Retained placenta second time around?

[Tallblue]

With my first baby I gave birth naturally and then rather annoyingly had to get a spinal block and go to the operating theatre for a manual removal of placenta, as it just wasn't coming out! Has anyone else experienced this and if so, did it happen again with your next baby? I've read that once it has happened, the likelihood of a repeat is quite high.

Hi Blue

I had a retained placenta first time. It's annoying isn't it, after you've done all the hard work and pushed the baby out. It followed happily second time round. DD1 was 12 days early and I think that the placenta wasn't ready to come. DD2 was only 3 days early so maybe that made a difference. I did spent quite a lot of the 10 mins after DD2's birth worrying the placenta wouldn't deliver.

Good luck with DC2!

Thanks Cheshire. My baby was a few weeks early so maybe that was it. No DC2 on the way yet but thinking about it and the retained placenta issue is on my mind. Hopefully if another baby comes along it will all be fine.
Thanks for your reassuring story!

DS came 11 days late, gave birth with no pain relief all was good but I ended up having a manual extraction with only gas and air. The docs said that they'd have a go but if it didn't work then I'd need a spinal and to go to theatre. As I'd been planning a home birth (transferred in at 9cm) I was determined to have a 6 hour discharge so could put up with what they needed to do.

When I had DD 2 years later had a lovely home birth a day after her due date and my major concern was that I'd end up in hospital having a manual extraction but it just slipped out within 5 minutes of giving birth.

I'm currently pregnant with number 3 and hoping that it all goes well this time

Noodie- the doctor tried manual extraction on me too - with no gas and air, it was very unexpected and traumatic. That moment stayed with me a lot longer than the whole process of labour and still haunts me now... After going to theatre it was confirmed that the placenta was so deeply embedded it would never have come out.
I think if it happens to me again I will refuse to let them try in the labour room, and ask just to go straight to theatre. I think you are very brave for having it removed with just G&A.

I'm glad to hear it was easier second time around. Good luck with DC3!

I had an extremely painful manual extraction of retained placenta with dc1 (and pph) and dc2 was a dream birth, placenta 5 mins later and plopped out intact with one push. I had an Iv though in case of PPH and to give me drugs to make uterus clamp down properly with dc2. They reckoned my uterus was tired after a long labor so didn't work effectively with dc1. Good luck!

I too had the frustration of giving birth with no drugs but then a spinal and theatre for removal of placenta for DD1. However for DD2 it came out just fine within a few minutes. Phew.

DD1 no retained placenta, DD2 retained placenta and DD3 placenta just slipped out.

You are at a slightly higher risk of PPH the second time, but it does not always follow.

I had a retained placenta with DD and it was very traumatic, worse than giving birth. 2 midwives and 2 Registrars tried to get it out and I couldn't hold my baby. I am sure it contributed in my initial failure to bond with her.
It wasn't until a Consultant arrived and said " what the hell is going on ??? Book an OR!!" That they stopped trying.
With DS I had a very experienced MW and she knew t was a possibility so she took her time and managed to get it - I had already had an epidural for the birth so no pain from it either.

With my dc2 the midwives thought I had a retained placenta but in fact they were mismanaging a physiological 3rd stage. They made me stay lying down in bed when I tried to get up then told me I'd be taken to theatre. Of course as soon as i stood up it fell out!

I had a manual extraction with gas and air with ds2, although with ds1 it had happened naturally.
After dd it was happening again but hearing the midwife say those words "we'll have to call upstairs for a manual" I pushed for all my worth whilst 2 midwives pressed down on me hard, thankfully it worked.