Body after pregnancy - caution, TMI ahead

Hi all
At our last Antenatal class, the teacher said that after the whole birth we have the flow of blood for 6 odd weeks, which I knew about. What I did not realise, she said it is sooooo heavy you can just move and a gush will come out, or stand up and gush again, in that first week. Sometime necessary for 2 pads. How did this compare in real life to those of you who have given birth? Must admit I am abit paniced - esp if I get say 4 hours sleep and wake up to blood everywhere cuz no pad change every 2 hours. Imagine I will need to wqear old undies and nighties etc.
And did any of you use like a plastic sheet for your bed when you got home to protect it?
There are parts about pregnancy that are so undigified eh??!!

Ah dignity, where art thou?!

Everyone is different so your AN educator has probably given you the worst case but it's not that unrealistic. Some people are heavy bleeders; others not.

For me, for the first 5 days at least, I was wearing 2 maternity pads at a time and changing them every 3 hours or so. I bled through them once (that was the first night) and it's why they put a waterproof "Kylie" (which absorbs liquid) under you when you go to sleep.   But it gradually settled! And you're often up lots at night with feeding or insomnia that you do change them fairly regularly.

I wore a hospital gown for the first night and day b/c of the bleeding and then went to my own clothes during the day (all black!) and hospital nightie at night. Nana knickers are the best - you can get packs of them at the Warehouse and if you bleed through and CBAed washing them, just chuck them out.

Hospital MW said it helps to drink lots as well - make sure you keep peeing and that helps keep the blood flow in check.

Yeah, mine was just like a relatively heavy AF for a week or so, and then virtually nothing. Definitely no double pads or plastic sheets required!

I don't know how true it is, but someone suggested it might link to your normal AF - if you're a heavy bleeder, your postnatal bleeding is more. Dunno about that.

For the first 2 days I had the gushing part. I'd have a shower and think yay I'm clean and then the next minute have a load of blood going down my legs I use 2 pads in the first few days anyway cause its cushioning for stitches making it easier to sit without being ouchie.

I started exercising again at 2w and noticed that I could feel dry one minute and then really wet the next. But I didn't leak.

And for Flissty's mention of comparing it to AF. I get really light AF but my PP bleeding is gross

yep I had the gushing for maybe the 2 days afterwards, and then for 1 week was using 2 pads and the second week after bubs was switching over to just 1 pad, but I never woke up with blood everywhere, it was mainly just when I stood up it was pretty gross

Ah yes....whenever I had been sitting for a while, blood would start gushing out when I got up(or just changed positions), through 2 pads and start running down my legs..always had to run straight to the toilet. That was only for about a week though.

Also had to change the sheets every morning...

When we had our son my midwife did this thing with the blue hospital plastic things (they put under you when bubs comes out), not sure what they call them, she folded one into three (lengthwise) and then lay two pads down slightly overlapping and she had me wear them for the first few days as I did bleed quite heavily, (I did this again when we had our daughter in June this year) admittedly I did change them just about every time I peed but that's because I don't like that ick feeling with bleeding, depending on your bleeding I reckon just change them every couple of hours, and yes I did wear the great granny bloomers, they made me feel a bit more secure, coz you go from your beautiful tight baby bump to still a bump but not so tight and it just helped me feel better and kept the blue plastic thing in my pants lol. I hope this message gives you a few laughs because thats what I was intending not to freak you out as there are those out there that just love to do that, the best thing I will say is just do what makes YOU feel comfy. All the best

I remeber those plastic thingys being on the beds while i was in hospatil after giving birth, i just used maternty pads and they worked fine didnt leak outta them.

with 2nd preg(isabella) i used martanty pads for a week but it wasnt that heavy it dispeared at 6 days which shocked me as i bleed for like 8wks with jacob and i had 2 c-sections, but i think with isabella i lost a lot of blood b4 she was born (had placenta apurbtion) so i think thats why i didnt bleed for long after her birth. by about 4-6wks with jacob i was just using linners, sorry for the tmi info.

I am SO SO pleased this thread is here. I've been worrying in secret fear for a few weeks now. Just doesnt seem the sort of thing i can discuss with friends, my mother...anyone.

I have a ridiculously light AF, always have, i'm a two tampon a day for two days girl so i have no idea how to cope with a gushing torrent of blood. TMI, sorry, but the the whole thread is a bit that way

Thanks for the honest stories ladies