Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Flip

Original poster

Haemoraged with DS to scared now to have another baby

17 replies

tubismybub · 22/06/2006 19:46

When DS was born last year I lost a lot of blood, the whole experience was really frightening and although I would love another baby I'm to scared to risk the same happening. Anyone have a similar experience but was Ok second time round? Would a elective C section be safer?

OP posts:

Original poster

tubismybub · 22/06/2006 19:48

apologies for terrible spelling

OP posts:

Highlander · 22/06/2006 20:19

an elective CS is more convenient if you know that are definitely going to haemorrhage, in that you are on the table with a carefully placed spinal and they are on top of it as soon as it happens, IYSWIM.

BUT - what are your risks this time round? Did they identify any causative factors last time? Have you got an early consultant appt to plan your options?

There is anecdotal eviddence that keeping your haemoglobin (blood iron) levels high at the point of delivery (more than 10.5) may contribute to a higher likleyhood of haemorrhage. NICE guidlines do not advise routine iron supplementation unless there is a clinical anaemia - falling iron levels plus a falling MCV (your midwife will explain this).

I hope it was just a horrible one-off.

beatie · 22/06/2006 20:30

If you want anecdotal stories then yes, I know someone who haemoraged when she had her first baby and she were fine when she had her second baby. I think they did something to her as a precaution - but she had c-sections both times.

Original poster

tubismybub · 22/06/2006 21:49

My mum haemorraged with all 3 off her births so think it must run in the family. No one discussed with me why it happened, I think I would feel better about the whole thing if someone had told me what was going on at the time.

OP posts:

SSSandy · 22/06/2006 21:57

Same thing happened to my mum first time round, no problem second and third time though. If you're scared, why not have the C section? You don't want to be panicking all the way through pregnancy and when you into labour.

Original poster

tubismybub · 22/06/2006 22:23

Can I insist on C section? What if I got pregnant and the refused to let me have one?

OP posts:

SSSandy · 22/06/2006 22:40

Don't see why not. Know plenty of women who have insited on it and had no problems. Mind you I'm not in the UK these days and things may be different there. I would ask the gynaecologist and also call the hospital you're likely to give birth at, tell them your history and ask.

MeAndMyBoy · 22/06/2006 22:45

Hi I had a pph after DS 3 years ago and am currently pg at the moment. I have no idea why I bled and no one has given me any suggestions as to what it could have been. The hospital have told me that I will have to be on a drip and they will give me drugs to help prevent pph this time. It was horrid and the blood transfusion afterwards was even more of a shock.

Might be worth getting in touch with the midwife at your local GP's and talking to her about it?

EmmaKB · 22/06/2006 22:56

I haemorraged first time around, but didn't second time around. Third time I wanted to deliver in MLU but the consultant insisted that I delivered in 'proper' maternity unit as the could not guarantee that it would not happen again. As it happens I would have ended up there anyway as there were complications before I went into labout. I did haemorrange afterwards but not on the same scale as the first time and midwives handled it brilliantly and it was not as traumatic.

conni · 23/06/2006 17:11

hi, i was diagnosed as high risk of pph because of fibroids which made it more difficult for the womb to contract after the birth. i therefore had to be on a drip after the birth, which prevented pph. i understood that a cs could increase the risk of pph, same for induction.

Jossie · 03/09/2006 23:54

Hi I had a PPH after DS1, in labour with DS2 I was hooked up to a drip and this stopped a full PPH, only lost 1 pint of blood instead of 4! The second time round I realised how much better I should feel after having a baby rather than completely drained like the first time. I have to say that I really appreciated holding DS2 immediately after birth as I couldn't do that 1st time as they were working on me for the first hour afterwards. THe second time was a really positive experience!
PS labour was about the same time each time

Socci · 04/09/2006 00:09

Message withdrawn

TuttiFrutti · 04/09/2006 12:51

Tub, it would be awful to let a bad birth experience put you off having another child, although I can totally understand the feeling. The birth is only 24 hours compared to the rest of your life with the child.

I had a very traumatic first birth, I am now pregnant for the second time and I will be having an elective C-section which makes me feel SO much more relaxed about the whole thing. You can insist on this if you've had a traumatic first birth.

Imafairy · 04/09/2006 13:14

I had a PPH with DS1 (long and difficult deliery too), and recently gave birth to DS2, and had no pph, and even in the weeks after the birth I bled a lot less than i did last time around. Please don't let your first experience put you off if it's something you'd really like to do again.
(BTW - my pregnancy notes detailed the PPH so during the delivery they were aware they should look out for it)
HTH

jabberwocky · 04/09/2006 13:17

I'm the same as TuttiFrutti. Although I didn't have a classic hemorrhage (although lots of bleeding along with other things going on), I did feel quite traumatized afterward. After going through CBT - actually still ongoing - doing research on the birth trauma site and participating in a study through TABS, I am now 26 weeks pg with second baby. It will be a scheduled c-section, though, as I can't face going through labor again.

Toady · 04/09/2006 13:34

If I were you I would request your notes from last time round and if you can afford it (costs about £50) ring an independent midwife and ask her to read through the notes with you and see what she thinks.

wantbitty · 04/09/2006 14:43

the same thing happened to me and when I was pregnant second time round I felt the same. a midwife from my hospital came round and we read through my notes, she answered any questions i had. didnt cost anything either. its called BIRTH AFTERTHOUGHTS. dont know if they have it in your area. I felt better about it after that, she reassured me about it too. had to have dd2 in hospital and it was fine. but because they were very aware of what happened last time they were ready for action!! dont worry, it will be fine.

Flip