What to Watch for

It is important to call your doctor immediately if you experience any of these conditions after you go home from the hospital:

• A fever over 101° (temperature taken orally)
• Excessive vaginal bleeding (soaking one or more maxi-pads in 1 hour)
• Passing a blood clot larger than a lemon, followed by heavy bleeding
• Foul-smelling vaginal flow (normal flow has the odor of menstrual fluid)
• Sudden onset of abdominal, incision, or perineal pain
• Inability to urinate; pain, burning, or urgency of urination
• Opening of an abdominal or perineal incision, foul-smelling or bloody discharge from an incision, or increased swelling of an incision
• Tenderness with a red, warm, or swollen area on a breast, especially with fever or flu-like symptoms
• Swollen, red, painful, and warm-to-touch area on your leg, especially the calf
• Shooting pain down the back of your legs or difficulty walking
• Severe headache, especially when sitting or standing, that gets better when lying down
• Persistent depression or sadness that affects your ability to care for yourself or your baby