Postpartum Bleeding - Pullman,WA

I had pp bleeding start back up after 6 weeks and then it immediatly stopped. My advice is to get another opinion. It could be an infection.

I would find out about having a D & C. I had to have two within one week to get my bleeding to stop, but they didn't cause any damage and I was able to get pregnant again when I wanted to.

I had marina and bleed all the time! I finally stopped after 4 months to start again 2 months later. Mine had came loose and was falling out so I went to the nuvaring. Much happier now! =]

I had a mirena. I bled for 6 weeks after it was inserted. So that would be like 12 weeks post partum. I got kind of lost on how many weeks post partum you are, but if i read correctly it sounds like 8 weeks, and the mirena has only been in for two. If that is the case I wouldn't worry, sometimes you spot for a long while after its inserted. The good news is that after my initial 6 weeks of misery my periods went away completely.

Hi A.,
I would request an ultrasound of your uterus if it hasn't been done already. I was still bleeding 6 weeks post, and they did an u/s and saw a big piece of placenta still there. I couldn't hurt to check! Good luck!

I would think about another opinion...that does not sound right to me at all. But I am not a doctor. Still second opinion would be good.

A.,

It's time to get a second opinion. Your doctor obviously has no idea what is going on with you and seems unwilling to help you further. Asking you to sit and wait is unreasonable. I'd get an exam from someone else.

Good luck:)

B.

I bled 12 weeks PP with my first, about 10 with my second and 8-9 with my third. Same experience, kept getting signs it would was over, then would stop again. Most of the time it restarts due to too much activity too soon. TAKE IT EASY. No working out until it stops for a week or more. You probably feel fine and recovered from birth, but birth is traumatic on your body and you need to give it time to heal.

Hi A.,

I'm a perinatal nurse and would really suspect that something else is going on. Maybe there is a little piece of placenta left in your uterus. Have you had an ultrasound done? It really sounds like you need to go back to the doctor or to a new one to figure out what this is. This is not normal. Sometimes there is some placenta remains that need to be taken out with a D&C.

Good luck -

C.

Hello A.

When I had my son I stopped bleeding completely 3 weeks postpartum and two days after that I started again. It gushed to the point I was starting to panic and called my dr. It was a steady trickle for hours. It finally calmed down and I ended up bleeding for 2 and a half months :( no fun. I have heard of women bleeding for longer. Hang in there its gotta stop some time right? :)

Hi A.,

as a nurse in women's health, I can tell you that it is normal to have bleeding post partum for sometimes up to 6-8 weeks. Additionally, post partum bleeding can be very heavy and can also sometimes stop and start again. It is normal with the mirena IUD to have some bleeding as well, this bleeding typically last for 2-3 months and may be constant or intermittant. The color of the blood has no bearing on if it is normal or not. It can take several weeks breastfeeding before post partum bleeding stops and if there is any lapse in breast feeding, you may get a period or light bleeding or spotting that may feel like a light period.

Abnormal bleeding post partum would be very, very heavy. Saturating maxi pads (so that if you picked it up by one end, it would drip) every hour consistantly. Also, fever of 100.4 or higher and sever pain are deffinitely symptoms to call your doctor about.

Of my own birthing expirience, I can tell you that I felt like my body had been in the middle of a train wreck =). I had bleeding for almost 6 weeks that at it's heaviest would normally have been alarming to me if I did not know to expect it. It varied from spotting to super heavy seemingly of it's own whim and that was quite frusterating. I had a paraguard IUD placed at 6 weeks post partum and then had another 4 weeks of bleeding that was a bit lighter, but still a nuisance. Then it tapered off completely and I didnt have any bleeding until my daughter went on solids at 8 months (though we still nursed until she was about 2 1/2)..

You can always see a different OB. I would tell you though that your bleeding sounds within the range of normals, however inconvenient it may be..

I don't know if it will help much but, I bleed for four months off and on after having our son now almost fourteen months later I still haven't had a period. I think our bodies just don't know how to handle all the hormone stuff and eventually we'll get back to ourselves (i hope). Any concerns, if you don't feel confident in your doctors opinion you could always get a second. As mom's we have enough challenges we don't need to throw another rinkle in. You need to have your mind at ease.

