Bright red postpartum bleeding?

[Harmony08]

Hi,

I am almost 4 weeks postpartum and I am still having very bright red bleeding.  My bleeding had tapered to just a little pink spotting around day 5 pp and then at day 8 the bright red started back up.  It is not enough to soak a pad or anything like that but it is consistently bright red and has not increased or decreased and has been happening for over 2 weeks.  I keep getting told that it is because I am doing too much.  I know that that is the usual answer for bright red bleeding this far into postpartum but here is the thing... i'm not doing anything.  I mean i have been changing more diapers and I try to get a shower every day but that is basically all.

I am just freaking out about it and I don't feel like my midwives get what I am saying.  They keep saying it will stop and to call if it doesn't so I call and they say we can watch it a bit more.  

Does anybody know what this bleeding means.  Everything says it is not good but I don't know why?  What could be wrong?  Do I want to know? 

:(

Thanks to anybody with any help, advice, support.

[mandib50]

hmmmmm i think i would ask for an u/s to rule out retained product. i don't think it is necessarily bad but if the bleeding doesn't change then i would probably persist a bit more for an answer.

[fruitfulmomma]

That is normal for me really but you should certainly feel free to get it checked if it concerns you. I had my six week with my ob and let her know I was still spotting red and she didn't seem concerned, my uterus was back to where it should be now. 

[jenerationx]

It sounds normal to me.  That said, if *you* don't think it is (and you know your body!!), press for your midwife to check you out.  I had pretty minimal bleeding and then on day 14 I had huge bright red clots.  Freaked me out!  Called my doctor right away and they had me come in that morning.  They did an ultrasound to check for retained placenta.  I was fine.  Apparently, it can take a while for the uterus to shed it's lining and apparently that is what happened in my case. 
 

[fruitfulmomma]

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1189895/postpartum-bleeding-question  

I commented here a couple of years ago, might help you.

[Harmony08]

Thanks everybody.  I really appreciate your replies.  It makes me feel better that it is normal for others.  I talked to my midwives again and they are totally not concerned and think this is completely normal.  I got a little bit more sleep last night so I am doing better at chilling out about it.