The first part of Lori's birth story is on a on separate page.
WARNING _ this is pretty graphic and not particularly pleasant but it's part of Lori's birth story so needs telling - I'm brutally honest in it with my own feelings as well, so if you're not ready to read something like this CLOSE IT NOW!!!!
After the idyllic birth of our daughter we were sat cuddling her and feeding her and just enjoying the peace..the sun was shining through the curtains and it was heaven.
After about 40 minutes things looked like not being as straightforward as expected tho there was no panic or anything – my mw merely talked to me and said I was losing more than she liked in the blood loss region and she would like to give me the synto injection, but not before she had gently pulled on the cord to see if anything was moving – not even a pull, just a gentle, well I don't know, anyway she examined me and there was no movement at all. She asked to give the injection - at that point I said I feel dizzy and I truly felt suddenly terrible, dh was given Lori and I was laid down on the floor. Once again she checked with me regarding the injection and I agreed.
My bp was checked and was much lower than it had been – it had been a steady 120/70 and dropped to 80/50 at this stage but still no panic – mw merely said we will wait till it comes up before we move you.
After a while bp came back up and mw wanted me to get up and try and wee to see if that helped things, so taking things slowly I got up and we all waddled to the bathroom, me with the cord dangling between my legs lol!
Had a wee then agreed to get onto the bed so they could check me, at this point I was losing a lot of blood and was suffering the most awful contractions I had ever felt!! I couldn't believe they were worse than before she was born! I also became aware that I wasn't feeling fantastic and the only way I could vaguely cope with the pain was with gas and air and by spacing out. I knew what was happening but I also knew I wasn't really there – don't know if anyone will understand that sensation but it is very clear to me now.
Anyway the student mw stood back at this point and bless her she looked rather shocked.
The other two mw began working on me and I know they did their damndest to get that damned placenta out for me. I was examined etc and tummy rubbed the lot but things weren't shifting. I remember staring in the vicinity of the wall and just asking them to stop the pain but knowing they couldn't. I was also aware that I was going to be transferred even though they hadn't even mentioned it yet!
I clearly remember a discussion about the synto injection and that how after about an hour it wears off and things can loosen up and I may be able to deliver the placenta then - didn't know that beforehand!!
The next hour of so is a bit of a blur with me hanging onto the gas and air, one mw massaging my tummy and pushing on my tummy another mw talking to me and I now realise keeping me lucid – then I thought I had wet myself and cried out how sorry I was and at that point I was told I hadn't wet myself it was blood and that though they were sorry, they had no choice but to call an ambulance.
It was all very surreal to me as, although I was in terrible pain, I could see dh holding our new dd for me and yes, he looked very worried but he also looked totally trusting of the mw we had. I remember the phone call my mw made – she requested a paramedic ambulance. I think that was why it took so damned long to arrive!
They finally arrived and I thought "Oh great I'm starkers here with blood everywhere and have two old men looking at me roflmao!!" (roflmao = rolling on floor laughing my arse off)
Mw told them to get IV access in IMMEDIATELY which proved - erm - interesting to say the least. Finally got the IV in and started pushng the fluids and got more gas and air as I had run out then they realised the stretcher wouldn't fit in the door into the house!!
So they had to get me onto a chair and I wasn't exactly compliant as leaning back in the chair went against my natural urge to lean into the contractions, but after what seemed ages they got me into the chair wrapped me in blankets and got me out of the house into the ambulance.
During the transfer into the ambulance at some point they lost IV access completely and I remember the paramedics saying they had to resite it and the mw who came with me saying "just move it NOW" – I knew things were serious but was in and out of consciousness by now. I told my mw I couldn't see my dd face and she turned her to me and I focused on that during the parts of the trip when I was conscious.
I don't remember all the trip, just the mw telling them fast but smooth, the paramedic being frantic over my BP which dropped to 58/37 and my mw making a phonecall and saying we need a Dr, theatre and we have lost IV access.
I kept thinking I had wet myself and in my lucid moments apologised for this and my fantastic mw kept saying its ok hun just hold on were nearly there, I kept saying Ive wet myself and she just kept saying hold on hold on, I suddenly realised it was blood I could feel and I told her that and she kept reassuring me, not once did she lie though, and when I said Im bleeding aren't I she just said yes but don't worry.
