How Much is Too Much?

More than 500ml of blood (more than 2 cups) at once is considered too much by many homebirth midwives, and this excessive bleeding is called postpartum haemorrhage or PPH.

Keep in mind too that there might be some amniotic fluid as well, mixed in with the blood. Symptoms that a mother may experience with extreme blood loss are; fast pulse, light-headedness, shortness of breath, weakness, feeling faint, sick or 'off'. Towards the extreme end of the scale, mothers may pass out from blood loss and it is best to take steps before this starts occurring.

Fear and adrenaline causes your heart rate to go up, which causes you to bleed more!

Feeling tired after giving birth is normal since it can require some physical exertion for some women, but feeling sickened, weird, wrong or "out of it" is not normal, and is not always due to blood loss. Feeling like that is a very good indication that something adverse has just happened and to keep a close eye on your body's cues.

Understanding Why Bleeding Occurs

The mother's body pumps blood through the many small blood vessels that connect the placenta to the wall of her uterus. That blood gets cycled through the placenta, and into the baby via the umbilical cord. In normal births, the uterus clamps down and closes those small blood vessels after the placenta detaches.

Rarely, excessive bleeding or PPH is caused by a partially detached placenta which leaves open vessels that the uterus can't clamp down on as some of the placenta is still attached.

Prevention of proper uterus clamping down can also occur if pieces of the placenta or membranes are retained.

In most cases of excessive bleeding or PPH, the placenta detaches and the mother's body does not realise the placenta is now gone. Blood keeps getting pumped through those tiny open vessels and into the uterus. Why does mother's body not realise the placenta is gone?

Preventive Measures

Preventive Measures: Bleeding & Haemorrhage (PPH) - preventive measures you can take during pregnancy, labour/birth, and afterwards to prevent or avoid bleeding problems.

Bleeding Before Labour

Bleeding during labour does not necessarily mean there is a threatening problem. Some women commonly experience spotting or minor bleeding during their pregnancies. Check out our page on Bleeding Before Labour.

Bleeding During Labour

Bleeding during labour does not necessarily mean there is a threatening problem, but it is one of the indicators that something could be wrong. Check out our page on Bleeding During Labour.

Witch Hazel Bark Tincture

Bleeding After Baby is Born

(before placenta is out)

American Mistletoe Leaf Infusion (NOT the berries)

Leaves steeped in boiling water and left to sit in a tight capped jar for 8 hours. Take 1/4 cup as needed. This herb calms the nerves, stimulates uterine contractions, brings the placenta down and stops haemorrhage.

Witch Hazel Bark Tincture

20 drops under tongue as needed. Helps with bleeding, will not constrict the cervix. This tincture alone will not aid in bringing the placenta down so take it with Angelicia Tincture or Ground Ivy Tincture if bleeding is serious to warrant getting the placenta out as soon as possible.

Angelicia tincture

30-40 drops works within 5 minutes. If no contractions occur within 15 minutes, repeat the dose. This causes the uterus to clamp down and contract strongly - use this after the baby is born if you are concerned about the placenta not coming out. Take with Witch Hazel if bleeding is a problem.

Angelicia should work within 15 minutes to cause contractions, and if it doesn't, repeat the dosage. Tell the bleeding to stop! Read Delayed Birth of Placentas for more information on enticing the placenta out.

Ground Ivy Tincture or Infusion

A teaspoon of tincture or a cup of infusion brings down the placenta. Take with a bleeding control such as Witch Hazel since Ground Ivy only helps bring the placenta out. Read Delayed Birth of Placentas for more information on enticing the placenta out.

Bleeding After Placenta is Out

EAT THE PLACENTA!

This is what animals do, to avoid bleeding out and for energy boosts. Many women will not want to do this first off however, so have a read below for other things to try. Keep in mind #1 though, as it may be necessary. If it is, don't hesitate!

Lady's Mantle Tincture

20-30 drops, repeated as needed helps to stop haemorrhage.

Witch Hazel Bark Tincture

20 drops under tongue as needed. Helps with bleeding.

Shepherd's Purse Tincture (fresh plant in flower)

20-40 drops under the tongue to stop bleeding and to promote contractions. If you are using a tincture or extract made from the dried herb, use 150 drops.

Shepherd's purse has blood clotting properties - you may find yourself passing painful and large blood clots after taking it so be aware of this.

Other tips

Breastfeeding and gentle uterus massage. Tell yourself the placenta is out, your baby is safe and its time to stop bleeding now!

A mixture of oxytocic (10 drops tincture) and haemostatic (20 drops tincture) herb will help slow haemorrhage caused by uterine atony.

Oxytocic Herbs - Blue Cohosh, Cotton Root Bark, Cannabis
Haemostatic Herbs - Witch Hazel Bark, Lady's Mantle

After birth, all mothers should consider taking homeopathic arnica to prevent bleeding and bruising from birth. It is taken every 30 minutes for 3-4 hours after birth. Also have some Bach Flower Rescue Remedy on hand for fear, shock, worry and stress. Rescue Remedy can be taken through pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards to calm the mother (or the anxious dad).

Post-partum Haemorrhage Tincture

Susan Weed, author of "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" recommends the following tincture;

1 part fresh Blue Cohosh Root
1 part fresh Shepherd's Purse herb (leaf, flowers, stalk, seed)
1 part fresh Motherwort (leaves and stalk)
100 % proof vodka or grain alcohol

Chop herbs and fill a jar to the top with them, covering completely with the grain alcohol and decant after 6 weeks.

Dosage is one dropperful under the tongue, repeated in a minute if necessary (this is about 25 drops), and then again in another 10 minutes if needed.

Comment from a mother on her PPH experience;

"The placenta popped out seconds after the birth. I immediately started pouring blood. There was a lot more than 2 cups...

I did encourage pretty badly. It took us until 7:00pm to get the bleeding to slow down. I had retained some of the membranes. I think I took the sheppards purse too soon as the clots were enormous, hand size.

I almost went unconscious 3 times.We did the sheppards purse, uterine massage, nipple stimulation, everything to try to get it to stop. Finally what worked was eating the placenta. Over the rest of the evening I ate about 1/4 of the placenta, swallowing bite-sized pieces whole.

I can't believe how much this helped. I went from semi-conscious to walking around in about 2 hours."

Other Resources