Needle phobia, any suggestions?

[EmmahLouise]

I'm 5 months and 6 days pregnant and usually you would have had your blood tests earlier on in pregnancy but in my case i've been putting them off for as long as i possibly can, i know it's irresponsible because it's for mine and the babies sake but i'm so terrified of needles i haven't been able to bring myself to do it.

any suggestions on how to help me get over my fear ? x

 

[cosmicgirl]

Put on a thick layer of Emla cream (you can buy it from the chemist) leave it on for 20 mins, you won't feel a thing, look the other way. Or get the midwife to apply it when you arrive, leave it to work while she does your other checks x

 

[EmmahLouise]

Thank you for the help i'll buy some this week. x

 

[cosmicgirl]

Good luck hun, it really does work, even for having cannula's in, it's great stuff x

 

[Taassh_0x]

It does work, When I went for my first scan I had to have a blood test, I couldn't even smile whilst I was having my scan cuz of the needle after. I cried my eyes out like a sap when I was in there, so she had to let me go into a private room to calm down and go back in for needle when I was ready, I had some of that cream on and still wouldn't let her do it, in the end I went in... don't know why... I just wanted to go home so I held on to my mom who come with me really tight (I was nearly hyperventilating with my head in between her boobs) [Was really funny looking back at it] and the nurse had to tell me to move my head to breathe otherwise I'd pass out. It felt like a sharp prick when it went in, and had this funny ache up my arm when she was taking the blood out. I have a phobia too and it has took over my life, I'm not immune to German meseals because of it, I didn't have the jabs done to update it. So now i've got to be extra careful, just get some of that cream and take somebody with you who is patient and nice to go in to hold your hand, just talk to them whilst the women is doin it and look away. Honestly, best thing is after all that worrying it's done by less than a minute. honestly, I know what your scared of though, it's not the pain it's holding your arm out for you to do, but just take a deep breath and get it over with and hold your arm out straight then it wont hurt. It don't hurt that much that you have to pull your arm away or anything, just don't let your nerves get the better of yourself like mine did cuz otherwise you look like a bean. Just put that cream on, take a deep breathe... take somebody nice in with you that your comfortable around (for if you cry or freak out lol like me) cuz it's nice to have them there for support, like it or not we've gotta get used to it, you have at least 7 throughout the whole pregnancy unfutunatly. When i went in for the blood test I tried to convince the nurse I didn't need one and I could tell her what boxes to tick :L:L Was comical looking back on it, I looked a right dick head :L:L xxgood luck. and well done by when you come out and have done it

 

[EmmahLouise]

It does work, When I went for my first scan I had to have a blood test, I couldn't even smile whilst I was having my scan cuz of the needle after. I cried my eyes out like a sap when I was in there, so she had to let me go into a private room to calm down and go back in for needle when I was ready, I had some of that cream on and still wouldn't let her do it, in the end I went in... don't know why... I just wanted to go home so I held on to my mom who come with me really tight (I was nearly hyperventilating with my head in between her boobs) [Was really funny looking back at it] and the nurse had to tell me to move my head to breathe otherwise I'd pass out. It felt like a sharp prick when it went in, and had this funny ache up my arm when she was taking the blood out. I have a phobia too and it has took over my life, I'm not immune to German meseals because of it, I didn't have the jabs done to update it. So now i've got to be extra careful, just get some of that cream and take somebody with you who is patient and nice to go in to hold your hand, just talk to them whilst the women is doin it and look away. Honestly, best thing is after all that worrying it's done by less than a minute. honestly, I know what your scared of though, it's not the pain it's holding your arm out for you to do, but just take a deep breath and get it over with and hold your arm out straight then it wont hurt. It don't hurt that much that you have to pull your arm away or anything, just don't let your nerves get the better of yourself like mine did cuz otherwise you look like a bean. Just put that cream on, take a deep breathe... take somebody nice in with you that your comfortable around (for if you cry or freak out lol like me) cuz it's nice to have them there for support, like it or not we've gotta get used to it, you have at least 7 throughout the whole pregnancy unfutunatly. When i went in for the blood test I tried to convince the nurse I didn't need one and I could tell her what boxes to tick :L:L Was comical looking back on it, I looked a right dick head :L:L xxgood luck. and well done by when you come out and have done it

I'm the exact same i didn't get my german measels jab done but i really wish i had seen as it's quite important now, and thank you so much this advise made me feel so much better about going to get it done, your right it's for the best and if i let my nerves get the better of me i'm risking mine and my babys health.
i'm glad i'm not the only one that cried like a baby ahaa. thanks very much xx

 

[Taassh_0x]

It's no problem, tbh I need to take my own advise cuz when I need another one, I'll prob kick up a fuss lol. Honestly, it's over within seconds, it feels like a minute when your sitting there pooping ya pants so after you look back and it must of took bout 30 seconds and that was 2 get 4 tubes. It's all your head a phobia, I went for hypnosis to try and crack it, didn't work... but if you relax yourself you wont feel any pain anyway, if you get yourself worked up about it you will cuz your expecting too. Try that hypnosis, heard it works for some people usually costs about 40 pound though try meditation and things, if you put couple of relaxing songs on your ipod listen to those before you go in for your needle then you will be more relaxed. Plus when you go to have the jabs for measles you can have it when the baby does when it's born, then you will have to be brave so the baby doesn't get scared. Thats how my mom cured her phobia of spiders, when I was little she didn't want me to have the same phobia so she just ended up getting over it and now she will just pick em up and throw em out the window without using tissue or anything. (Don't suggest people do it if they live in a country with venomous spiders though lol)

 

[EmmahLouise]

aha oh well hope it all goes well for your next one
thats also what worried me, when i saw how many tubes they had to fill and how big they were i was thinking '' oh holy crap..'' praying it wasn't going to take ages to fill them, i think thats what made me sit there crying for half an hour and decide not to do it. i did think about listening to you ipod while they were being done hoping that would distract me so i wouldn't feel it, so i might give that ago and well if that doesn't work its too late the needle will already be in my arm so no going back aha. seriously thank you for the advise it's really helpful knowing i'm not the only one who was so worried about them.
I'll just try and be more brave from now on x

 

[Taassh_0x]

And me chick, I get so worried about them... Don't know if you've had your 20 week scan but I'm sure you don't have to have one, just pretend your going for a scan and not a needle until they call your name then take a deep breath. I've always been the same, I didn't go on holiday to the Caribbean last year cuz of the injections, just didn't wana do it. My boyfriend didn't know what do to, in the end he went to wait in the car while my mom and nan stayed with me. Good job my nan was there, she had bout 1000 tissues in her bag when we come out, they were that wet could of made a puddle haha. It makes you worse thinking about it, that's why im convinced myself that I haven't got to have one of Friday when I go for 2nd scan. Try it in your room when your own your own, put some relaxing meditation music on in your room, sit there and practice your breathing and thinking about something nice and hold your arm out as if your in there having the needle, think that your actually sitting there and the needle is been put in your arm and think of the baby and how proud it would be of you for facing your fears (your his/her brave mommy) think of it like that x

 

[EmmahLouise]

aha, yeah same i've put off holidays because of injections, if someone says to me '' right we're going on holiday'' my first question is always will there be injections involved :L
Ahha, yeah i'm going to make sure i have a whole box of tissues on hand just in case, and i've already had my 20 week scan and didn't have them done so i also have to have mine done this friday by my midwife, so my thoughts will probably be on how your doing with yours and thanks i will indeed try that, i do hope jacoby (my baby boy) will be proud of me, as i'm sure your baby will be so proud of you facing your fears too. x