Positive stories about second birth after PPH with first please...

[Fiveleaves]

Had quite a big PPH with first baby who is now 17 months. 22 weeks preg with second now and it's hitting me that I'll be giving birth again in around 4 months. Any positive stories welcome as I know I am at a higher risk as it happened before...

[KatharineClover]

Hi fiveleaves I'm in a similar position (11 weeks preg) so would love to hear some positive stories - especially to tell to DH too.
I had a 1 litre PPH, lost consciousness, had IV fluid and then 2 pints transfusion as iron very low.
Also, is there a standard procedure midwives follow if you had a PPH before to manage things in a subsequent birth?
My friend had a 1.5litre PPH in her first birth (induction) - no PPH in her second birth (induction, with epidural) :)

[filey1]

hi there. I am in a similar position too. 12 weeks with dc2. had a 2.5 litre pph with dd1 (2 years ago now) and a 4 unit transfusion. I had a bakri balloon inserted to stem my bleeding and was stitched up for a third degree tear, under general anaesthetic.

meeting with midwife tomorrow and hoping to give birth in midwife led unit attached to hospital. I have been told they will be prepared with bloods etc for a transfusion. I had a 5 hour second stage so think my uterus was just knackered by the end and not able to contract.
think a lot depends on the reasons for your pph first time around.

[bakingtins]

checked in hoping for positivity and found more worriers! I had a 2 litre PPH after DC2, surgery and a transfusion and am now 25 weeks with DC3. I've seen a consultant, been told I am high risk and can't use the MWled unit even though it's in the same building and will have an IV catheter put in and oxytocin given. I'm not reassured as part of the reason the first one happened was I had a 2 hr labour last time and got to hospital with 10 min to spare. They didn't give oxytocin because they hadn't completed their checks and I haemorrhaged after delivering the placenta. maybe this can be a support thread for the anxious!

[Fiveleaves]

Oh dear, well one positive story st least from Katharine's friend! Yes, this should be a support thread! 1.5 l pph here but no transfusion due to high iron. Have been told that I have yo be in labour ward and have cannula in this time just in case. A friend had pph with first and home birth with second and was fine.

[owainsmum]

I'm 28 weeks with dc2, and had a 7 litre pph when ds was born. Saw a registrar last week, was pretty useless and just said they will put me on a hormone drip for third stage and there will be doctors available if I have problems. Am seeing midwife this week so will talk more to her about it. I think things that will help are minimal intervention, keeping active and hope for a fairly quick labour so my body doesn't get too exhausted. They will put a cannula in my hand as soon as I get to hospital, ready to give me blood, and generally keep a close eye on me. I'm sure we'll all be fine anyway!

[idlevice]

Not a particularly positive story - had 3.5litre PPH first time but only 1litre the second. Still needed transfusions. Also had IV drugs for the third stage, not the injection. Make sure you are not anaemic while pregnant as this will make the effects of any potential blood loss more detrimental.

[MirandaWest]

I am the positive story

Had a PPH with DS - was about 1500ml and had to get sewn up in theatre as they couldn't work out where the bleeding was from. Had a two unit transfusion later on that day.

Got pregnant with DD and was a bit concerned - have to say that antenatally they were a bit useless and didn't really acknowledge the PPH (also had group b strep with DS and it was only me pushing for it that meant I had iv antibiotics when in labour with DD).

Went into labour at 40+4, much easier delivery and only lost 450ml. And only had a graze so no stitches :) recovery so much better and felt fine almost straight away.

[Fiveleaves]

Glad your second birth was fine Miranda. Owainsmum, 7 litres. Wow. Glad you were ok. I have heard that minimal intervention is best but then if you have had pph they seem to want to intervene.

I may take pregnacare either iron for the last few months. I did last time and I'm sure that's what kept my it on levels high, preventing transfusion.

[owainsmum]

Picking up on the anaemia point, I found out yesterday I'm anaemic so will probably be on iron tablets for the rest of my pregnancy now, just to make sure my iron levels are good for when I have another pph (I'm pretty sure I will, although hopefully a lot less this time).

