Postpartum Bleeding (Lochia) — What's Normal and What's Not

In the weeks after birth, your body sheds the lining that supported your pregnancy. This bleeding is called lochia, and it is one of the most universal — and least talked-about — parts of postpartum recovery. Almost every new mother has it, yet many are surprised by how long it lasts or unsure what is normal. As a postpartum doula, this is a conversation I have constantly, so let me give you the honest, plain-language version.

None of this replaces advice from your own doctor or midwife, who knows your specific birth and recovery. But knowing the normal pattern — and the warning signs that are not normal — helps you rest with more confidence and act quickly if something is wrong.

What is lochia, and how does it change?

Lochia is your body clearing the womb after birth, and it changes in a fairly predictable sequence:

• First few days (lochia rubra). Heaviest and bright to dark red, sometimes with small clots. This is the most intense stretch, and it is normal.
• Roughly days four to ten (lochia serosa). The flow lightens and turns pink-brown or watery as the bleeding slows.
• From about a week or two onward (lochia alba). Light, scant and yellowish-white, gradually tapering away.

For most women the whole process winds down over two to six weeks. You may notice it ebbs and flows, and increases a little when you have been more active — your body’s quiet way of telling you to slow down. pregnancyinfo.ca from the SOGC has trustworthy detail on what to expect.

What is normal — and reassuring?

• A gradual decrease in amount over the weeks
• The colour shift from red, to pink-brown, to yellowish-white
• A small, temporary increase after activity that settles with rest
• Occasional very small clots in the early days
• A mild, ordinary “fresh” smell, not foul

This is your body doing exactly what it should. The most useful thing you can offer it is rest.

Warning signs: when to call for help

Please know the signs that are not routine, and act promptly if you notice them:

• Soaking a maxi pad in an hour, for two or more hours in a row
• Clots larger than a golf ball
• A sudden return to heavy, bright-red bleeding after it had lightened
• Foul-smelling discharge, or a fever — possible signs of infection
• Dizziness, faintness, a racing heart or shortness of breath

Any of these warrants prompt medical advice. In BC, a registered nurse is available any time at 8-1-1 (HealthLink BC), and you should use 9-1-1 or emergency services for severe or sudden heavy bleeding. Postpartum haemorrhage is uncommon but serious — never sit and wonder; call.

A few practical tips

• Use pads, not tampons, until your provider clears you. Anything inside the vagina too soon raises infection risk while you heal, and pads let you monitor colour and amount.
• Rest is the treatment. Lochia that picks up after a busy afternoon is feedback — take it as permission to lie down.
• Keep clean gently. Good hygiene supports healing, especially around stitches.
• Watch alongside your other recovery. Lochia is one thread of a bigger picture — see the full postpartum recovery guide for the rest.

How rest and nourishment help

Bleeding means blood loss, and your body rebuilds best when it is well nourished and well rested. Iron-rich foods to replenish, protein for tissue repair, and plenty of warm fluids all genuinely support recovery — which is precisely what the Cantonese confinement table was built to deliver. It is restorative nourishment, not medicine, and it lets you do the one thing your healing truly needs: rest.

When cooking is one task too many in these weeks, that is what we are here for — fresh, nourishing Cantonese confinement meals delivered across Greater Vancouver, so you can lie down, heal, and let your body do its quiet work.