Bleeding is inevitable after birth - your uterine wall is shedding a fuck ton of lining. It can last from three to six weeks (possible longer) and it tapers off.
More TMI - I passed a MASSIVE clot after my fourth birth. At this point I already knew this could happen - itās normal. What I DIDNāT know, was that I had caused it.
My post birth contractions were so bad after the birth that it felt like full transition labor. And they donāt give you anything for the pain. So I used a hot water bottle, without the nurses knowing, and it caused me to bleed even more. I lost so much blood that by the first time they sat me up to go to the bathroom, I fainted. It took three more tries until I could sit up.
Anyway, thatās not the point. The point is, the next morning I passed a clot the SIZE OF ANOTHER PLACENTA I KID YOU NOT, and I know what is and is not normal. So I called for the nurse and through the door told her I had passed a huge clot, and her response was -Ā āItās not big. I know what big is.ā She hadnāt even looked. So I rolled my eyes and said,Ā āYeah, no. Itās big, Iām telling you.ā
So, sounding extremely put upon, she asked me to open the door. I did, and after a long pause she goes,Ā āOkay, yeah, thatās a little big.ā
The point Iām trying to get across is that this shit is so common - women not knowing this stuff is so expected, and it keeps getting reinforced. People donāt expect you to know anything, donāt teach you anything, and then make you feel like youāre totally ignorant and a burden for your lack of knowledge when THEY WONāT SHARE.
Fucking learn EVERYTHING you can when it comes to childbirth, girls. It is the single most empowering thing you can do for yourself. And if you missed something, thatās okay. But the more knowledge you arm yourself with, the more in control of your situation youāll be.
DONāT use a hot water bottle - lol.
ONLY pads - NO tampons. Tampons can cause severe infection, not to mention, you probably donāt want to be shoving anything up there any time soon.
If youāve had stitches, sitz baths DO help relieve the pain. Another great pain reliever? Dampen some pads and freeze them. Let one thaw slightly and use it on top of another pad. This will help with the pain as well as reduce swelling. Change the pad out as soon as itās thawed completely. This REALLY helps on the first couple days after giving birth.
If you pass a clot, donāt sweat it. Even the one I passed, which was fucking massive, just required that we keep an eye out to make sure it didnāt happen again. If it does, talk to your doctor.
Take a pain killer half an hour before nursing. Because YES - your uterus is contracting after you give birth, to get back to its original size, and nursing causes much stronger contractions. Taking nursing-safe painkillers wonāt prevent the pain, but it will reduce it.Ā
Buy disposable underwear for the first few days after birth. They will get VERY dirty. Or use your ratty old pairs that youāre ready to get rid of. Double up on pads - line them all the way up your ass-crack. I am so serious. And wear dark pants.
Pee in the shower. You do NOT want to wipe down there right after birth because ow. Peeing in the shower lets you just rinse afterwards. Especially if youāve had stitches, peeing in the shower, with the shower-head rinsing AS you go, keeps stinging to a minimum. And fuck everyone else - keep on peeing in the shower until you feel ready to move back to toilet paper. Middle of the night and need to pee? Get your pants off - get in the shower and just go.
This is just a few things, but PLEASE feel free to send me an ask if you have any questions about ANYTHING childbirth/pregnancy/nursing related. I have four incredible kids. Iāve done it all - c-section, vacuume birth, episiotimy, stitches, with an epidural, without an epidural. Iām here.
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