Blood transfusion?

[Gumby]

I had my sweet baby five days ago and the birth was beautiful. So is she.

Born at home, in water, placenta came out very quickly...in the tub for about 10 minutes after birth, I stepped out, squatted and out it came (weighing in at 4 pounds as well!).

I hemorrhaged. Placenta smoothie, herbs, visualization, a shot of pitocin, nothing stopped it. I had a second degree tear as well. I was conscious through it all, but getting up to try and go to the hospital in my mw's car was too dizzying. EMTs came. More drugs at hospital to stop bleeding. And stitches.

My hemoglobin went from a 12.8 prenatal level to a 7.6 day after delivery level.

My MIL is very concerned and thinks I need a blood transfusion, if only to get me up to less severe anemic levels.

What do you think?

I am drinking alfalfa & nettles tea (I did all throughout pregnancy), taking spirulina, floridex iron supplement, and of course, uninterupted rest. Eating blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, spinach...

My main concern here is baby, dh only has a couple more days off work and my bm, if she's getting enough out of it. That's another issue I suppose.

I appreciate any imput, even if it's personal anecdotes. TIA

[jengacnm]

I have a half home, half hospital birth practice-and I've sent women home from the hossy with lower hgb's than yours. As long as they can walk and talk, they don't get transfused.

You're doing all the right things-you just need to expect to be weaker for a bit longer. Do a lying in for two weeks-eat, sleep, nurse the baby, drink lots of fluids, and continue your iron building goodies. Oh, and expect you milk to take twelve to 24 hours longer to come in.

I would be a bit concerned about you being alone with the baby so soon, though. Is there a family member or friend who can come stay with you and babe when you're husband's gone? If not that, can you hire a postpartum doula or maybe a college woman to help out?

Best baby blessings, mama!

Jennifer

[MsBlack]

I agree w/Jennifer--no transfusion is needed. And a transfusion at your level of hgb could actually just cause more bleeding as I understand it. What you need is lots of rest, all the blood building you're doing, and lots and lots of fluids.

Second the advice on getting some postpartum help! You especially need that now, more than most pp women.

[courtenay_e]

I hemorraged 10 days pp, and went from a hemoglobin of 14 upon admittance, to a straight 7.0 when they sent me home. They gave me the option of a transfusion. When I asked if (because they wanted to keep me over night to do it) I would be able to keep my baby with me, as he was nursing (and heck, because he was a newborn and I wanted him with me!),they said no, that I'd be on a post surgical unit, and that babies weren't allowed. So, I opted to go home. They SAID that if I'd been 6.9 instead of 7.0, they wouldn't have given me the option. I responded that they wouldn't keep me if I couldn't keep my baby!

Point being that I was exhausted for up to several weeks afterward--and I'm glad that I chose not to get the transfusion. About seven months later I was called to donate bone marrow to an unknown recipient. Had I gotten the transfusion, the National Bone Marrow Registry would have risked me out. Because the blood in the blood donor pool isn't completely safe, I wouldn't have been considered "safe" and this recipient, who had less than an 5% chance of survival WITH the transplant (and is still alive, by the way) would likely have died.

With diet alone (couldn't stand the iron pills, and floridix makes me sick), I brought my hemoglobin back up to above a 14 well before the transplant. My baby gained an ounce a day or MORE on my breastmilk for the first three or four months of his life. So, watch your diet (from what you describe, it sounds like you're paying attention to it!), and I think you'll be fine w/o a transfusion! Maybe a little tired. You should probably follow pp's advice and find a homeschooler who likes to help out, or a confirmation candidate from a local church who needs service hours, or a grandma type from the local senior's group who is willing to fold laundry, or something like that, to help out a bit. Make sure that you get lots of naps, vitamin C, and sunshine!

Take care of yourself, mama. Happy babymoon!

[Gumby]

An update: no transfusion

Well the idea of a transfusion never really sat well with me from the beginning, I just want to be able to do all that I need to for my little one.

We did go to hospital today (mw as well), mostly to placate MILs worries and it only confirmed why dh and I do NOT trust doctors (for the most part) or think hospitals are safe. I ended up receiving some pretty disrespectful treatment from the doctors and nurses on duty, gee...is that b/c I refused some things (like a VE, hello, I'm healing! Leave me alone) and used the gown as a blanket rather than putting it on? They're not so bf-friendly you know...

Anyway, my hgb is up to a nine, so no transfusion. Waste of a day. And worst of all, my poor baby was exposed to stupid hospital germs :

But we're home now, resting and I'm putting out the call to friends and doulas to see what we can get short term.

Thanks for the imput and well wishes ladies.

[courtenay_e]

Glad to hear you're doing well. Good for you for standing up for yourself at the hospital, too. Take care, and enjoy your babymoon!