- TikTok user Abigail was shocked when she discovered an obscure pregnancy symptom
- One mother said she discovered there was a “distinct smell” associated with postpartum
- She likened it to a “carcass rotting on a spring day,” but reports it is normal
A woman has candidly revealed an unknown side effect of childbirth – and it’s enough that people consider it effective contraception.
TikTok user Abigail, who often shares the obscure facts about childbirth, commented on a video from user Sarah Biggers-Stewart about the distinct smell of postpartum — describing it as a “carcass rotting on a spring day.”
“No one warned me about the smell after giving birth,” mother Sarah said in her video.
“So take it as the coppery, bloody smell of a period, right? Add an earthy smell and then put some sort of sweet rotten smell on it,” the mother described.
Women on TikTok are candidly discussing an unknown side effect of childbirth — and it’s enough if people consider it effective birth control
This came as a shock to Abigail, who made the video; she was shocked by what the postpartum journey entails
“The smell followed me for weeks,” she said. “I used the bathroom and the smell lingered in the air to the point where I told my husband, ‘Don’t go in there.'”
This came as a shock to Abigail, who made the video; she was shocked by what the postpartum journey entails.
“Anyone who has their period is probably somewhat familiar and familiar with the smell of a period,” Abagail noted. “But this, this is a whole new level for me now.”
She added that what’s even more “horrifying” is a comment from a fellow mom who said this ‘completely normal.’
The video, which has been viewed more than 2.9 million times, received thousands of comments from people sharing their own experiences.
“Ehhhh, I’ve had two kids and haven’t experienced this,” one mother commented.
‘The smell made me believe that I had become infected after giving birth. It lasted eight weeks,” exclaimed another.
‘My husband helped me put on the diapers after the birth. He said it smelled like beef I had left out for a few days,” someone else said.
The video, which has been viewed more than 2.9 million times, received thousands of comments from people sharing their own experiences
According to the Cleveland Clinicthe ‘odor’ is called lochia – and smells like menstrual blood.
Lochia usually lasts about six weeks, but it varies from person to person, with some people having traces of lochia for up to eight weeks.
Some describe it as musty, metallic, sour, or stale. However, it should not smell fishy or bad. This could mean that bacteria have entered your vagina and caused an infection.
Lochia consists of the entire contents of your uterus from nine months of pregnancy.
“There will be an odor to the blood and discharge as with a typical menstrual period,” the Cleveland Clinic noted.
‘The best thing you can do is practice good hygiene. Contact your healthcare provider if your discharge is extremely dirty or fishy as this may indicate an infection.”