Homebirth and Hemorrhaging

[L&K'smommie]

I'm planning on having a homebirth in March with this new addition. I've previously had 2 hospital births and after both have bled a bit too much. With my first I had a shot of methergyn and was fine after that. With my 2nd I had a shot of pictocin, a shot of methergyn, a bag of pitocin and a shot of hemobaine. I feel that they overreacted the second time around because the nurse that helped me to the toilet was freaking out. (Story is I was bleeding too much on the toilet(I think my bladder was inhibiting my uterus' ability to clamp down) and so the nurse started massaging my uterus, the pain caused by her very hard massage caused me to begin to get light headed and dizzy and so she started freaking out thinking I was going to pass out from blood loss. This wasn't true because as soon as she stopped massaging I was fine...it was from the pain. Anyways, after that they drugged me with all the formentioned things). Oh and my hemoglobin levels never went too low.
So my question is has anyone else had some pp bleeding/hemorrhaging and then gone on to have a successful homebirth(with no transfering). And if so did you take any extra precautions such as different vitamins or minerals before birth? I feel very at peace about a homebirth but my dh is a little freaked out. I've been doing lots of reading on it and feel that some of the things done at the hospital could've contributed to the bleeding.

[dimibella]

Well I had a homebirth and hemmorrhage with my last child and did end up transfering. But we are about to have out 2nd homebirth anyday now and I have full faith that we will be complication free, home still definitely feels like the safest place for me, hubby and I are on the same page totally. So I will let you know in few days how it went. Do you know why you had the bleeds? I did have trouble with my blood levels and have worked really hard with vitamins and supplements (and lots of prayer) to get them up this time.

A friend of mine had a pp hemorrhage at her birth center with her first and almost had to transfer but was okay and with her second she had no trouble at all. When I asked her if she did anything differently she said the only difference was that she drank tons of RRL in the last month with her 2nd.

[KindRedSpirit]

I hemmoraged at home with my first.Did not transfer.I'm always anemic.I've had 3 homebirths since and been fine.Last Dec I had a mc, and did hemmorage again and did go to the hosp. ER, and they let me bleed for 2 more hours BEFORE even calling an OB!!!!Now, here we are expecting #5 in a few months.Here's what I like to do, and have since our 3rd baby.I do a good amount of RRL tea, also Nettle, I also consume some placenta asap.I really wish I had known a sliver of placenta can stop bleeding when I had my first,I think it would have calmed the experience a lot.I personally prefer a placenta smoothie-all you see or taste is strawberry and banana, but the benefit of the placenta is truly astonishing-even just a tablespoon!It helps with bleeding AND hormone levels AND energy!!!:::

[L&K'smommie]

Thanks for the tips. I am meeting with a naturpath too to find out what all I can take and should take to help with this. I've been reading about the placenta too and am not against it at all as I would rather try everything before having to transfer. If you transfer did you have to stay long at the hospital? That's also my other problem...I would most likely have a dr or midwife I know if I had to transfer and I really don't want to have to see them. (I didn't have a bad experience with them...it's more the "you shouldn't have done that")

And Kelly...I've been having and doing lot of praying too. Let me know how your birth goes.

[Mom2SammyJoe]

I've heard good things about taking alfalfa in the last trimester. My MW recommends 6 tablets daily from 34 weeks through delivery. This helps to build your blood supply prior to birth.

[barefootpoetry]

Ditto to the alfalfa and RRL. I mixed my RRL with nettle, half and half each. I also took Floridix and liquid chlorophyll. I hemorraged with my first birth but I bled very little at my second thanks to all the supplements.

[baby_baby_mommy]

MWs here carry pitocin and methergine, etc. in case of pph so the need to transfer, even if there is a lot of blood, is very small as they are trained and prepared to get bleeding under control quickly.

[paulamc]

Here too - my midwife will have Pitocin (and perhaps other stuff) to deal with hemorrhage in case it happens. Does anyone know if there is ever a need to transfer even with the Pitocin, or will Pitocin definitely take care of it? Actually I think she told me one time she had a mother who was going to transfer but the bleeding stopped in the driveway before they got in the car to go. I wonder if the Pitocin just didn't do the trick initially in that case...