[clareth]

Hi I hope my story can give you a positive outlook!

I had a pph of 3l with my DD, lost consciousness, blood transfusion, stay in hospital of a week, all pretty scary (particularly for my OH, as I was pretty much none the wiser during the worst moments!)

When I fell pregnant again (5 years later, think my OH and I were a bit scarred by the whole experience!!)

I was under consultant care, they said the risks were slightly higher but that they'd look after me and keep a close eye. Apparently the risk of a pph are much greater with a c section, so although we first thought otherwise and I might be advised a section, we went for another vaginal birth.

Well the midwifes were fantastic, in the end, DS arrived rather quickly, she was trying to get the cannula in my hand as he was coming out! They have me oxytocin as soon as he was born, I had a managed 3rd stage and all in all lost only 500ml of blood.

She was very attentive, kept asking me how I felt and checking my pad.

It was such a lovely experience to be cuddling my newborn, conscious and focused on him rather than the chaos that ensued with DD.

So anyway sorry for the rambling on, just wanted to let you know that it can be a very different experience even if you had a pph last time.

Wishing you all the very best

[BartBaby]

Good to hear a few positive stories

I had a pph with dc1. Not sure how much i lost but i was passed out for about an hour and needed a transfusion. Currently 34 weeks with dc2 and wondering if it will happen again. Not so much worrying about it as like clareth said i dont remember much of it and i trust the doctors will do their job again. Although I'm sure DH isnt looking forward to it much.

I was referred to consultant care as high risk but he didnt seem at all concerned about it and just said that they would be more prepared this time and have canula's in ready. All i know it means is that i wont be able to have a water birth.

[littone]

I had a secondary PPH with DS, 5 days after delivery and lost 3l blood. Felt awful owainsmum how on earth did you cope with losing double that? I had a bakori baloon inserted and drip to keep womb contracted down, 6 units of blood and fresh frozen plasma and recovery took a while. With DD1 I was referred for consultant care, birth plan included iron tablets for last trimester (bizarrely you bleed more if your iron levels are low), blood typed and cross matched on arrival at delivery suite (this wad done), siting of two canulas (only one put in as they decided they could would do second one if needed at the time), managed third stage (had the injection which I didn't with my son and turned out was probably reason for the haemorrhage), was supposed to go on a drip but at birth midwifery team felt that amount of blood loss didn't warrant it. Had no issues post birth and couldn't believe how quick my recovery was in comparison. Was referred to consultant in this pregnancy, decided than as long as I had managed third stage no need for other plans to be made.....due in 3 weeks so fingers crossed

[Fiveleaves]

Clareth and littone so glad things were better second time around. Lots of tips for those of us worrying. I will take iron tablets in last trimester too. So a managed third stage is recommended. Will do that!

Good luck with upcoming births Bart and littone and everyone else though we have a while to wait yet. I'm sure you will both be fine. Do report back!

[boydonewrongagain]

Hi op congratulations on your pregnancy.

Im sorry mines not a positive story more of a suggestion hope thats ok.

I had quite a large pph with dc1 needed lots of blood and to go on the critical care unit.
When i had dc2 lost even more blood same again lots of blood needed and critcal care unit again.

My uterus had contracted so they werent sure what happens. Ive since had invedtigations and found out i have a blood clotting disorder von willebrands. It affects a lot of the population but most people dont realuse they have it until childbirth or surgery.

With your last baby if your uterus had contracted and you were still bleeding or if you bruise easily, have heavy periods or history of nose bleeds anything like that its worth asking for a referral to a haematologist before you have your baby.

Also my hospital were really good and already had blood ready for me in case it happened again so i got it straight away and tbh i think that made a big difference i lost more blood the second time than the first but because they were prepared for it there was no delay in treatment and i was only sent to the critical care unit this time because of the amount of blood i lost whereas last time i felt like crap afterwards.

[boydonewrongagain]

Argh posted too soon and sorry for the.awful typos its anew phone.

If you have von willebrands you need factor 8 when you have your baby to make your blood clot.

Also as i was saying the hospital had already grouped and cross matched blood for me you could insist on them doing that.for you.

