Why am I still bleeding?

[Goddess3_2005]

Here I am 11 days postpartum and I am still bleeding bright red. The flow has slowed down but normally I'm almost totally done with lochia by now. My hematocrit was low after birth, I wonder if this has any thing to do with it? Is there any thing I can take to help? I get dizzy if I stand for long periods so I am assuming its something to do with how much I bled after birth. Help.

[limette]

Good question. I'm 4 weeks pp and still bleeding red. I've heard of a wide range of normal for this. Up to 6 weeks I think.

[s_kristina]

If this is abnormal for you then I would guess your overdoing it. I can be down to nothing not even lochia coming out and if I overdo it like the walking I did today then it back to bright red. Sometimes even with clots to make it extra fun figuring out how that could happen.

[3for3hb]

My mw said after you've initally changed lochia flow/color, if it goes back to bright red or increases in flow then you are overdoing it. Red blood is the body's stop sign (is what she told me)

I had this happen quite a few times. I'd stop lochia completely for a few days and then get red back even though I didn't think I really had done enough to think I had overdone it, yk?

I'm assuming from your post that you haven't had any decrease yet though. Just take it easy, and bring up the blood issue concern with your hc provider.

[chely7425]

My LO is 2.5 weeks old and I am still getting the bright red thing when I do too much... like lifting the stroller in and out of the truck, woops! My midwife said it is normal and just to take things easier when that happens s

[Incubator]

Yup me too, unfortunately with two kids and a household to run, it's not possible to not overdo it. I'll have a day of more dull blood, and then BAM! Bright red blood out of nowhere.

[Goddess3_2005]

Hmm, mines never stopped or changed color yet from birth. I've been taking really easy because I'm still in quite a bit of pain. I guess I'll ask my midwife on wednesday. I can't wait untill my body gets back to normal.

[Bokoto]

I'm 3 weeks pp and I've still got reddish blood (more sort of dark salmon color, not super bright red). At about 2 weeks pp, I had turned to mostly brownish blood, but then I got mastitis a few days ago, and it turned back to the red color. Not sure of the connection there, but the two did happen at the same time.

I bled for about 6 weeks overall with both of my other two, so it takes me a while to stop.

[KariM]

I don't remember how your birth went, but I had active bleeding for at least 4 weeks after my DD1's birth.

I kept reading stories of moms who only bled a week, etc. and wondered how on earth they did that!

For me I think it was probably a combination of my health and a really long pushing stage with coached pushing.

[nycmaman]

Originally Posted by chely7425

My LO is 2.5 weeks old and I am still getting the bright red thing when I do too much... like lifting the stroller in and out of the truck, woops! My midwife said it is normal and just to take things easier when that happens s

I'm still bleeding as well, at almost 5 wks PP. Never changed from bright red...but it does taper off and seems to almost be gone then I leave the house, walk, carry the carseat, stairs etc and we're back to red and little clots. I def took it easy in the first 2 weeks...so I guess this is just a result of over-doing things.

[tinyshoes]

Originally Posted by s_kristina

If this is abnormal for you then I would guess your overdoing it. I can be down to nothing not even lochia coming out and if I overdo it like the walking I did today then it back to bright red. Sometimes even with clots to make it extra fun figuring out how that could happen.

totally!

argh....I feel like I'm really taking it easy this time, but dang--I'm at day 13 and sure enough I'm having similar bleeding styles as you're sayin'.

It's just SO HARD to not do anything when I feel pretty good, and we live in a culture that expects moms to be pushing the shopping cart around Target 4 days post-partum.

Goddess3_2005, have you ever tried Floradex?
http://www.florahealth.com/flora/hom...cts/r64771.asp
it's a wonderful vegetarian effective non-constipating iron suppliment. I took it during my pg and I've had the highest hemoglobin levels I've ever had.