Difficulty delivering placenta- could it happen again?

[Pearls18]

I had a very straight forward water birth, Elliot arrived after only 4 hours pushing for 25 mins of that. However my placenta proved to be difficult- it took 40 mins to deliver and we were very close to considering theatre (I had the injection)

I decided to have the injection and do delayed cord clamping (DCC didn't happen in the end I didn't remind the MW)

I had to deliver the placenta 'on land' as my hospital don't do it in the pool.

What are the chances of me having difficulty again? Is it something I'll be prone to or is it random, just wondering if people who had experienced similar or worse had the same again or not?

 

[NaturalMomma]

What exactly was the difficulty? Or do you assume it was difficult just because it took 40 minutes? The placenta can take anywhere from a few minutes up to 2 hours to be deliverd. It's considered difficult if you have postpartum hemorrahge, placenta takes longer than 2 hours, etc.

 

[Pearls18]

What exactly was the difficulty? Or do you assume it was difficult just because it took 40 minutes? The placenta can take anywhere from a few minutes up to 2 hours to be deliverd. It's considered difficult if you have postpartum hemorrahge, placenta takes longer than 2 hours, etc.

I had the injection and it still took a long time, nothing went wrong other than that, but the MW was getting quite concerned which concerned me is all.

 

[silver_penny]

You might want to avoid the injection next time, and push for the delayed cord clamping. The midwife was probably getting anxious because you should deliver the placenta within an hour after recieving the injection. Otherwise, the chances of retained placenta is much greater. The injection can be given at any time if they are worried about PPH. If you don't get the injection, though, it is not uncommon to go an hour without having delivered the placenta, and the MW won't be as anxious. DCC also helps reduce the chances of retained placenta. HTH!

 

[Pearls18]

You might want to avoid the injection next time, and push for the delayed cord clamping. The midwife was probably getting anxious because you should deliver the placenta within an hour after recieving the injection. Otherwise, the chances of retained placenta is much greater. The injection can be given at any time if they are worried about PPH. If you don't get the injection, though, it is not uncommon to go an hour without having delivered the placenta, and the MW won't be as anxious. DCC also helps reduce the chances of retained placenta. HTH!

Thanks for this info- I am hoping for a home birth next time, can I refuse the injection at home?

 

[silver_penny]

You can refuse the injection no matter where you are Its your birth, your choice!

 

[PeanutBean]

I agree with refusing the injection. I planned a natural third stage at my homebirth but after a hard and fast delivery I was a bit in shock and asked for it. Stupid me. I had it after delayed clamping and 5 hours later was in theatre with a spinal having if manually removed. I had no idea that the injection can lead to retention as I wasn't planning on having it.

 

[Pearls18]

I thought the injection reduced the chances of retention which is one of the reasons I had it!!!! I will def remember that for next time.

 

[PeanutBean]

It reduces the risk of PPH. I have found that there is confusion about retained placenta. See as mentioned above a natural delivery might be up to 2hrs. However the medical literature seems to take retention as anything over 30mins therefore without seeing the data it is impossible to be sure that those natural deliveries lasting over 30 mins aren't being counted as retained even if they then deliver. As let usual the medical research doesn't seem to be up to scratch.

 

[Cattia]

This is confusing. I tried to deliver the placenta naturally as the midwife suggested but after about halc an hour she said it wasn't happening quickly enough and I might have to go to hospital and habe it removed (I was at the birth centre) so i should have the injection. I had it and it came straight away but it sounds like she could have left it longer? (Although I had had enough by that point and really just wanted to get into bed and have a snuggl with baby!)

 

[PeanutBean]

Yes Cattia you could've waited longer but the mws seem to be skittish about waiting. Want to keep their blood loss records down maybe, or get off to that next birth.

 

[lynnikins]

i had the injection with ds1 and remember they had a huge rush to get the placenta out they were pulling on the cord and pressing hard on my tummy i felt kinda manhandled ( as if just having had a ventouse delivery wasnt traumatic enough ) with ds2 i insisted on not having it and DH had to actually bat the mw's hand away she was litterally an inch from my thigh with it! and we had DCC and i nursed him and it came away naturally with no fuss from the mw's after half an hour or so, was nice caus they all just stood back and let me nurse ds2 and bond without any pressure

eta.. will be not having it without damm good reason again this time and doing DCC again

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I had the injection after about half an hour of waiting, I was just knackered and asked for the injection. The injection did nothing whatsoever, I had to stand and really push it out and they pulled on it too, it was the worst bit of labour for me. I will be waiting this time!