Is it normal to still be bleeding- HELP!

[amynicole]

I had my 3rd child 2 1/2 weeks ago and I am still bleeding bright red blood with clots. Is this normal? With my first 2, I stopped the bright red bleeding within a few days, it faded to pink then by one week or so it was just yellow/white and the lochia stopped by 2 weeks. I am bleeding the equivalent of a heavy period and I am 17 days post partum. I have not been excercising since my doctor told me to wait. It is the blood clots (also bright red) that worry me. Is this normal at this point? Was I just lucky it stopped earlier with the other ones.

I am hesitant to call my doctor because he will probably tell me to come in and I have to pick my my 5 year old from camp in 1 hour so I have no time today. Plus, I am not happy about having to go to the doctor with my 5 year old, 3 year old, and newborn. My post partum visit is not for another 6 weeks. I was supposed to go at 6 weeks but made my appointment for 8 weeks post partum so I could go when my husband is available to watch the kids (since I am new to the area I live and have nobody else to watch my kid).

Thank!

 

[TarHeelMom]

Sweetie, I'm not Sheila or a nurse or doctor or an expert in anything medical, but I have had two babies. I say you really need to call your doctor and report in. Your doc may not even require you to come in -- he may say this is a variation on normal. But you owe it to yourself to call, both for the peace of mind and to ensure that if there IS something he needs to do for you, it gets done. Life with all those little ones is tough enough without the added burden of being tired, maybe even anemic, and worried about your health.

So please make that call. ALso, I hope you've shared all of this with your husband. I'm sure that if he understands you're a little concerned about this, he'll want you to see your doctor and will try to watch the little ones for you if you need to go in for a re-check.

And if you need to see the doctor and you can't find child care, just grit your teeth and take all your little ones along. It will be a little chaotic but you'll all survive it fine and dandy.

One last note. You deserve being cared for just as much as your family does. It's so easy with little children and a working DH to become a full-time nurturer of everyone BUT yourself. Most of us moms have certainly been there (we sort of slide into it involuntarily), and I see that reflected in your post. Please be kind and caring to yourself and try not to let your needs ALWAYS come last.

Let us know how you're doing.

http://www.clicksmilie.de/sammlung/sport/sport003.gif [FONT C OLOR=Blue]Kathy S.[/FONT]

 

[tchersue]

It can be... but I'd still call...

I had 6-7 wks. of bleeding with both pregnancies. Neither time was it excessively heavy, but it was red for several weeks. Both times my OBs said it was fine. I did have some clotting after #1... it occured in the a.m., and the OB said that this sometimes occurs if you've been in an inclined position (as in sleep). The blood sometimes coagulates and then scares the dickens out of you when you see the clot in the morning.

All this being said, I'd still call your OB office. They'll probably ask you how many pads you go through in a day and how you're feeling.

Hope all is well!
susan

 

[amynicole]

RE: It can be... but I'd still call...

Thanks for the replies. I'll call my doctor on Monday. Kathy, you are right, being a stay at home mom, I sometimes find myself taking care of everyone but me. I can't wait to get back into excercise because I always let myself take that time for me without feeling guilty. That is MY time and DH is supportive of it and watches the kids for me while I do it. Other than that though it seems everything else goes to my family.

Susan, I do feel better knowing you had a similar experience. Hopefully the Dr. will just say it is a normal variation and I won't have to go in.

I discussed it with DH this morning and he pointed out to me that taking care of my health is not just important for me, but that the kids depend on me being healthy for them also. So of course that really motivates me to call about the problem.