Six days after delivering my second baby, I ended up in the ER passing baseball-sized blood clots. I'd been so busy chasing my 13-month-old that I barely slowed down after birth – and my body made me pay for it.
Here's what happened, what I wish I'd known, and the warning signs every new mom needs to recognize.
What Happened: Retained Placenta and Doing Too Much
My second pregnancy was uneventful. At 13 months postpartum with my first son James, I got pregnant again. Two babies in less than two years meant my uterus went from a pear-shaped organ to something resembling a stretched-out tube sock.
After baby Will arrived, the placenta was delivered, the cord was clamped, and normal postpartum bleeding began. We headed home with standard warnings about seeking help if I passed any clot larger than a lemon.
Then I made a crucial mistake.
The Restaurant Incident
A few days postpartum, we took my mother-in-law out for chips and salsa. Parking was terrible, so we had to cross a large field. My husband carried James, and I insisted on carrying Will in his bucket seat – about 25 pounds total – 100 yards across the grass.
I'd been an athlete. I didn't think waking up my abs and biceps was a big deal.
When Things Went Wrong
That evening, I noticed heavier bright red bleeding. Then I couldn't keep my eyes open during a movie. Gnawing stomach discomfort and cramps sent me to bed.
Within an hour, I was soaking through pads and passing large clots – one the size of a baseball.
At the ER, an ultrasound revealed a retained placental fragment. An IV with fluids and oxytocin helped me pass it safely. Finally, I had a "good enough" excuse to rest.
Understanding Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH)
Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide. It often results from retained placenta – when a piece tears off and stays inside the uterus. Without the complete placenta out, your uterus can't clamp down properly to stop bleeding.
My doctor had examined my placenta after delivery, but placentas can be ragged and difficult to account for completely.
Other PPH Risk Factors
Uterine atony (weak muscle contractions) is another common cause. Your uterine muscles don't contract as effectively when you've already given birth multiple times.
Additional risk factors include:
- Delivery before 34 weeks
- Older maternal age
- Blood disorders
- Placenta accreta (placenta grows into uterine wall)
- Twin pregnancies
- Labor induction
- Back-to-back pregnancies
My Close Call: What Could Have Happened
I didn't experience "ríos de sangre" (rivers of blood, as we say in Spanish). Sometimes PPH isn't a rapid flood but moderate bleeding over time – which is exactly what happened to me.
I could have needed a blood transfusion, developed an infection, or faced sepsis, shock, or death.
Looking back, even if someone had dropped me at the restaurant door or I'd worn Will in a wrap, I likely would have hemorrhaged anyway due to the retained placental fragment. But I definitely made it worse.
Warning Signs of Postpartum Hemorrhage
Call 911 if you experience:
- Vaginal bleeding that seems excessive (when in doubt, call)
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Chills
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
- Unusual paleness
- Confusion
Timeline: PPH most often happens within 24 hours of giving birth but can occur up to 12 weeks postpartum.
The lemon rule: If you pass any clot larger than a lemon, seek immediate medical attention.
What I Did Differently With Baby #3
By my third pregnancy, I was better prepared:
I let go of entertaining. Pushing out a baby meant I didn't owe anyone my energy for at least several weeks.
I hired a postpartum doula committed to maternal wellness, not just baby care.
I reminded my providers about my PPH history. Since it's more likely to recur, they monitored me closely after delivery.
I actually rested. No carrying bucket seats across fields. No proving I could bounce back immediately.
The Bottom Line: Rest Isn't Optional
Those postpartum restrictions about not carrying anything heavier than your baby? They're not suggestions. Your body just grew and delivered a human. It needs time to heal, especially your uterus.
I was young, distracted by mom life with a toddler, and forgot I was pregnant half the time during my second pregnancy. My OB/GYN kept reminding me to take excellent care of myself as a mom of two, but I gave that idea a hard pass. Taking a time-out from momming to tune into my own body had become totally foreign to me.
That mindset nearly landed me in serious danger.
If the cervix is the front door of life, the placenta in the immediate postpartum period is like an overzealously attached grandma who sits in the foyer offering too many oatmeal cookies. It needs to stop nourishing and just let everyone go. When it doesn't fully detach, that's when hemorrhage becomes a real risk.
Your Next Steps
Have you had an experience with postpartum hemorrhage? Share your story in the comments – your experience could help another mom recognize the warning signs.
Related reading: Postpartum Bleeding and Blood Clots: What's Normal and What's Not
About the Author: Laurel B. Miller doesn't know what's causing all these babies, and you should probably explain it to her. She lives with her husband and six kids in Santa Cruz and loves reading, swimming, and names.
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