How Long Do Women Bleed After Giving Birth? | Lochia Timeline

After delivery, your body starts a messy-looking cleanup job. The bleeding you see is called lochia. It’s a mix of blood, mucus, and tissue leaving the uterus as it shrinks back down and heals where the placenta was attached.

Lochia can feel like a long period, yet it follows its own pattern. When you know that pattern, it’s easier to stay calm, rest when you should, and spot the moments when you need care fast.

What Lochia Is And Why It Happens

During pregnancy, the uterine lining thickens. After birth, that lining has to shed. At the same time, the uterus contracts to pinch off blood vessels. Those contractions can feel like period cramps, and they can spike during breastfeeding because the hormone that triggers milk let-down also tightens the uterus.

Lochia happens after a vaginal birth and after a C-section. A C-section can mean less discharge early on because some blood and tissue are removed during surgery, yet weeks of bleeding can still follow. The goal isn’t “no blood.” The goal is a steady trend toward lighter flow and paler color.

Three Stages You’ll Recognize

• Lochia rubra: brighter red and heavier early flow.
• Lochia serosa: pink to brown discharge as the flow tapers.
• Lochia alba: pale yellow or off-white discharge near the end.

How Long Do Women Bleed After Giving Birth? Typical Timeline

Most women see the heaviest bleeding in the first few days, then a taper over the next weeks. Six weeks is a common endpoint, and some women notice light traces past that point. The NHS notes lochia often stops around 6 to 8 weeks, though it can run longer for some people. NHS information on early days after birth lays out that range and the “lighter over time” pattern.

Day 0 To Day 3

Expect red bleeding, like a heavy period. Small clots can show up, often after lying down and then standing. A brief gush when you get up can happen when blood pools in the vagina.

Day 4 To Day 10

The flow often eases. Many women see a darker red or brown tone. If you’ve been on your feet a lot, you might notice a bump in bleeding later that day. Take that as a sign to slow down.

Week 2 To Week 4

Bleeding often turns brown, pink, or rust-colored. Some days look close to done, then you see a little more after a busy stretch. Mild cramps can still pop up, especially during nursing.

Week 4 To Week 6

Many women shift into pale discharge that looks yellowish or creamy. Spotting can come and go. If you’re past six weeks and still seeing steady red bleeding, call your maternity care team.

Week 6 And Beyond

Light spotting beyond six weeks can still fit normal recovery if the trend is downward and you feel well. If bleeding is getting heavier, turning bright red again, or coming with fever, pain, or a bad smell, get checked.

Time After Birth	Common Look And Feel	What Often Helps
First 24 hours	Red flow, may be heavy; cramps may spike with feeding	Large maternity pads, rest, ask for help getting up
Days 2–3	Red bleeding like a heavy period; small clots can happen	Change pads often, note clot size
Days 4–7	Darker red to brown; flow usually lighter than day 1	Ease activity, keep lifting light
Days 8–14	Brown, pink, or rust tones; more watery discharge	Track color shifts, slow down if flow ramps up
Weeks 2–4	Light bleeding or spotting; brown to pink discharge	Stay on pads, watch for odor changes
Weeks 4–6	Pale discharge; on-and-off spotting	Keep a simple log, plan gentle movement
Weeks 6–8+	Tracing spots or clear/pale discharge for some women	Call your clinician if red bleeding persists or ramps up

What Can Change The Timeline

Two women can deliver on the same day and have different lochia. Differences don’t always signal trouble. These factors often change the pace.

Birth Details

A long labor, an assisted vaginal birth, or a bigger tear can mean more early bleeding. Placenta placement can also affect how the uterus heals. A C-section can mean less heavy bleeding early on, yet lochia can still last weeks.

Breastfeeding And Afterpains

Breastfeeding can bring stronger cramps and a brief boost in flow right after a feed. That’s the uterus tightening up. Many women notice this most in the first week.

Activity And Rest Balance

If your bleeding gets brighter after errands, stairs, or lifting, your body is telling you to rest. Try this: lie down for an hour and recheck. If the flow settles, you likely did too much. If it doesn’t settle, call.

Infection Or Retained Tissue

Bleeding that stays heavy, smells foul, or comes with fever can point to infection. Bleeding that stays bright red and won’t taper can also happen if placenta tissue remains in the uterus. Both need prompt assessment.

