Postpartum bleeding: how long it lasts, what is normal week by week, and when to call the hospital

Postpartum bleeding, called lochia, usually lasts three to four weeks, and for some mums up to eight, KKH says. It starts right after delivery and is heavy for the first couple of days. Then it eases, and the colour moves from bright red to pink or brown and then yellow. Change your pad every two to three hours, and use pads instead of tampons. Call your doctor if the bleeding suddenly gets heavy again after it had eased, if the discharge smells foul, or if you have a fever. Go to hospital straight away for heavy bleeding, such as soaking a pad in an hour or passing clots bigger than an egg. In Singapore, KKH's Urgent O&G Centre is a 24-hour walk-in centre that sees problems after birth, and any hospital emergency department will help.

What lochia is and why it happens

Lochia is the discharge from your womb after birth: blood, mucus and tissue from where the placenta was attached. SingHealth's going-home advice for KKH mums says it begins right after delivery. As the womb shrinks back, the wound where the placenta sat heals and the bleeding slows.

You'll also feel afterpains, cramps from the womb contracting back to its usual size. KKH says you'll feel these more when your baby breastfeeds, and the UK's NHS notes the bleeding can be redder and heavier during a feed for the same reason, and both of these are normal.

A caesarean doesn't stop lochia. Cleveland Clinic says you'll still bleed for several weeks after a C-section, though usually less than after a vaginal birth.

How long does postpartum bleeding last? A week-by-week guide

KKH gives the general pattern: heavy for the first couple of days, then lighter, with the colour moving from bright red to pink or brown and then yellow. Most mums stop bleeding within three to four weeks, and some carry on for up to eight weeks. HealthXchange says it usually becomes much lighter towards weeks 4 to 6. Singapore pages don't break it down day by day, so the stage timings in this table come from Cleveland Clinic in the US.

Cleveland Clinic says the flow often picks up for a while during or after walking or climbing stairs, while breastfeeding, and when you get out of bed in the morning. It also says lochia shouldn't stop completely and then start again as fresh bleeding, which may be your period or a sign of a problem, so mention it to your doctor.

What to do during the bleeding

KKH's advice to new mums:

• Change your sanitary pad every two to three hours.
• For a sore perineum, use cooling-gel pads, lie down or rest on your side every few hours, and avoid sitting for long.
• Keep taking the painkillers you're given, because KKH says the anti-inflammatory painkillers often prescribed after birth (NSAIDs) reduce both pain and the amount of lochia.

Stick to pads until your six-week postnatal check. The NHS advises against tampons before then because they could increase your chance of infection.

You'll manage most of the bleeding at home, since KKH says the average stay is 24 to 36 hours after a normal delivery and 48 to 72 hours after a caesarean, so you'll go home in the heaviest days. HealthHub notes hospitals often give iron supplements after delivery to replace the blood you lost. They can turn your stools dark, which is harmless.

Maternity pads to buy in Singapore

You'll need thick maternity pads for the first week, then regular overnight or day pads as the flow eases. Disposable maternity briefs save your underwear in the first days. These are prices on the sellers' own websites, read on 11 October 2026; promotions change often.

How many? Changing every two to three hours, as KKH advises, works out to eight to twelve pads a day at first. Two or three packs of 20 thick pads see most mums through the first week, and then regular pads take over. Pack some in your hospital bag; our hospital bag checklist lists what KKH, NUH and SGH supply and what to bring. We don't rank brands: the right pad is the one that stays put and doesn't irritate your skin.

Warning signs: when bleeding means calling the hospital

KKH tells new mums to see a doctor if:

• The lochia suddenly becomes heavy after it had been decreasing
• The discharge looks like pus or smells foul
• You have a fever or chills
• Pain around your perineum or wound gets worse or becomes severe

Singapore pages don't put numbers on heavy bleeding. The US CDC treats these as urgent warning signs after birth: soaking through one or more pads in an hour, passing clots bigger than an egg or passing tissue, and discharge that smells bad. The NHS adds sudden or very heavy bleeding with feeling faint or a racing heart.

Heavy bleeding can happen after the first day. The UK's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists calls abnormal or heavy bleeding between 24 hours and 12 weeks after the birth a secondary postpartum haemorrhage, and says it is often linked to an infection in the womb, so it needs a doctor.

Where to go in Singapore

For heavy vaginal bleeding, KKH says to walk in instead of booking a slot. Your six-week postnatal check with your obstetrician is the time to mention bleeding that lingers. For the rest of the recovery timeline, see our guides to postnatal recovery after birth and c-section recovery in Singapore. If the blood seems to come from your bottom rather than the vagina, our guide to piles after giving birth explains what to do.

Frequently asked questions

How long does postpartum bleeding last?

KKH says most mums stop bleeding within three to four weeks, and for some it goes on for up to eight weeks. It's heaviest in the first couple of days and gets lighter and paler over time.

Is it normal for bleeding to stop and start again?

The flow can pick up for a while after activity or during breastfeeding, Cleveland Clinic says. If it suddenly becomes heavy again after it had eased, KKH says to see a doctor.

How do I know if I'm bleeding too much after birth?

Soaking a pad in an hour, passing clots bigger than an egg, or feeling faint or dizzy are emergency signs in the US CDC's list. Go to KKH's Urgent O&G Centre or the nearest emergency department.

What colour should postpartum bleeding be?

Bright red at first, then pink or brown, then yellow before it stops, KKH says. A foul smell, or pus-like discharge, is a reason to see a doctor.

Can I use tampons after giving birth?

Not until after your six-week check. The NHS says tampons could increase the chance of infection before then. Use pads.

Do you bleed after a C-section?

Yes. Cleveland Clinic says you'll still bleed for several weeks after a caesarean, though usually less than after a vaginal birth.