Beginning with the breaking of water and labor, a woman may begin to lose a small amount of blood from her vagina. This can increase as the baby is born and reach its peak when the placenta is delivered. Following the birth, a woman will experience some discharge and bleeding for up to six weeks, called lochia. Uncontrollable bleeding is usually identified and treated as soon as the baby arrives, decreasing the risk of complications.
Function
The passing of blood and tissue following the birth of the baby serves the purpose of helping the body return to its pre-pregnancy state, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The uterus is still enlarged following the delivery of the baby. The tissues inside it must be expelled in order for it to return to the normal pear-sized shape.
Lochia Characteristics
Right after birth, the lochia is heavy and bright red, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Sanitary pads should be used for managing this blood and tissue flow, not tampons. Tampons can introduce bacteria into the uterus and can be painful following vaginal delivery. Women with stitches from tearing or an episiotomy will be even more sensitive in the vaginal and perineal areas, making tampon use excruciating.
Several days after birth the lochica becomes lighter in volume and color. At about one week postpartum lochia is pink or brown. At two to six weeks, the discharge is light brown or yellow before it disappears.
Solution
Following the delivery of the baby, even after cesarean sections, a nurse or overseeing health care provider will monitor the woman's uterus and blood shed to ensure an infection has not developed. To do this the provider may examine sanitary pads and will often feel the uterus. To many pregnant women's displeasure, the health care provider will press one to two times onto the uterus in a firm manner to stimulate uterine contractions. The more the uterus contracts, the more tissue and blood the vagina will pass. Breastfeeding triggers uterine contractions naturally, which can also help remove the remaining pregnancy tissues.
Complications
Bleeding that persists beyond six weeks should be reported to a medical professional. Most providers request a six-week well-mother checkup to examine the uterus. Using a speculum to open the vagina, the provider will actually look at the cervix and may reach inside the woman's vagina with two fingers and press on her stomach with the other hand. This method allows the provider to measure the uterus to see that it has returned to pre-pregnancy size.
Prior to the well-mother checkup, if the woman develops foul-smelling or unusually colored vaginal secretions, she may have an infection. MayoClinic.com suggests signs of uterine infection include passing large clots that are bigger than a golf ball and a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher.
Considerations
Some women are at a greater risk of losing a significant amount of blood following and during labor than others. American Family Physician states that about 18 percent of births result in 500 mL of blood loss. Blood loss exceeding 1,000 mL is considered more significant and is treated as an emergency. Risks that make a woman more likely to lose a significant amount of blood include lengthy pushing at the end of labor, birthing multiple babies, episiotomy and a history of excessive blood loss in previous pregnancies. A woman who does not present these risk factors can still have excessive blood loss.
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