post partum blood clots

[sooka]

Hi there I am wondering if anyone can give me advice on what it means to pass large blood clots after birthing a baby. I am 11 days postpartum and passed a fist! sized clot this morning. Yikes. My midwife didn't seem too concerned but I am wondering what is the normal way of dealing with this. What should I be aware of. Etc...

Thanks for any info.

[MsBlack]

If you passed the clot this morning, then this is what I am thinking: overnight, while you were laying down, you bled a little and the blood pooled in your uterus, eventually forming into a clot as blood is supposed to do. Then you got out of bed and started moving, probably nursed your baby...these things worked as they are supposed to, to bring that clot out.

In other words, it sounds normal to me, too. But I am wondering if you are maybe doing too much, too soon--with enough rest in the first 2 weeks, you might not be bleeding enough for more than a quarter-sized clot by now...tho all women are different.

[sooka]

Thanks for the thoughts on the clotting. That does make sense. I hope it doesnt happen again though. I am not sure if I am doing too much. It feels like I am mostly hanging out on the couch but maybe I am doing more than I think because I start getting antsy after awhile.

Anyhow, many thanks for the response.

[Stephanie L.]

I also passed one that size, but I think it was more like 4-5 days after the birth. It looked like a little placenta. MWs said it was membrane and were not concerned for a second...

Best wishes and congratulaitons on your new baby!!

[MsBlack]

I should add that if you slept longer than usual that night--the baby went longer than usual between feeds--then that clot could just signify that your normal flow simply collected for a longer time to make that size of clot. Meaning that maybe you are not doing too much--a case of being a different reason for that much blood to have collected...tho it's still not that huge an amount, really.