huge blood clots? normal?

[moodymaximus]

nak

3 huge liver-looking, same density--firm, size of grapefruits, clots came out with placenta--1 before, 2 after. the placenta is whole. normal?

thanks!

[pamamidwife]

yep. especially right after the placenta.

just reach down and make sure your uterus is firm - should be right below your bellybutton.

[Jane]

That's quite a bit of blood loss - how are you feeling? How's your bleeding now? Is your pulse still elevated?

It's normal to see clots like that when delivery of the placenta is delayed after it's detached. Sometimes that happens because one side detaches first or the whole thing blocks the cervix before sliding out.
It can also mean the uterus is not clamping down well and allowing big clots to form. Grapefruit is large and a little worrysome if, say, it were 2 days post partum. It it was all in the first 15 mintutes and bleeding is light now then that's different.
How's that for a non-answer - could be okay, could be concerning.

[moodymaximus]

thanks! the placenta came within 20 min or so--1 clot before it, 2 after. i'm feeling a bit weak, but well. the bleeding is low now, less than 24h pp. the uterus is below the belly button, quite firm, i think. i hope all is fine, but i've never seen a blood clot that huge!

[Incubator]

I passed two grapefruit sized clots within 1 1/2 hours after DS was born in a hospital and no one batted an eye.

They warned me when I left two days later that passing grapefruit sized clots would be worrisome and I'd need to come back right away. I'm guessing it's normal immediately after birth, as long as it doesn't continue.