Beth P. has given you the best advice. And the advice about resting more. Especially after your first! This is so normal! Especially if you've started excersizing... even just tame walks can make the blood start up again.

I understand about being upset that you are still bleeding but pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding put you body all out of normal in the hormone levels. I would have the doctor check your hormone levels if it does not stop by like 10 or 12 weeks pp. It can take a long time for your body to adjust. my only other concern would be if they did not get all of the placenta at delivery. which it sounds like they may not have and it dispelled on its own and i would think then you would have to start from that date as far as the bleeding goes. god luck. oh maybe have them keep an I on your iron levels to because you could get anemic also which can cause other issue for one being extra tired.

Maybe you should get a 2nd opinion. Dont go on more horemores. I had heavy bleeding for almost 8 weeks after my 1st sone was born. I was so tired from it that it put me into pp depression. Horemones will just that worse. You could have other problems. My husbands 1st wife had some placenta stuck in her uterus which caused he to have several mis carriages over about 2 or 3 years. It took them along time to figure out what it was. So dont just take the 1st I dont know as an answer. Go to a really good obgyn. I dont know where you are but in Seattle there is female dr named Kruhl I believe. She participates in womens studies. She diagnosed me with what I thought was the problem I was having after others had told me It wasnt there. I have fibroid tumors in my uterus and on my ovaries. No one else seemed to find them but she did right away. I have dealt with alot of dr's over the last few years for differewnt reasons and different family members. One thing about most of them is they think that they are always right. you have to be an advocate for yourself and tell them what you want or need. They work for you after all.
Hope this helps a little.
hang in there and take the slow release iron witrh vitamin c. that will help with the anemia and the vit c helps it absorb better.

I had a lot of off and on heavy bleeding PP for 8 weeks after ALL 4 of my kids. There is a small problem with my clotting cells. It's not a big deal, just that. I also had heavy "spotting" mixed with bleeding for 3 months after my Mirena. It kind of sounds like just bad timing on the entire thing. If you think having the Mirena removed will help go for it. If not wait it out another month or so and see how it goes. I know how frustrating it can be when you are trying to deal with so many other things. The only think bright side I can offer is there is a good chance that your periods will lighten considerably or stop altogether with the Mirena after the initial spotting period.
Good Luck.

That is incredibly ridiculous. I would, at the very least, find another provider...or ask to be referred to a specialist. It sounds as if you're just getting the brush off due to those that don't understand whats going on. No woman should be bleeding that long without having something wrong with her...in my opinion. -Anyone I've ever known that this has happened to, and not in postpartum, has had a diagnosis of some sort.

Hi A., I'm sorry you're going through all this. It sounds very stressful and frustrating not to get answers. I actually did bleed a lot after my delivery and had to have surgery 2 weeks after the birth due to the excessive bleeding. The reason was because they discovered parts of the placenta were still left inside me! They did a pap smear and an ultrasound to determine this. Have they done those types of exams with you to check if it's related to that? Just wondering if that may help. I hope you get this resolved soon. Perhaps you can see another doctor and a gynecologist even? Margie

I bled for about 6 weeks pp, then at 8 weeks I had a Mirena inserted and I bled for 5 more weeks. My ob said it was a side effect, nothing to worry about. It was not fun, but eventually it ended and now everything's back to normal.

I don't have a clue what the problem could be. Have you tried looking up your symptoms on a medical site such as MD.com? It maybe something that really isn't a big deal and fixing it is simple. However, your doctor's uncaring attitude is a reason to move on. How can you trust her when she acts like your concerns about your own body are no big deal? Please make an appointment with another doctor! I'm not trying to scare you, I'm concerned that we don't take charge of our own bodies and let uncaring doctors tell us that what's happening to us is no big deal and we let things go. They see hundreds of patients but we have only one body. Please trust yourself, if it doesn't feel right, it isn't. Find another doctor! E.

