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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Mums who had a postpartum haemorrhage - how to prevent on second birth?!

28 replies

charlottexox · 09/04/2018 22:12

I lost a pint and a half of my blood on DD due to taking aspirin throughout to prevent PE. Back on it again for this pregnancy, I'm wondering if any ladies who had a PPH the first time, what did the doctors / midwives do to prevent you having a second one? Very interested to know as last time I was very unwell after having DD and it really slowed down our bonding process!

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GinaLinetti99 · 09/04/2018 22:15

To be honest, they didn't. I lost 1500ml with DD1 and when I asked about risk of PPH, I was told I would be considered at slightly higher risk, but that it wasn't preventable as such.

Through my second pregnancy, I tried to keep an iron rich diet. I went on to lose 900ml when I had DD2 and recovered much more quickly.

My midwife said if I had a third, I would be considered high risk for PPH and additional steps would be taken.

MirandaWest · 09/04/2018 22:18

I too had a 1,500ml PPH with first birth and doctors weren’t really too interested in it or any ways it could be prevented the next time. I think it was connected with the forceps delivery I had with DS.

With DD I only lost 450ml which to me felt like nothing and the whole experience was much better

Girlwiththearabstrap · 09/04/2018 22:25

I'm only 36 weeks so haven't actually had the second baby, but I lost 2 and a half litres with my daughter (and had pre eclampsia) and have been seeing a consultant this time round. I've taken aspirin the whole way through, and was advised to stop that at 34 weeks. They've also put in place a plan to put a cannula in after delivery where I'll get syntocinon drip during the 3rd stage - apparently forcing your uterus to contract helps prevent bleeding. I thought everyone who had a severe blood loss had a consultant appt in subsequent pregnancies? I suppose maybe it depends why it occurred.

Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 09/04/2018 22:26

Your consultant may recommend a prophylactic oxytocin infusion following the birth of your baby as well as the normal oxytocin injection to help you deliver your placenta.

A pint and a half (approx 850mls) isn’t usually considered a large volume in the grand scheme of things and many women would not be affected by this. They possibly underestimated but it may be worth looking at building up your iron stores antentally to counter balance any effects that blood loss may have on you.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 09/04/2018 22:27

When I mentioned my worry about another large PPH after I had DD1, the gp shrugged. She told me she'd had one with her first, then had her 2nd DC as a home birth.

I nearly died having DD1, so that was a step too far for me. But I actually had no problems at all having DD2. No PPH at all

FranticallyPeaceful · 09/04/2018 22:32

Had PPH with first and not with second. On aspirin this time but I was told it was fine to take upto birth

coffeecoffeemorecoffee · 09/04/2018 22:47

I lost 1.5 litres with my first, saw a consultant during my seconds pregnancy. With me they planned to put a cannula into my hand during labour to use a drip immediately after birth to force my womb to contract BUT it took me shouting in the middle of the final push "what about the drip?!" Midwife: what drip?! "I'm high risk for PPH!" Cue panic and emergency cord being pulled! She apologised after and said nobody had told her! Scary really! Come to think of it, she was still fannying around with her gloves on the other side of the room when my baby was born! Haha...

Remind your midwife! Also, I didn't have PPH with my second.

caseymoo · 09/04/2018 22:59

Interesting read as I had a 1.9 litre pph with dd and am now pregnant with the second. Haven't had any consultant apps yet though so not sure what steps will be taken.

MilfordFound · 09/04/2018 23:11

I lost 2.8 litres of blood during my first birth, I had to have several transfusions and had problems healing it was awful.
I'm now pregnant with my second and choosing to have a c section. Consultant told me the average blood loss for a vaginal birth is 500ml and for a c section 1000ml. I'm choosing c section in the hope it'll be more controlled, and fingers crossed I'll heal better than last time! I'm on iron tablets and they'll have cross matched blood on standby just in case.

SickofThomasTheTank · 10/04/2018 00:46

Less stress!

Girlwiththearabstrap · 10/04/2018 08:27

@MilfordFound when are you due? Good luck with the healing this time! I never discussed the option of a section - I actually thought the blood loss tended to be worse with sections and my consultant has a good plan in place this time.

ClangerTwanger · 10/04/2018 10:01

I had a PPH after my second child. Currently pregnant with number 3
And got an appointment with the consultant tomorrow morning to discuss it. No idea what they will say! will let you know I guess x

autumncountryrose · 10/04/2018 10:05

I’d be interested to know this too!

