What does it mean when lochia turns brown?

After giving birth to a baby, the mother's body is relatively weak and she needs to stay in bed for a period of time. In the early stages of the confinement period, the mother's private parts will discharge some menstrual-like substances, which is called postpartum lochia. Generally speaking, postpartum lochia will clear up within ten days to a month after giving birth, but this varies from person to person. During this period, the color of postpartum lochia will also change. So what does it mean when the lochia turns dark brown?

What does it mean when lochia turns dark brown?

About a week after giving birth, mothers' lochia will appear red and the amount will be relatively large; after one to two weeks, the lochia will gradually decrease and become dark brown or light pink; by the third week, the lochia will appear dark brown or light yellow; when the lochia is about to clear, it will turn milky white or transparent. Therefore, the color of lochia turning dark brown indicates that the postpartum lochia is now in the middle and late stages of recovery. Mothers do not need to worry and will recover quickly.

How to make postpartum lochia discharge faster

In order to allow the postpartum lochia to be discharged more quickly and more quickly, the mother should pay attention to replenishing blood and qi during the confinement period. At the same time, she can adjust her diet to promote the discharge of postpartum lochia. There are many foods that are beneficial for pregnant women to expel lochia. Pregnant women can eat hawthorn, donkey-hide gelatin cake, lotus root and other foods appropriately. The following foods can help discharge postpartum lochia:

1. Hawthorn fruit. Hawthorn fruit not only improves the appetite of pregnant women and promotes digestion, but also has the effect of dispersing blood stasis. Therefore, if there is a lot of lochia after giving birth and it cannot be discharged for a long time, you can eat some hawthorn fruit appropriately to speed up the discharge of lochia from the body.

2. Donkey-hide gelatin cake. Donkey-hide gelatin cake has the effects of nourishing blood, replenishing qi and activating blood circulation. It has a good effect on abnormal uterine bleeding after taking it. Pregnant women with a lot of lochia can eat donkey-hide gelatin to promote the early discharge of postpartum lochia. In addition, donkey-hide gelatin cake also has a good effect on lochia caused by insufficient yin blood in pregnant women after giving birth.

3. Lotus root. Pregnant women eating lotus root have the effect of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis and promoting blood circulation. If pregnant women have a lot of lochia after delivery, they can eat it appropriately, which can be cooked into soup or fried into the sea for consumption.

4. Old brown sugar. Brown sugar ginger water not only has the effect of nourishing blood and qi, but also can help the internal organs to excrete substances. Pregnant women with excessive lochia can drink brown sugar water appropriately. However, it is not suitable to drink too much brown sugar ginger water to prevent it from having a counter-effect.

5. Shenghua Tang. Shenghua Tang is a medicine used by many pregnant women to disperse blood stasis and promote blood circulation after childbirth. It is suitable for pregnant women with symptoms such as abdominal pain and lochia. Within 7 days after giving birth, drink Shenghua Tang 5-6 times a day. Drink it for about a week for women who give birth naturally, and for about two weeks for women who give birth by caesarean section. It can help discharge postpartum lochia from the body and allow the uterus to recover as soon as possible.

In the early stage of confinement, mothers must not do any physical work, but just stay in bed to rest, pay attention to the circulation of indoor air quality products and don't let themselves get cold. At the same time, pay attention to your own nutritional supplements during the postpartum period to help the body maintain its health. A balanced diet can not only make yourself healthy, but also provide your child with sufficient nutritious breast milk to eat.