syntocinon injection..

[sarafet]

hi ladies.

in the midst of all these posts about people popping and in labour, i have a wee question

i was at my first ante-natal class last night and we were talking about labour. at my hospital, apparantly everyone is given the syntocinon injection as soon as baby is delivered to help along the placenta, basically if you don't say otherwise you are given it..

i'm sure i have read some information about it that i didn't like, and i can't remember for the life of me what it was does anyone know of any downsides to it, and are you having it/not and why.

fankyooo!!!

 

[muppetmummy]

I had it with James, didn't really know there was an alternative at the time. Don't remember anyone discussing it with me

I'm planning on having it again this time. For me I don't fancy waiting around for the placenta to appear as I've heard it can take quite a while naturally. I haven't heard of any downsides to it tbh, but have heard there's a greater risk of bleeding without it.
Going to google it cos I don't know much about it really!

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I'm not sure of any downsides as such but the midwives in my area prefer people not to have it.
Basically naturally in most cases the placenta will come out of its on accord within 15 minutes.
With the injection it doesn't take more than 10 minutes

So in that way the speed isn't much difference!
I was also told that they don't like to give it to you if you are anaemic.

If you choose to try it naturally and it isn't out within an hour they can and will still give you the injection if you wish, so my plan is to hope it comes out quickly by itself and then decide whether to have it only if it's being slow!

 

[muppetmummy]

I'm sure they said at my antenatal appointment the placenta can take between 30 mins and and an hour to appear naturally!
Maybe they say that cos they want people to have the injection

 

[Jade&Evie]

I think the MW said they give it to about 95% of women down here- but wouldn't recommend it if you are aneamic.

 

[sarafet]

i've tried googling but can't find much

babybee - why do your midwives not recommend it? just bc they would prefer it to be natural?

my mw said that it's given straight away and if it's not delivered within half an hour there will be surgical intervention. i don't know whether it's just to save time

i just really hate having things in my body that there's no need for, drugs etc..

 

[muppetmummy]

I've tried googling, and like Sarah couldn't find much. The pro's seems to be quickness and less bleeding. Only mention of a side effect is a possible headache or raised blood pressure.

Found this...

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/l ... ageexpert/

 

[Tillytots]

dont quote me 100% BUT I think I remember reading..

You can have the injection to make uterus contract straight after birth to deliver the placenta. The reason thats some say its not so good is that it crosses the placenta to the baby. It really depends wether the cord has been cut but presumeably it hasnt as it is immeadiately after birth. In some hospitals they wait a while for cord to stop pulsating so baby gets all the blood and if you had the injection it would cross over to the baby in this time I'll have a look see if I can find anything about it though xx

 

[muppetmummy]

This is quite informative.....

http://www.homebirth.org.uk/thirdstage.htm

 

[Tillytots]

here is some more info
hun

http://www.homebirth.org.uk/thirdstage.htm

 

[Suzie and Faith]

On the bleeding thing - the midwives said its a myth
They said you have the exact same amount of blood to come out whether or not you have the injection, it's just a case of whether it comes out as more in one go.

My midwives are all for natural birthing and things and I think they just see it as an unnecessary drug really!

 

[flowergirl]

My concern was that the injection would be given just as the baby's head was appearing and that the more violent contractions it causes could transfer too much blood to the baby. However, the midwife asked me if I wanted the injection and also waited until baby was out and cord cut before administering it so I saw no reason to wait around another half hour to deliver the placenta naturally. Mine was all out and I could get on with meeting my baby properly within 5 minutes.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/healthfitness/health_advice/netdoctor/archive/100002520.html

this explains a bit but there isn't much out there on the stuff at all!

 

[sarafet]

that link was really helpful, bookmarked it.

my mw also mentioned that the cord is cut straight away here, they don't leave it to stop pulsating, i'm guessing this is because the injection is given straight away?

i will discuss this with my mw, but i feel her opinion will be biased bc of the way they do things over here, and my mw is not one to keep her opinions to herself.

i hate researching stuff without having strong evidence that's the student nurse coming out in me

 

[kalia]

At my midwife appointment yesterday she saw I had written in my notes that I didn't want the injection and she looked at me like I was crazy. She said it takes about 30 mins for the placenta to come out without it or 5 minutes with it. I asked if I could change my mind after baby was born and she said of course I could so I am going to maintain that I don't want it and if 30 mins seems too long after LO is here I will ask for it then.

