Midwife Katharina explains what lochia is all about after the birth and what you need to look out for.
Lochia is part of every birth. Regardless of whether it is a spontaneous labour or a caesarean section, it comes from the wound that the placenta has left on the lining of the uterus. It is therefore part of the postnatal healing process. Some postpartum mums are ashamed, but there is no reason to be. Yes, your lochia will come out of you uncontrollably, just like your period, but if you are well prepared, you can deal with it in a relaxed manner.
What is lochia?
In medicine, lochia is called Lochien River called. After the birth (i.e. postnatally), it ensures that blood, mucus, uterine lining and other remnants of the pregnancy are removed from your uterus. Of course, the remnants of the mucus and pieces of egg membrane are also excreted. The detachment of the placenta causes a wound in the uterus. The blood of the lochia comes out of this wound.
During pregnancy, the uterus is lined with mucus, which is also excreted. The colour, smell and consistency change during the various stages of the lochia. At the beginning, the discharge is still bloody-red, towards the end it becomes more of a white-yellowish colour.
How long does the lochia last?
Generally speaking, lochia lasts between six and eight weeks. If you are breastfeeding, it may be shorter. This is because the hormone oxytocin is secreted during breastfeeding. This causes the uterus to contract. As a result, the wound area becomes smaller more quickly and the excretion of the remains is accelerated.
Stage 1: Lochia Rubra
In the first days after the birththe lochia is still redwhich Consistency fluentssig and he is very strong. This is due to the fact that there are still many remains to be excreted from the uterus: Egg membrane residue, blood, uterine lining, hair fluff from the foetus, cheese smear and meconium (the baby's bowel movements). It quickly decreases, but often increases again slightly in the tenth week of labour.
Stage 2: Lochia fusca
About one to two weeks after the birth changes the Colour of the weekly flow from red to brownish. The Consistency becomes thin wingsssig and also the Intensityless and less. This is also due to the fact that only blood serum, lymph and white blood cells are excreted.
Stage 3: Lochia flava
After around three to four weeks the lochia gets a yellowish-brownish colourThe consistency tends to be more solid and greasy. This also means that the Intensitysignificantly weaker is removed. Bacteria, mucus and dead tissue are then excreted.
Stadum 4: Lochia alba
After about five to six weeks the lochia has a whitish colour and is very watery. You're only going to make him very Weak because now only wound fluid is being excreted. You will simply see increased discharge from your vagina.
However, this process is not universal. It is quite possible that your menstrual flow will become bloody again after a while or change colour. The intensity can also change. For many women, it lasts up to eight weeks. In addition, you may not be able to tell exactly whether it is still your period or whether you have already started your period again.
In total, your menstrual flow has a volume of 200 - 500 ml. By comparison, you lose around 50 - 80 ml during your period.
The amount therefore varies from woman to woman. But the amount during the day also varies. For many women who have recently given birth, the flow is temporarily stronger when they are moving. It is then weaker when they are lying down. Sometimes the flow seems to pause for a few hours. Then there is only a small amount of discharge in the pad. So it has not completely disappeared. After a few hours it is back to its usual colour. It is important that the amount, colour and smell match the time of the postpartum period within 24 hours.
A very unpleasant odour or lumpy discharge may be a sign of an infection or a healing disorder. In this case, you should definitely ask your midwife or doctor for advice.
In midwife Katharina's workshop, learn why it is crucial for new mums to recover properly after giving birth. She will share insights on what happens to your baby after birth, what decisions you will have to make and, above all, how you can enjoy the upcoming postpartum period to the full. This phase is of great importance to build a close bond with your baby.
What do I need to consider when it comes to hygiene?
Proper hygiene during labour is extremely important to protect you from infection. Many doctors and midwives advise you to avoid a soothing bath. You should also pay attention to a few things when showering.
