Codeine and reduced movements

[Icklepickle101]

I was admitted to the ward last night for reduced movements for the 3rd time in the 3rd trimester and babies heart rate was about 20bpm slower than all previous monitoring. The SHO came and saw me and asked if I was taking any pain relief for pelvis issues (ongoing as well as spd). I know codeine crosses the placenta and as it can make me sleepy will it be making my baby sleepy too, hence the recurrent reduced movements?

Am due to see consultant tomorrow to discuss an ELCS and wondered if this would have any bearing on the decision.

[mudandmayhem01]

Glad you are being monitored, not got an answer to your question but what painkillers are you taking and have they been cleared by your doctor. Hopefully someone with more medical knowledge will be able to advise. You have done exactly the right thing in response to reduced movement, however many times it happens. Also how many weeks are you?

[Icklepickle101]

I'm taking 30mg codeine and 2 patacetemol 4 times a day, as advised by my GP. He did say I needed to start to wean myself off the codeine now as it can reflect the baby, but he didn't say how?

I'm 33 weeks, 1 lady I was chatting to last night was being induced because it was her 4th episode which worried me a bit as I still have a few weeks to go!!

[Brummiegirl15]

I have SPD and am on just paracetamol. Was told to only take low dose codeine if I was desperate.

I really would try and wean yourself off the codeine and cope with paracetamol if you can.

It's hard though, the pain has me in tears

[sepa]

I'm not sure why you would need to wean yourself off the codeine? I can take it weeks at a time for my arthritis and then come off them fine. I would advise getting off them tho as I was told not to have them in 3rd trimester as they are addictive and so baby could be born addicted?

Ickle, I think that my baby goes a bit sleepy when I have taken cocodamol. The only thing I can see which would have any baring on your elcs would be the reduced movements and the consultant wanting to bring the Bubs earlier. This is just a guess though!

[Icklepickle101]

I've been on it for near enough 2 years so think they wanted me to reduce gradually to see how I got on pain wise. Just wondered if anyone had experienced reduced movement due to pain meds, will see what he says tomorrow!!

[Minniemagoo]

I was on continuous pain meds (codeine based) from 24 weeks ish on each of my 3 pregnancies. All mine were delivered by c-section early (36/37 weeks) by which time I was an in patient and on pethidine and very closely monitored. I had a movement chart to record movements daily and as long as I had 10 a day they were happy. All 3 are fine healthy kids :)

[tinyme135]

I was told by the doctor that I can't take codeine as the baby can get addicted to it and I can only take paracetamol for my back pain

[Minniemagoo]

Tinyme, some doctors do not like to prescribe codeine based products but a lot do. When taking them when pregnant doctors usually recommend cutting back as your due date approaches which minimises the risk of baby being born dependent. None of mine were or showed any ill effects. They will also carefully monitor baby for any reaction like they are doing for the OP. All drug use has some risks (long term paracetamol use has links to kidney problems, GI and heart problems).
I will say that due to long term physical problems there is no way I could mentally have had 3 pregnancies without ongoing pain relief and there is no way paracetamol would have touched the pain. I specifically chose a consultant who had experience of pregnancies in physically impaired mothers.

[Icklepickle101]

Interesting to hear that Minnie do you mind me asking if you had natural births or c sections?

I saw my consultant today and whilst he agreed a natural labour would be challenging due to my mobility and joint issues he is still pushing me to try so am going to see the consultant midwife tomorrow to discuss birthing positions, which for me is purely a box ticking exercise so I can go back and say 'thanks very much but I'd like the ELCS'.

He did reassure me I should continue to take the painkillers as without them I would be bed bound and at high risk of blood clots so this is the lesser of 2 evils.

[Icklepickle101]

Just re read the tread and saw yours were all c sections, was this your choice or your consultants?

[Minniemagoo]

Up until about 30 weeks on my first both the consultant and anaesthetist said a vb was possible but my back consultant wouldn't allow it due to the risk of me bursting a disc or causing further problems. My ob had my back consultant regularly review me and I had MRIs at about 35 weeks to check how discs were.
I had previously had an accident resulting in a disc removal amd wired pelvis and other problems which flared up after 24 weeks each time. By the time DD1 was delivered I was bed bound and had limited feeling left in my right leg but within 4 hours of the section I was up out of bed for the first time in 3 weeks. 3 kids was enough :)