Postpartum bleeding after c-section

Hi Ladies,

Well we have been home for 2 weeks and my bleeding calmed down a week ago and now that we are home it has picked up again with bright red blood with lots of clotting. I have been a bit active....as I was feeling well and thought it was okay. Since my activity level picked up, so has my bleeding. This was my third c-section, fyi.

I know, I know.....I should be laying low. Hard to do that when you have a 4 yr old, a 3 yr old and new b/g twins to take care of. DH is home with me and a HUGE hands on help, but when he runs out to take the kids to school or run errands that is when I get into trouble picking up or throwing laundry in.

SO, my question is how much activity is TOO much and how much bleeding is TOO much? When I go to the bathroom it seems to pour out of me , again bright red with lots of clots (sorry tmi). I saw my ob yesterday and told him my bleeding had picked up after leveling off and he said to "take it easy" and if I had clots larger than my fist to call, that was it.

I must be thick.....does that mean stay in bed all day? Don't do anything around the house?

Thanks for listening and offering some advice from your own experience.

 

I have had that happen as well. Even though you are feeling better, and feel like you are able to do everything, your body is telling you otherwise. You don't have to lay in bed, but I would cut back quite a bit for the next few days until it lightens up again. I know, it's hard when you have other kids to take care of too! Take care of yourself momma! :hug99:

 

I would think it means rest as much as you can. Obviously you have to do what you have to do to take care of the other two as well, but maybe a bunch of little things would add up to more rest for you. Leaving the dishes and laundry for dh or asking a friend to come and do it. Maybe you can think about what you do in a day and try and eliminate some of the on your feet stuff? I know I probably sound ridiculous right now. Is there anyone that can come and help out a little bit? :hug99:

 

If I had told what you had typed to my OB after 2 weeks of being home, she probably would have put me on modified bed rest for a few days (2?) until it slowed down again, and then would have resticted my activity level for a little after that to make sure my bleeding stayed down. I had issues one week after, but not from activity.

I don't know that your OB meant bed rest, but stop doing a lot of what you are doing. You wearing yourself out and maybe having some sort of relapse is not going to be helping anyone. You need to take care of yourself. I know that is SO much easer said than done,

I had to go back into the hospital, get on some more meds, and almost have a transfusion because my bleeding got out of control one week after. Don't risk putting yourself through that.

My OB also said that ibuprofen would help lessen the bleeding, so depending on what pain meds you are on now, that might be a good option for you.

Take care of yourself! :hug99:

 

I agree, it's easy to think we are feeling well enough to get up and do things, but your body still needs rest. This is your body's way of telling you that. Take it easy!

 

I remember there being a direct correllation between how active I was and how much bleeding I had. My OB did tell me not to be lifting stuff heavier than the babies. I also remember him telling me how many pads I should be going through. I can't remember exactly what it was but I remember it being something like I shouldn't be soaking through a pad an hour. I would call and ask though, and like you already said try and lay low. Just take care of the babies while DH is out, it is such a short period of time that you are recvering from surgery. The laundry can wait until DH can do it. I remember feeling really guilty that DH was doing EVERYTHING, but that only lasted a couple weeks so in the big picture that's nothing. Hang in there I hope you have a speedy recovery!

 

Be very careful and keep ypur OB up to date on your bleeding. I had a similar situation but mine turned out to be a staph infection from the surgery! My clots were huge and very bright red, I ended up in the ER. If you have any pain talk to your MD!

 

After my first delivery (c-section) I bled for 3 months. The DR had to prescribe me Premarin to quit the bleeding.

This time, I am still bleeding... nearly 4 months later, BUT I had the Mirena put in so you will bleed for up to 3 months after that as well.