A., I understand your frustration and grief over the situation. I have four girls, and after I had my last one I had the period from hell. I bleed heavily for 5 months straight, to the point that I could barely leave my house. I battled it for almost 2 years seeking one dr. opinion after another and being told that give it time, it will go away. I breastfed exclussively for the first year. In October of last year I ended up going in and getting a complete D&C and ablasion done on my uterus. The biggest risk of the ablasion is it can destroy your ability to have any more children. But with 4 already, and being done having kids it was the best decision for me. I was also refered to a hemotologist and analized for several months to rule out any blood disorders. Originally they diagnoised me with Von Willebrand's disease, which is a disease that doesn't allow your blood to clot right, along with a severe case of anemia. After I stopped taking all the medications they put me on to stop the bleeding, I was retested and found out that in fact I do not have VWD, but the anemia is still severe. Now I have periods that last 3-5 days light to medium. For me, the ablasion was the best thing I could have done. I would encourage you to consider all of your options before you make a decision, and also seek out a few different Dr. opinions. It isn't "normal" nor is it healthy for you to bleed so heavily for so long as it depletes your body of a lot of vitamins and minerals that you need especially if you are nursing! You already give a lot of what you take in to the baby thru your breast milk. Do definately get a Blood count to check your iron, thyroid, and hormone levels, but if that doesn't lead anywhere seek another opinion. I hope this helps some. I truly feel your frustration and can sympathize with you. I hope they can figure it out soon! Wish you the very best.

~V.

A.,

I think you need to get a second opinion. If your doctor isn't listening to you and YOUR gut feeling is telling you that something IS wrong, then I would stop seeing the current doctor. As you know there are many doctors to choose from. Getting answers is what you want. I would go see a doctor downtown Seattle. Maybe try someone in the Polyclinic. I hope that you get results and that you are getting better!
Take care of yourself. Your health is top priority right now. So I wish you the best.
Take Care A.!!!

I as well called the Doctor after having my "period" every weekend for 3 months after having my son. It would last a few days and come back every few day. Very annoying. They said some women are like that, some are even worse. I am also breast feeding exclusivley and now the bleeding has stopped for good. He is almost 4 months now. Hope yours will stop soon too.

I work for an OB office and had a baby recently myself. Did she do an ultrasound to check for retained products? I have seen it happen many timeds before. Are you having discomfort? You are in that window where it's hard to tell what your body will do after you give birth, but just saying it will go away is unacceptable to me. Ask your doctor to investigate more, even if it is just to rule out a few things.

Good luck and hang in there!

Yikes, that is scary. I am one of the lucky ones that starts their period 5 wks pp. even though i am breastfeeding. but it is very cyclic and ends after 5 days. have you thought about another Dr? i hate going to the dr. only to be told that nothing is wrong, but it isn't fun trying to find a dr that helps. but maybe it is time for a second opinion! Also, have you thought of an IUD without hormone? I did spot a bit when I had one put in at 8 wks. IUDs do make me cramp more...about a week before and the periods are a bit heavier. But otherwise I love it, I can't stand extra hormones!

A., Right now go get a second opinion. Is this your obg or family practitioner? Find someone who will see you soon. Call around and explain in short what is happening. Then make a conclusion and decision after the second opinion.

IUDs do cause bleeding, as well. After I had mine put in at 6 weeks, I started bleeding again--like a period. I bled post birth for about 5 wks. Get a second opinion from another OBGYN just to make sure.

I would ask for another opinion. Also reach online alittle. Don't take what you find online to be gospel, but it may give some direction.
You are in my prayers,
JkS

I had the same problem with both of my boys. I am one of those unlucky ones who bled for several weeks PP and then got my period immediately after the PP stopped. I don't think all doctors can understand or explain it. Some women's bodies are just different and react differently to childbirth and nursing. I also breastfed exclusively. I had some problems with breastfeeding from my left side but I always pumped regularly so that i was producing and lactating on that side anyway. Even after the nursing became easy on both sides I had my period regularly every month since birth. I think I bled for about 8 straight weeks PP and then when I went in for my PP check up at the gynecologist, the pap smear he conducted made me start bleeding YET AGAIN for several more weeks.

I was actually unsubscribing today from mamasource because I am living abroad in Europe and don't feel a need to receieve the newsletters but then I just scanned the last letter I received and couldn't help but respond.

A little about me:

I have two beautiful boys, 21 months old and 4.5 years old. Been living in Norway for almost 7 years now but originally from Portland, OR.

Ask your doctor for an ultrasound to confirm that there is no lingering tissue in the uterus. Demand that they take you seriously and stop just telling you not to worry.

