Retained placenta manual removal

[Lollipopp]

Just wondering about people's experience with a retained placenta after labour. I had this with my first. I had heavy bleeding a few hours after giving birth whilst on the post natal ward and started to go pale dizzy, A midwife noticed and rushed me back up to the delivery ward. I can't really remember much, but they had DP and baby in the room with me, gave me the gas and air and a woman told me that she was going to manually remove the placenta that was stuck. It was all rushed, the other midwife basically told me to start on the gas and air now and the woman started. It was excruciating pain worse than labour and I ended up passing out and having a fit. I don't know what happened but she basically stopped and put me on the hormonal drip. Was kept in for 5 days and wasent really discussed with about what happened. I'm now pregnant with baby no 2, and want to be completely prepared and know what I'm talking about when I next see consultant as I felt traumatised after and now am a little scared. With what I've read so far everyone has seemed to have been on epidural whilst having this procedure and am now wondering if anyone else was only given gas and air too and wether if this was to happen again if I should push for an epidural etc or if it's normal procedure for gas and air. Any positive stories with second labour after first with retained placenta would be amazing too!

I had retained placenta and only had gas and air, but that was because I refused to go to the operating theatre without DH! In hindsight I would have gone down the theatre route. I didn't have such a traumatic time as you OP but it was still grim.

I only had one child but my midwife told me it shouldn't happen again it was just one of those things. I seem to remember she told me it happened because the umbilical cord snapped in two when they pulled on it to get the placenta out and then my cervix closed.

I had a retained placenta with my DD1. The two midwives spent a good couple hours trying to tug mine out l/breastfeeding / tugging to no avail. Was blooming vile! I had surgery but the block didn’t work very well - I screamed the place down (after having a fabulous relatively pain free birth). I was pleased DH wasn’t there and was with DD1. I’ve since had 2 other babies with zero problems albeit they’ve all been very quick births (30/45mins). I had a homeopathic remedy as a precaution for the retained placenta for the other two but who knows if that made a difference or not. I also had a real battle with my consultant for DD2 as I wanted a midwife led delivery in the birthing unit (as per DD1) and not Dr led on the delivery ward. I’ve lots of midwife friends who advised me and I got my own way. DD3 was born at home (planned). There was a little worry about a retained placenta but more concern over my super fast labours and the likelihood of giving birth in the car!
Have a good think about what you would prefer and discuss this with your consultant and midwife. I was told that the chances of having a retained placenta aren’t increased if you’ve had one previously - you’re not necessarily predisposed apparently. Or so the research suggested at the time.

I retained placenta after dc1 was born. Once dd was out I had no further contractions to expel the placenta. The cord broke.
At this point I was told it could be removed with gas and air or under general anaesthesia.
The midwife strongly advise me to ho for the GA option so I did.
I remember nothing after being wheeled to theatre.
After some of the horror stories I've heard since I'm glad I went with the GA.
After dc2 was born I had no problems with placenta at all.

Same as you I had gas & air throughout the birth and the blooming tugging. I’m also prettty sure for DD2 I said if it didn’t come away immediately on feeding there was to be no tugging! The consultant agreed to this as he was keen that I’d go straight to surgery too. But all went well. Hope this is a bit reassuring. X

I had a retained placenta. After a C-section!
They knew immediately and tried to palpate my uterus manually. Agonising, and ineffective.

I spent months back-and-forth. Significant haemorrhaging. Admissions.
They got me ready for a D&C, only for a sensible Dr to read my notes, observe the prior C-section, and stop the procedure. We were literally on the way to a procedure that would have ruptured my uterus!

I then had weekly scans to observe the movement of the placenta. When it finally detached, I could feel it blocking my cervix. Saw the GP, who told me to 'pull it out at home'. FFS.

I had a shower, and tried. DP was on hand to call an ambulance if I haemorrhaged again. Luckily I didn't, but it was tricky to remove, and bloody painful.

We put it in the freezer for evidence. The hospital then attempted to update my notes and state that it was a clot.

I advised that said placenta was in my freezer, and that clots aren't massive and purple!
It was a scary time, and I don't envy anyone such an experience.

Did I sue? Nope. They have done much worse to me previously, and since.
I'd do it all again for my precious angel though. I promise!

PS - Never had this with Dc1 (instrumental birth), or DC2 (EMCS). Just bad luck, I guess.