At this point I know I prayed I would get to see my kids and dh again but I wasn't scared – just well I don't know, I just wanted to live.
Got the hospital in what appeared to be record time and was taken straight to theatre – there was a team waiting at the doors and the ambulance stopped and a Dr introduced himself to me and said we're going straight to theatre and boy I didn't know those stretchers could go so fast !!!
The next bit I remember was what obviously an aneathatist saying "I can't put her under; she has no fluids and I can't get IV access"
I had two people, one on each arm trying to get IVs in and I kept asking them to stop the pain. I also remember my mw being there and telling me she was going to stay with Lori and me telling her no bottles!!
The last thing I remember was the aneasthetist asking me to keep looking into her eyes and that was it..
I came round in a lot of pain in my stomach and someone said morphine and then I was out again.
I came around in and out of consciousness a few more times and realised I had a nurse with me constantly – it was the following morning before I realised I was in a HD (high dependency) room and had been 'specialed' with 24 hr care.
I remember the children coming to see me, my dh being there and a mw latching Lori on to me when she needed feeding (true to her word my mw had made sure no bottles were given!!)
I know dd was with me in my bed constantly – and I know Helen came to see me at my request and I remember thinking well she doesn't look that shocked so I can't be that bad lolol!! (I also know now I didn't waffle to much to her lol)
Tuesday morning I awoke stiff and my arms were killing me! I had three Ivs in, drips and blood, I was given four units in all and when dh was with me I asked the nurse with me how much had I lost – she asked me if I "really" wanted to know and I said yes and she said two and a half litres OOOOOOOOOOPS!!
The next few hours they got concerned about my temp (tho I'm convinced it was the room that made me hot) so I had IV Antibiotics but finally at midnight on Tuesday I was moved to a side room in a ward.
The Dr came around to tell me my haemoglobin was low even after the transfusions – 7.8 or something and that I have a problem with my Albumin level? (apparently it's a protein which enables the veins to hold fluid in them but mine is so low that that fluid is leaking and that's why I'm puffing up all the time DOH) They did say eating regular and healthy is the only way to bring that level up. And I'm on iron tablets and antibiotics.
Wednesday afternoon saw me drip free, catheter free and getting myself dressed – I wanted out!! The Dr came to see me and said my HB level was worrying but I asked IF they were going to give me more blood – NO. IF they were going to give me anymore IV drugs – NO. So my argument was I would get far more rest and GOOD food if I went home – not to mention that dh would be with me 24 hours a day and was more likely to notice if I got worse – I mean maternity wards are very busy!!
I then told them to discharge me or I would discharge myself. (Bolshy to the end!!)
Dh promised them he would watch me constantly and take good care and act the minute he suspected anything was wrong so they let me free!!!
And that is where it ends, or should I say begins as we are home with our family and our beautiful new daughter who is a total angel.
My birth notes say my third stage 3 hours 45 minutes!! A new record maybe!
I cant fault the mw in attendance; they were brilliant, fantastic, and I truly don't know how I will ever thank them for all they did for me.
The staff at the hospital were great as well and should I have any more children it wouldn't faze me if I had to go in...
Me, I'm ready to do it all again and would definitely recommend a Homebirth to anyone and everyone, and so would my dh who, while admitting her was scared, also trusted the midwives completely.
I hope this doesn't put anyone off a homebirth – in fact in my mind it shows that you can have a homebirth and a trouble third stage and still be fine – no-one could ever warn me off a homebirth just because of a retained placenta and PPH, not even after everything I have been through!
Buffy
ps my dh said the worst bit during the entire procedure was when he arrived at the hospital and was asked to wait in a relatives room - noone said I was ok, no-one told him anything and so for ten minutes he sat there thinking the worst!!!
Buffy
The story of Buffy's fifth baby's birth is also on this site. It has a happier ending!
Postpartum Haemorrhage at home - how likely is it, and what can be done?
The Third Stage of Labour - what are your options, and the pros and cons of each?
Overdue - what are the risks? What are your options?
Grand Multiparas - are you higher-risk after you've had five babies?
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