Manual removal of placenta - was fine at time but now a bit traumatised

[Wildpoppy]

I had to have manual removal of placenta when my baby born two weeks ago. My epidural was topped up so I was awake throughout if a little spaced on the morphine they gave me. At the time all fine but now I have the image of doctor up to her elbow in my vagina in my head and really it is quite disgusting and I feel quite funny about it. Any advice on how to get over it - I mean main thing is the baby and me are okay, I know that, and I am pleased I had epidural rather than suffer through a natural childbirth only to have to have one anyway for the placenta - but the image of the operation is a recurring one and affecting me more the further away it gets.

Have you spoken to your GP/MW/HV about it? They should be able to offer you some sort of counselling, birth debriefing support. Talking about it and finding out exactly what happened might make it easier to deal with.

Congratulations on your new baby

Have a chat with your health visitor as that may help or contact the maternity department and ask if you can go through your notes with someone. I had exactly the same with my first baby and remember feeling like something out of vetinary programme! I had similar flashbacks that continued for quite some time, it is worth talking to someone about it either you health visitor or contact the maternity department and ask to go through your notes with someone. It can help to go through the sequence of events rationally without the influence of morphine which can lead us to remember things differently to how they actually happened. Good luck

I had to have my placenta manually moved by a male physician. Really it isn't that big a deal when you think about how you have a new baby and what could have happened if you hadn't had it removed. By all means discuss it with your midwife but be careful it doesn't become a bigger deal than it is and small those early weeks with your baby.

Hi there,

Don't let anyone belittle your feelings on this; it most certainly is that big a deal if it is causing you distress or upset.

Definitely talk to your midwife or HV, or GP about it. Going through birthnotes as part of a debriefing session (hospitals offer this service) I personally found hugely useful in confronting my feelings on my birth, and would definitely reccommend this as a step in the right direction.

Of course yours and your baby's physical health is a big part of a positive birth experience, but don't feel pressured to brush your emotional wellbeing under the metaphorical carpet!

Congratulations on your baby and good luck in your search for some sort of closure.

Hello,

I could have written this post myself - I had my baby two weeks ago and was rushed to theatre suddenly after the placenta didnt come out, I lost three litres of blood and needed a blood transfusion - I am also feeling quite traumatised by the whole thing it happened so quickly and really scared me. I am so relieved that me and the baby are fine and have been trying to be as positive as I can about the whole thing but I also know its going to take time to mentally recover ( I cried about it for a good few days). I had a good chat with my community midwife about it and she explained the situation and what she felt had happened (she was not at the birth) this made me relax somewhat and accept it for what it was, I hope that I will be able to look back at it as a positive experience as in the care that I recieved and the fact that my baby and I were fine. Dont be too hard on yourself and enjoy your new baby!

Clearly carlyveta thinks I am belittling you OP but I am not. I just think there are bigger things that could have happened and you need to focus on your baby and the fact that baby and you are well. Not turn this into a drama when it really isn't.

I had this as well... it's not a particularly nice thing to witness. Two weeks after the birth is very early (not that I'm much further along - only five weeks) and I have also found that some of the images/procedures from the birth are still replaying in my head, although it's starting to get a bit better.

One thing I have found that helps is, whenever one of the horrible bits of the birth starts replaying, is to try and remember one of the good bits - feeling the baby hit my chest, listening to my DH talking to him, one of the doctors telling me I'd done well.

A few weeks on I am feeling less shocked by it all and a lot happier about the fact that I had a healthy baby and got through birth. I had not heard of birth flashbacks before I had a baby but I can see now why women are traumatised by birth. Mine was not even a particularly bad one, although I did have forceps and tearing, and a lot of strangers in the room at the end, as well as students who I wasn't even introduced to

I also found it helpful to talk over the birth with my partner, who saw it all, and tell him I felt upset by some of what happened. It was all done for the best reasons but it is still very emotionally and physically tough, and you are at your most vulnerable. But it gets better after a few weeks. Just feel proud of what you did.

Congratulations on your new baby.

Thank you all. Am starting to feel better about it but am also anxious that I can't remember all the events leading up to it eg I think I pushed for about ten mins but it was over an hour. My dh says it was all fine, but I hate not being able to remember it all. Am sure it will stop going round and round my head soon, but will def ask about going through my notes.

I had this too on DD1. I had no pain relief for the birth but they gave me a general anaesthetic and sent me to theatre to remove the placenta.

I try not to think about it to be honest. I was prepped to theatre and sent off so quickly that I don't feel the procedure was explained to me. I was tired after giving birth and just wanted to be with DH and DD so I just said do whatever needs to be done.

Because I was knocked out I have no idea what happened and it is a peculiar thing - I felt like my body had been invaded a bit at first but eventually put it out of my mind.

I went on to have dd2 2 years later with no complications and that has definitely helped.

I agree that speaking to a professional about going through your notes might help.

Congratulations on your new baby. It is early days yet so don't put too much pressure on yourself to feel 'normal'.