Thank you everyone for your responses, it's so reassuring to know that all of you have had other births without having a retained placenta. I saw my consultant yesterday and he was saying how it's more likely which made me start to worry, but I know from my last birth that unfortunately the hospital and doctors aren't quite up to date, so this has been really reassuring. Consultants are super busy at my hospital and I'm seeing them for 2 other problems so my obstetric appointments are quite rushed and I have a bit of anxiety so I tend to sit there and nod and think of questions after as I feel I'm taking up too much time I'm seeing midwife after new year so will write down a list and try and extend my appointment with her.

I'm not sure how to tag peoples responses (I'm still fairly new sorry!)

kimlek-was that the hormone drip thing that makes you contract?in your opinion Was it painful and did you ask for any painkillers? I can't remember with my last due to so much going on and as I've been told I'm definetly having it I'd like to write down in my notes and warn DP 'Not to give me drip until you give me some morphine!!' If that is the case I know that if I don't communicate it in my notes I'll get too nervous to ask when it actually happens!

Postcsection - so sorry to hear about your experience that sounds absolutely horrific to go through. I hope you have completely recovered and never have to go through that again.

Dixie - I'm sorry, I did have a little giggle at the idea of hitting the doctor! I'm Imagining throwing a gas and air pump and their head slowly rising confused like. The doctor was quite mean and shouty whilst fist first in my poor noo-noo. If I hadent have had a fit I'm sure I would have done the same!!

I had a retained placenta with DS. Like others have said, the cord snapped when the midwife was pulling it. I had to wait ages for a consultant to be free to do the removal (5 hours I think). Was being prepped for spinal block when I think my heart rate dropped and they did an emergency GA. Lost a lot of blood. One baby since and no problems at all.

The consultant who removed mine was chatting away to DH whilst doing his James Herriot bit

He kept saying "it's a slippery bugger, it's like trying to grab a lump of liver"

kimlek-was that the hormone drip thing that makes you contract?in your opinion Was it painful and did you ask for any painkillers? I can't remember with my last due to so much going on and as I've been told I'm definetly having it I'd like to write down in my notes and warn DP 'Not to give me drip until you give me some morphine!!' If that is the case grin I know that if I don't communicate it in my notes I'll get too nervous to ask when it actually happens! blush
No, I just had gas & air, water birth, midwife led on a midwife unit - no doctors albeit the unit was part of a general hospital. No drip. I took the homeopathic remedies prior to DD2 & DD3 birth earlier in the day but as I say, who knows if that made any difference. DD2 was born in the same midwife led unit and DD3 at home all water births with gas & air. No drips. I was willing to give the homeotherapy (tiny tablets from Helios) a go as really didn’t want another retained placenta obviously. So, with DD1 - lovely normal delivery. Breastfed but contractions stopped. They had a few tugs but umbilical cord snapped. Continued to try manually (no analgesia) don’t remember having gas &air then either but could defo be mistaken. After a couple of hours of trying they called theatres - I had a spinal block (that I dont believe had time to work) but could feel everything! I hollered!! Much much much more painful than childbirth. DH stayed in my nice room with DD while I went to theatre. She was born at midnight too so maybe that’s why they tried manually for so long. I may have had an intramuscular injection to get things going again but I don’t think so, could have had that with DD2. Cant quite remember. However, DD2 & DD3 deliveries were great. Defo discuss ALL your concerns with consultant, midwife, GP & every HCP involved, so ALL are very clear about your preferences x

Oh god. James Herriot bit!!! That’s exactly what I felt like!! INeedAHolidayNow

With ds2 I had a manual removal of placenta, ds1 and dd weren't.
I heard the words if it doesn't come soon we'll have to ring upstairs, so I pushed like mad with dd, as didn't want a manual again.
I think my problem was liking gas and Air too much and very quick deliveries.

They were 2 hours, 90 min, and 30 min from start to finish with acute labour pains all at once, no build up.

Kimlek - ah sorry by homeopathic remedy i thought you meant the drip! They mentioned using a hormonal drip as a precaution for me.i will ask about these tablets aswell as he was all 'oh yes you're having the drip after' i didn't know there was another precaution method, I will make sure i have a long chat with the consultant and mw next time x

Ineedaholiday - whaat!! have to say his comments giving me vivid visuals of a doctor trying to hold a placenta like a slippery cartoon fish lol! X