Every mother will go through the stage of postpartum lochia emission. The problems of more and less lochia emission, color and smell, when to end and so on perplex novice mothers.
Postpartum lochia is a normal physiological phenomenon, but the color, smell, character of lochia can reflect the recovery of postpartum uterus of mothers.
Therefore, new mothers who have just experienced childbirth should pay more attention to their recovery and understand postpartum lochia besides focusing on their babies.
What is postpartum lochia?
After delivery, with the decidua of uterus, especially the decidua of placental attachment falling off, including blood, necrotic decidua and other tissues discharged through vagina, it is called lochia.
Normal situation: the normal lochia has some blood smell, the total amount is about 500-1000 ml, but it doesn’t smell.
Duration: the duration of lochia varies from person to person. Generally, lochia will be clean about three weeks after delivery, with an average of 21 days, 14 days for the short and 6 weeks for the elderly.
Note: more or less lochia emission does not mean that it is unhealthy, but if lochia character problems and lochia time is too long, it should be cautious.
2. The color change of lochia depends on the recovery
There are three common cases of lochia: bloody lochia, serous lochia and white lochia, which all appear in different periods. Novice mothers can observe their own lochia to judge the recovery of the uterus.
1. Bloody lochia
It usually appears a few days before postpartum.
More blood in lochia, bright red or dark red, containing a lot of blood clots, slightly fishy smell.
Bloody lochia lasted for three to four days, uterine bleeding decreased gradually, serous increased and turned into serous lochia.
2. Serous lochia
Generally within one week to half a month after delivery.
The amount of blood in lochia decreased, and the necrotic decidua, cervical mucus, vaginal secretions and bacteria were more common, and the color was light red serous. At this time, there are bacteria breeding, so it may taste heavier, which is a normal phenomenon.
The serous lochia lasted for about 10 days, the serous gradually decreased, the white blood cells increased, turned into lochia and turned into white lochia.
3. White lochia
Generally after half a month, it lasts about three weeks.
The lochia no longer contains blood, but contains a large number of white blood cells, degenerated decidua, epidermal cells and bacteria, which makes lochia thicker and whiter, a bit like leucorrhea, but more than leucorrhea.
At this time, lochia will soon be discharged. But the specific situation still depends on the individual’s physique.
The difference between lochia and menstruation
There are many novice mothers easy to confuse lochia and menstruation, in fact, the two are quite different.
1. The discharge of lochia will change regularly and the color will also change from dark red to light red to light yellow to white.
2. The character of lochia will also change, and the viscosity will gradually decrease.
3. Although the recovery time of postpartum menstruation is inconsistent, it usually appears 2-3 months or later after delivery (related to personal physical condition and whether breast-feeding). Lochia is usually discharged within 1 month after delivery, and a few weak mothers will be discharged within 6 weeks.
Happy Mommy said
The amount of normal lochia was large at the beginning, and then gradually decreased, with blood odor, but no odor. If there is a bad smell, or too much red lochia or white lochia, or the duration is too long, and repeated, then lochia is abnormal, and seek medical advice in time.
In order to let postpartum lochia can be very good discharge, maternal during puerperium, to pay attention to blood, at the same time, through food regulation, promote lochia discharge. Good maternal row lochia a lot of food, maternal can eat hawthorn, donkey hide gelatin lotus root and other food.
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