[Frozendesire]

So because Dustin came so quick the nurses were worried about me.

At first they weren't happy with my bleeding. They kept me on the drip for a while afterwards. They said because I was only in labor for an hour and he came so fast that I skipped some steps? What happens in a longer labor that didn't in my short one that would cause them so much worry? They stressed that I should keep an eye open for clots, and the nurse a day later said that my bleeding may even pick up and have clots, just because of how quick it happened.. I forgot to ask why. Any thoughts?

[~* Helen *~]

Not a clue hun, my labour was an hour with Ryan, I had niggles which weren't classed as contractions and then they broke my waters and he was born an hour later, they never said anything to me about skipping steps etc, I'd be interested to know the answer to this as well !!!

[thepinkleprechaun]

Maybe it has something to do with your placenta? Like the longer you are in labor the more you contract....because your placenta has to separate and come out afterwards and that is usually what causes bleeding probems. I had problems after Aden was born but I'm pretty sure it was because my idiot doctor pulled on my placenta to get it out....but yeah. That's my theory!

[soImarriedAnerd]

Was the placenta fully intact when it was expelled? If not-they are probably worried your retaining a part if and it can cause a bad infection, so you would look for a big clot/piece of placenta to come out but you would also be looking for a temperature and a bad smell (more then normal bad smell that is LOL). If it was intact, then I have no idea how the quickness of your birth indicates problems with your lochia (post birth bleeding). I would tell anyone who gave birth to watch for clots bigger then a ping pong ball (could mean there is a small bleed still going on). Also if you have a boggy (soft) uterus it would be an indication of some issues (I would like to think the nurses would told you if you had one, its what we are checking for when we do the uterus rub...if its boggy then we have to massage harder to get it to tighten up, we want tight because that shows your uterus is shrinking down correctly and the muscle is working well)

Next time your at the doctors ask them why it was such a major concern for you to watch that after your birth---I would be interested to know!

[lauren in hi]

I had a very long labor w/ Abby, but I don't even really know what all that means. However, we are lucky Angela has given you some info. I don't know if this has anything to do w/ anything...but you also nursed him pretty much immediately after birth, right? So that would help your uterus get back to normal quicker, right? (Although I know it has no bearing on the placenta issues...)

[Alison81]

I had a short labor too, but the only issue was with DD. She came out so quickly she wasn't squeezed enough, and had a lot of mucus to cough up. I did have a soft uterus, I guess the boggy uterus, but that was it, and my labor and especially the delivery, was very quick.

[**Jenn**]

I have quick labors too. With Lochy I went from 5 1/2 cm when my water broke to him in my arms 50 minutes later. I did have some residual effects from the quickness--hemorrhaging, blood pressure shot up, etc. My uterus doesn't like to contract down right away either and I had many very large clots (like grapefruit size). I was given a shot of something in my thigh and kept on a pitocin drip for a couple hours afterwards and then given pills upon my return home to help with the bleeding if I thought I needed them. I didn't think I needed them but a few days later the bleeding picked up with more clots so once I started taking them I was ok (only a couple days worth of pills). My midwife said something like my body went into a kind of shock because it happened so fast and didn't know how to recover on its own quickly enough. I'd definitely ask at your next appt though just to be on the safe side. It's good information to have for when you have another baby too!

[Frozendesire]

Okay well I did get a shot in my thigh right when he came out and at first they were pushing on my stomach and said it wasn't hard enough, that's why they kept me on the pit.

That makes sense then what you said Angela

I'm going to have to ask and see what they say at my next appointment.

[soImarriedAnerd]

Yeah if they left the pit on and gave you a shot of pit in the leg its because your uterus wasn't going back down to normal fast enough ( this can happen with long or short labors though) anyway they just want to make sure it does harden up like it should. If you do start bleeding a little extra (or just because you want to make sure) feel free to rub your lower belly---a little uterus massage post baby is always a good thing (without c/s that is).