afterpains, conception and lochia after m/c ?? (loss ment.)

[Hope]

hi, I'm wondering what I can expect (I lent TCOYF to a friend, doh!)
after a loss at just after 12w? It occurred naturally at home (ie no
D&C). I seem to have as much lochia as I did after a term pregnancy.
That was unexpected, any comments or experiences there?

Crippling afterpains in the hours after the actual m/c were unexpected
too (but welcome since I was bleeding and needed to stop) is that
common? Does it mean that the pain from involuting a term uterus will
be exponentially worse next time?

And I wonder what will happen with my cyles? I had just returned to a
regular 28 day cycle after a long period of LAM. WOuld you expect my
normal cycle to return... what, in 28 days? Longer? Can you conceive
while there is still a flow of lochia? Can you ovulate then?

Answers opinions or experiences on any of my questions would be
gratefully received.


Hope


--
Riley 1993 c/s
Tara 2002 HBAC

[Emily]

Hi Hope,

I can't speak to some of your questions, but
I think that when your cycles return is a YMMV
thing. With my loss at 20 weeks (induced labor
and delivery, followed by D&C because the placenta
wouldn't come out), I had lochia for 6 weeks
followed directly by a period. Then my cycles
were 28-30 days until I conceived this time.
I don't know if I ovulated during the lochia or
not.

In your shoes, I would probably want to get checked
by my OB/midwife just to make sure that everything
was settled back to where it was supposed to be.

Take care,
Emily

[Ilse Witch]

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 02:06:20 +0000, Hope wrote:

> hi, I'm wondering what I can expect (I lent TCOYF to a friend, doh!)
> after a loss at just after 12w?

First off, I am really sorry for your loss! Having a m/c is no light
thing, and the longer you were pregnant, the harder it will physically be.
Emotionally it is devastating, and it will cost you a lot of time and
energy to give it a place in your life. It'd take me a month easily to
recover to a state where I could function. Another to get back my usual
energy and concentration.

My m/c's were all totally different, so suffice to say that a lot of
things are normal during and after m/c. Blood loss can continue for up to
6 weeks, but should be tapering off clearly. The first week I lost a lot
of big clots, more if the pregnancy had progressed further, and the cramps
were extremely painful. I wouldn't say it was less or worse than after a
delivery though. In retrospect, I thought the pains after delivery were
much more manageable than this.

However, very painful, contraction like cramps can also be a sign that the
m/c is not yet complete and you need to expell more tissue. The longest
time I had them was over three days, but then they ceased quite suddenly
after passing more clots (sorry TMI....). From there it was more like
period like pains that were quite bearable for me.

Even after you stop bleeding, you may feel a lot of unusual pains which
are related to your uterus contracting. I would feel my ovaries sting real
nasty, but those are sharp and quick pains. If you at any time develop a
fever, are in continuous pain or loose bright red blood continuously, call
a doctor immediately.

As for your cycle, the first cycle after m/c is totally out of whack, but
you do ovulate and can therefore also get pregnant. The problem is it is
impossible to tell when you will ovulate. Anywhere from a week to 4 weeks
after the m/c is perfectly normal. Which means your period will return
anywhere from 3-7 weeks. It will also be a different period, most likely
heavier than normal and with more pain, but some women have a milder
period instead.

It can take several cycles for your body to get back to normal, but it
never may be exactly the same. Like a full term pregnancy, this pregnancy
messes with your hormones, and you need them to settle down. I'd recommend
to hold the TTC for this cycle and give your body time to recover, as well
as give yourself time to grief over this loss. You will know when you are
ready to continue.

If you have any more questions or want to e-mail me personally, feel free
to do so at ivbemmelATyahooDOTcom.

--
-- I
mommy to DS (July '02)
mommy to four tiny angels (28 Oct'03, 17 Feb'04, 20 May'04 & 28 Oct'04)
preggers with twins EDD August'05
guardian of DH (33)

[Hope]

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 13:38:12 -0500, Ilse Witch
> wrote:

>On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 02:06:20 +0000, Hope wrote:
>
>> hi, I'm wondering what I can expect (I lent TCOYF to a friend, doh!)
>> after a loss at just after 12w?
>
>First off, I am really sorry for your loss! Having a m/c is no light
>thing, and the longer you were pregnant, the harder it will physically be.
>Emotionally it is devastating, and it will cost you a lot of time and
>energy to give it a place in your life. It'd take me a month easily to
>recover to a state where I could function. Another to get back my usual
>energy and concentration.