[baby_baby_mommy]

Originally Posted by paulamc

Here too - my midwife will have Pitocin (and perhaps other stuff) to deal with hemorrhage in case it happens. Does anyone know if there is ever a need to transfer even with the Pitocin, or will Pitocin definitely take care of it? Actually I think she told me one time she had a mother who was going to transfer but the bleeding stopped in the driveway before they got in the car to go. I wonder if the Pitocin just didn't do the trick initially in that case...

pitocin does not always work. it depends on the cause of the bleeding. there is a cascade of drugs for pph (both at home and in the hospital) that usually goes: pitocin, methergine, misoprostol

[holothuroidea]

I had a moderate (about 1L) hemorrhage at my home birth. I had 2 doses of pitocin and a cytotec suppository. My MW wrote me a script for methergine, which I took for 2 days to prevent further bleeding.

I was asymptomatic so we didn't even think about transfer. My MW wanted to start an IV for hydration but I refused because I felt pretty good. I was up on my feet 15 min. later.

I think I bled because my labor was really difficult and my uterus was just DONE after the head came out (the shoulders got stuck and I didn't have any contractions after that). Plus I had a very full bladder.

I drank tons of RRL, alfalfa and nettle infusions in the last trimester (3 cups a day). I think that's why I felt OK after having lost so much blood (that and my MW made me eat and drink during labor).

An experienced MW will know how to handle it if you do bleed, I wouldn't worry about it. My next birth will probably be at home, too, and I don't think I'll do anything different.

My opinion-- If in the rare event that you do have a SEVERE bleed, an intramuscular pit injection probably won't do the trick. You need an IV and a team of experienced doctors/nurses, but the MW can keep you alright until you get to a hospital.

[papschmitty]

I had a midwife-attended hospital waterbirth with DD. Delivered a full, in tact placenta and everything seemed fine. A few hours later, I started bleeding. Over the next 24 hours, I continued to bleed and received periodic uterine massage (which hurt way worse than birth, I reflexively hit the nurse's hand off me the first time because she didn't even warn me that it might be painful), pictocin, methergine, and misoprostol. The midwife finally recommended surgery where they found a retained satellite placenta. I ended up requiring 2 blood transfusions.

Of course this experience FREAKED my DH out big time so he was very anti HB at first. The MW helped put his mind at ease, saying there was a lot we could do while I'm still pg to help prevent heavy PP bleeding. She recommended drinking a tea of RRL, nettle, alfalfa, and oatsraw. I ended up purchasing this premixed tea. She also recommended that I start taking Polly-Jean Antenatal Formula 5 wks before my due date which contains squawvine, blue cohosh, blessed thistle, red raspberry leaf, false unicorn, motherwort, wild ginger, lobelia, wild yam, and bayberry root bark. I'm no expert on herbs by any stretch of the imagination but I really trust my MW so I'm following both recommendations.

[L&K'smommie]

Thanks everyone! I have had to have more then just pit and methergine, but I tend to think they over reacted. I'm going to force dh to watch the business of being born and also come to an appt with my midwife and talk to her about it all. I do know my midwife carries both pit and methergine if they are needed and does a uterine massage after the placenta is delivered(they hurt like h*ll, but if it helps so be it). Thanks for all the advice I will be discussing it with both my mw and naturpath.

[catemom]

Hi,

One of my friends gave birth at a hospital awhile ago and had pph (due to her pre-e, which she had with both of her pgs). The nurses had to let the blood pool on the floor before the doc would agree to do something about her bleeding!

So, anyway, I hope you can find some natural ways to help prevent the pph (and I'll be taking notes since I'm at risk for that as an HBAC candidate) and have a great fear-free birth at home!

[2+twins]

I did hemmorage quite a bit after my twins were born but I was able to stay home. I got 2 shots of methergine in my thigh and a shot of pit (or maybe it was 2 pit and 1 meth), the mw did uterine massage and the apprentice and I did nipple stimulation. I ended up opting to have her cath me b/c I couldn't pee on my own and once she did that all was better. I did take a bag of IV fluids, which I needed. I took methergine for the next 2 days I think and couldn't even get out of bed (literally couldn't w/o passing out/vomitting) for 24 hours. But I was fine and very happy it was handled at home.