Avoid vaginal douches and only wash your genital area with lukewarm water. It's better not to use soap. If you absolutely need soap, then use a product that is specially designed for the genital area. Normal soap changes the healthy acidity (pH value) of your intimate area. This acidity level is your body's own protection against pathogenic germs. Also make sure you clean your genital area regularly. This is important to prevent infection. It is sufficient to rinse the perineal area with warm water after each visit to the toilet. Even if there is only a small amount of discharge in the pad. If you are unsure, ask your midwife for advice.
Tampons are absolutely no alternative to absorbing the menstrual flow. Bacteria can enter the uterus through tampons and lead to puerperal fever. Use thick cotton pads during this period of labour. Change them regularly and several times a day. Especially at the beginning, you should even change the sanitary napkin every hour. This will naturally become less frequent as time goes on. Put a large towel in your bed at the beginning. It is relatively common for some of the menstrual flow to leak out during the night.
During your stay in the clinic, you will be provided with sanitary pads. You will then need your own pads at home. When buying them, make sure that you don't buy normal sanitary pads for the monthly period. These are too thin and have a plastic film on the underside. Postnatal pads do not have this film, are thicker and therefore minimise the risk of infection. Practical are Fluff nappies. They were actually developed as inserts for cloth nappies for babies and are therefore particularly skin-friendly.
Beware of intestinal bacteria during labour
Ensure thorough hygiene when using the toilet. Intestinal bacteria can easily get into the vagina and cause an infection in the uterus, especially if the perineum is torn or cut. This leads to puerperal fever, which must be treated with antibiotics. You can rinse with lukewarm water after using the toilet. A few drops Calendula essence in the water support the healing process.
Sexual intercourse during menstruation
Many midwives and doctors advise against sexual intercourse during labour. Others, on the other hand, say that sex is possible. The different advice comes from the fact that couples have different views on how responsibly they handle hygiene. If you want to have sex, paying attention to cleanliness is important for you and your partner. You can also use a condom to prevent germs from being carried into the uterus during sexual intercourse. Above all, it is important that you give yourself and your body enough time. You have just had a child in your womb for nine months and have just given birth. Give yourself enough time to recover. If you don't feel like being physically close to your partner yet, this is a sign that sex is simply not yet right for you and your body.
How can I stimulate the menstrual flow?
Breastfeeding stimulates the production of oxytocin. This hormone not only gets the milk flowing, but also gets the lochia flowing. Frequent breastfeeding or pumping is the best way to promote uterine healing. Sometimes, however, this is not enough, or you are one of those mums who do not want to or cannot breastfeed the baby. In this case, you can also do other things to stimulate your lochia. You can lie on your stomach for 20-30 minutes every day to help the uterus regress. A soothing abdominal massage with the flat of your hand and very gentle pressure stimulates the uterus. Your partner can circle clockwise around your belly button. A sitz bath in lukewarm salt water stimulates the bleeding. It is also important that you try to pee every 2 to 4 hours. A full bladder prevents the uterus from regressing. After the birth, you may not feel the need to pee at all. The baby no longer presses on the bladder. Instead, you are distracted by the baby and therefore even forget that you haven't been to the toilet for hours. Simply send yourself to the toilet regularly. Then your bladder will always stay nice and small.
Lochia after caesarean section?
Of course, you will also have a labour flow if you have had a caesarean section. In many cases, however, it is weaker and often lasts much longer. This is because the uterus usually recedes much more slowly after a caesarean section. The reason for the weaker discharge is that a curettage is sometimes performed after a caesarean section. This involves removing parts of the tissue that no longer need to be excreted.
What is lochia?
If the lochia cannot drain properly, this results in a blockage. A blockage often occurs at the same time as the milk comes in. However, this usually only lasts a few hours. As soon as the milk blockage clears, the lochia starts again. In this case, the measures taken are sufficient to support the lochia. If lochia continues for many hours and remains untreated, it is very dangerous. It can cause the Childbed fever can be triggered. It is therefore important that puerperal congestion is recognised in good time. This is because puerperal fever is a serious complication in the puerperium. It must be treated in hospital with antibiotics.
