normal. It's icky, but clotting is a good sign. :) Long and thick isn't worrisome, it's when the thickness is fist sized and some that there can be an issue going on. You're probably pushing your body a little hard! Relax and drink a bunch of water. :)

[ryleeee]

i almost had a heart attack this afternoon. i went to the bathroom and ended up having to actually help out a HUGE clot. i honestly thought i was dying.
i called the midwife freaking out and she was like "describe it in relation to a fruit" and i was like "uh..like an APPLE?! with tissue attached?!" 

apparently this is normal WTF. she said that because i didn't bleed much during birth or afterwards (they gave me oxytocin in the leg after she was born because my iron is soooo low they wanted to encourage clotting) and because i've been laying down all day that this is totally fine. the only time they are worried about clots is if you pass one and then it sounds like you are peeing blood into the toilet and can't get it to stop. needless to say i am thoroughly grossed out and terrified to use the bathroom. 

[littleteapot]

Ryleee - ew, ok that would unnerve me too!

And omg the iron... you're not kidding when you said our cases were so alike. What's yours at? Mine was 127 when I started, which is super high for me (but lowish overall), and after my horrific hyperemesis it dropped like a rock to 87. After intensive supplementation I got it to 105: somehow managing to make it rise 1pt per day for two weeks!! When I was a teen and undergoing major iron therapy they never, ever were that successful... even with shots and all sorts of horrible stuff!

Midwives said they would still attend me even under 100, though they're not supposed to, but I was going to request third stage management (pit) if I couldn't get it over 100 by the time birthing day came. So at least we don't have to worry about it anymore. ;)

[clutterbug]

I passed a couple of biggish ones (no idea exactly how big, I tried looking in the toilet but I couldn't tell, lol) in the first days after birth, and the feeling is VERY unnerving!

My thing at this point is that my bleeding keeps slowing down/stopping, and then just when I switch to a pantyliner, WHOOSH, I get a little gush (or a big one - it happened for the first time last week and it was a big mess, grrr).  SO annoying - I went two days in a row with basically nothing on the pad, so today I switched to a liner and within an hour I got a whoosh.  WTH??  I don't feel like I'm doing more than usual, though it did happen as we were getting ready to go meet DS1 at the bus stop (for the first time since before the baby was born - DH has been taking bus duty till today)

[ryleeee]

i actually don't know, they just kind of grimace each time i ask them what it is! haha. i'll try and find out tomorrow. i've always had really low iron so it's nothing new, but pretty frustrating! they think it is why i have had a cold for FOUR MONTHS and that it should get better.