[LJBanana]

Hi all,

I had a pph with DS 1, passed out, had a blood transfusion, at one point about 12 people in the room making decisions about what to do etc.
It didn't hit me at all how scary it was until I was pregnant with DS2. Then I really began to think about what had happened and how potentially dangerous it was. Just the same as you are doing now.
I had consultant led care throughout pregnancy no 2, I went 11 days overdue and arrived at the hospital in full labour.
DS 2 flew out, there was no complications what so ever. He really really flew out.
I was calm, allowed to be in whatever position I felt most comfortable and encouraged by the midwife to do whatever I wanted.
As I was so quick to deliver once there, I wasn't hooked up to anything in preparation for another possible PPH, and thank fully nothing happened. He was born just after 9am and we were discharged by 6.30pm.

I am now 38 weeks with no 3,and again been under a consultant whom I've seen once and all is fine.

It is naturally a worry as you think 'what if' etc etc, but try and just get in a state of calmness for impending labour not impending 'what if's' as that for me was the key in being calm, focused on the task in hand and mentally ready for the pain etc. It was a totally different experience.
Good luck all.

[WorriedMouse]

Had a 2.5l PPH after first birth. I saw a consultant when pregnant the second time and he said that I could decide how to deliver. He wouldn't let me go overdue and he said that induction was a definite no so I decided to plan for a section as it was going to happen if I went overdue. I was terrified in theatre and I knew I was bleeding again. They got it under control and I only lost 1.5l this time. Apparently I have a vascular uterus so I would've bled during any type if birth and they could control it better in theatre. Recovery after a section compared to pph was much much easier!

[idlevice]

I don't understand why they don't routinely do a test for blood clotting disorders, especially as most women usually have a blood test during pregnancy anyway & more so if you have any of the risk factors. I don't remember being asked anything about that kind of thing.

I was under a teaching hospital for DC2 after DC1's disastrous delivery & was told a CS was not recommended as blood loss was more likely, even if it could potentially be controlled better if it happened, so that was not a tabled option.

[isitme1]

Im the not so happy story
I pph 2.5l after ds2. Even worse than ds1. Had iv fluids plus 2 units of blood and lots of iron for a very long time.
I had ferinject during pregnancy and reacted badly to it and ended up in a+e.
But the positive is I pph'd for different reasons both times. Uterus wasnt contracting 2nd time and 1st time it was 4th degree tear. I was in hdu gor2 a few hours.
Im pg and absolutely shittin myself.
Sorry I didn't mean to scare anyone

[isitme1]

Worriedmouse
How was scar healing amd having another dc too?

[isitme1]

Worriedmouse
How was scar healing amd having another dc too?

[boydonewrongagain]

Idlevice i dont know why they dont check for blood clotting disorders too. I think it should be routine for any pregnant woman who has had a previous pph they take blood for everything else...

If theyd found out with me theyd have saved me a nights stay on critical care plus lots of blood and saved me having a major panic attack in theatre when i thought i was dying...lol

[TheGreatHunt]

I had a pph first time around. I was pushing for two hours my iron levels were too low and I had a third degree tear.

Second time I took spatone (2 sachets a day) and birth was a breeze. Minimal blood loss, I felt much better afterwards. So now I'm a firm believer that if I ever got pregnant again I need to boost my iron intake but not via the traditional iron tablets as they were crap.

[TheGreatHunt]

I had a pph first time around. I was pushing for two hours my iron levels were too low and I had a third degree tear.

Second time I took spatone (2 sachets a day) and birth was a breeze. Minimal blood loss, I felt much better afterwards. So now I'm a firm believer that if I ever got pregnant again I need to boost my iron intake but not via the traditional iron tablets as they were crap.

[TheGreatHunt]

I had a pph first time around. I was pushing for two hours my iron levels were too low and I had a third degree tear.

Second time I took spatone (2 sachets a day) and birth was a breeze. Minimal blood loss, I felt much better afterwards. So now I'm a firm believer that if I ever got pregnant again I need to boost my iron intake but not via the traditional iron tablets as they were crap.