It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyidah Umm Habibah bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) began to have istihadah (irregular bleeding). She asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered her: "She should wait out the days of her menstruation, then perform a ritual bath (ghusl) and pray. If after that she sees anything, she should perform ablution, bind a cloth around herself, pack herself with cotton, and pray." (b) This narration is munqati' (has a broken chain), and it is close to the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) which is in the chapter on ghusl; and the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is established by its chain, so it is more fitting that it be the authentic one. In the narration of Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman (may Allah have mercy on him) it is that she would perform a single ghusl and then perform ablution, and this does not contradict the narration of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الحيض / 1650