How to discharge lochia?

Women usually discharge lochia after giving birth, regardless of whether it is a natural birth or a caesarean section. However, since each person's physical condition is different, the length of time for lochia discharge is usually different. However, lochia discharge is very beneficial to women's physical health, and it directly indicates the recovery of a woman's uterus after childbirth. Therefore, once lochia is not clean, it needs to be checked and treated in time.

How to discharge lochia?

Whether it is a natural birth or a caesarean section, perineum care and lochia treatment are processes that a new mother has to go through. The lochia of a mother who gives birth naturally must wait for it to be discharged on its own, which takes about one to four weeks. If the mother has a caesarean section, the doctor will help clean up after the birth, so the time for lochia to be discharged will be much shorter. While waiting for the lochia to be discharged, new mothers must observe the situation of lochia at all times. If there is too much lochia, large blood clots, a foul odor, or even a fever or abnormal abdominal pain, they must seek medical attention immediately. Otherwise, just change the sanitary napkin at any time, keep the perineum dry, rinse with a douche after going to the toilet, and take a warm shower, the wound can return to normal.

In fact, to know how to discharge lochia completely, you must first understand what lochia is. Lochia is a mixture of blood, white blood cells, mucus and tissue that remains in the uterus after childbirth and is discharged through the vagina.

Lochia will definitely be as red as blood at first, and then gradually fade. The entire lochia, which lasts at least a week, goes through three stages:

Stage 1: Lochia blood, also known as red lochia

The secretions discharged by new mothers within 1 to 4 days after delivery contain more blood, so the color is red or dark red, and the amount is relatively large, about the same as the normal menstrual volume, or slightly more than the menstrual volume, sometimes with blood clots and a bloody smell. When a new mother gets up for the first time or gets out of bed suddenly after a long period of bed rest, a lot of blood will suddenly flow out of the vagina. This is a normal phenomenon and new mothers do not need to worry too much.

Stage 2: Serous lochia

The lochia discharged by a new mother about 5 to 10 days after delivery is light red and contains a small amount of blood, mucus and more vaginal secretions. At this time, due to bacterial growth, the smell will be stronger, but it is still within the normal range.

Stage 3: White lochia

Ten days after delivery, new mothers will discharge white or yellowish lochia, which contains white blood cells, decidual cells, epidermal cells and bacteria. It is shaped like leucorrhea, but more than usual.

Generally, the amount of lochia is heavy and watery, so much that the maternity pad must be changed every hour. If the maternity pad is completely wet, or if a large amount or large blood clots suddenly appear, you must seek medical attention immediately. How long the lochia lasts will depend on the new mother's physical condition, but it is not considered complete until the vaginal discharge turns normal color. New mothers only need to pay attention to the color of the lochia to know whether it is normal, so there is no need to worry too much.