Second Trimester Update

Submitted by mumwithone on January 13, 2008 - 4:32am
Body: 

Hi Ladies,

Just thought I'd give an update on how my pregnancy is going with POP.

I'm in the second trimester now. I'm feeling pretty good. The POP hasn't dropped any further,. Things are pretty stable ATM.

I'm comfortable most of the time (certainly no less than before I became pg with bubba number two). I'm still walking and dancing and doing a bit of pre-natal yoga when I can fit it in.

I have a lovely midwife whom I'm seeing. I'm just a bit disappointed that it's been recommended I go into hospital rather than have a home birth because I haemmorhaged with the first bub (I don't want to take any unnecessary risks to have a natural birth though). That said, at least my ob says he'll support an active birth and I have my own midwife for birth support, so I'm hopeful for a better experience with baby number two. NO episiotomy this time.

ATS

January 13, 2008 - 8:18am

Glad all is going well.

Its great that you have your own midwife and I agree NO EPISIOTOMY. I had that written on my notes in red pen for my first delivery but I wasn't really given any choice in the end. I sooooo wish I knew Christine and her work back then.

I wish you all the best and hope the POP continues to behave.

A

granolamom

January 13, 2008 - 10:51am

so great to hear you're doing well, second trimester is to be savored!
I think its great you have a mw and a supportive OB. I'm sure you'll have a better experience this time around.

alemama

January 13, 2008 - 6:24pm

Start building you blood now!!! Drink chlorophyll- make sure to get your B from food sources- and you will have no risk.

stella

January 13, 2008 - 6:35pm

I also hemorrhaged with my first baby. The second time around I had an uncomplicated homebirth. I think that it is important to look at what caused the hemorrhage the first time and assess the situation objectively for the next. Keep in mind, that there tend to be MORE complications as a result of hospital births than homebirths. Who advised the hospital birth? Are you with a homebirth midwife or a hospital based one? They often have different approaches.
Episiotomies are rarely done at home because they are almost never necessary. Don't be afraid to be assertive about this with your caretaker. It is highly unlikely that you will need an episiotomy for any reason.

stella

January 13, 2008 - 6:36pm

nettle and rasberry leaf infusion daily too!!

granolamom

January 13, 2008 - 7:38pm

now I'm remembering that once I entered my third trimester my mw had me drinking parsley tea. I think she said it was good for the blood and to reduce possibility of hemmorhage. or maybe I'm confusing that with something else.

its strong stuff and tastes like its good for you, if you know what I mean (ick)

mumwithone

January 15, 2008 - 12:02am

It's so great having this forum to come to and get reassurances about everything. No one I've spoken to about my POP says anything about trying to prevent POP or minimise the risk of it worsening. It's always 'oh, it'll probably get worse but you can just have surgery if it gets too bad' Grrr!

A, I feel much more empowered this time round and this ob actually said in writing that he doesn't do any episiotomies without your consent. Yay! Not like my last ob at all, who just went ahead and did it without me even knowing what was happening.

Granolamom, thanks for your comment and I'll have a go at parsley tea. I hadn't heard of it helping so will look into it. Thanks!

Stella, I really appreciate your comments and advice. Another great herbal tea remedy to try. Thanks, I didn't even know you could prepare your body this way before labour. I was all geared up for homebirth but the midwife I have only does shared care with an ob. She's the only one near enough to where I live that I know of so I really had to go with her, even though she's a bit on the more 'medical' side of things. She was okay about me having homebirth but the ob scared me by saying I had a high chance of haemmoraging again and that it's life threatening. I know it's coming from an ob but I still would worry after hearing that. I still wonder if I've made the right decision at times, but I feel confident having the midwife and this ob will help me have the active birth I want this time.

Alemama, what is cholorophyll and how do I get hold of it? The most I know about it is that plants need it to grow LOL. It's great getting all this wonderful advice. Much appreciated.