FYI... I am on Mirena too and love it. My doctor put it in 6 wks PP after all bleeding stopped and I have not bled a day since (almost 2 yrs).

First of all - you can be producing milk and still have retained tissue in the uterus. I have a friend who has now been told to have no more children (she has 2) because her uterus likes to really hold onto the placenta and it takes her 2-3 months and a scraping or two to recover from child birth. She is a big breastfeeder and has breastfed EXCLUSIVELY both times and both of her babies were definitely getting enough milk the entire time.

I like the second opinion idea. If you do not have a fever then you probably don't have an infection, but you might need to correct some hormones that are all out of whack...

Good luck! And try not to worry too much - stress is not good for anyone.

Hi, I understand about your frustration PP has been bleeding while you have breastfeeding with your baby. I had been through same thing with two children. My body system that had been bleeding every months in a year even I had been breastfeeding with my babies. I accepted it and i went through. It went normal. If dr found nothing wrong then you have to accept through for a while as i had been through. I breastfed my son for 9 months as my bleeding came every months. I breastfed my daughter for 7 months and same thing, no change. All women's bodies aren't expect same PP. Unless you feel something funny, bother or pain in your uterus. Then see Ob/Gyn.

Enjoy your time with your baby.

K.

A., this is awful. Find another doctor (a good OB/GYN) right away, no more fooling around. Your doctor should have ruled out retained tissues when you continued bleeding past a few weeks, and should not have placed a Mirena while you were bleeding, either! If you are still bleeding like that, it is likely some placenta or membranes left behind. It might pass on its own with time, or it could cause serious trouble, so have it checked out immediately. A good ultrasound is a place to start, to view the thickness of the uterine lining and perhaps see any contents, and if it shows anything except a normal thin postpartum lining (especially with you nursing) then you may need a D&C. Don't wait. {{{hugs}}}

I had a similar problem with the mirena i got, I got it on March 7th and have only not bled one day. since then and my doctor keeps saying not to worry.

Your experience is reminding me very much of mine after my daughter was born. I was never hospitalized (in fact it was a home birth) but I had bleeding off and on for about 3 months postpartum. It had stopped by the fifth week and I thought I was right on schedule since everything I read said it should stop by the sixth week, but then it started up again. Just like your experience, it would go on for a day or two and then stop. When I asked my midwife about it she said it was one of three things: either it was leftover from the birth, my period had started again, or I was pregnant already!! That last one kind of scared me! I never want to be unhappy about a pregnancy, but who wants to be pregnant again only 8 weeks postpartum! Well, long story short, apparently it was leftover from the birth, because it did stop when my daughter was about 3 months old and my period did not return until she was a year old and was sleeping through the night. Also, a friend of mine had a very similar experience after both of her daughters were born and her period didn't come back for at least a year both times. Maybe there's a connection!? Anyway, I hope this is an encouragement to you. I remember wondering if there was something seriously wrong with me and being very concerned and emotional about it - big surprise considering all the hormones raging in my body at the time! So relax, enjoy your baby and let me know how it turns out. God bless!

I am sorry A.! It sounds like you are at the end of your rope. I will say that bleeding is not something to "not worry about", I would get a 2nd opinion, maybe even check out www.webmd.com if you haven't already. I would also be watching for pain and or cramping, that mixed with bleeding would be a major concern. Hang in there!

Hi A.,
With my first child I went back in due to bleeding and I had a piece of the placenta still attached.
With my other 2 kids I bled off and on for up to 3 or 4 months. If your doctor hasn't done an ultra sound you might request it or get a second opinion.

OH I am so sorry for all the trouble you have had. I dont know what it could be or why, but I would go see another dr. Thats what I would do. It never hurts to get a second opinion. I spotted for maybe 3 weeks PP and didn't get my period until about 2 or 3 weeks after I stoped breastfeeding.

Good luck!

Hi A.,
I understand your fustration. I agree with some of the responses of seeking a second opinion and even a naturopath.
I have found that naturopaths are able to solve problems that
allopaths can not.
S. E

Hello,
I just wanted to give you me story, because maybe it will calm your nerves. After my first child I bleed for a long time, like 8 weeks! Everyone just told me I need to rest more, which is probably true. I also had an IUD inserted, but it was the copper kind. It made me bleed for a long time too. After my second child I didn't bleed for as long but started again soon after I had a Minera IUD inserted. And a girlfriend of my who has never had an IUD bled for even longer than I did, like 3 months, she really never rests. So as long as you are not totally anemic or need of a blood transfusion I think you will be OK. I am not a medical doctor, but I have experience the same thing. Hope my story gives you a little peace of mind.

