The Truth About Lochia- What Your Postpartum Bleeding Really Means | 220

You've just had a baby and you're like, yes.

The hard part is over until you stand up and you feel that gush and you wonder, wait, what in the world?

Why is that much blood coming out of me?

No one warns you that you'd be changing pads for you and baby, or that your uterus.

Has a wound the size of a dinner plate inside of it.

Today we're unpacking Logia, the real story behind postpartum bleeding, how long it lasts, what's normal, and when your body is simply telling you slow.

Down.

I'm Trish Ware or Labor Nurse Mama, and this is our postpartum unpacked series where we're talking through what's really happening in those tender, beautiful, messy, difficult, first weeks after birth.

Lok iia is your body's way of healing after birth when your placenta detaches from your uterus.

It also leaves behind a large open wound, roughly the size of a dinner plate, and that wound takes weeks to heal.

Plus your uterus is shrinking down to normal size and all of that.

Yuck and stuff inside of there is scoffing off and the bleeding is the part that you see of this process.

So logia is made up of blood tissue and leftover cells from pregnancy.

It changes in color and texture as your uterus heals and contracts back down to size.

So there are three stages of Nokia, and each one tells a story about where your body is in your recovery stages.

So we're gonna talk about the three stages of Nokia, Nokia, Arbra.

This is days one to four, sometimes up to seven.

Now I'm giving you guys like what should be normal, but we all are different and all of our bodies are different.

And y'all know I say that all the time.

So this initial stage, Lok Arbra, this is the bright red, heavier period looking bleeding.

You might see some small clots, especially after standing up or if you've been nursing, which is a wonderful release of oxytocin and lots of clamping down on That uterus, this stage is your uterus closing off those blood vessels at the placenta site and inside just scoffing off all the things.

The next stage is Nokia ci.

This is around days five to 10, can be up to two weeks.

The blood flow lightens and turns like a pinkish brownish like think like leftover.

Right.

It's thinner and clot should be pretty rare at this time, or very, very small.

This means your uterus is contracting and shrinking down beautifully.

It's doing its job.

Logia Alba is the next stage, and that is around a week, two-ish, up two weeks six, or it could be a little bit longer.

This is yellowish or whiteish and a discharge.

You might still see some.

Blood coming through, you're gonna see a lot of mucus, and this is just your uterus finishing up the closing of the wound.

If your bleeding suddenly goes back to bright red after it is lightened, that is usually a sign that your body is saying, Hey girl, you did too much.

Slow down.

So we want you to really watch it and listen to your body.

So many mamas tell me I felt great, and then I started cleaning, or I went for a walk or I went to Target, which we all know we need a target run, but that can actually start up the bleeding again.

And you're not making any kind of mistakes.

It's just feedback.

Your body's just saying, Hey girl, I'm still healing.

Slow it down.

So this is why we teach the 5, 5, 5 rule.

Five days in the bed.

Rest, nurse bon hydrate.

Five days on the bed, sit up, watch some bravo, but still rest.

Okay?

Five days near the bed, that means you're getting some gentle movements.

Maybe you're going out to sit in the family room, but you're still coming back and resting.

So every time you overdo it, your LOK can like.

Flare back up in no better words.

So listen to your body.

It knows what you need.

So let's talk about some practical care for bleeding and healing and the real life side of postpartum.

'cause it, you know, it's not always easy and some of you guys don't have help.

I get that.

I totally get that.

The things that can make these weeks.

Easier and cleaner for you.

Number one, they've got the mesh panties at the hospital.

Ask for extra ones, and in those first few days you can embrace them.

You can also wear like the disposable like pad, like incontinence, underwear that also collect, and there's just so many options.

There's just so many options for you guys.

You don't have to wear your normal panties, wear what feels good for you, right?

We will give you giant postpartum pads in the hospital.

Ask for extra.

This is not the time to wear your cute pretty undies.

Trust me on that.

Okay, so in the hospital and those first few days home, embrace disposable.

You can get big disposable panties.

We also give you the stretchy ones at the hospital that you can reuse and wash, but you can also wear something like this, a giant pads.

If you're watching the video, I'm showing this, but you want to just make sure that you have.

Something big enough that you're not gonna be making a mess.

Once your flow lightens, you can move to like long pads with wings, but absolutely nothing in the vagina, nothing.

No tampons, no menstrual cups until you're fully cleared by your provider.

You may have some tears and your cervix is still open and infection risk is high.

The other thing I absolutely love is a Perry bottle.

These are, uh, may.

So when you go into the bathroom, turn on your warm water, get it warm, put some warm water in here and clean off down there.

Just squeeze down there instead of wiping.

