During pregnancy, the body works at full speed and achieves great things; the immune system, hormone balance and metabolism are adjusted to the pregnancy After birth, the processes are gradually shut down again and the new mother needs Postpartum – that means in the first period after birth – a lot of rest. In the postpartum period, the Lochia which can last and progress for different lengths of time depending on the person. In this blog post, we will explain what characterizes the lochia, what problems could arise and what you should pay attention to in terms of hygiene during this time.

During pregnancy, the placenta and uterus formed a single unit; they were firmly connected to each other. The uterus contracts after the birth of the baby, which causes the Placenta detaches from the uterine wall This creates a Wound area , which must first heal again. During the Healing process This leads to the lochia, which is also called "lochia". Wound secretion consisting of blood, mucus and placentadays tissue, which is excreted through the vagina .

However, the lochia occurs  not only after a vaginal birth  on - no, also In the case of births by Caesarean section, the wound surface must heal and the wound secretion must be excreted However, during a Caesarean section, the placenta is removed and most of the blood in the uterus is removed. As a result, the lochia after a Caesarean section is usually somewhat less, as it is mostly caused by bleeding from the wound. The duration of the lochia is also usually shorter; the lochia often ends after about 4 weeks after a Caesarean section.

In general, the duration and intensity of the lochia varies from person to person. To understand this, it is important for you to know: After giving birth, your estrogen level rises rapidly. But why is that? The hormone estrogen is responsible for closing the area where the placenta was connected to the uterus. 

This is the lochia right now in the firstdays n after delivery probably heavier than your normal period and in terms of colour blood red During this time, the wound secretion consists mainly of tissue residues, lymph fluid, pieces of blood (coagulum) and bacteria.

Already in the second week the lochia will become weaker and you will also notice a difference in color; it is usually brownish and will be at the end of the second week yellowish . Towards the end of the third week  The lochia is usually whitish and only a small amount comes out of the vagina – just as you probably know from your discharge.

After birth, the intensity of the lochia decreases from week to week and the color becomes lighter. After about After four to six weeks, the end of the lochia is finally in sight .

You will probably notice that the lochia has a certain Odor You may notice this odor especially on the 5th day after birth. However, this is completely normal and there is no reason to worry. If you suddenly notice a different, unpleasant or even pungent odor, this could be an indication of an infection. In this case, contact your gynecologist.

You may notice during the postpartum period that your lochia is suddenly much lighter than before or that it has stopped altogether. However, throughout the day you have not moved much less than before. In this case, it could be that you have a Lochia congestion and your lochia cannot drain properly. The so-called “lochial congestion” can have various causes, such as Obstruction of the cervix due to too much clotted blood.

If the blockage only lasts a few hours and the lochia then returns to normal, there is no need to worry; a certain variation in the amount and duration of the lochia is quite normal. warmth  or  gentle abdominal massages can, for example, help you to get your lochia flowing again.

However, if the lochia congestion lasts longer and symptoms such as abdominal pain or fever occur, you should have it checked by a doctor.

To Infections during the postpartum period to prevent , you should attach particular importance to hygiene during this time. If you have any questions about hygiene during the postpartum period, you can always contact your midwife. We also have a few Tips for you:

• Always wash your hands thoroughly , especially after you have come into contact with the lochia.
• You should after each visit to the toilet with water wash.
• Use a additional towel for your genital area. This should ideally be exchange daily .

On the Use of tampons You should avoid it during the lochia so that it can flow freely and does not build up. We therefore recommend that you Period underwear or washable cotton pads , as this can also prevent moisture accumulation and heat build-up.Tampons are not recommended in the postpartum period, not just for hygiene reasons, but also for reasons of comfort. After the birth, inserting tampons can be very uncomfortable due to the birth wound that is created. In addition, you don't have to get up constantly to change the tampon, as period underwear catches and seals in the fluid for several hours. This way, you can get plenty of rest - just as is intended during the postpartum period.