Cannulas

[eldraW]

Hey i was induced due to GD and i had to have 2.. They arent that bad and as said above you get used to them being there. One of mine fell out during labour (i will never know how) so they put it further up my arm. I must admit i was a bit worried about them at first but honest you get used to them xx

 

[Amyrose]

Eldra did you manage to keep your GD under control? I'm finding it hard no matter how good I am being I can't seem to get my sugars under 9 x

 

[Happyred]

I had one when I had DD, but I dont remember getting it in, or it even being there. The only reason I know I had one is because I've seen it in the photos taken of me straight after giving birth!

 

[TORino]

I can't see why this would be routine if you were to be in low dependency and planning a natural birth unless some sort of complications happened or you wanted an epidural. I didn't have one until I went to high dependency for the drugs to speed up the contractions and the epidural.

It was rather annoying tbh, I begged them to take it out afterwards and they wouldn't for a while. I kept knocking it on things. The thought of it in my hand makes me shudder now but I can honestly say it didn't bother me a jot when I was in labour. Just afterwards.

Infact I might have had 2 in at one point. My hubby seems to think I did. I hate how I can't remember what happened to me.

 

[Froslass]

In my hospital its standard if you're being induced or your under consultant led care.

If you're low risk you prob won't need one x

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[alilou]

I am the same totally terrified and know they dont hurt have already spoken to mw about them and have it in my notes unless the baby is distressed no needles or tubes come near me. It makes me so anxious and stressed out thinking i might need one. I know people think its silly but it is a phobia just like people cant stand spiders i feel so silly when i explain it to medical staff who do it all day and dont see the problem.

 

[clairebear22]

I had 1 during labour after they gave the my epidural, it had 2 lines coming from it. One for fluids and 1 for induction drugs to get my contractions stronger. Then when Jack was 4 weeks old I was admitted to hospital with gall stones, pancreatitus and a swollen liver and they put one in my elbow crease (where they take blood) and it was a nightmare, I couldn't bend my arm properly and couldn't hold Jack preperly either! I was admitted a second time a few weeks later and made them do it in my hand and then had one when I had my gall bladder removed when Jack was 4months old. Again I made them put it in my hand. I know you're scared but they really aren't that bad, they're annoying because the tubes get in the way but they're plastered down securely and you can't really see much apartfrom a valve thingy x x

 

[Froslass]

Being honest, once your in labour your ot going to care about your cannula

 

[cosmicgirl]

Being honest, once your in labour your ot going to care about your cannula

True story, they could stick a cannula in each of my eyeballs when I'm in labour, don't think I'd care or notice x

 

[Froslass]

This ^^ it's true!! Lol

 

[Gayle30]

PVC's shouldn't be inserted as standard but it will differ in Boards. Our policy is not to unless clinically indicated. I should know, we deal with the policy, line associated SABs (which scare me more!) and education surrounding their correct use. However, we find it can be very difficult if that's what a medic wants! Only phlebotomists and medics insert in our hospital. I've had 9 ops, this will be my 10th and I've had countless cannulas inserted. Can't say as I've ever had any problems with them.

What I will say is though, if you do get one, never touch the ports or fiddle with it. Hands should be decontaminated before touching it by the care givers and also they usually clean the port (or hub as we call them) with an alcohol swab, prior to flushing and administering meds. We have see through dressings now over the PVC which are dated and timed....they MUST be removed or resisted after 72 hours on everyone. Not that it will stay in that long for normal labours. One would hope!

Hope that helps! Don't be nervous, if you need it, you need it Xxx

 

[babyem]

I am the same totally terrified and know they dont hurt have already spoken to mw about them and have it in my notes unless the baby is distressed no needles or tubes come near me. It makes me so anxious and stressed out thinking i might need one. I know people think its silly but it is a phobia just like people cant stand spiders i feel so silly when i explain it to medical staff who do it all day and dont see the problem.

this is reassuring, I will definately speak to the MW about it next week! Working in health care I have to see them every day, I'm currently working on a surgical ward and even have to remove cannulas from patients as well as administer certain jabs. Thats fine, I can deal with that. It's the though of having it done myself. Imagine the looks and comments I get when I tell colleagues this! I have had CBT therapy to help me get over the phobia, which yes has worked to a degree, as I couldn't even stand to be physically in the same room as someone who had one in at one point. I would last about a minute if that and end up feeling faint, sick and near pass out. I can tolerate injections to a push, blood tests really do make me very anxious and if I think I may be having one i.e. when I go to see the consultant I see the equipment out, then I get very panicky and my breathing goes abit mad, I get clammy and start getting upset very quickly. There have been many occasions where I've thought about having to have a cannula and have been hysterical - even just thinking hypothetically!

Luckily I'm very cautious due to the nature of my work about infection control, VIP scoring and general care of cannulas so will probably be the worlds worst patient for it! But it doesn't make me feel any less anxious Huhhh, just hoping everything goes smoothly and that I can avoid it. xx

 

[linxminx21]

i didnt have one with my first and he was natural, but i had one with my second as i had high bp and if they needed meds in urgently it was already in there, it wasnt too bad, i just didnt look, it was a little awkward to move baby around to BF but i soon got it taken out,
try not to worry about things like this as youll be concentrating on breathing through contractions or dealing with the baby to notice it im sure x

 

[fresh]

I've had one in the crease of my elbow twice now, the first one was put there, it was fine, the second they wanted in my hand but as I knew I could cope with the elbow one as I'd had it before I made them put it there
Still fills me with fear as I hate needles but I know it will be fine
You can cope with it, just imagine chopping with a knife and missing the tomato, it's not that bad, just the thought of it

 

[Froslass]

Ladies, if it's a fear of needles then it might make you feel better knowing there is no needle left in your arm x it's just a little plastic tube, it should be bendable and stuff x

The needle is used to insert the wee tube into your vein, and then taken out x there isn't a needle left in your arm x

 

[colours]

I have the same problem, I am terrified of cannulas, I was speaking to a dear friend who happens to be a professional first aider and I have been told that you can refuse a cannula but if there is a problem one would have to be put in but is very simple and easy to do.

 

[coco_cukoo]

I had about 20 cannulas in my hands, wrists & arms during labour. They kept putting them in then hitting a valve every single time! I used my gas & air at some point for them as he kept putting them back into bruises already made. My hands are completely battered but by no means were they worse than labour!! It's only really a sharp scratch or sting with cannulas & it's over in seconds. I wouldn't worry, I doubt anyone would have as many as me & I managed to do it (that's really saying something lol) xx

 

[charliebear]

I hate them too.

I'd probably be fine if they hadnt kept missing the veins when putting them in when I was being induced. They must have done it 4 times and I had some lovely bruises.

When its done properly it doesnt hurt but I find they get in the way

 

[RainbowKitty]

i had lots of these in life being put on iv drips with antibiotics during stays for kidney infections since i was a kid! i guess im used to them, the worst one was when the nurse left my drip bag to completely empty and neglected to change it and blood filled the whole tube and it started to hurt. you might feel the cold fluid going into you at first but after a few mins you are used to it and its not noticable. xxx

 

[Merfairy]

Hi I am sure I had one put in just in case it was sore; but the labour hurt more.. lol x