When should I call a doctor about postpartum bleeding?

Last reviewed June 19, 2026 by Dr. Sapna Jadhav, General Physician. Sources from ACOG, NHS, Mayo Clinic, CDC, NICE, NIH, Cochrane, and peer-reviewed journals.

Bottom lineCall a doctor for postpartum bleeding that soaks a pad an hour, includes golf-ball-sized clots, smells foul, or comes with faintness, fever, or worsening pain - signs of hemorrhage or infection.

Call your provider - or seek emergency care - if your postpartum bleeding is very heavy, comes with large clots, smells bad, or is paired with feeling faint, fever, or pain. These can signal hemorrhage or infection.

Seek urgent or emergency care for

• Soaking one or more pads an hour, or bleeding that won't slow
• Passing clots bigger than a golf ball, or several large clots
• Feeling dizzy, faint, weak, or having a racing heart
• Bright red, heavy bleeding that returns after it had settled

Call your provider for

• Bleeding with a foul smell
• Fever of 38C (100.4F) or higher, or chills
• Pelvic or tummy pain that's getting worse
• Bleeding still heavy at your 6-week check

Why act quickly

Postpartum hemorrhage can happen up to 12 weeks after birth, and infection of the uterus (endometritis) needs antibiotics. Both are very treatable when caught early, so it's always okay to call.

Femora helps you keep a clear record of your bleeding to share with your care team.