How to distinguish between menstruation and lochia after delivery?

Postpartum women often think about restoring their health as soon as possible so that they can return to work and study in time. Therefore, many women regard menstruation after childbirth as a sign of physical recovery. In fact, this idea is inaccurate, because postpartum women will experience a phenomenon similar to menstruation, which is lochia. It flows out from almost the same channel as menstruation and is also a blood-like excretion. So, how to distinguish between menstruation and lochia after delivery?

For new mothers who do not breastfeed, their menstruation will generally resume within 6-10 weeks after delivery. However, for new mothers who breastfeed, the time of resumption of menstruation is extremely variable and may resume at any time within the 2nd to 18th month after delivery, with an average of 6-8 months. Some new mothers even do not have menstruation at all during breastfeeding.

Characteristics of lochia : Within one week after delivery, there is more blood in the lochia, so the lochia will have red or dark red blood clots and a slight fishy smell; later the color of the lochia will gradually fade and turn brown, which is called serous lochia; serous lochia generally lasts about ten days, and the lochia gradually turns white or yellow-white, a bit similar to leucorrhea, which is called white lochia. Normal lochia has a bloody smell but no odor. It usually lasts for 4-6 weeks and the total amount is 250-500ml. If the vaginal lochia is still not clear more than 6 weeks after delivery, the most common reasons are poor uterine recovery, infection or residual placental membrane tissue. You should go to the hospital in time to find out the cause and deal with it in time. In addition, if the amount of vaginal bleeding is significantly more than the usual menstrual volume or the bleeding time is too long, you should go to the hospital in time to rule out the possibility of late postpartum hemorrhage.

Characteristics of menstruation : After the lochia gradually turns into white lochia, it turns into bleeding for no reason. The amount is the same as the past menstrual amount or slightly more than the past amount, but there is no other discomfort. It is very likely that menstruation has resumed. Generally speaking, for most mothers, the first menstrual flow after childbirth is slightly larger than the menstrual flow before pregnancy, and it will stop within a week without the need for special treatment.