After delivery, how many days of bleeding is normal?

In short: Bleeding after delivery, called lochia, usually lasts up to about 6 weeks. It starts bright red and heavy for the first few days, turns pinkish-brown, and then fades to yellowish-white. This happens after both normal and C-section births. Go to hospital straight away if you soak a pad every hour, pass large clots or feel faint, and see a gynaecologist the same day for fever, foul-smelling bleeding or tummy pain.

You have just had a baby, and suddenly there is so much bleeding. It is natural to wonder whether this is normal and how long it will go on. For most new mothers, this bleeding is simply the body healing, and it settles slowly over the coming weeks.

Knowing what to expect, and which signs need quick help, can give you real peace of mind.

Why do you bleed after delivery?

After your baby and the placenta are born, the place where the placenta was attached leaves a wound inside the womb. As it heals, your body sheds blood, mucus and the extra lining that supported your pregnancy. This discharge is called lochia.

It happens whether you had a normal delivery or a C-section. It is not a period, and it is different from your first period after birth.

After delivery, how many days does bleeding last?

For most women, bleeding lasts up to about 6 weeks. Some find it stops a little sooner, and others have light spotting a little longer. It usually changes in three stages:

• The first few days: bright or dark red and fairly heavy, like a heavy period. Small clots are common.
• Over the next week or two: lighter, watery, and pinkish or brownish.
• After that, up to about 6 weeks: yellowish-white or off-white, and much lighter, until it stops.

The overall trend should be lighter and paler as the days go by.

What is normal bleeding after delivery?

It is common for bleeding to:

• Feel heavier when you stand up after lying down, as blood pools while you rest
• Increase for a short while after walking around or doing more
• Come with cramps while breastfeeding, because feeding helps the womb shrink back
• Include small clots in the first few days
• Have a mild, earthy smell, similar to a period

If bleeding gets heavier after you do more, it can be a sign to slow down and rest.

Bleeding after a C-section delivery

After a C-section you will still have lochia, because the womb has to heal in the same way. Some women find the bleeding a little lighter in the early days, but it follows the same pattern and timing.

Look after your wound as well: keep it clean and dry, and watch for redness, swelling, pus or pain that gets worse. Our guide on healing after a C-section has more help with recovery.

What helps while you are bleeding

• Use thick maternity pads or sanitary pads and change them often
• Avoid tampons and menstrual cups until your doctor says it is fine, to lower the risk of infection
• Wash your hands before and after changing pads
• Wash the area gently with plain water; avoid douches and scented washes
• Pass urine often, as a full bladder can stop the womb from tightening properly
• Rest as much as you can, and build up activity slowly
• Eat iron-rich food like dal, green leafy vegetables, jaggery, ragi and eggs, and drink plenty of water

You can read more about recovering well in our postpartum care guide.

Lochia or your first period?

Lochia fades and stops over the weeks. Your first period after birth may come a few weeks or many months later, depending on whether you are breastfeeding. If you had stopped bleeding and then get a fresh red flow lasting a few days, it may be your period. But if bleeding suddenly turns bright red and heavy again after easing, go to hospital straight away. Read more about the return of periods after delivery.

When to see a gynaecologist

Book a visit if bleeding is still going on beyond about 6 weeks, if it keeps returning, or if you feel unusually tired, weak or breathless. A doctor can check that your womb has healed, may suggest an ultrasound or blood test, and can treat any problem.

Go to hospital straight away if:

• You soak a pad every hour, for 2 hours or more
• You pass clots bigger than a plum
• You feel faint, dizzy, very breathless or your heart is racing
• Bleeding suddenly becomes bright red and heavy again after it had eased
• You have chest pain, or a painful, swollen calf

Go to a doctor the same day if:

• You have a fever or chills
• The bleeding or discharge smells foul
• You have tummy pain or tenderness that is getting worse
• Your C-section wound is red, swollen, leaking pus or more painful

Questions women ask

After delivery, how many days of bleeding is normal?

Most women bleed for up to about 6 weeks after delivery. It is heaviest and red for the first few days, then turns pinkish-brown and later yellowish-white before stopping. Light spotting a little longer can be normal, but tell your doctor if it continues well past 6 weeks.

Is it normal for bleeding to get heavier after it slowed down?

A short increase after more activity or after lying down is common. But if the bleeding becomes bright red and heavy again, or you pass large clots, go to hospital straight away, as this can mean the womb has not healed fully.

How long does bleeding last after a C-section delivery?

About the same as after a normal delivery, up to about 6 weeks. Some women notice a little less bleeding early on. The colour changes in the same way, from red to pinkish-brown to yellowish-white.

Can I use a menstrual cup or tampon after delivery?

It is best to use pads only until your postnatal check-up. Inserting anything into the vagina while the womb is healing can raise the chance of infection. Ask your doctor when it is safe to switch back.

Why does bleeding increase while breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding releases a hormone that makes your womb tighten and shrink back to its normal size. This can cause cramps and push out a little more blood. It is normal and a sign that your body is healing.