Whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery or a c-section, Postpartum bleeding is unavoidable. We hope to make postpartum bleeding a little easier to handle by sharing an option for which pad to choose.
You’ve had your baby, and your body can finally return to its normal state, right?
While we wish recovering from pregnancy and giving birth was this simple, we know it’s way more complicated than that.
What causes postpartum bleeding?
One of the body’s responses to birth is through the release of lochia––also known as postpartum bleeding. Lochia occurs after delivery and is heavy mucus and blood flow and is the body’s way of getting rid of the blood and tissue needed to support your baby when it was in your womb.
Postpartum bleeding can be a pain in the “you-know-what,” but thankfully, there are some helpful tools to make navigating this experience more manageable.
Postpartum bleeding occurs after delivery as the body’s way of getting rid of the extra blood and tissue it no longer needs.
It is typically a dark red shade three days after delivery. Postpartum bleeding can go on for various periods, depending on the individual. Heavy bleeding naturally occurs for up to ten days after delivery.
Read next: Your Postpartum Hormone Timeline
Postpartum bleeding vs. your menstrual cycle
You may be wondering what makes postpartum bleeding different from your typical menstrual cycle. As far as your flow goes, postpartum bleeding is much heavier than a regular period.
Additionally, the contents of postpartum bleeding are not just your normal menstrual blood. It also contains mucus and tissue from the uterus where the placenta was attached.
Postpartum bleeding covers a gradient of colors from bright red to pink to a brownish color and a yellow-white color, unlike your period. Of course, be aware of your postpartum bleeding and know that no one is like the others.
Note: if you begin passing large clots or are worried about the amount of bloodshed, please contact your care provider immediately.
What pads should you use in postpartum?
After you’ve moved out of the hospital pads (we all know they’re more like adult diapers), it’s important to find a pad to help you stay fresh and absorb even the heaviest of flows during this time.
If you need something more absorbent, consider using an overnight pad until your bleeding slows down.
Four pads you should have at-home after birth
- Hospital-grade or overnight pad
- Heavy flow pad (we love the Honey Pot Co. Postpartum Pad)
- Regular flow pad
- Liner pad
Keep in mind that you may still experience postpartum bleeding for four to six weeks after giving birth. However, this bleeding is usually not as heavy and can be classified as a light flow or even just spotting.
We recommend using a liner for this part of postpartum bleeding – you won’t even notice they are there. Viv also makes a great liner you can check out.
Even as your bleeding begins to lighten, continue taking it easy to allow the area where the placenta was attached to heal properly.
Postpartum bleeding is one of the challenging postpartum symptoms that our bodies undergo after giving birth. You are already taking a step in the right direction by learning about it and the tools you can use to help you through it.
Shop more items for postpartum bleeding
This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links. Thank you for helping us keep our content free of charge.
