What is the reason for the smell of lochia during normal delivery? What should I do if the lochia during normal delivery has a bad smell?

Natural birth is the healthiest way of childbirth, but after a natural birth, it takes some time to clear the remaining lochia so that the body can return to normal as soon as possible. But sometimes we find that the lochia from a natural birth has a bad smell. Why is this?

Why does the lochia have a bad smell after a normal delivery?

Infection: If the lochia from normal delivery has a bad smell, it is likely caused by taking a tub bath after delivery, or unclean sanitary napkins, untimely replacement of sanitary products, etc. The inflammation of the uterine cavity infection will cause the lochia to have a bad smell.

Residual placenta or fetal membranes in the uterus: If the placenta or fetal membranes remaining in the uterus after a normal delivery cannot be discharged smoothly, they may rot and stink over time, and the lochia that flows out will also emit a foul odor.

What is normal lochia after vaginal delivery?

Normal lochia from vaginal delivery has a bloody smell, but no odor. It usually lasts for 4-6 weeks, with a total volume of about 250ml-500ml, and is divided into three parts:

1. Bloody lochia

It contains a large amount of blood, which is bright red in color and in large amount, similar to menstruation, sometimes with blood clots. It usually lasts for 3-4 days, and the amount of blood gradually decreases and the serous fluid increases.

2. Serous lochia

It contains a lot of necrotic decidual tissue, cervical mucus, cervical exudate, and bacteria. It is lighter in color and usually lasts about 10 days.

3. White lochia

It contains a large number of white blood cells, decidual cells and bacteria, is sticky, white or light yellow, and generally stays clean for 3 weeks.

How to quickly discharge lochia during normal childbirth

1. Brown sugar water

Brown sugar has the effect of nourishing blood and removing blood stasis, so drinking brown sugar water in moderation can not only replenish the water lost by mothers during normal delivery, but also promote blood circulation and help the discharge of lochia.

2. Exercise

After a normal birth, mothers should get out of bed and exercise as soon as possible according to their own situation. Even walking around the bed or taking a walk can help the circulation of qi and blood, and discharge the remaining lochia accumulated in the uterus as soon as possible.

3. Adhere to breastfeeding

The baby's sucking of the nipple will stimulate the mother to secrete hormones, which not only promotes the secretion of milk, but also helps the contraction of the uterus and promotes the discharge of lochia.

Precautions during lochia after normal delivery

1. Eat a healthy diet

The loss of a large amount of blood and body fluids during childbirth causes mothers to be physically weak. Supplementing nutrition and water is beneficial to the body's recovery. Drinking more brown sugar water can also help to discharge lochia.

2. Keep warm, but not too warm

After a normal birth, the mother is weak and vulnerable to wind and cold, so she should take good precautions to prevent colds and illnesses, which is not conducive to the recovery of the body and the discharge of lochia. However, it is not suitable to be too warm, which can also cause the mother to suffer from heatstroke and even endanger her life.

3. Keep the indoor air fresh, but avoid convection wind

The circulation of fresh air indoors is beneficial to the early recovery of the body's qi and blood, but convection wind can easily cause the weak body of the mother after a normal delivery to catch a cold and become ill.

4. Keep clean to avoid infection

Keep the perineum clean, use running water to wash it as much as possible, wash and change sanitary products frequently to avoid infection of the uterine cavity.

5. Sexual intercourse is prohibited

Before the lochia is completely discharged, sexual intercourse is strictly prohibited!

What to do if the lochia is not clean after a normal delivery

1. Go to the hospital to check whether there is infection or placenta residue. If there is, it should be treated in time to avoid systemic infection.

2. Measure the degree of uterine contraction regularly. If necessary, ask your doctor for uterotonics to help recovery.

3. Under the guidance of a professional doctor, Chinese medicine treatment is used to help the discharge of lochia, with the focus on nourishing blood, activating blood circulation, promoting qi and removing blood stasis.

The harm of unclean lochia during normal delivery

1. Lochia contains a large amount of bacteria, necrotic tissue, serous fluid, etc. If the lochia is not cleaned after normal delivery, it will cause local or systemic infection, and in severe cases, sepsis may occur.

2. If a mother has an episiotomy or a laceration during a normal delivery, the residual lochia may cause wound infection or poor healing, and may even require a hysterectomy.

3. If the lochia is not clean during normal delivery, the prolonged lochia period may lead to excessive blood loss for the mother, and may also cause late postpartum hemorrhage or even massive hemorrhage and shock, which is life-threatening.