Normal Lochia Versus Postpartum Hemorrhage

Normal lochia is expected discharge as the uterus heals. Postpartum hemorrhage is heavy bleeding that can threaten your health. Many clinical references use blood loss of 500 mL or more after vaginal birth and 1000 mL or more after cesarean birth as traditional thresholds. WHO guidance on prevention and management of postpartum haemorrhage lists those cutoffs and describes severity ranges.

At home, pad use is the best signal. ACOG describes postpartum hemorrhage as bleeding that’s much heavier than usual, such as soaking through two pads an hour for more than 1 to 2 hours. ACOG notes on conditions to watch after childbirth gives that practical yardstick.

Urgent Warning Signs You Can Spot

• Soaking a pad in an hour, especially if it keeps happening.
• Passing clots larger than an egg or passing tissue.
• Feeling dizzy, faint, or short of breath with bleeding.

The CDC lists heavy bleeding that soaks through one or more pads in an hour and clots larger than an egg as urgent warning signs after pregnancy. CDC urgent maternal warning signs explains when to seek care right away.

When To Get Help Right Away

If you’re unsure and your bleeding feels scary, call. Quick care beats waiting and guessing.

Go In Now If You Have

• Bleeding that soaks through a pad in an hour or less.
• Two pads an hour for 1 to 2 hours.
• Clots larger than an egg, or repeated large clots.
• Fever, chills, or worsening pelvic pain.
• Fainting, confusion, chest pain, or trouble breathing.
• Discharge with a strong bad smell.

What You Notice	What It Can Point To	What To Do
Soaking a pad in ≤1 hour	Heavy bleeding, possible hemorrhage	Seek emergency care now
Two pads an hour for 1–2 hours	Bleeding heavier than usual	Call emergency services or go in now
Clots larger than an egg	Abnormal bleeding or retained tissue	Urgent evaluation
Bad-smelling discharge	Infection	Same-day medical care
Fever or chills	Infection	Same-day medical care
Bleeding ramps up after it had been tapering	Overdoing activity, infection, or retained tissue	Rest, then call if it doesn’t ease
Dizzy or faint with bleeding	Blood loss with low blood pressure	Emergency care now

Simple Habits That Make Recovery Easier

Use Pads, Not Internal Products

Use maternity pads or thick pads at first. Skip tampons and menstrual cups until your clinician clears you. Early on, the uterus is still healing, and internal products raise infection risk.

Track Color, Amount, And Smell

A one-line daily note is enough: “brown, light, no clots.” If something shifts—bright red again, bigger clots, foul odor—you’ll catch it early.

Plan Rest Like It’s A Task

If you notice a bright-red rebound after a busy day, treat it like a stop sign. Spend the next day resting, feeding, and doing only basic movement around the house. If the rebound keeps happening, call your care team.

Common Patterns That Catch People Off Guard

Lochia isn’t a straight line. It can pause, lighten, and then show up again. The trick is to watch whether the overall direction is toward less bleeding.

Small Clots In The First Days

Pea- to grape-sized clots can show up early, especially after you’ve been lying down. If clots are getting larger, showing up often, or paired with heavy pad-soaking, treat that as urgent.

Bleeding That Picks Up After A Busy Day

A brighter, heavier day after you’ve walked a lot, carried laundry, or stood for long stretches is common. Rest, hydrate, and see if it settles by the next check. If you’re seeing a bright-red jump that doesn’t calm down with rest, call.

A New Bad Smell

Lochia can smell like a period. A sharp, foul odor is different. If that change comes with fever, chills, or increasing pelvic pain, get seen the same day.

When Your Period Comes Back

A period is different from lochia. Lochia trends lighter and shifts color over time. A true period restarts as a more classic cycle bleed once hormones change. If you’re not breastfeeding, periods can return earlier. If you are breastfeeding, they can return later, and some women stay period-free for months.

What To Remember As You Heal

Most postpartum bleeding follows a taper: heavy red in the first days, then brown or pink, then pale discharge. Six weeks is a common finish line, and light traces can linger. Watch the trend. If the trend goes the wrong way—fast pad-soaking, big clots, fever, foul smell, or dizziness—get medical care without delay.