Birthplan advice for placenta previa - section 22nd June!

[cmm]

Hi, have got a thread on subject of placenta previa, been in hosp 3.5 weeks now due to bleeds. Section booked 22nd June, weds! Could be before if more probs but hoping elective instead!!! The girls on the thread on pp are fantastic and we're getting a real support group going! Feel free to join us for support.
However, just wondered if anyone had advice on c section birth plan for placenta previas?
Many thanks, cmm

Hello

I had three CS but don't know much about placenta previa. My biggest difficulty with all was feeling like Gulliver tied down with drips and catheter tubes, as well as the wound etc. It meant that I had to be handed the baby to feed or do anything. The night my last baby was born, the ward was very busy and there were no free midwives to help. The baby pooed and stayed in it for a couple of hours and no one would help me. I was desperately upset even though I knew the midwives had to deal with ongoing labours.

In hindsight, I would try to get my DH to stay around if it loooked like a busy night. I really did feel trapped and helpless.

I am sure it is grat most of the time, and most of the time it was for me - it was just the helplessness that was a shock and the fact I couldn't help my own newborn baby when she was crying. The hard bit, as well as allthe tubes, was the twisting around to pick her up as she was in a cot next to me. Impossible.

Maybe just think that aspect through and see if there is way around it.

Otherwise very happy with CS ( my DDs were big girls hence the CS)

Depends on how bad your praevia is.

You need to speak to your anaesthetist/ obstetricians. As I'm sure you are aware the very bad praevias are pretty risky and as a result the operating/ anaesthetic plan can seem a bit intimidating at first.

There are loads of options so I don't want to post lots of stuff that might not be applicable to you. If you are worried it should be possible for a member of medical staff to come to talk to you, but again, if they are not the actual person doing your operation/ anaesthetic the details might be a bit hazy.

If this sounds a bit crap consider this really rather dodgy/patronising comparison. Giving an anaesthetic is a bit like driving from A-B, ask any 5 drivers to plan a route form A-B and there will usually be some pretty significant differences along the way. However the best way to get from A-B is generally to follow the route that the person driving wants to follow although some degree of passenger involvement may be possible.

I hope it goes well.