When to Contact Your Doctor After Childbirth

After childbirth, you’re so concerned with the baby’s well-being that you may forget about your own. But it’s important to keep an eye on your health, as well. After all, your baby needs you. Below is a list of things to watch for after pregnancy. If you experience any of them, call your doctor right away.

• An abrupt, heavy surge of bright red blood after the lochia (a discharge similar to a heavy menstrual flow, which usually lasts two to four weeks after birth) has begun to taper off
• Bright red bleeding after four days of postpartum recovery
• Large clots – those that are bigger than a silver dollar
• Bleeding that soaks more than one pad in 30 minutes
• A foul-smelling vaginal discharge
• A fever over 101 degrees after the first 24 hours
• Chills
• Failure to pass gas
• Severe constipation