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Originally Posted by BanditaMamacita  Hey, guys. I hope my constant questions aren't getting redundant and annoying, but I just want to make sure I'm totally confident here 
What are some causes of bleeding before the placenta is out? Should there be NO bleeding after birth, before placenta delivers? Or is a small amount expected? What can be done about bleeding before the placenta delivers?
After the placenta delivers, how can you tell how much is too much? Since we all bleed for weeks afterward, obviously some blood is normal..> So when should you worry? And what should you do? Nursing and uterine massage? I'm not huge on homeopathy, but would you guys recommend keeping something around in this scenario? I'd like to avoid any herbs, etc, if possible, but obviously, i'd rather take the herb than be rushed to the ER instead of enjoying my LO.
I know there was just a thread posted with a lot of these questions, but I felt tlike the OP understood more background than i do, so i'm playing a lil catchup here. |
You might want to X-post this in birth professionals. When you talk about bleeding before delivery of the placenta- the 1st thing that comes to mind is that the placenta is partially detached and the uterus can't clamp down effectively with the placenta still in there, then you would have bleeding before the placenta delivers. I bought witch hazel extract to take in case this happens to me. I *might* also take cayenne pepper capsules (since I have them on hand - not sure how effective they are taken orally, and I know they shouldn't be used alone). I've also heard of some effectiveness of visualizing the vessels in your uterus constricting and the bloodflow slowing & stopping (biofeedback). Of course this is not medical advice, this is just what I'm planning on using in case this happens when I give birth.
I'm not planning on worrying about how much I'm bleeding, unless I start feeling/looking shocky - pale, shaky, dizzy, light-headed, nauseated ... then I would call 911.
If I did start worrying that it looked like too much blood, I would take the shepherd's purse, put a piece of the placenta in my cheek or under my tongue, visualize the bloodflow stopping, breastfeed, massage the uterus, or as a last resort, try bimanual compression (squeezing the uterus tightly between two palms).
This website has some fabulous info, and it's all searchable.
http://www.gentlebirth.org/search.htmlThird Stage / Placenta / Postpartum Hemorrhage
I understand what you said about not wanting to use herbs ... in that light, I like this quote from gentlebirth.org:
Your question presents the opportunity to caution midwives about the way they use herbs. Those who have a nursing background would never dream to be doling out drugs the way herbs are sometimes used. In my mind, herbs are drugs. Most of them have fewer side effects than pharmaceuticals because the active agents occur in combination with other substances that may mitigate side effects, or contribute to soften or counteract the effective action of the herb. Many herbs we use could be classified as a food, like Red Raspberry, and as such, have few, if any side effects. But when we start talking about herbs that have stronger actions, particularly the whole class of those that effect the blood, either to nourish it or to stop bleeding, it should be standard that you study and know the action of each, the dose, the route of administration, contraindications and side effects just like you would a drug. What I observe is that someone mentions that this herb is good for that, and before you know it, it is used for something else entirely. Intuition is good, but so is logic, and intuition that springs out of a knowledgeable and logical base is the most powerful of all.
