Women's Health
How long does postpartum bleeding last?
Estimated wait
~42 days
Based on published sources
By case
- Faster cases~35 days
- Average cases~42 days
- Slower casesUp to 42 days
Use pads rather than tampons while the lochia lasts, to lower the infection risk. Contact your midwife or doctor if the bleeding suddenly becomes heavy again, you pass large clots, it smells foul, or you develop a fever — those can signal an infection or retained tissue. General information, not medical advice.
Postpartum bleeding (lochia) usually lasts about 4 to 6 weeks, most often settling at around six weeks. It changes noticeably as it goes: bright red and heavier than a period for the first one to one and a half weeks, then browner from about week two, yellowish by weeks three to four, and finally whitish until it stops.
More details
As long as the flow keeps getting lighter and paler, the healing is going the way it should.
Last updated: 20 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.