Babies Postpartum Care How Much Will I Bleed After Birth? By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH twitter linkedin Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor. Learn about our editorial process Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG on November 06, 2019 Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Learn about our Review Board Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG Updated on February 27, 2020 Print KidStock/Getty Images After you give birth, either via cesarean birth or vaginal birth, you will bleed from your vagina. The cause of this bleeding is the healing of the uterus, specifically where the placenta was attached to the uterine wall. As the uterus slowly shrinks back down to nearly its pre-pregnancy size in a process called involution, the body expels blood from the wound inside. Most of the time, bleeding is perfectly normal. Every now and then, however, postpartum mothers have serious problems with symptoms that include excessive bleeding. Normal Postpartum Bleeding The first few days after you give birth you can expect to see more blood than you would normally see in a heavy period. This can also include blood clots. This discharge is called lochia, and it includes particles from the placenta, as well as white blood cells. You will likely have less discharge after a cesarean section, but there will still be bleeding. The amount of bleeding should diminish each day, but you may nevertheless find the quantity of blood surprising. The first time you stand up after giving birth, you may actually have blood run down your legs. This is because when you sit or lie down, the blood pools in the vagina. Over the course of several weeks, your bleeding will eventually taper to a normal period and then to spotting. The color of the flow will go from bright red to brown to a yellow or whitish color as your uterus heals. It is normal to see an increase in amount or darkening of the color of the blood if you do something more strenuous or move around more. This may be an indication that you need to take it easy. You should not use tampons for bleeding after giving birth as this might cause an infection. It can also irritate the vagina if you had a vaginal birth. It is recommended that you use maternity pads or something similar. Some women choose to use bladder control pads or adult diapers for the first few days because of the heavy flow. Postpartum Bleeding Issues While bleeding is normal — and even heavy bleeding is not unusual — there can be postpartum problems that include excessive bleeding. If you experience bleeding that soaks a pad every hour for two hours, you should call your doctor or midwife as it may be a sign of postpartum hemorrhage. It may also be the case that part of the placenta has remained inside your uterus, which can cause problems. In addition to excessive bleeding, other symptoms to look out for include: A large number of blood clots or very large blood clots, especially after the first few daysExcessive fatigueFeverFoul-smelling dischargeIncreased rather than decreased bleeding If you experience any of these symptoms, it's a good idea to call your practitioner. While the likelihood is that you are experiencing normal postpartum bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage or related issues can be dangerous and should be treated immediately. Postpartum Emergencies That New Moms Should Know About Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Track your baby’s most exciting moments with our milestone checklist. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Higgins N, Patel SK, Toledo P. Postpartum hemorrhage revisited: new challenges and solutions. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2019;32(3):278-284. doi:10.1097/ACO.0000000000000717 National Health Service United Kingdom. How Soon Can I Use Tampons After Giving Birth? Updated July 2017. Perlman NC, Carusi DA. Retained placenta after vaginal delivery: risk factors and management. Int J Womens Health. 2019;11:527-534. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S218933