Postpartum hemmorhage with first...scared about second

[ArmyOfUs]

Hello Ladies,
I had my dd a little over 3 years ago. Labour was fine until the end, at 9 cm dd went "sunny side up"...and the rest of labour took hours. Once she was delivered, the delivering doctor left the room, I was so in the moment that I didn't even realize one of the residence trying to deliver my placenta. When the delivery doctor came back in the room he started screaming at the resident for not letting me deliver the placenta naturally. It took them 3 different medications to get the bleeding under control. It was a horrible site. I just remember seeing an orderly mopping the blood off the floor. Everyone was panicked. I had an angel as a nurse and very professional doctor that went into emergency mode. It took me this long to be ok with trying again. But now that we have started trying I have this horrible fear. It could have been worse I didn't need any transfusions. But this fear is inescapable. Im wondering if any of you ladies are trying for another after something like this. It's hard to search online without reading all the scary statistics.

 

[pokatobug]

When I had my dd I ended up needing an emergency c section. After they delivered her and my dh took her out of the operating room they discovered they were having a hard time getting the bleeding stopped. It took six units of blood and some work from my ob to get everything stitched back up. At 3 months pp my ob diagnosed me with a blood clotting disorder that caused the excessive bleeding. It also caused my placenta to start dying and my dd to be born at 4lbs 15oz at 38 weeks 2 days.
So I have to deal with this and potentially a preemie baby if we have placenta issues again. My ob is confident that we can control everything with medication prescribed by a hematologist in the third trimester though.

So that scares me a little!
Be positive though! Each pregnancy is so different so I've heard

 

[ArmyOfUs]

I guess you are right....it could have been worse. And staying positive would be key in having a healthy pregnancy. I'm sure getting pregnant would help me focus on all the good miraculous aspects. I'm sure time will lessen the fear...hopefully

 

[justplay91]

Hi, Armyofus! I think it's natural when something so scary and out of our control happens to fear it happening again. With my son, my delivery was textbook. Then about an hour after birth, I started experiencing a lot of pain so they checked me down there. The nurse immediately called the doctor back and everything went into emergency mode. I was rushed into surgery (like you see in the movies, where they're like running down the hall pushing the bed, it was crazy! ). I had a HUGE hematoma and required 2 blood transfusions over the next several hours to survive. In the aftermath of that, I told my doctor if I ever had another baby, it would be by c-section. Now though, I've changed my mind. But it's really hard sometimes, knowing it could happen again. I just try and take comfort in the fact that statistics are on our side and it hopefully won't happen to us again.

 

[mac1979]

I hemorrhaged too and had an induced labor due to pre ecclampsia. I just wouldn't stop bleeding after I had the baby and had to be catheterized. In your case it was a resident's fault, if you are scared next tome you can ask for no students in the room, that is your right.

 

[ArmyOfUs]

I hemorrhaged too and had an induced labor due to pre ecclampsia. I just wouldn't stop bleeding after I had the baby and had to be catheterized. In your case it was a resident's fault, if you are scared next tome you can ask for no students in the room, that is your right.

Oh my the catheter!! Had one for two days after delivery and was so scared for them to take it out...actually I just didn't want anyone's hands down there.

 

[ArmyOfUs]

Hi, Armyofus! I think it's natural when something so scary and out of our control happens to fear it happening again. With my son, my delivery was textbook. Then about an hour after birth, I started experiencing a lot of pain so they checked me down there. The nurse immediately called the doctor back and everything went into emergency mode. I was rushed into surgery (like you see in the movies, where they're like running down the hall pushing the bed, it was crazy! ). I had a HUGE hematoma and required 2 blood transfusions over the next several hours to survive. In the aftermath of that, I told my doctor if I ever had another baby, it would be by c-section. Now though, I've changed my mind. But it's really hard sometimes, knowing it could happen again. I just try and take comfort in the fact that statistics are on our side and it hopefully won't happen to us again.

So true. I feel like being a mother already adds to my fear. But this is truly a horrible way to approach ttcing. Staying positive is our most valuable weapon against letting the negative in.


I really appreciate your responses ladies. Not that I am happy to hear others went through similar things.....but it does help calm the nerves to know others out there have fear too or chose to be positive when faced with not so great memories. Thanks ladies!

 

[mac1979]

I was scared to have mine out too. I was ready for it though. My baby was in the NICU and I felt so bad having the nurses take me to see and try to feed him every few hours when DH wasn't there (I wanted him to sleep at home so his back wouldn't hurt from sleeping on the couch in my room). It was much more convenient when I could go myself.

 

[Berri]

I had a massive PPH with my first - it was a "slow bleed" though so took them a while to figure out what was going on. They gave me all 3 available injections in delivery room but none of them stemmed the bleeding. I had to go to theatre (after warnings about hysterectomy, being airlifted to bigger hospital and dh being told there was a "very real" possibility I wasn't coming back. NIGHTMARE). In the end it took them 3 or 4 hours to remove clots and they stopped the bleeding. I narrowly avoided transfusions (my blood was tested for 3 days).

I didn't let it put me off going back again though

I discussed the issue at my first appointment with my OB the second time around (I went public first time so no OB). He assured me that the situation could be managed. That just because it had happened once did not mean it would happen again - every birth is different. However, knowing that I wouldn't respond to the 3 "usual" medications if I did have another PPH gave us a head start.

In the end we decided to have a drip (cannot for the life of me remember what was in it ) in 3rd stage and while there was no signs of PPH it certainly put my mind at rest and meant I could focus on my baby rather than wonder if my bleeding was normal bleeding or the start of another nightmare. It was supposed to be 2hrs drip I think but m/w removed it after an hour because I was itching for a shower and to move to out of the birthing suite!