Blood loss after the delivery

It is normal to lose bright red blood after delivery. This often comes out in waves and can get worse during breastfeeding, standing up or after contractions. If you have more than 2 large maternity pads soaked with blood within half an hour, it becomes too much, and you must call us.

You can also lose blood clots. These can be as big as a fist. This often happens when you get up after lying down for a while. Don't be scared of this. 1 or 2 is normal. For more must call us.

The blood loss will decrease over the weeks. It can even take 6 weeks for it to go away completely. On average, it stops after about 3 to 4 weeks. If you have had a busy day or if you are going for a walk for the first time, you may notice that the blood loss has temporarily increased again. If the bleeding has (almost) stopped, or you only have some brown discharge, you can assume that your cervix has closed again. You can then take a bath or have intercourse again.