Hi A.. I'm so sorry this is happening. There's enough going on PP without unexplained bleeding and the stress it is causing. I don't have necessarily have answers but we have a couple of things in common so I'll share what I've been told/experienced. I was sick (flu) at delivery and postpartum and this seemed to delay and then extend my bleeding. I bled for four weeks and even though it seemed to take forever, I tried to keep in mind that my uterus had 10 months of lining to lose. That being said, I also tried to be mindful of my daily activity level as our Birthing From Within teacher told us that extended bleeding is usually linked to moms doing too much and not resting enough. Are you getting enough rest? Is your body protesting? I had Mirena placed this week (6 weeks PP) and was told to expect a couple days of period like bleeding (because introducing the IUD irritates the uterus lining and creates a reason for it to shed) and then unpredictable spotting for a few months while the body regulates. It seems like your doctor should have sorted out if the bleeding was abnormal prior to placing an IUD because it created a legitmate reason for bleeding. Her offer to remove it seems very backwards to me! You said she was patient and listened, but do you feel heard? Are you confident in her care? If not, please find a new provider. Your baby needs you to be strong and well!

Dear A.,
I had a similar situation after delivery and it turned out to be placenta remains in the uterus that was causing the bleeding. In my case, the remains were so so very tiny that I did not have many of the physical symptoms that usually present in such cases. I eventually went to the ER for heavy bleeding and passing golf ball size clots. They did an external ultrasound, found nothing, and said it was a very heavy period. Thankfully, while waiting to be discharged I passed a clot that was larger than my palm, which got everyones attention. They did a internal (uterus) ultrasound and confirmed it was placental remains. A D&C was done immediately and I have not had any complications or heavy bleeding since. Ask your doctor to check your red blood cell count and schedule a uterine ultrasound to rule out placental remains. Congratulations on your baby girl and best wishes!

This sounds like what I went through too. It took me 4 babies to realize that my doctor was right and that some women bleed more after children. Yes, sporatically, and yes for a long time sometimes. My youngest is now 7 months old and I am finally starting to have normal regular periods again instead of start and stop start and stop. Good luck and eat lots of iron rich food. :)

Hi A.:

This part of your experience causes deep concerns: <<"But all of a sudden that night there was a gush of tissues. The next day doctor said that it was nothing to worry because my body was producing milk, so there is nothing more left in the uterus.">>

That statement borders on pure lunacy and non-professionalism. For a Doctor to make such a statement with out first doing an Ultrasound to determine if there is indeed retained placenta or membrane tissue, is totally unacceptable. The insertion of the Mirena while still bleeding, is one HUGE NO NO. Because of your condition (bleeding), the Uterine walls are are very thin and volatile during this time, and the placement of any intrauterine device could prove to be very hazardous.

IMHO you should immediately get a second opinion, demand an Ultrasound, (your right as a patient)and possibly seek the advice of a reputable attorney.

Best of luck to you. Good wishes and good health.

First, while you are seeking answers, you should relax. Try to eliminate extra stress because your body is still healing from a traumatic event and you were sick after, so RELAX. When you go from brown blood to red again, that can be a sign from your body saying slow down. I did this several times with my babies. I would bleed for what seemed like forever, it would finally turn brown, and I would try and start getting back to my normal routine, but that made me start bleeding heavily and red again. I didn't even do much. One time it was just due to me doing a load of laundry and that's all I did, all day! So, I would try and see if some good ol' R&R helps because stress on your delicate PP baby body can make you revert back.
Also, if you aren't satisfied with your doctor's answers, don't stand for it. Be insistent and get the answers you need! Make them run tests until you are satisfied you are getting results.

I hope you get this resolved.

Have you thought to get a second opinion from a doctor in a different office?

A new DR is the first thing to do. I would try a naturopath or midwife as western medicine lacks as answer.
-S.