Other means of controlling a pph would be consumption of some of the placenta (I think some women just put a little piece of it under their tongue and that's it), angelica root (for retained placenta), and shepards purse. I'd check out the book 'The Natural Pregnancy Book' by Aviva Jill Romm for preventative herbs, teas, etc. that you can take. That book is really great!

[Busymommyto4]

I bled a more than normal with my first two HBs and had PPH with my last. I received two shots of pitocin, shepherd's purse and a bag of saline. I didn't have to transfer, but was so scared at the time. I'm pregnant again (due in 2 1/2 weeks) and found out I have Von Willebrand's disease, a clotting disorder. If your blood work didn't show any reason for your bleeding, you might want to look in to getting tested for it. This time around I've been taking RRL tea, liquid chlorophyll and I'll be having a bag of ddavp to boost my clotting factor during labor. I've been very worried about hemorrhaging again, but talking to my hematologist and midwives has really put me at ease and I feel prepared.

Good luck to you!

Mirissa

[ChristSavesAll]

I purchased hemhalt and used it when I thought I might have bled too much, still not sure whether or not I did since I had a UC, but I wanted to comment on the recovery. I did develop anemia two days after the birth, strange cause I felt incredibly awesome the day of and after the birth but it was the next day that it hit me. I was laying on the floor next to babe and couldn't feel my arms or legs, I also felt like I was going to faint. I was terrified I had some hidden bleeding we were unaware of as my pp bleeding was very light. So I had dh call 911 and I was taken to the ER. I remember how being outside breathing in fresh air felt soooo good, I almost felt normal again. Anyways my blood was tested and my levels came back 8.8 which the ER doc said was "low" and told me just to start taking some iron pills. He didn't even tell me how much or how often to take it, then he gave me a prescription for a supposed urine infection (never did have) which was dangerous for me to take. Dh told him I just had a baby and asked if it was alright for me to take when bfing, he said it was safe... uhhh no, right on the pamplet you get about it, it stated it was dangerous to take if you are preggo or bfing an infant less than one month old! : It also was not safe for me as I have asthma (which they knew) and it said it could cause asthma attacks among a whole lot of other things. : Oh yeah he is so smart.

Ok had to rant, sorry.
Anyhow I had read previous to labor about coconuts and the benefits of drinking the water in them, so I had already purchased some prior to labor. I drank the water from 3 coconuts and though it took a little longer than I'd hoped, I felt better the next morning. That morning I drank from 2 more and again felt better the next morning.

So just so you know, the water in the coconuts is equal to human blood plasma and drinking it is like giving yourself an instant blood transfusion. They used it in ww2 as a direct IV into wounded soldiers since they didn't have blood around to transfuse.

I would recommend getting more coconuts than I did so you can recover quicker than I did, that was the most horrible feeling I have ever felt, I seriously thought I would die if I fell asleep.

Anyhow, good luck to you! And congrats on your decision to hb!:

[papschmitty]

I've never heard of coconuts used for bleeding!

[thefragile7393]

My mw has me taking a tablespoonfull of chlorphyll plus pregnancy tea (with RRL, alfalfa, nettles) for prevention, though I personally do not have a history of hemorrage or [prolonged bleeding. They might help at least minimize things for you, even if hemmorrage or long bleeding happens this time again.

[samanthamommaof3]

the coconut thing, how does it work?

id really like to know i mean does the body just turn mit into a blood like substance or what? sry if i sound stupid lol i'm just really interested.

[2+twins]

Originally Posted by samanthamommaof3

id really like to know i mean does the body just turn mit into a blood like substance or what? sry if i sound stupid lol i'm just really interested.

I found this link in which it says:

# Coconut water is identical to human blood plasma which makes it the universal donor. Plasma makes up 55% of human blood. By drinking coconuts we give ourselves a instant blood transfusion.
# Many peoples lives have been saved in 3rd world countries by the coconut IV.