Thanks for the post. And contgratulations on *your* pregnancy!!


I was feeling more or less normal physically within 24 hours, very
much normal within 48. I'm grateful! I knew how much blood I was
losing so I drank litres and litres of chlorophyll water and pedialyte
during and afterwards so I think that helped...I'm still trying to
take it easy but there's just so little chance of that in my life :-(.

>
>My m/c's were all totally different, so suffice to say that a lot of
>things are normal during and after m/c. Blood loss can continue for up to
>6 weeks, but should be tapering off clearly. The first week I lost a lot
>of big clots, more if the pregnancy had progressed further, and the cramps
>were extremely painful. I wouldn't say it was less or worse than after a
>delivery though. In retrospect, I thought the pains after delivery were
>much more manageable than this.

I lost a *lot* of blood and clots in the very first few hours. Then
it settled down to just normal lochia. Maybe you're right that the
'afterpains' were expelling the last bits n pieces. I was
breastfeeding my 2 yo at the time, perhaps that intensified them?


>
>However, very painful, contraction like cramps can also be a sign that the
>m/c is not yet complete and you need to expell more tissue. The longest
>time I had them was over three days, but then they ceased quite suddenly
>after passing more clots (sorry TMI....). From there it was more like
>period like pains that were quite bearable for me.

Yeah, I've had no pain at all since, maybe one or two period-cramps.
And just a light flow, of serous, mucosy lochia (TMI?), not *blood*.


>
>Even after you stop bleeding, you may feel a lot of unusual pains which
>are related to your uterus contracting. I would feel my ovaries sting real
>nasty, but those are sharp and quick pains. If you at any time develop a
>fever, are in continuous pain or loose bright red blood continuously, call
>a doctor immediately.

yeah, thanks, I've been fine but I did watch for that before, and will
keep watching.


>
>As for your cycle, the first cycle after m/c is totally out of whack, but
>you do ovulate and can therefore also get pregnant. The problem is it is
>impossible to tell when you will ovulate. Anywhere from a week to 4 weeks
>after the m/c is perfectly normal. Which means your period will return
>anywhere from 3-7 weeks. It will also be a different period, most likely
>heavier than normal and with more pain, but some women have a milder
>period instead.
>
>It can take several cycles for your body to get back to normal, but it
>never may be exactly the same. Like a full term pregnancy, this pregnancy
>messes with your hormones, and you need them to settle down. I'd recommend
>to hold the TTC for this cycle and give your body time to recover, as well
>as give yourself time to grief over this loss. You will know when you are
>ready to continue.
>

Thanks so much for your perspectives. It must be a sucky thing to
think about and I do really appreciate it.


>If you have any more questions or want to e-mail me personally, feel free
>to do so at ivbemmelATyahooDOTcom.

thanks!!


Hope

--
Riley 1993 c/s
Tara 2002 HBAC

[Hope]

On Wed, 02 Mar 2005 21:41:54 -0800, Emily > wrote:

>I had lochia for 6 weeks
>followed directly by a period.


thanks EMily.


Hope



--
Riley 1993 c/s
Tara 2002 HBAC

[Ilse Witch]

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 22:08:48 +0000, Hope wrote:

> I was feeling more or less normal physically within 24 hours, very
> much normal within 48. I'm grateful!

I sure hope it stays that way for you! In my case it was not only the
physical exhaustion, but also the emotional stress it caused. There was no
way I could go for an hour without my mind wandering to the m/c, and that
is just exhausting in the long run.

> I was breastfeeding my 2 yo at the time, perhaps that intensified them?

That will definitely do it. Nursing triggers a hormone that causes the
uterus to contract. You may notice this in the weeks to come as well. The
period like pains may stick around for a while longer too.

> Thanks so much for your perspectives. It must be a sucky thing to think
> about and I do really appreciate it.

Strangely enough, it is not hard for me to talk about this now. It was,
until a few months ago. In part that's due to the new pregnancy, in part
it is also because I have accepted this is now a part of me. I cannot hide
it, so why try? I'd rather help others with my experience, and I am always
glad when someone finds that useful.

Take care (((Hope)))!

--
-- I
mommy to DS (July '02)
mommy to four tiny angels (28 Oct'03, 17 Feb'04, 20 May'04 & 28 Oct'04)
preggers with twins EDD August'05
guardian of DH (33)