Positive births after bleeds with 1st baby

[duebaby2]

With my first I I had a primary post partum haemorrhage and lost just a smige under 2L of blood.

According to my notes the placenta and membranes were not complete, I ended up with retained products.

I had them removed under GA and they were able to stem the bleeding. But I've come away from it terrified, I did have a debrief with a consultant but 3 months pp and it didn't help. This was years ago

Pregnant now with baby 2, every time I think of giving birth I cry because no matter how I look at it, i feel like history is just going repeat itself. I want to have the best experience with this baby,

Fill me with positive (or as positive ish) births with subsequent babies after bleeding with previous babies?
How did you give birth, did you choose to go the same way as the previous or did you choose an alternative birth?

Hi op - totally understand your concern!

I had a big bleed with my first (I think about same as you) as well as a few other complications.

I decided to go for a planned section for my second (11 weeks ago) and it was great. I actually bled a lot again, more than last time, but because they knew it was a possible issue they were all over it. Even with losing more blood I feel a million times better afterwards (and only needed iron tablets!).

Try talking to your midwife if you're concerned. It ate at me in my pregnancy until I got sign off on the section xx

Bless you! I haemorrhaged with no1 and am having a c section with no 2 (for other reasons) but consultant advised that they will put me on an oxytocin drip before during and after to minimise the risks this time. Can you see obstetrics to discuss your concerns?

@Bees1 yes most likely about 16 weeks I will start seeing my consultant so I can bring it up then to make a plan for the birth

Hey. I had a fully retained placenta and pph last time round which was 5.5 years ago. I had it removed and sorted with a spinal block around 1.5 hours after birth. I was right on the hospital limit for a blood transfusion but they decided to go down the iron tablets route. I wish they'd just given me a transfusion as it seemed to wipe me out for a long time.

This time round (2nd preg, due today! 😁) the consultant has agreed to let me give birth in the local unit (it's kind of half midwife led half hospital as we are on a rural island) as opposed to the hospital on the mainland almost 150 miles away which I ended up in last time due to meconium.

The conditions to this are that the surgical team are told as soon as I arrive in labour, and that I have a cannula fitted as soon as I arrive so that I am ready for a transfusion should I need it. My consultant said that the likelihood of it occurring again is only marginally higher than any other woman, but it helps them and me to take easy and simple preparation steps just incase. I'm no longer frightened of it because I know they have a plan, and are aware of the possibility of it, and they have put me at ease, so I hope they can do the same for you.

A couple of years after my previous birth, I asked around and general consensus is that most of the women who had a similar first birth didn't have the same issues second and subsequent times round. I can't add my own experience (yet!), but will once it finally happens. Fingers crossed It will be shortly! X

I had a massive pph with my first and ended up needing 2 blood transfusions.

Gave birth to my second 6 weeks ago and it was absolutely fine. I had a cannula fitted as a precaution when I arrived but only lost 200ml of blood. She was a breeze to give birth to (I arrived at hospital fully dilated and she was out in 4 pushes!) and I was discharged after 6 hours.

Second labours really are a different ball game to first and your experience the first time is in no way guaranteed to happen again! Having said that anything can happen in labour, and because of having the pph the first time the midwives will be more cautious and keep an really close eye on you (which can only be good I think!)