PP hemorrhage/placenta retention prevention

[susannella]

With my first child, I hemorrhaged immediately after birth, and my mw manually removed my placenta and started me on pitocin. This was done within 10 minutes of birth, and it was estimated that I lost 750 ccs of blood. This was a hospital birth, and i did not need a transfusion.

I didn't think this was a big deal, and wasn't particularly concerned about it happening again with this birth.

I met with my homebirth midwife today, and she wanted to get some details. I shared my file with her, and she goes on to tell me that she had heard that my old midwife group had brought me up in a staff meeting, and that they were horrified that I was being allowed to homebirth after the hemorrhage experience. I had run into one of the old midwives at the gym, and shared my homebirth plans with her (hey- i'm excited!)

First, I'm feeling like my privacy was violated, but I'm not sure how, since I shared my plans with the old midwife. Second, I'm annoyed that I've been stamped 'high risk' - unrealistically, I feel- by people who aren't even providing care for me. Third, I'm pissed that my midwife is in a risky position now, should one of these midwives report her to the state for not providing good care, or whatever the term is.

So I guess I needed to vent about that. Stay outta my uterus, people!

I'd also like information and resources on how to prevent hemorrage and placenta retention. My midwife has recommended vitamin e, and we'll talk more about it as time passes, but I'd like to inform myself in the meantime. It's the best way I have to deal with this energy I have about the whole thing!

Thanks for reading the novel....

[pamamidwife]

wow, I'm surprised by the concern that the hb mws had about your history. I would think that you're NOT destined to have this happen again and a partial separation is NOT something that necessarily repeats. many things contribute to partial separations, including short cords and the atmosphere right at and immediately after birth.

I had a client who had a partial separation with her second that resulted in a scary trip to the hospital and she birthed her third in the water, the placenta came easily with no additional blood loss.

your history does not make your current or future reality.

[susannella]

Pam-

Thank you for your response and for the vote of confidence!

I think my midwife is more concerned about the hospital midwife group reporting her for unsafe practice than another hemorrhage. I don't understand why this group (of the hospital mws)is acting in such a way- I truly believe their concern is not for my health but about a defensive kind of feeling about the righteousness of birthing in a hospital.

Again, thanks for sharing your experience.