Not planning a UC, but want to be prepared.

[boysmom2]

Our 4th baby is due in about 8 weeks.  We are planning a hospital birth with the wonderful mws who attended our last birth.  While I would love to just plan a hb, I cannot get my DH on board.  But I really do love my mws, so I'm ok with going to the hospital.  But, my last birth was pretty quick (only about 4 hours of active labor and less than 10min of pushing).  My 1st was 22+hrs, and my 2nd was about 12hrs.  So, I'm a little concerned that we'll continue the trend of decreasing time in labor.  Not that a short easy labor wouldn't be great, it just might be tricky logistically, yk?  :)  

Anyway, adding to my concerns are 2 things: we live about an hour away from the hospital, and the baby is due during prime midwestern blizzard season.  We might move to a family member's house when my due date gets closer, so we'd be more like 15-20min from the hospital, but even then, there could be atrocious weather.

So, I'm thinking that I'd rather just stay home if things are moving quickly than have the baby in the car in a ditch in the snow, yk?  But I'd like to be prepared.  So, I have a few questions:

What do I absolutely need to have on hand?  I don't want to have a ton, especially if we're staying with family, just the essentials.  

How do you deal with postpartum mom/baby checks?  If baby and I both seem to be doing well, I wouldn't feel like we'd need to rush out to be checked out, but I would like to have some follow-up, without any of the crazy ER/UC nonsense I've heard about.

If there is a problem, any advice for dealing with ER, etc., the best way possible?

Thanks!

eta:  I forgot to mention that the one thing that concerns me is my inability to determine how much blood loss is too much.  I hemorrhaged after a m/c once and definitely waited too long to get help.  I think I was really in denial about my situation that time, which is not something I think I would do after a full-term birth.  But, this is where a big part of dh's concerns come from.  So, is there anything I can read, etc., to give me a better idea of what's normal?  Thanks!

Edited by boysmom2 - 12/7/11 at 6:58pm

[Devaskyla]

What do I absolutely need to have on hand?  I don't want to have a ton, especially if we're staying with family, just the essentials.  

Something to eventually tie & cut the cord with: a pair of boiled scissors & a new boiled shoelace or some embroidery floss. Some sheets or towels that you don't mind risking having bloodstains. A bowl for the placenta (I like metal bowls, easy to get really clean)

How do you deal with postpartum mom/baby checks?  If baby and I both seem to be doing well, I wouldn't feel like we'd need to rush out to be checked out, but I would like to have some follow-up, without any of the crazy ER/UC nonsense I've heard about.

Would your midwife do a home check up? Or do you have a gp/ped you could go to when you feel up to it? We have nurses here that come out & do a check after moms leave the hospital, so I just call them & they come out & do a quick check on both of us within a few days.

If there is a problem, any advice for dealing with ER, etc., the best way possible?

Tell them you laboured too fast to make it. That seems to be the best way to deal for most people.

Thanks!

eta:  I forgot to mention that the one thing that concerns me is my inability to determine how much blood loss is too much.  I hemorrhaged after a m/c once and definitely waited too long to get help.  I think I was really in denial about my situation that time, which is not something I think I would do after a full-term birth.  But, this is where a big part of dh's concerns come from.  So, is there anything I can read, etc., to give me a better idea of what's normal? 

500 CC is considered the high end of normal for a vaginal birth. Anything more is considered hemorraging. Why not get a measuring cup, fill it with 500ml of water (the equivalent of 500cc) put in a bit of food colouring & pour i t in different surfaces to see how much that looks like? You could do it with other amounts too to give you a better idea what to watch for.

As you're worried about excessive bleeding, I'd also consider having some herbs on hand to deal with it (Shepherd's Purse tea worked well for me, some people prefer it as a tincture) and be prepared to eat a bit of placenta if necessary.

You might also want to look at placenta pictures to see what an intact one looks like. Then if you are bleeding, you can check to make sure it all came out.

[boysmom2]

Thanks so much!  This is really helpful.  Especially the suggestion to play around with the blood amounts.  Great idea!  Thanks!