Now you can pat dry, but this is going to keep your stitches, your tears, and your sensitive skin clean and sooth.

Now a bonus tip, add a few drops of witch hazel or aloe if your provider says it's okay.

The other thing,

now this little guy right here, literally my favorite postpartum tool, once or twice a day, especially if you've had stitches or hemorrhoids or you just wanna clean off and smell good, you can use some warm water.

And this is called a sits back and you can actually pop this one out.

This one's, uh, this one is, you know.

What would we call it?

Expandable?

This one is expandable.

You can put warm water in here.

You can use some herbal mixtures, but make sure they're safe for postpartum.

You can also use Epson salt and it's gonna help with swelling, promote healing, and just feels like heaven, I promise you.

So you fill it up and you sit it into your.

Toilet.

Lift up the lead lid.

You're gonna sit right here on this.

They also have some that have some bags where you can have some continual hot water, warm water coming in it.

This right here, ladies, do not skip this.

You can actually call up to your labor and delivery.

Unit and ask to be transferred to postpartum and ask them if they have them available that they will give you as a patient, so you don't even have to buy one.

If not, we have our Amazon list for postpartum tools and all the things that I'm talking about, and we will link to that.

But you want to be prepared ahead of time.

So having your Perry bottle, having your pads, having your sits back, that is all gonna help you just feel better.

Okay.

Another thing that I recommend, and I thought I had some to show you guys, but I don't, are witch hazel pads.

You can buy tux pads or generic, either one does not matter.

These can ease discomfort, especially if you're sore.

Or you're swollen and you have stitches or hemorrhoids.

Don't underestimate like these products 'cause they can help you so, so much.

So what I recommend is you put 'em in the fridge, you fold them in half, and you line your pad with, you can also take one and tuck it right up into your booty if you have hemorrhoids.

And we have an episode all about hemorrhoids and that.

I swear was the devil for me hemorrhoids.

But either way, that's going to soothe your body.

And girl, you need it.

You need to honor this body because this body has delivered a human.

A human.

Now, another thing that I wanna talk about is not underestimating.

Staying hydrated and eating a good diet.

Iron rich foods, lots of fluids will help your body rebuild the blood volume and speed healing and just.

Be graceful to yourself.

Be kind to yourself and remember again, you birthed an actual person.

Now, before we end this episode, I wanna talk about when do we call your provider?

So bleeding can vary, but it should gradually lighten.

So I want you to call your provider right away.

If you notice one that you're soaking through a pad in an hour or less.

If you're passing clots longer than a golf ball.

Now when you're breastfeeding, if you're laying back flat and you sit up, you may have some clots come out, but I still want you to let your provider know.

Another thing is the smell of your bleeding.

So it's not gonna smell great, but it shouldn't smell like rank.

So if it smells really foul,

let your doctor know if you feel dizzy, weak, or short of breath, please always report that if you have persistent, bright red bleeding after you've been resting and you're, you know, you're like three or four weeks in, we need to let your provider know.

And the other thing, anytime you just feel like you need to tell them something, tell them, we do not want you to experience a postpartum hemorrhage or an infection, and you need care immediately.

Now during postpartum.

The bleeding can really get on your last nerve.

Okay?

You're tired, you're sore, you're changing diapers for baby and for yourself.

But I just want you to give yourself grace again.

This is why I love the 5, 5, 5 rule, because your body is closing this chapter for this baby.

This.

Pregnancy and you're entering into a new stage and every bit of bleeding, every after contraction, which we're gonna have a talk about that on another episode.

Every day that you rest, you are doing something so sacred for your body.

So instead of seeing it as something gross or inconvenient, see it as proof of how freaking incredibly strong you are, and your body's incredible healing power.

All right, mama.

So to recap, logia is a normal postpartum bleeding.

As your uterus contracts back down to size and your placenta wound heals.

It goes through three stages, Arbra, which is red.

Ci Rosa, pink or brown and elbow, which is yellow or white if it gets heavier.

Again, that's your cue to rest.

Always listen to your gut and talk to your provider if you need to care for yourself.

With rest, hydration sits Bath and your par battle, and those glorious pads and mesh panties.

If this episode helped you share it with a new mom who needs to hear, this is normal.

And you are doing an amazing job.

If you want extra postpartum support, join us inside of Calm Mama Society.

It's $19 a month.

You have access to me, a postpartum doula, and a community of amazing moms.

We meet.

We meet three times a month for a safe judgment free space for every stage of motherhood.

I'm Trish Ware, and this has been postpartum unpacked.

Your body is.

Healing miracle.

Give it the grace and rest it deserves.

As always, please hit subscribe, leave a review or a comment, and I will see you again next week.

Bye for now.