[touka]

I'm a member of a much more mainstream board and a recent thread was mentioning all of the painful uterine massage done after the birth.<br><br>
Given that most of the birth stories around here finish something like: hold baby, delivery placenta (while holding baby <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">), check baby over, go to sleep - I'm a little confused as to why hospital birth moms are subjected to this repetitive (and it would seem unnecessary) massage.<br><br>
What am I missing?

 

[artgoddess]

I had DS in the hospital, and they didn't do that to me, I delivered the placenta about 20 minutes after DS was born.

 

[Momma Aimee]

i had a few, but didn't think they were that painful. CNM did first two, and the night nurse did a couple more that night.<br><br>
I thought they were pretty standard.<br><br>
Aimee

 

[touka]

<b>artgoddess</b> So they didn't do any massage later on during your stay (if you stayed)?<br><br><b>aimee</b> Yeah, my question is WHY is it standard? I'm trying to see the "evidence-based" reason for doing the massages. I'm sure they can be helpful to some degree or another to encourage the uterus to begin shrinking, but are they absolutely necessary? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[artgoddess]

No, I remember them recommending that I do it, but not anyone else touching me. Maybe I'm just forgetting.

 

[Gray's Mommy]

I had them done to me the entire time I was in the hospital. I had it done twice with my homebirth...my uterus was tired so we were trying to stimulate it. It did the trick with 2 massages...

 

[Momma Aimee]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">but are they absolutely necessary?</td>
</tr></table></div>
I guess very very few things are ABSOLUTELY necessary -- <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/duck.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Duck">:<br><br>
but as it is a "non-intervention" care SOP I saw no issue with it. it isn't a drug or a shot or anything unnatrual..... it is just kinda TLC for the new mom.<br><br>
Ima sure tehre is anidotal evidence that is helps -- ie pople who didn't have it who had issues....but i don't know that it has ever been studied. a couple fo the books i read before haivn T stated it was a normal thing, nothing pro or con about it.<br><br>
Aimee

 

[touka]

<b>Gray's Mommy</b> Yeah, I figured that's how it's typically used, which makes sense to me. I think it's the "policy" vibe of the other thread that is throwing me off.<br><br><b>Aimee</b> Of course you're right. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> I don't think it's a necessarily frivolous or unnecessary treatment, I guess I'm just trying to get a grasp of the prevalence of the treatment. Like I said to GM, the way the poster's were talking it seemed like if they had said they didn't want it, it would have been an issue and I'm just wondering if it really is a big deal (I've been doing SO much reading, but haven't gotten to that part yet. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue">)

 

[Momma Aimee]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">I've been doing SO much reading, but haven't gotten to that part yet.</td>
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i don't remember reading much about it anyway<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Aimee

 

[touka]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Aimee21972</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7794754"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">i don't remember reading much about it anyway<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Aimee</div>
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</tr></table></div>
Exactly! That's why I'm confused. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">

 

[HairyArmpits]

My mw did it to me a few times before I left the hospital, but I wasn't under the impression that it was neccessary, mandatory, or even essential.... I had twins, so I'm not sure if I would have even known about it otherwise, because I never read anything about it either.<br><br>
Perhaps it would be more important for mamas who do not intend to BF, since bfing is so helpful with uterine contraction. I guess that would also explain why it is more prevalent on a more mainstream board.

 

[midstreammama]

I had it done right after dd was born in the hospital. It seemed like they did it for a really long time.<br>
dd2, it never happened, and that was ina birth center.<br>
dd3, at a birth center, the mw did it a few times, as i was bleeding pretty heavily.

 

[touka]

<b>hairy armpits</b> & <b>midstreammama</b> Both of the circumstances that you mentioned (twins and bleeding) make perfect sense to me have massage done. From the very small sampling here it doesn't seem like it's carried out everywhere for everyone, but perhaps more often where there are indications for it (there were no details in the other thread so I have no idea of actual circumstances).

 

[Momma Aimee]

for me i am not sure what would count<br><br>
forcept deleivery<br><br>
i was breastfeeding already by first time<br><br>
had Pit and Epdural and 33 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing<br><br>
i don't knwo that there was any real "reson" i can think of<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[touka]

<b>aimee</b> there you go throwing a wrench in to my nicely forming theory. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"> Actually, your "just because" experience it probably pretty typical, which is what got me started on this question to begin with.

 

[midstreammama]

I think that is much more standard of care in the hospital, they do it for all rather than some. I think with a midwife it becomes a as needed treatment.

 

[maxmama]

I check a fundus frequently postpartum (because even if bleeding is WNL, the uterus can be filling with clots or blood), but it can be done very gently, just to verify that the uterus is contracted. If it's not, then the massaging does start, though..

 

[Momma Aimee]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">aimee there you go throwing a wrench in to my nicely forming theory. Actually, your "just because" experience it probably pretty typical, which is what got me started on this question to begin with.</td>
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sorry<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
hey<br><br>
maybe my forcept deliever was the reason, or my 33 hours of labor, or my 4th dregree tear or.......<br><br>
jsut trying to help<br><br>
or it is SOP for our CNM?<br><br>
AImee

 

[maxmama]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Aimee21972</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7798238"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">sorry<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
hey<br><br>
maybe my forcept deliever was the reason, or my 33 hours of labor, or my 4th dregree tear or.......<br><br>
jsut trying to help<br><br>
or it is SOP for our CNM?<br><br>
AImee</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
<br>
33 hours of labor and I'd keep an eye out for a post-partum bleed. So she may have been more massage-happy than usual.

 

[1stimestar]

Sometimes they do not do it on those who would normally NEED it because they give a post partum pit injection instead.