Final answer:
Moderate vaginal bleeding after childbirth must be managed carefully, with specific attention to ensuring all placenta fragments have been expelled to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Involution and changes in postpartum lochia are normal, but retained placental material should not be ignored.
Step-by-step explanation:
Care for moderate vaginal bleeding after delivery should not include neglecting to check the integrity of the expelled placenta and fetal membranes. After the birth of a newborn, it is crucial for the obstetrician to examine these elements to ensure there are no retained fragments that can lead to postpartum hemorrhage.
Mothers will experience postpartum uterine contractions which help in returning the uterus to its original size through a process called involution. This process is also aided by breastfeeding, which further helps in reducing bleeding and allowing abdominal organs to return to pre-pregnancy positions.
Postpartum vaginal discharge, known as lochia, will be present and it changes from lochia rubra to lochia serosa and finally to lochia alba over a period usually not exceeding three weeks postpartum. Moderate vaginal bleeding after childbirth should be managed with careful monitoring and treating any causes of bleeding, such as retained placenta fragments, but not by ignoring the changes in lochia or signs that suggest incomplete expulsion of placental material.