"Normal" Blood Loss during Labour

[Early Kids]

Just curious as to what is the normal blood loss during labour/birth.

Do you know how much you lost? And was there any concern over the amount you lost?

Thanks!

[Swoop]

I was recently told by a friend that it's usually up to 1 litre, so 1/8 of the blood in your body.

[Early Kids]

Hmm interesting... the few things I can find all say that normal blood loss is up to 600ml.

[Olive]

i thought it was around 350-500ml, i lost 1500 and required two bags of blood the next day as well as quiet a few bags or fluid over the first 24 hours, i had issues with low blood pressure as a result of the blood loss

[Mildez]

During labour you usually lose very little blood if any at all. You usually have some kind of blood lose or blood stained mucous just before delivery. In saying this you can have some blood loss and it be completely within the normal!

After the birth normal is up to about 600mls. After that it is then often referred to as a postpartum haemorrage but its just a guess obviously we can't tell exactly how much 600mls is as the bluey's, pads etc soaks it up. Also in saying this a woman can have a heavy loss and not be symptomatic so it doesn't affect her in anyway. The same goes with a much smaller loss women can still be compromised ie anemic, dizzy etc

[Early Kids]

wow Olive that's heaps! I lost just under 900ml with Brendan and it did affect me, was on iv for 24 hours post birth and on double iron supplements. I also couldn't walk far and would get dizzy. They wanted to keep me in hospital longer, but as I was being discharged to live in accomodation next to the hospital I was discharged the day after birth.

With Tristan they were freaking out over my loss had an OB come in and everything and yet I only lost just under 750ml. And it didn't affect me at all... no iv, no dizzy, could walk well ect.

I am just curious, thanks for the replies

[2CheekyMonkeys]

stupid question coming... how did they know exactly how many mls you gals lost? how did they measure it? i am sure it was all over the place, not exactly straight into a measuring cup! eeeek!

i dont know how much i lost but i remember i was only about 3cm dilated and i had bright red blood (alot) and no one seemed too worried. i was freaking out. apparantly i was bearing down on an unready cervix..

[Early Kids]

They weighed all my blueys and pads ect and got me to wee into a bucket thing too to catch the clots so they could be weighed. It's only really an estimate. I lost heaps in the shower that wasn't measured.

[Alan]

Another thing to consider is your haemoglobin (Hb) levels before birth. Hb basically what carries oxygen around your body, it is the red part of your blood. If your Hb was low prior to birth then even a relative small blood loss can cause dizziness and be a problem.

[blackduckies]

During my last birth I waas completely freake dout, my waters had broken and I had a strong back labour and a bearing down type pressure in my bottom, each time i had a contraction I would get a big gush of water and a lot of blood, the midwives thought I was close to delivery,but nope only 3cms it ending in a CS. My previous labour was what made me so concerned about this one..it was'nt until they moved me to another bed they saw the loss!!! I had an epi so could'nt feel it myself, but i could see the midwifes eyes and before I knew it the room was filled, I really don't remember much of what happened, its all a bit of a vague fuzzy memeory, but i ended up with 4-5 bags of blood over night and felt very sick. What that equates to I have no idea, I just would'nt like to repeat it.

[~Hestia~]

I think my notes said 600ml+. Was one of the reasons the midwives urged me to stay over night - I was previously very keen to get outta there!!
In regards to amount, I think midwives are very good at estimating the mls lost. I know as a nurse I'm pretty accurate with my estimations of fluids.