Pink on toilet paper
31 August, 2006
Question:Hello
I gave birth 8 1/2 months ago. I got my first period 2 weeks ago. Everything went well with the bedikot. The only difference from before my pregnancy was that I bled for 7 instead of 5 days. But I think that is because I was on the pill, and now I am only taking the mini pill. I went to the mikvah last night. My husband and I had relations. But today after going to the bathroom, I noticed something a little pink on the toilet paper. I go a little crazy with these things and keep wiping and checking. I don't know what to do. It definitely wasn't blood. Just light pink. And it was on toilet paper. I also was wearing dark underwear. Am I considered a niddah now? Do I have to start form the begining and count 5 + 7 days?
I am also still nursing at least 4 times a day if not more. is this considerd spotting?
Please help.
Thank you
Answer:Mazal tov on the birth of your baby!
If you are Ashkenazi and you wiped yourself immediately after urination, that stain may render you niddah. There is concern that urination may mask the sensation of hargashah, in which case we could not avail ourselves of any of the leniencies associated with staining. There is some debate about what "immediately" means. We generally use less than 15 seconds. If you waited fifteen seconds, we are confident there was no hargashah immediately prior to the stain on the paper. In that case, we can avail ourselves of the leniency that stains on a surface such as paper do not render a woman niddah. We are also lenient if you are unsure whether you waited 15 seconds, as long as you did not wipe immediately. Since Sephardi halachic decisors are generally lenient when it comes to toilet paper, you are also not considered niddah if you are Sephardi.
Even if you are Ashkenazi and did not wait, not all stains render a woman niddah. If the stain was a very faint pink and the lighting was incandescent, you should show the stain to a qualified rabbi (if you still have it). You could also consult with your local rabbi or our hotline with any further details. Otherwise, you are considered niddah from the point at which you wiped and discovered the stain. You would have to make a new hefsek taharah and could do this as soon as the fifth day, with the day of the stain counting as day one. You would then begin counting a new seven clean days, beginning the day after the hefsek, and immerse as usual. Note that there is no requirement to look at toilet paper, and it might be to your advantage to refrain from doing so. We also don't recommend continuing to wipe and check after the fact prior to consulting a halachic authority.
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