Clots After Delivery

I never passed any clots that big and didn't notice them having any effect on my bleeding. I did however bleed for about 5 weeks. If I remember correctly, aren't the discharge instructions that you have to go see dr for any blood clots bigger than a dime? I wouldn't freak out just yet, but if you pass clots larger than a dime, I'd let the dr know. Sometimes, a piece of the placenta can be left behind and you don't want to ignore warning signs.

I wouldn't be overly concerned. I think the rule of thumb is what others have said, a pad an hour or clots bigger than a golf ball. Remember, each pregnancy, delivery, baby and postpartum experience is different.

It's been a while, but I do seem to remember having more clots with subsequent babies. Could also be that it's a different pregnancy, you're older, heavier, skinnier, have more kids to care for, etc. What I DO remember for sure is the doc telling me that clotting was normal, as long as it was smaller than the size of a golf ball, and bleeding was normal up to 6 weeks postpartum, but it is somewhat rare to bleed that long. I think the longest I bled after any of my 4 was about 4 weeks, and yes, I had the clotting too.

Its probably normal--I think as long as you are not soaking a pad an hour or have clots the size of gold balls it is fine. I have only had one baby and my bleeding probably lasted about 3-4 weeks. I know the more I stayed off my feet and the less walking and stairs I did, the less clots I would seem to have. I know that is hard to do with 3 kiddos, but just take it a bit easier if you can! Of course check with your ob if you are concerned.

Yes, it's normal. We just had our third baby three months ago and I had tons of clots this time. And once we got home I bled for over a month. It would taper down and then start again and I'd pass another clot. What FINALLY helped was I went for a 2 mile walk and that night passes a large clot which seemed to be the last....as the bleeding finished and didn't start back up again.

I had that with my third. My midwife wasn't concerned and said I was fine. I wasn't filling a pad and hour or anything like that. My bleeding lasted the longest with my thrid. I think because I just could not stop taking care of my other kids. After my second we left 6 hours after birth, when we got home I carried my sleeping first son (3 yrs old) into the house while my husband carried the baby in. I bled more with my second and mores till with my first. I don't know why.

Hi Lesley,
I had a similar experience with my 1st. Ends up the doctor had not removed the entire placenta and it was causing the clotting. A trip to the ER and a little snip (my tmi) and it was all taken care of. Better to ask and let them rule it out...

But please if you can go to the doctor! It's would be better to get this checked out than wait longer I think. But I am basing my opinion on my scary experience with bleeding....in which I lost way too much blood after my second pregnancy...it doesn't sound like you are bleeding like that...but still if you can get it checked out -

I had bleeding for about 1 month after each of mine.

I had the same thing happen to me. I was worried and went into the doctor just to find out it was pretty common and I had nothing to worry about. The doctor was correct.

The same thing happened to me with my second baby and not the first. I thought something was wrong, I was passing golf ball/baseball sized clots..seriously, I thought my insides were coming out.
The doctor said it was normal, only to be concerned if you have a fever :)

Sorry, but with both my babies I bled for 6-8 weeks. The prenatal classes told me I would, and they were right. It was worse with my first baby, and with the second the flow was heavier, but ended earlier. The clots were there, too, and that's the only time I've really experienced cramps (and discovered how lucky I was not to have them every month!).

I don't think they're a concern, but do tell your OB next time you go in.

Hi,
I read through all the responses and I do have one thing to add that hasn't been said before. First, as a childbirth educator, I will echo what others have said, that soaking through a pad an hour or passing clots the size of a golf ball or larger necessitates a call to your doctor. So passing grape-sized clots after two weeks is well within the range of normal, *however* one possible explanation for your bleeding tapering off and then picking up again is that you are not taking it easy enough on your body. You probably have much more to do with this second baby than you had with the first. And you're probably feeling pretty good, so you're doing things like shopping, walking, cooking, cleaning. If your bleeding has tapered off and then starts to pick up again as red blood with clots, that could very well be a red flag for you to sit down and put your feet up for a while. Keep taking care of yourself!

Hi Lesley, maybe if they continue over the weekend or get larger or you have sudden worse cramping, call the OB/midwife Monday morning?

I say this since with my first two I had no clotting, just bleeding for 2 or 3 weeks.

With my third I started clotting about 2 weeks. They got larger and more frequent over the next week. I ultimately had to have a D&C after I went in for my 6 week check, no fun, :(