What do i need to ask?

[River Song]

OK, i have my OB appointment tomorrow and i have a world of questions.

I have placenta previa (full occlusion) and as much as i high hopes it will move i have to get my head around a c section (that i don't want) as well.

this is my list of questions....can you tell me what you would have liked/wanted to know/wanted to plan for so i can add things in or keep them up my sleave for later appointments...

*What are the chances of my placenta moving?


*How often will I be scanned to check for movement?


*When do I come in? Spotting or bleeding? (currently i am spotting every other day)


*Is bed rest necessary?


*When is the cut off? Ie when does it have to move by and when will a c section be done?

*Is there anything I can do to help it move? Is there anything (like acupuncture) that is said to help?

*What does rupture mean? Can it be stopped?

*Who will do my C section? Will it be you? Or will I get to meet them prior to the operation?

*If I have a “planned” c section ….what age would that be at?

*Can I have skin to skin straight away? I don't want them cleaned and wrapt, i want to meet my lil girl as she arrives in this world.

*Can I attempt to b/f straight away?

*Can DH and Bub be in recovery with me?

*Can we bond first before all the stats and stuff done?

*I don’t want bub left with family before I have a chance to bond with them, what is hospital policy on letting family know what is happening, I want to tell them, not anyone else…is this possible?

SO what else do i need to know wise women???

[robsgirl]

Hi there,

seems like you have loads of the right questions to ask and have pretty much covered everything.
i can't respond to having placenta previa but i can on having a c/section.

I have had two c/sections first one was an emergency after 17hrs of labour and i didn't have skin to skin contact and didn't get to see my baby for about an hour which really upset me. I was totally by myself in recovery as i told my husband at the time to go with dd1. I was so out of it and felt horrible.

My second c/section i had after trying for a vbac for 15 hrs and it was a total different experience as soon as she was born i got to see her and no one except my df was able to hold her and i got to breast feed straight after i arrived in recovery and she was able to stay with me during recovery as well as df until we went up stairs and they were so wonderful. everyone explained who they were and what they were doing before and during the c/section and i felt more in control.

Both of my c/section were at public hospitals.

Goodluck

[3lilcutipies]

I think you have really good list of questions. I had grade 4 placenta praevia and had a cs at 36 weeks. They took DS straight away as he needed oxygen. They let me see him briefly (no skin to skin) before they took him to the special care nursery. I wish I could have bonded with him straight away but I was pretty out of it as I lost a fair bit of blood so I was ok about it as I knew at the time we both needed to be stabilised.

Hopefully your pp moves for you. But good on you for preparing yourself in case it doesn't. The only other thing I can think of, is will you have to go to a high dependency ward post op? I had to and my ob had told me that would happen, just as a precaution in case of excessive bleeding. Also, will you be able to have a spinal aneasthetic or will you have to have a general? My ob told me some anaesthetists will insist on a general with pp :no:

Good luck :)

[River Song]

thank you both for answering....its nice to know there can be good c sects :-)

I know a lot of my requests will rely on both bubby and i being OK and am comfy with that...us being alive comes first.

I'll ask about the high dependancy ward...what did that entail?

Its great you made it to 36 weeks!! It has been suggested to me that i'll go no longer then 34 weeks...increasing chances of baby needing nicu.

I have time for things to move...my path has been really hard till here...am trying not to feel jinxed lol

Were you on bedrest 3lilcutipies?

[sunshine81]

Hi smiley :)

I have no experience with PP, but just wanted to reassure you that you absolutely can have a wonderful birth, even if it is a c/s.

I had an unplanned c/s after 25hrs of labour (posterior bub). I had done very little research on them, as I was sure I wouldn't be needing one! Honestly though, I could not have imagined a better birth and recovery, and I was up and about sooner than other ladies who had vaginal births.

Obviously your situation may be be different with the PP, but for me personally, I have nothing but fond memories of my c/s.

I have my fingers crossed that it moves for you, but by educating yourself and asking all the questions like you are, you are giving yourself the best chance of a positive experience.

All the best xx

[Tam-I-Am]

Honestly - dont ASK for things that you want (ie immediate skin-to-skin contact, immediate breastfeeding etc). Tell him that that's what you're planning to do. If he tells you 'no' - ask him to provide evidence to back up his reasoning. If you still don't get anywhere with that - remind him that YOU'RE paying HIM.

Good luck :hugs:

[River Song]

Good point tam - i guess at this stage i am finding out the hospital policies....to see if i need to "fight" or whether they'll just be assuming that. I have a while to get my head around it all...but my OB is pretty good and she knows how much i wanted a natural birth so i am hoping it will be more of a "dicussion" then permission if that makes sense. By the time i evolve all this into a birth plan, it will def be written as "i intend".

thankas for the positive outlook sunshine :-) it really is helping me to hear some good stories.

I'm about to head off...school drop and then OB...should be back about lunch time and will let you know how i go!

thanks all

[River Song]

hi all,


back from the OB...and feeling a bit calmer...the basics atm are:

*I have 40% chance of the placenta moving enough for a natural birth - fingers crossed!!!

*If it doesn't move, i have a "fairly good" chance of making it to a C section at 37 weeks (best case scenario)

*Bed rest not needed, but have to take it easy. basically what i am currently doing is ok...light housework, school runs etc No heavy lifting or anything more then gentle walking.

*Spotting is to be expected, but any form of bleeding and I'll be admitted until birth. Spotting not a forewarning of bleeding, so not to worry about that.

*we have been booked in to a "prenatal course" that covers both natural and c section births on 10th July so we'll get lots more info then (i'm still going to look for an extra one that covers things more in depth).

*I'll be seeing the OB each 4 weeks, more if anything changes of course.

SO, i am OK with how things stand for the moment. I'll obviously need more info as things go along....but have the course to look forward to and then i can see what i feel like.

If things happen really early, and they are working on saving me and bub, then there won't be a chance for all the extra stuff anyway...but i have time to work with and plan for a lovely birth how ever it happens.

[tatia&shura]

I had a c/sec 3 weeks ago due to a grade 4 placenta praeva, and was admitted to hospital 2 weeks prior due to a small bleed and put on bedrest. Bub was born 38+3 with a planned c/sec, was told that there was no need to get bub out any earlier unless there was a larger bleed or any other danger to bub or myself.
I got skin to skin as soon as they had given bub some oxygen, got moved to recovery with bub and partner and tried BF there while they took some obs before moving us back to the ward. Bub stayed on me the entire time and I was so happy with how it had all worked out, especially when I had really not wanted a c-sec in the first place!
The other thing I personally was concerned about was whether I would have stiches or staples, as I really didnt want staples! Other than that I think your questions were really well thought out! :) Good luck with it all! x