Is vaginal bleeding after birth normal?

What to expect:

Vaginal bleeding (lochia) is common after birth, no matter what kind of delivery you had. By about 2 weeks after birth it should resemble a light period and should finish by around 4-6 weeks postpartum.

When to get help:

Contact your care provider or go to the Emergency Room (ER) right away if you:

• Soak a pad front to back in less than an hour

• Pass blood clots that are larger than a golf ball over several hours

• Feel faint and lightheaded

• Have significant bleeding that continues beyond 4-6 weeks

The ER provides immediate support and can do imaging to rule out retained placenta.

Other resources:

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tn9119&lang=en-ca