Rosebud

January 15, 2008 - 7:49am

Hi, I'm Tracy (Rosebud), and I haven't been here in a while, maybe a year or more.

I saw the comments, and wanted to add that if you are going to be at the hospital, the docs like to pull out your placenta to hurry things along (instead of letting your body expel it in its own time), and they will do it without asking your permission. If you haven't had an epidural, you will feel it, and I don't see how it can help POP at all.

Christine, any research on this?

(I am also in my second trimester --5th pregnancy -- and don't have that terrible back pain anymore)

Tracy
Went from Grade 2 to Grade 1 even from "Lazy" posture changes!
Thank you Christine!

stella

January 15, 2008 - 8:54am

Hi mumwithone-sorry to hear that the OB scared you. That is one of the problems with becoming part of the medical establishment...it is fear based. Regarding the comment by rosebud about pulling out the placenta...that often causes hemmorhage so again I encourage you to investigate the reasons you hemmorhaged the first time because it could have been due to something as simple as that rather than something that your body did. If it was caused by somebody else's actions, it would be worthwhile to discuss with your caretakers as you wouldn't be any more high risk for a homebirth than anyone else.
I would like to recommend some books to you: anything by Ina May Gaskin and wise woman herbal for the childbearing years by Susun Weed.
good luck and keep us posted

mumwithone

January 15, 2008 - 8:07pm

Thanks ladies for your comments. I spoke to the midwife about pulling on the placenta and she said they'd be careful not to do that for the exact reason you say - it can be a cause of haemmorhage. The midwife thinks the reason I bled was that I had a long second stage of labour so the uterus became overtired.

Thanks for the book recommendations, I'll look those up. You wouldn't have any info would you on what the risk would be if I haemmorhaged at home? I thought I'd be okay - because the midwives have IV available and I'd then be transferred to hospital if I needed a blood transfusion. But the ob wasn't really open to discuss that, even when I said the blood transfusion wasn't until two days later he just said it was 'still a big bleed.'

stella

January 15, 2008 - 8:33pm

As an assistant midwife, I have witnessed hemmorhage at home. We come to births equipped with both herbal and homeopathic remedies as well as conventional medications(which I have rarely seen needed).
There are various remedies for hemmorhage-shepherds purse tincture is one example. There is also a great homeopathic which name is escaping me at the moment but I'll probably remember later(or can look up for you). I was at a birth once where there was too much bleeding and the midwives said "stop bleeding now" and she did! How far are you from a hospital? How long was your labor? OBs are generally not supportive of homebirth(even though the statistics are undeniable). They have been trained in the medical mode which is fear based(not to mention it isn't good for their business!)

mumwithone

January 16, 2008 - 3:38am

Hi Stella,

Thanks so much for all that info. I wish I had a midwife like you around! My labour went for only about 7 hours but the second stage of labour went for about 3 hours of that time (it probably didn't help that the midwife at the hospital got me to go on my back - I really felt things were progressing until then).

I'm about 20 minutes by car to the nearest hospital. I don't know if the midwife I have uses homeopathics - the first midwife I saw was great and I wouldn't need to see an ob at all with her but she lives over an hour from me and given the quick first labour I thought that was too far for a homebirth.

stella

January 16, 2008 - 5:19am

Did you speak to your homebirth midwife about the distance? We see women all the time who aren't local.
Sounds like being on your back didn't work for you. Often times women prefer to be squatting, or on hands and knees, or other positions...your midwife should have allowed you to direct that. Sounds like you knew what you needed. Why not have a chat with the homebirth midwife about the distance? You are very close to a hospital if it is needed.
If you do decide on a hospital birth, you may want to consider a doula for labor support and to be an advocate for you.
Stella

mumwithone

January 18, 2008 - 12:40am

Hi Stella,

The midwife I originally saw was the one who suggested I try this other midwife she knew of who lives closer to me. She said she'd be happy to still work with me if I wanted, but thought someone closer would be better.

You've given me lots to think about. Thanks again.