Spotting after pregnancy is one of the things you may experience after childbirth. Although, it is normal and natural among ladies after pregnancy, there are some general rules, that should be followed to prevent increasing the amount of bleeding.
In this article of Hipregnancy, we will cover all you need to know about the characteristics of spotting after birth, which will help you to control your bleeding. Keep reading this article to the end, to understand that this kind of bleeding is a normal part of your recovery after childbirth.
What is spotting after pregnancy?
Pregnancy has many ups and downs, and the end of it, is the beginning of postpartum issues, such as headache after pregnancy, postpartum back pain, spotting, etc.
Bleeding after pregnancy is not abnormal and shouldn’t make you feel nervous. In fact, it is normal to experience spotting after vaginal or C-section delivery, because your body needs to get rid of extra mucus, blood, and tissue needed while pregnant.
Spotting after pregnancy is heavy in the first few days, about 3-10 days after childbirth, but after that, it will become lighter, and may last for 4-6 weeks after delivery.
Its color changes during this period, from red to pink, pink to brown, and brown to yellowish white. As, each person is unique and different from others, the characteristics of bleeding and its duration may be different; it may end sooner, or last for a longer time.
Also Read: hemorrhoids after pregnancy
Causes of spotting after pregnancy
There is not a single reason for postpartum spotting, as well as other postpartum issues, like melasma or hypothyroidism after pregnancy. The following conditions can increase the risk of facing this issue after delivery;
- Uterine atony; a condition in which the uterus fails to contrast after delivery
- Give birth to more than one baby at a time
- Experiencing several pregnancies before
- C-section
- Long-lasting labor
- Uterine, vaginal, or cervical lacerations
- Trapped, or retained placenta
- Uterine inversion; when the uterus turns inside out or is weak
- Give birth to a baby than 8 pounds
- Tears in cervix or vagina during delivery
- Obesity
- Preeclampsia
- And last but not least, general anesthesia
Also Read: flat stomach after pregnancy
How much postpartum bleeding is normal?
It is not unusual to experience bleeding and spotting after pregnancy, but how much blood is normal? Is there any certain amounts as a sing of normal bleeding? Of course.
According to studies, your blood loss should not be more than 500 milliliters after vaginal delivery, and 1,000 milliliters after C-section. If you lose blood more than this amount, your overall health will be at risk. You will lose most of this amount at the first days after delivery and the rest within the following weeks.
Whenever you feel that your spotting is abnormal and your body is losing extra blood, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. The following part helps you to understand the signs of abnormal postpartum bleeding and take care of yourself better.
Signs of abnormal spotting after pregnancy
Many ladies don’t know they have abnormal spotting until they experience certain symptoms. Although postpartum bleeding is normal, loosing blood in excess can cause a big drop in your blood pressure, and even in severe cases cause death. As a result, you should be very careful and keep in mind, that the followings are the signs for calling your doctor to get a medical help right away;
- Blood clots bigger than a plum
- Low blood pressure
- Using more than one pad an hour
- A continuous blood flow
- Dizziness (Read more about this on article dizziness in pregnancy)
- Nausea
- Faint feeling
- Increased heart rate
- Chills
- Rapid breathing
- Clammy skin
- Blurred vision
- Restlessness
- Swelling and pain in the vagina
Take the above symptoms seriously and visit your healthcare provider as soon as you can, to control blood flow and prevent harmful side effects it may cause to your body.
How to treat spotting after pregnancy?
As, this problem may cause due to several factors, there are different treatments for this issue, based on why it happens. Your doctor will first check the cause of your spotting and then recommends the best treatment for you.
Here is a list of some treatments for spotting after pregnancy, which your doctor may decide for treating your postpartum spotting;
- Medicine to help the uterus contract
- A blood transfusion, adding new blood to the body for lost blood replacement
- The uterus message, to help the uterus to contract
- Remove pieces of the placenta, which is still remained in the uterus
- Hysterectomy, the uterus surgical removal
- Laparotomy, to find out the cause of bleeding and control it, throughout an abdomen surgery
- Special medicines to stop bleeding
- Use a Bakri balloon, inflated inside the uterus
Conclusion
Having a baby is a sweat experience for most ladies, but it may bring some difficulties in your life. Spotting after pregnancy is one of them. This kind of bleeding may happen to some ladies after childbirth, because their body wants to get back to how it was before pregnancy. So, it needs to get rid of extra blood, mucus, and tissue required while pregnant.
In this article of hipregnancy, we discussed the causes of postpartum spotting, its normal amount, treatments, and all other things you need to know about it.
Now, we want to know about your experience; “Did you face with spotting after delivery? How long did it last? How did you manage it?” share your experience with us and other ladies all over the world, facing this issue.