I'll give you my reasons but please remember they are not based on anything I have read, just what I think. I don't want the midwives to pull on the cord and then for it to break or for parts of the placenta to be left because they pulled - I can't stand the idea of having placenta removed manually and a fair number of people on PF have had this. Also, it's a hormone and I think there'll be enough hormones flying around when LO is born! I don't want to risk it changing how I feel (I go quite crazy on the pill for example).

 

[Charlie:-)]

At my antenatal class the MW spoke about the injection and one of the main reasons they recommend you having the injection at my hospital is because it reduces the risk of your blood clotting. I think you will still bleed the same amount as BabyBee has said but it just reduces clotting, as well as the obvious speed of delivery of the placenta.

 

[sarafet]

Also, it's a hormone and I think there'll be enough hormones flying around when LO is born!

snap! that's exactly how i feel, but it's only based on personal opinion. i still feel i don't know enough about it factually, not to have it though

 

[muppetmummy]

When I had the injection last time I didn't even notice the placenta coming out! The first I knew of it was when I felt something wet coming out. I knew the midwife was doing something down there but was too preoccupied with James to take any notice.
I don't remember having any side effects from the injection.

I'm not sure I like the idea of having to push again, and changing position to deliver the placenta when I've just gone through labour and am trying to cuddle baby.

It's down to personal preference I guess. Having the injection seems to be about convenience more than anything, both for the mum and for the midwife

 

[Sherlock]

i've tried googling but can't find much

babybee - why do your midwives not recommend it? just bc they would prefer it to be natural?

my mw said that it's given straight away and if it's not delivered within half an hour there will be surgical intervention. i don't know whether it's just to save time

i just really hate having things in my body that there's no need for, drugs etc..

My MW (ok she does homebirth) said she likes to let nature takes its course as a) she tends to not cut the cord or clamp it etc till its stopped pulsing. Therefore baby stays attached till its done its job totally and b) she finds most women who deliver natually without any major pain relief options deliver the placenta fine within about 20 minutes. Sometimes a bit longer, sometimes less, but she feels no need to inject unless it takes overly long. Your body is designed to seal off when it comes away etc so it should be fine.

I personally am opting to have no injection to speed it up as a) I don't want the cord cut till its stopped pulsing and b) I hope to just have skin on skin till after the placenta is delivered and so on. MW is happy to leave me to it and let nature take its course, then so am I Of course, if it doesn't come within half an hour I may opt for an injection but I doubt it. Apparently changing position etc can help speed up a natural passing of it. Also putting baby to breast I seem to recall her saying.

 

[sarafet]

i've tried googling but can't find much

babybee - why do your midwives not recommend it? just bc they would prefer it to be natural?

my mw said that it's given straight away and if it's not delivered within half an hour there will be surgical intervention. i don't know whether it's just to save time

i just really hate having things in my body that there's no need for, drugs etc..

My MW (ok she does homebirth) said she likes to let nature takes its course as a) she tends to not cut the cord or clamp it etc till its stopped pulsing. Therefore baby stays attached till its done its job totally and b) she finds most women who deliver natually without any major pain relief options deliver the placenta fine within about 20 minutes. Sometimes a bit longer, sometimes less, but she feels no need to inject unless it takes overly long. Your body is designed to seal off when it comes away etc so it should be fine.

I personally am opting to have no injection to speed it up as a) I don't want the cord cut till its stopped pulsing and b) I hope to just have skin on skin till after the placenta is delivered and so on. MW is happy to leave me to it and let nature take its course, then so am I Of course, if it doesn't come within half an hour I may opt for an injection but I doubt it. Apparently changing position etc can help speed up a natural passing of it. Also putting baby to breast I seem to recall her saying.

i think i've heard that too sherry, it makes the contractions stronger?

xxx