OBJECTIVE: to explore how severe postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) and its management is experienced by women and their partners, and how they later view events. DESIGN: interpretive phenomenological qualitative study with semi-structured interviews. SETTING: in-depth interviews were conducted in participants' homes and focused on experiences of PPH in hospital and post-discharge. PARTICIPANTS: nine women who had experienced severe PPH and six partners. FINDINGS: this study demonstrates the stressful and emotional nature of severe PPH and extends the literature by considering partners' perspectives. Women and men had different experiences and information needs, but interviewees often shared a common desire for help to understand past events. A dominant theme of communication difficulties, and two subthemes, disempowerment and information-deprivation arose strongly from the data. Communication difficulties were understandable during the emergency but were frustrating and upsetting in postpartum care and the longer term. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: research is needed to develop better communication and supportive strategies, which might avoid the sense of disempowerment in this potentially vulnerable population. Different information and support needs for women and men should be considered whatever policies are implemented.