#MONDAYMIDWIFETIPS –Bleeding in pregnancy is terrifying, but in early pregnancy it can be really confusing what it means and what to do. Around 20% of all pregnancies will have some bleeding in early pregnancy, don’t worry it doesn’t mean that you are miscarrying and the majority of these pregnancies develop to full term. Here are some tips to know what to do if you experience bleeding in the first 12 weeks. 📌LIGHT BLEEDING/SPOTTING – This isn’t usually concerning. This type of bleeding can occur in the first 3 months but is very common around the time of your period. It can be an implantation bleed – when the fertilised egg starts to embed into lining of your womb. This bleeding tends to be quite light (lighter and shorter than your usual period and lasts about 2-3 days). 📌You can get light ‘spotting’ which is usually a pink/light red colour that you may notice on wiping or staining on your knickers . This can usually tends to occur between 5-8 weeks of pregnancy and should only last for 24-48hrs. Try not to worry, keep an eye on the colour of your loss and the flow. If you notice the colour change from pink to bright red, with the flow increasing from a light flow to a heavy flow (soaking a sanitary pad) or you begin to experience severe abdominal pain then you should speak to your GP/midwife about your bleeding. 📌HEAVY BLEEDING – This can be more concerning and is usually when you are having to wear a sanitary pad for the bleeding. Any bleeding that is bright red or heavy and with clots should be investigated. If your bleeding has been light and become heavier, any clots noted or with severe abdominal cramps you should always speak to your GP/midwife. If you are losing a lot of blood, soaking a sanitary pad within ½ hr or feeling faint with your blood loss you should go straight to A&E for review. This type of bleeding is concerning as it can be a sign of a miscarriage and should usually be investigated with an ultrasound to assess the pregnancy. Early miscarriage is heart-breaking and you will need time to process the complex emotions that you may feel. Make sure that you have somone to talk about how you are feeling.