First time UC.

[ameliasmommy07]

Hi all, I am 35 weeks pregnant and I have decided to have our first UC. I have a daughter that is 3 and we did the whole hospital/intervention birth. I do not want to go that route again. I have taken Bradley method classes and I feel like I am prepared. I do have a few questions though.

1. I purchased Shepard's purse for PPH and was wondering if I take it after the placenta comes out even though I may not be bleeding much or if I only take if if there is lots of bleeding?

2. Do I need to worry about taking baby's temp. after birth?

[kittywitty]

Keep baby warm, of course, just like at the hospital. My kids were never under warmers in the hospital, just dried, dressed, and wrapped and kept close to me.

Only take the Shepherd's Purse *after* the placenta is completely out (and intact) and I would only take it if there is a lot of blood. Mostly cuz it tastes nasty.

Good luck!

[candycat]

Personally I wouldn't worry about taking baby's temp, but I also wouldn't get him/her dressed either. I would just put a dipe on and stick him or her under your shirt with you. Skin to skin is great for establishing a nursing relationship and for regulating babe's temp.

I did take some hemorrhage formula after I birthed an intact placenta. I wasn't bleeding TOO much but I felt better about it. It would have served the same purpose as the placenta chunk under the tongue but by good gosh I was squicked out by that thought. I would only take that if your bleeding is light to maybe moderate - if you're heavily heavily bleeding then that calls for an intervention. But for my amount of flow I felt comfortable taking the solution and the situation resolved almost immediately.

[ameliasmommy07]

Thanks for the advice ladies I am getting so excited about the birth. I cant wait!!!

[MeesterMama]

I took some Shepherds Purse after my placenta came out intact *just in case*. I dont know if I was bleeding *too* much but I was feeling tingly in my feet and seeing some spots so I took some and I was fine. But even better before I took the shepherds purse I put a peice of placenta in my lower lip and it was so weird, I instantly felt better and the spots went away. I have read midwives swear by the placenta, that was my first plan of action if I was bleeding too much and I think it worked to prevent it!

[tammyswanson]

I took witch hazel LEAF tea and a few drops of shepherds purse tincture in the tea ( DH put in 5 drops), just a handful of witch hazel leaf to a cup or so of water. I bled so much less this last UC than the first one. Just don't use witch hazel bark, use the leaf. Good luck on your birth!!

[amberskyfire]

I didn't have herbs on hand, but I had read that eating a bite of placenta was better and worked much quicker, so that was what I planned on. I did end up hemorrhaging and took the large bite of placenta and held it under my tongue. It did the trick and wasn't gross like I had thought it would be. Honestly, in that situation, you are a LOT more worried about the bleeding and being grossed out was the last thing on my mind. It worked in a matter of seconds and the bleeding stopped. I had lost so much blood that I lost my hearing for about a minute. Luckily, we did not need to transfer. Thank goodness for placenta!

As for temperature, we didn't bother. I kept an eye on my little one and made sure that she seemed healthy and strong, not listless. I lay her naked against my naked chest with a blanket over both of us. Skin-to-skin is the best way to help baby adjust their body temperature.