7 months since birth - is this normal?

[The3rdWatermelon]

I had my baby 7 months ago with forceps on the operating table as I was being prepped for an emergency c section. It was pretty rough, involving shoulder dystocia, stuck placenta and a haemorrhage. I was sent home with a catheter in as I couldn’t pee until day 5. Since then I’ve been diagnosed with PND and anxiety and referred for trauma counselling.

I continued bleeding for 17 weeks after giving birth and scans have shown retained products but no infection markers have shown up in blood tests (possibly due to two rounds of antibiotics for the two bouts of mastitis I had?)

I’m still in pain though. I have what feels like period pain every single day. I want to exercise, as my self esteem is on the floor and I feel approximately the size of a combine harvester, but it gives me awful cramps that make me dizzy and nauseous. I end up comfort eating because I have no willpower for it any more, it’s all used up just getting from one end of the day to the other. I’m fairly sure I’m leaking urine on a pretty regular basis but I just keep changing my pants and pretending to myself that it’s not happening. I’m terrified about going back to work. My maternity leave ends next week. I’m 34. Surely this isn’t normal?

Every time I meet a health professional it’s the same. I’m referred for an ultrasound. Ultrasound shows retained products. Radiologist insists I need to see someone today because it’s very serious. I sit in a waiting room for hours being constantly bumped down the list as people turn up with more acute issues. I’m finally seen and the doctor umms and ahhs and then suggests I have another scan in 8 weeks to see if it’ll just resolve itself. I’m really struggling to advocate for myself with the PND issues, I end up feeling like a timewaster.

Am I a timewaster? Should I have expected to still be in pain 7 months after giving birth? Do I just admit to myself that I’m having leaks and resign myself to it for the rest of my life?

Not normal and not a time waster.

It’s disgusting that you’ve been treated this way. But that’s women’s health for you 🤷‍♀️

Do you have a decent GP? If you explain your constant pain and how you’re being continually fobbed off and it sounds like you need a D&C, do you think they’ll listen?

God this sounds like you're really being fobbed off. You're not wasting anyone's time. I think you have to go back and insist on referral to a specialist and really kick up a stink.

Unfortunately, those who shout the loudest are sometimes the only ones who get adequate care. Especially when it comes to women's healthcare.

I'm sorry and I hope you get the help you need this time.

I am so sorry, that sounds dreadful.
Do you have anything in writing such as copies of scan reports?
I suggest you gather all the information you have and write to PALS and copy to the head of midwifery at the hospital.

No OP, some of this doesn’t sound normal. Can you contact the maternity unit where you gave birth for advice? Or the gynae ward at your local hospital? Some will have a gynae assessment unit. It sounds like you could do with gynae follow up, and woman's health physio.

Also may I suggest complaining via PALS when you feel strong enough as none of this sounds acceptable.

You are not a time waster
go back again and explain that you are not happy to be denied care, you have retained products and want them removed asap.
explain you physical symptoms and the effect on your mental health.
you also need to see an obstetric physiotherapist to address your incontinence.
take someone you trust with you if possible to give you support.

Hey OP, midwife here. No this is not normal. You need a referral to your local continence/incontinence service re: the issues around your bladder, and if there are still retained products after all this time with doses of antibiotics and it's not resolved itself then you likely need a procedure to have those products evacuated, like a D&C/evacuation of retained products.