I gave birth to my third son in July. With each of my deliveries I experienced different problems. My first child was 8 lbs 14.5 oz and suffered 3rd degree tearing, he was born with forceps. My second was 9 lbs 6 oz and delivery went smooth. However shortly after birth I haemorrhaged and needed a D and C and a 2 unit blood transfusion. Early in my third pregnancy I learned I gained an antibody (Duffy or FyA) and so I was classified as high risk. My third was 10 lbs 1 oz, born again with forceps and an episiotomy. My third baby has given me the most difficulty. I had to have ultrasounds every 2 to 6 weeks to make sure baby was not becoming anaemic. The ultrasounds were reassurance that baby was ok. I loved getting to see him so often. The ultrasounds also measured the blood flow to babies head. If baby was becoming anaemic, the ultrasound would have seen an increase in the blood flow to babies head. If this had occurred, I would have had to receive blood in-utero blood transfusions. The after affects (after birth) are similar to +/- affects. Jaundice, liver function issues, and anaemia.
So birth came finally 8 days late and he was born. His blood sugar was very low so we had to give him formula and breast milk every hour. They tested his blood every few hours (his poor heels were purple for weeks after). He was a little jaundice but not enough for any treatments (just vitamin D at home). My biggest issues with this third birth started with the epidural. It took 4 attempts to get it in. Each time they attempted it, I felt a shooting pain along the side of my body. They couldn?t understand why I was feeling that. So they decided to give me a spinal. They finally got the epidural in. When it came to pushing, I couldn?t feel a thing. I was numb up to my neck. They had to turn off the epidural. I couldn?t feel the difference between a good and a bad push. Baby?s heart rate dropped to 40. We had to decide C Section or forceps. The OB was already preparing to go into a C Section and there wasn?t time to wait so we decided to go with the forceps. Having been through a forceps delivery and having 2 very active boys at home, I knew what I was in for and preferred it over a C section recovery.
After the birth, all the stitches, we were assured there was no retained placenta this time (like the second birth) but I had lost a great deal of blood. Because of the gaining an antibody after the transfusion from the second birth, they did not want to do a transfusion unless my blood count continued to fall (at this point I was at 55). I started to get a head ache. The thought was because my BP was elevated (but not dangerously). Finally the headache got so bad, I couldn?t even get out of bed to get baby, change him or even feed him. I was told to drink lots of caffeine. It didn?t help. So finally the OB decided to perform a spinal patch. This is a procedure similar to an epidural; however they take blood from your arm and put it where the epidural was. From what I understand, this is required when you get spinal headaches due to so many attempts of the epidural. All the attempts resulted in creating a small hole in my spine. Within 30 minutes there was relief in sight. We were finally sent home after 3 and half days.
However when we went home, later that night the headache came back. The midwives visited me at home to make sure my BP wasn?t still climbing. It wasn?t. The headache went away finally the next afternoon.
Another problem I had with this delivery was the urge to pee. Since I had no feeling for nearly 12 hours after the epidural was turned off, they had to insert a catheter to drain my bladder. Later I tried to go and still nothing, so I had the catheter placed in again. Eventually I was able to pee on my own but to this date I have not been able to feel the urge of being full or the urge of needing to go to the pee.
I have seen an Urologist and Friday I am having a cystoscopy (go in with a scope). I also read online that some people get nerve damage so bad that their brain doesn?t know when they need to go anymore. I guess that is why the Urologist has setup an appointment with the Neurologist next week.
Doctors kept saying the feeling would come back on its own, but with such a traumatic birth, if it was going to come back on its own, you would think it would have come back on its own by now. My guess is when I see the Neurologist next week; scans will be scheduled so she can see if there is anything blocking the nerve or if it is nerve damage that can be fixed.
I think it is safe to say, that birth will most likely be my last one (last planned one anyways).
Just wondering if anyone else experienced anything similar, what the outcome was, how long it took to resolve it, and what it took to resolve it.