Lost almost 4 litres with my daughter and was touch and go for a while in theatre - originally wanted two children but think I’ll be leaving it at one as dreading it potentially happening again, and only have one kidney which doesn’t help matters.

BrazzleDazzleDay · 10/04/2018 10:20

I lost roughly 3l with my first.

Had cannulas put in both wrists and hands during my second, two drips on the go (cant remember what). Was absoluely fine, normal bloodloss.

Had placental abruption with 3rd(twins) so hooked up straightaway. No post labour issues.

Pinkvoid · 10/04/2018 11:53

I had a consultant led pregnancy with DC3 because following DC2’s delivery I lost 4 pints of blood due to a partially retained placenta. I needed two blood transfusions and still felt (and looked!) like a ghost... had to take iron supplements for months. DC3’s delivery went without a hitch. I refused the injection and chose to deliver the placenta naturally (no idea whether that helped or not) and ensured I ate an iron rich diet throughout the third trimester in particular, I also took two spatone sachets a day.

I think I am just a bleeder as I also haemorrhaged and needed a blood transfusion last year during a medically managed miscarriage... I don’t have much luck . Hope all goes well for you this time .

MilfordFound · 11/04/2018 16:16

@girlwiththearabstrap C section booked for 3 weeks time, not long to go although it's going slowwwly!
Consultant didn't advise c section, I decided I wanted one after my experience last time and they said it was my choice. I've also had terrible spd this time and on crutches and been immobile for months. If I'd been able to keep fit and strong maybe I'd have chosen differently.

ForkIt · 11/04/2018 16:20

I had a large PPH with my second but lost next to nothing for 1 and 3.

Hypermice · 11/04/2018 16:24

I had a 1999ml (amazing! So accurate... ) with ds1. No one said anything about it, treated it or seemed to think it was an issue and I was told to shut up and get on with it when I kept fainting postpartum. No one has said anything about current second pregnancy.

Postnatal care eh? Get better care at the vets ...

ShowOfHands · 11/04/2018 16:28

I lost 2.5l with dc1 (emcs) and had another emcs with dc2, only losing 250ml. The anaesthetist and consultant put something through my cannula to prevent pph.

thenallofasudden · 11/04/2018 16:34

I had a PPH with my 2nd. For my 3rd I wasn't allowed to use the midwife led birthing unit as I was considered high risk. I therefore had to use my local labour ward.
My iron levels were monitored throughout pregnancy and I was told that if they fell below a certain level the midwives would have to monitor and manage in labour.
My 3rd labour was unaffected by any of the above and I didn't have another PPH.
I was induced with both my 2nd and 3rd and was told that this carries a slightly higher risk of a PPH.

Bluntness100 · 11/04/2018 16:40

I Dont know how much I lost, but they wished to sterilise me afterwards as I couldn't survive a second pregnancy,. That was their only plan. There really was no other, i hemmoraghed during the c section, it took about three hours for them to stop the bleeding, i hemmoraghed about two days after the birth, whilst still in hospital, and I hemmoraghed a third time just after I was sent home, which was about ten days Post partum, and was rushed straight back to hospital.

However I had other complications, inc full blown eclamsia that did not alleviate after I gave birth , and had to have regular hospital check ups for a full year after the birth until they felt my body was functioning normally again.

ClangerTwanger · 11/04/2018 16:47

Hi all, been to see my consultant today and she says that so long as I have a medically managed 3rd stage of labour (ie, I have to have an injection to get the placenta out and restrict blood flow) I should be ok. She said the chance of it happening again is 3-5% so I’m happier now. Fingers crossed for all of you! Xx

Original poster

charlottexox · 11/04/2018 19:40

Thanks ladies. Had my appointment with my consultant yesterday Andy he didn't seem concerned about my last haemorrhage
So he said to basically just crack on with it and if it happens again then it happens again!! Not sure how I feel about this

OP posts:

NerrSnerr · 11/04/2018 19:45

Both my births were C Sections but I had a 1.8 litre pph the first time round and they put up the drip for the second. I think I only lost about 900mls that time and the recovery was much better.

Girlwiththearabstrap · 11/04/2018 20:55

@charlottexox Sorry you didn't feel reassured by the consultant. On doing a bit of googling it seems that a blood loss of between 500ml and a litre isn't a major haemorrhage and usually doesn't require emergency treatment so that might be why they aren't concerned about it happening again? If you're not happy though, speak to your midwife and explain how you feel. It may be that your iron levels dropped a lot afterwards and taking supplements would help?

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