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Original poster

Anyone any experience of haemorrhaging on a home birth?

28 replies

sillysow · 17/04/2011 12:06

I am soon due my 2nd dc - and desperately want a home birth. I did PPH with my 1st, but wonder what would happen if this occurred at home?

Anyone with any experience of this?

TIA

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lljkk · 17/04/2011 12:12

SCREAM. I just replied to this and ruddy thing disapppeared (hate the laptop, sometimes).
Yes, I lost ~750ml in homebirth2, went to hospital for tests, only treatment was to come home with advice to have iron supplements.

Next homebirth I didn't mention the pph... and only lost about ... I dunno? 100ml or less as part of the birth.

How big was your pph, and how did it need treating, was the baby affected?

lljkk · 17/04/2011 12:15

Since that post appeared I'll elaborate... I didn't tell MWs about prior pph in planning homebirth3 (naughty). They will be very unsupportive if they know you had pph before, even if it was a small pph like mine.

Do you know why you had pph last time?

Iggly · 17/04/2011 12:19

Yep I did - about 1000ml. Midwife guess right away it was happening so gave me two injections to contract my uterus (ow!!) and ambulance came very quickly and I got the hospital and was put on a drip. Borderline whether I needed a transfusion, I said no. Stayed in for three nights.

The PPH was caused by a tear and two hours of pushing, not my uterus failing to contract properly. Ironically I was marked as being at risk of a PPH due to a small fibroid but that didn't cause any trouble!

Iggly · 17/04/2011 12:20

And baby was fine. Agpar scores were all 10.

Original poster
sillysow · 17/04/2011 12:30

Thanks both - I lost 1000ml (like iggly) and they gave me an injection to stop the bleeding - borderline transfusion too - I also said no and fought my way out after one night as the post natal ward really was not the place to be for me.
I had a 37 hr labour with over 2 hrs pushing and forceps delivery - still not sure to this day of the reason for the pph. Have asked but drawn a blank. Baby was fine btw - I however dont remember the whole experience.

Just trying to weigh up the risks - heart/head kind of thing!

OP posts:
lljkk · 17/04/2011 18:44

Good reading?.

Northernlurker · 17/04/2011 18:47

How far away from the hospital are you?

naturalbaby · 17/04/2011 20:28

i didn't but discussed it with my midwife cause it was one of my main concerns 1st time round. i'm close to hospital and she assured me they could get a line in and fluids quickly enough to deal with it. i would discuss it with your midwife to see what their views. i was very confident that all my community midwives were experienced and skilled enough to deal with any complications i could have had after talking to them.

Loopymumsy · 17/04/2011 22:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BagofHolly · 17/04/2011 23:36

I had a BIG pph, (7 pints!), a transfusion and bi-manual compression (by an obstetrician with hands like a goalie!) and talked it all through afterwards with my Consultant, who said I'd had a lot of significant risk factors. If you could find out more about why it happened last time, in the opinion of your doctors, you'd have a better idea about the likelihood of it happening again this time. I don't know how far you are from the hospital but that has to he a factor - my pph happened as I was breastfeeding in recovery after a planned section, and despite the crash team appearing instantly, it was still a scary thing. (Not for me as I was full of morphine!)
I hope you get the delivery you want. X

Original poster
sillysow · 18/04/2011 07:57

Thank you all for your replies. Great info loopymumsy - thank you.

I am in a rural area (!) and probably around a 10 - 15 min blue light trip from hospital.

Getting ever closer to 39 wks - and still nothing set in stone re the birth lol. I'll be honest - its the last traumatic labour and a couple of other things in my past that are making me want to avoid hospital at all costs. Everyone around me is telling me hosp/assuming hosp - but the idea of that is freaking me out. But in all honesty the thought of having a pph at home doesnt particularly cheer me up!

No simply answer I guess.

Thank you for your input. Really appreciated.

OP posts:
notasausage · 18/04/2011 13:19

I also had a severe PPH (3 litres+) at a birthing centre 20 mins from hospital. I had no risk factors. Normal healthy pregnancy and nice delivery of smallish baby followed by extensive 2nd degree tears and a uterus that didn't contract.

You HAVE to be honest with your MW about your previous history. There were times where mine thought she would have a dead mother on her hands and however much they train for what happened those consequences must have been a terrifying prospect. Fibbing to get what you want in these circumstances is very selfish IMO.

I know there are varying degrees of PPH and many who do suffer won't be in the same category as mine or BagOfHolly experienced, but it does happen and if it happens to you then you need those looking after you to be as well informed about previous history or known risk factors as possible. I loved delivering in the birthing centre but there's no way I'd consider anywhere other than hospital for the next one - and I HATED hospital last time.

Original poster
sillysow · 19/04/2011 11:27

Theres no danger of me not being honest - I mentioned it at my booking in, it is in my hand held notes, and in my hosp notes from 14 months ago. I am consultant led care so there is no danger of anyone not having the information available to them. That said there is obv no guarantee that everyone has read it!

I know hospital is the rational answer, but am hoping to stay home as long as possible.

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Loopymumsy · 19/04/2011 16:23

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Original poster
sillysow · 21/04/2011 19:49

Hi all - just to let you know I did end up with a homebirth - in an accidental kind of way.... we did call in, they had no beds, and I then delivered faster than expected.

All ended perfectly happily tho.....

:)

Baby Girl, 7lb 6 oz, born at 7.22 am. Just been discharged from hosp (as they did take me in as I lost 800mls)

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Bue · 21/04/2011 19:51

Congratulations!!

Loopymumsy · 22/04/2011 13:51

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lljkk · 23/04/2011 17:07

That's fantastic news! Well not the transfer to hospital, but at least sounds like you had a quick visit in and out like me. I hope you can get some sleep, now :).

Original poster
sillysow · 27/04/2011 13:44

Thank you Bue, Loopymumsy and lljkk, yes all is going well thank you all :) :) :)

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EggyAllenPoe · 27/04/2011 13:59

just a question- isn't it routine to have Synto at a HB? my MW made it clear she had some at the ready last time round.

silly congratulations

reikizen · 27/04/2011 14:03

Eggy, it is routine to take it but will only give it if you choose active management or if an emergency occurs.

EggyAllenPoe · 27/04/2011 14:16

Ok, that's what it seemed to be, as she got my consent in advance in a 'just in case of PPH ..' sorta way and then 3rd stage was fine so not needed. also - is risk of PPh increased across several PGs? Last time MW said i'd be at higher risk due to it being PG #5

may as well ask when i have someone in the know here :)

BagofHolly · 28/04/2011 00:07

Lovely update, glad it went well. X

Loopymumsy · 28/04/2011 04:04

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
sillysow · 28/04/2011 07:57

Synto is routine as long as you have a midwife there! The mw got to us after I delivered - there was an ECP/Para/tech combo with me at the time. M/W turned up a couple of minutes later with the synto. Amb crews do not carry synto - not sure why tbh.

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