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Intermittent spotting three weeks postpartum

4 February, 2016

Question:

I am a yoledet, 3 weeks post-partum with my second child. After two weeks I stopped bleeding and managed to get a clean hefsek, but 2 days later I noticed spotting. The following day I had another clean hefsek, but then the day after that I was spotting again. I was wondering if there are different rules regarding yoldot because I have heard some poskim say one can wear black panty liners during 7 nekiim if post-partum. It is driving my husband and I crazy that I keep stopping and starting with the bleeding.
Any guidance would be much appreciated.


Answer:

Mazal tov on the recent birth of your baby!

It is very common for the bleeding to stop and start again within the first 4-6 weeks postpartum. Even though the bleeding seems to have stopped, you may experience irregular staining for another week or two. If your clean days keep getting interrupted, it may be worthwhile to wait another week or so before trying again. Three weeks postpartum is still relatively early to try to start the taharah process.

If bedikot are causing you pain or discomfort, you may omit the moch dachuk and reduce the number of bedikot to the hefsek taharah and one bedikah per day throughout the clean days. Otherwise, we have not heard of specific leniencies regarding wearing colored underwear or pantyliners during the clean days following childbirth. You may change your white underwear more frequently to prevent any staining from accumulating to the size of a gris.  If the staining persists beyond 4-6 weeks postpartum, please get back to us for further guidance.

We appreciate the challenges involved in the postpartum period. You may want to watch our videos on this topic, which address some of the medical, halachic, emotional, and practical questions that arise at this time.

B'Hatzlacha!


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