Stains after childbirth
This question and answer were automatically translated using our trained AI and have not yet been reviewed by a qualified rabbi. Please treat this translation with caution.
go to original →
Question
Shalom and blessings! My wife is 7 weeks after her first childbirth and is still bleeding. We went for a check-up with the doctor, and she said there is no concern about retained placenta, and it is most likely just spotting. How can we start the purification process to perform the hefsek tahara, etc., and can the bleeding be attributed to something else?
Answer
Shalom Rav and Mazal Tov
Stains 7 weeks after childbirth are definitely something that happens, and usually, it will pass on its own shortly.
Regarding whether the blood can be attributed to another cause, if there were stitches [very common in first childbirth], or stretching that caused tears, it is very possible that these are stains from the vaginal walls and not from the uterus. But this can only be confirmed by a check from a 'halachic nurse' - 'checker' who will see that the uterine discharges are clean, and there is blood from the wounds. In such a case, the nurse needs to perform the 3 obligatory checks: hefsek tahara, one check on the first day of cleanliness, and one check on the seventh day of cleanliness, because in these cases it is not enough to know there is a wound, and a check that comes out clean is needed.
If the nurse sees that the blood discharges are from the uterus, of course, a hefsek cannot be done. There are natural drops sold in health food stores to stop stains. Sometimes they help.