With my second child I bled for two months and finally was put on a hormone to stop. It worked

I second getting a second opinion to rule out if there are retained parts or other causes. Also, I believe there are specific herbs that can help reduce post-partum bleeding, and homeopathy or acupuncture would likely help as well, so it would be worth getting holistic health support.

I bled for about five weeks post-partum. I would virtually hemorrhage every time I did anything physically demanding. My midwives said that it was my body telling me that I needed more rest when that happened. The key to my bleeding slowing down was lots and lots of rest. My partner started doing all the laundry because of it, and to this day, he still does!

Best of luck,
E. M

Have you thought of maybe getting a second opinion?? I would deffinetly consider seeing some one else. Maybe even an acupuncturist. Chinese med. always looks first a the womans cycle to know what is needed and what is going on with her body. I would REALLY check in to a natural path of some sort they tend to work with your body instead of just covering the problem they actually look for the cause of the problem.

Good luck, and stay persistant on figuring this out.

Hi A.,
After I had my first child, my daughter, I bled for just over 3 months postpartum, nearly 14 weeks to be more specific. My midwife and dr.s told me to just to be patient and also brought up that since I was producing milk I was doing fine, that my body was doing well. I think they told me that if I was still bleeding at either 16, 18 or 20 weeks that then they would have me come in for more tests. I will say that I got annoyed by it and so did my husband, luckily he was just beginning his career as a truck driver and was doing long haul keeping him away for several days at a time, bugged me less. All the bleeding also gave me reason to take it so easy, now that was a plus. So all it took for me was lots of patience, trust, and encouragement from my moms, other moms and women old enough to be my mom, and all did turn out well.

It sounds like there may really be something wrong causing this, and I would definately reccomend you get that second opinion. However, I know that excessive bleeding can be slowed or stopped by increasing the body's vitamin K saturation. Vitamin K is what helps the blood clot. A very good source of vitamin K is Alfalfa tablets, or alfalfa tea. Every time I have a baby, I take the tablets 2 weeks prior to birth and until postpartum bleeding stops. I have stopped taking them in the midst of postpartum bleeding, and the flow has at least doubled so I know that it does help. I take 3-4 tablets 3-4 times per day. If nothing else, it may at least help control your bleeding until you find out what is wrong, and it can't hurt in any way since it is a natural product.

Did your doctor look so see if your uterus and placenta grew together? When I had my last baby that happened to me and they had to do a DNC (as my mom calls it a "dustin and cleanin") then I was still bleeding 6 weeks later, so they gave me a shot to lose the blood clots. That didnt work so they had to do another DNC on me. The second one finally worked. My advice is to ask your doctor to do a vaginal ultrasound and see if you have any blood clots.

I think you should also get a 2nd opinion. No matter how patiently your doctor and nurse listen they are not "hearing" you.

I would try someone that was more homeopathic and less likely to through contraception at you. There is no reason, if you are exclusively breastfeeding, to be on contraception at 9 weeks postpartum.

Check all avenues available to you!

C.

A similar situation happened to a girlfriend of mine. Turned out she had a chunk of placenta left in her! Yes, they inspected the placenta after the birth, but this one got by. And they totally tried telling her she was having her period, too, but she wasn't--and after a month she was starting to feel miserable.

Do get a second opinion, love. And I'd go to an OBGYN *specialist* in troubleshooting issues like this. Push for it. You've been through enough.

Best,
AMD

I had a friend who at a young age (19-20 years old-this was also almost 20 years ago) had what she called a bleeding uterus. She was never pregnant and hadn't had any children (and was still a virgin). She became pretty sick and had to quit school for a quarter. She went to doctors and specialists. She described it as having your period all the time. I don't remember if she had a proceedure or what she ended up doing. At the time she talked to me about it she was 21 and told me she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to have kids. She is married and now had 2 kids.
Even if you have never had this prior to having your baby, I would look into seeing another doc.
I went to The Womens Clinic at Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland or I know Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue are very good as well.
There could be having a minor complication with your after birth that you (or your doctor) don't know about.

Don't just wait and see.

If you feel like you are not getting the care you want from your doc, I'd seek another.

I can't advise you on your situation, but I can tell you that I bled (red, but light) for three months after baby #2. (I didn't experience this with the first, but did have my period return at 3 months with that one). I called my ob about it a couple of times and was told that it is not uncommon to continue to have bleeding for up to three months after the birth. Sure enough, that's about when mine stopped.

