[bydesign]

I was trying to decide under which topic to post this thread. In many ways, I'm not on a journey to unassisted birth anymore, because it is the default position for our family. But, in other ways, each pregnancy is a new journey, and I can't really say for certain at this point if it will remain unassisted to the end.

That is a round-about way of announcing that we are with child again, with an estimated birth date of March 8, 2012.

Our journey this time is a bit different in that with each previous pregnancy I had a history of zero complications and no tiny nagging fears such as "What if X happens again?" About 2 hours after my most recent UC, slightly over 2 years ago, I experienced a post-partum hemorrhage and transported by ambulance to a hospital. There, the kind female OB did a finger sweep of my uterus, after which the bleeding stopped. She suspects, although can't say for certain, that I had a tiny bit of retained amniotic membrane that was preventing my uterus from clamping down right near my cervix.

So, I am searching for answers. What causes membrane to stick? What are the chances of that happening again? Why didn't we do a better job of observing my bleeding after the birth so we could have transported by car instead of by ambulance? Why didn't we notice the bleeding sooner when perhaps the shepherd's purse and cayenne would have been more effective?

We are also even more informed than we were before about potential complications and about how to use herbs and how they work. So in many ways, we are better prepared.

As we begin the journey once again, I hope that others will join us here on the forum. This place is still uniquely qualified for the discussion and support of Christian woman who choose to birth unassisted. I hope that whatever is keeping women away will stop and that many will come and share with us.

Some stats for those interested in such things... I am 45 years old. I have birthed once in a hospital. Then I had an unplanned UC (midwife was with another client that needed to transport, so she didn't get to my birth). That was followed by 2 midwife attended home births. After that I had a miscarriage (11 weeks) attended at home by a friend who is a nurse and was a midwifery student at the time. I then have had 3 unassisted home births. So, I have 7 children (and one grandchild - born at home, midwife attended).

I'd appreciate your thoughts on choosing UC after a complication during a previous birth.

[Jewel]

bydesign, on 19 July 2011 - 06:55 PM, said:

I was trying to decide under which topic to post this thread. In many ways, I'm not on a journey to unassisted birth anymore, because it is the default position for our family. But, in other ways, each pregnancy is a new journey, and I can't really say for certain at this point if it will remain unassisted to the end.

That is a round-about way of announcing that we are with child again, with an estimated birth date of March 8, 2012.

Our journey this time is a bit different in that with each previous pregnancy I had a history of zero complications and no tiny nagging fears such as "What if X happens again?" About 2 hours after my most recent UC, slightly over 2 years ago, I experienced a post-partum hemorrhage and transported by ambulance to a hospital. There, the kind female OB did a finger sweep of my uterus, after which the bleeding stopped. She suspects, although can't say for certain, that I had a tiny bit of retained amniotic membrane that was preventing my uterus from clamping down right near my cervix.

So, I am searching for answers. What causes membrane to stick? What are the chances of that happening again? Why didn't we do a better job of observing my bleeding after the birth so we could have transported by car instead of by ambulance? Why didn't we notice the bleeding sooner when perhaps the shepherd's purse and cayenne would have been more effective?

We are also even more informed than we were before about potential complications and about how to use herbs and how they work. So in many ways, we are better prepared.

As we begin the journey once again, I hope that others will join us here on the forum. This place is still uniquely qualified for the discussion and support of Christian woman who choose to birth unassisted. I hope that whatever is keeping women away will stop and that many will come and share with us.

Some stats for those interested in such things... I am 45 years old. I have birthed once in a hospital. Then I had an unplanned UC (midwife was with another client that needed to transport, so she didn't get to my birth). That was followed by 2 midwife attended home births. After that I had a miscarriage (11 weeks) attended at home by a friend who is a nurse and was a midwifery student at the time. I then have had 3 unassisted home births. So, I have 7 children (and one grandchild - born at home, midwife attended).

I'd appreciate your thoughts on choosing UC after a complication during a previous birth.

Congratulations on your new pg.
I had a hemorrhage with my 10th baby in 2007. We managed it at home with prayer and shepherds purse. I lost alot of blood and it took me many weeks to feel good again. Then for my next birth I knew right away that I would need to strengthen mu uterus and take care of myself. I lost 75lbs after the birth of my 10th baby so when I became pg with my 11th I started off much healthier. I also tried to eat better and in general to take better care of myself. At 28 weeks I began drinking red raspberry leaf tea. About a quart a day every day until birth to strengthen and tone my uterus and for bleeding postpartum. My labor and birth went very well. I delivered a 11lb. 3oz baby boy at home uc with no problems. I also did not hemorrhage!
I hope this encourages you!

[bydesign]

Thanks so much for the encouragement. It's nice to hear that an issue at one birth doesn't have to return in the next.

Just in case anyone is actually reading this thread, I did miscarry a few days ago at 10 weeks. Recovery is going well. Physically it was not so difficult as the last miscarriage I had.