I too had the bleeding post partum with my first. It turned out to be a period and I had it around 4 and 6 weeks. It then went away until she was around 6 months. With my second, I didn't get a period until 6 months, but I had Mirena placed a few months after that and started bleeding pretty much every day for about 4 months. I've now had it for a year and I LOVE it! Almost no period or bleeding at all. I spot maybe 2-3 days a month but that's it. If you stick with it through the first couple of months of Mirena it will get better. I didn't believe my doctor at first and asked her if she should take it out multiple times. She kept telling me it would get better and when it finally did I was so happy. I actually got it after having my son because my periods were so heavy and long lasting I thought there was no way I could bleed that much and be ok. I hope that helps and you are able to get through it. Good luck!

This happened to me with my third child (bled off and on for about ten weeks pp). My doctor did an ultrasound and found that a piece of placenta was still attached to my uterus and this is what was causing all of the abnormal bleeding. I had a c-section so I don't know if that made a difference or not. My doctor did a D&C and later the same day I passed a big tissue clot. After passing the clot the bleeding stopped immediately and I didn't have abnormal bleeding again. So I would ask for an ultrasound to find out if there is something still in there.:)

I am not sure about the post partumn bleeding because I had c-sections with both my kids and bled consistantly for 6 weeks after that. I do however have the mirena IUD. I can tell you the Dr tols me the day he put it in , " ok you will need to get a pad because you will spot for a while" what he forgot to add was ok this is going to make you bleed for 6 more weeks straight. I had 12 weeks of non stop bleeding after my daughter was born. She is 10 months old and it is just now starting to even out. I would have random cramping like I was going to get my period and nothing would come, then all of the sudden i would have spotting. I am now to a point where I have not had any bleeding or spotting for 2 months. I do get a little bit of mild cramping now and again but that is it. The other thing I would watch out for is losing your milk. I was not able to breast feed due to a previous surgery but I do have a friend that as soon as the mirena was placed she lost her milk. I hope this helps you feel a bit more relaxed about the bleeding. Good luck and I hope it all gets better very soon.

Just a couple things from my experience. I exclusively breastfed and wasn't a lucky mom who's period was absent during this time. I initially bled for 4-6 weeks straight then 26 days after that time frame I was back to a normal cycle. Also, last month I just had the Mirena taken out after having it for 4 months. I bled for 10 days then had a quick 14 day break and then 10 more days of bleeding. This continued the entire time. I was sick of the bleeding. I was told it's normal to bleed a lot the first 3 months of the Mirena. I would say you are having enough issues with bleeding that the Mirena may just continue to do what you don't want.

Hi A. -

I am no expert but if I were you I would be seeking a 2nd opinion! Good luck to you. M.

hi A.,

I to had a start and stop type of PP bleeding. It got so frustrating becuase when you think it's over, it's not! Once i finally got back on my b/c it took about a month or so for everything to finally stop bleeding and to get my period back. The doctors don't tell you that it can start/stop at anytime, and it can last from 3 weeks to 9 months! It just depends on your body. If your doctor doesn't seem to worried about it, I wouldn't be either. Though i will admit that when i would stop/start I talked to my doctor when i went in for my check ups and she told me that it completely normal and i trust my doctor very much.

It will stop eventually, give time for the b/c to kick in and it will stop completely. Good luck :)

Hi A.

In my opinion it sounds like you have retained some of your placenta. You can still retain the placenta even if you are exclusively breastfeeding. I strongly recommend finding a new Dr. I strongly recommend removing the IUD it could be causing more issues by adding additional horomones to your PP hormone roller coaster. Interms of the bleeding color I can't help there. My entire PP was bright red it never turned brown on me after I had my twins. I took to mean that I was doing too much, go figure with twins. You aren't mentioning any pain you have or are in now so for me it's a little hard to help there.

There are some herbs that you can try taking although i recommend talking to and ND rather than an MD and those are Cinnamon, Sherphard's Purse , and blue & black cohosh. These are available as tinctures at New Season's and Whole Foods.

I hope that you find the answers that you need and a sympathetic Dr, who can help you.

S.