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AIBU?

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Original poster

Caesarean - Was Midwife cruel to insert catheter prior to anaesthesia?

165 replies

NowYouTellMe · 15/10/2022 20:56

Caesarean- Was Midwife cruel to insert catheter prior to anaesthesia- non-urgent birth?

OP posts:
pastabest · 15/10/2022 23:03

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:00

it’s not likely at all, why would you think you wouldn’t notice a straight cath draining?

Show quote history

Because another poster above is claiming that most women are catheterised during birth even if it's vaginally with no epidural and said it's likely we just didn't notice it happening. I assume asdadult is slightly concerned at this assertion as am I.

00deed1988 · 15/10/2022 23:04

I am a midwife and typically we do insert after the anesthetic. However, I personally would request it prior to going to theatre if I ever needed a caesarean and not an emergency and do offer women it prior if they wish as I just feel it is very exposing lying on theatre numb and them pulling your legs apart because you can't move them while all the theatre team stand about watching as they can't do anything till that is done. My own personal preference. Obviously I know what else happens in theatre but something about that I just wouldn't want. I don't necessarily think it was cruel doing it but you should have been given the option.

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:05

Exactly that @pastabest

Seemsok · 15/10/2022 23:05

No catheter for my daughter having epidural. The lovely midwife checked post birth that she had peeled enough post birth.

GabriellaMontez · 15/10/2022 23:05

Cinnabomb · 15/10/2022 21:18

If it helps @NowYouTellMe pretty much most births have a catheter inserted - and I mean even vaginal “normal” births. The midwives will normally do a quick in/out catheter at the start of pushing to empty the bladder in vaginal deliveries. The insertion procedure is exactly the same, the catheter just comes straight out again. In every other setting (non obstetric) they are inserted without even pain relief.

No they don't.

Not in this country.

pitterypattery00 · 15/10/2022 23:06

TwitTw00 · 15/10/2022 21:22

Had a vaginal birth and as above had a catheter at one point as had drunk so much water. Didn't feel it go in or come out, without any anaesthesia. Interestingly I'd never been aware this might happen before giving birth though despite being, I thought, pretty well informed.

Same - I thought I was pretty well informed about birth (private and NHS antenatal classes, hypnobirth book etc) but I don't recall catheters being mentioned in relation to vaginal births. I ended up needing several 'in and out' ones as was unable to pee from the earliest stages of labour onwards due to baby's position. Has no idea that was even a thing!

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:07

Cinnabomb · 15/10/2022 21:47

@pastabest yes, believe me, it is done in vaginal births without epidural. It’s a different type of catheter - an in and out - so they literally pop it in, drain the bladder and remove it. It’s to deflate the bladder out the way so you can start pushing. Otherwise the full bladder gets in the way of baby descending. You may not have even been aware of it but it’s usually done.

This is the post that has concerned me.

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:09

pitterypattery00 · 15/10/2022 23:06

Same - I thought I was pretty well informed about birth (private and NHS antenatal classes, hypnobirth book etc) but I don't recall catheters being mentioned in relation to vaginal births. I ended up needing several 'in and out' ones as was unable to pee from the earliest stages of labour onwards due to baby's position. Has no idea that was even a thing!

Show quote history

and are you now delighted that your balder function is intact, or angry that you needed a straight catheter?

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:10

@furrytampon I'm disconcerted because no one asked my permission for an in and out catheter and it's not in my notes for DC3.

I thought we had gone past the stage of medical staff doing things to women without their permission?

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:12

Clarification: no one asked my permission for an in and out catheter during any of my births and there's no mention of it in my notes for DC3.

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:13

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:10

@furrytampon I'm disconcerted because no one asked my permission for an in and out catheter and it's not in my notes for DC3.

I thought we had gone past the stage of medical staff doing things to women without their permission?

Why are you claiming you were catheterised without your consent? You would have 100% noticed therefore you weren’t

Blackheath95 · 15/10/2022 23:14

Herejustforthisone · 15/10/2022 22:49

Oh good. Someone telling a woman she ‘shouldn’t need pain relief’. Like when male doctors insinuate you’re weak when you don’t find a cervical biopsy ‘mildly uncomfortable’ and beg for pain relief. Or when they roll their eyes at a woman crying in agony during a hysteroscopy. Or like the doctor that offered a woman a lemon scented tissue to smell in lieu of any actual pain relief during an intensely painful (not mild discomfort as the NHS leaflet said) gynaecological procedure.

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Oh good one woman tearing down another because of their opinion and PERSONAL experience.

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:15

Because someone here (who I have quoted) said it is routinely done in vagina births even without epidural.

Blackheath95 · 15/10/2022 23:15

Herejustforthisone · 15/10/2022 22:49

Oh good. Someone telling a woman she ‘shouldn’t need pain relief’. Like when male doctors insinuate you’re weak when you don’t find a cervical biopsy ‘mildly uncomfortable’ and beg for pain relief. Or when they roll their eyes at a woman crying in agony during a hysteroscopy. Or like the doctor that offered a woman a lemon scented tissue to smell in lieu of any actual pain relief during an intensely painful (not mild discomfort as the NHS leaflet said) gynaecological procedure.

Show quote history

Oh good one woman tearing down another because of their opinion and PERSONAL experience.

BadNomad · 15/10/2022 23:17

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:15

Because someone here (who I have quoted) said it is routinely done in vagina births even without epidural.

It's really not. It's only done when the patient is unable to pass urine during labour, and it isn't done without discussion first.

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:18

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:15

Because someone here (who I have quoted) said it is routinely done in vagina births even without epidural.

do you really believe that random people on mumsnet are more reliable than your own memories and experiences?

pastabest · 15/10/2022 23:18

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:13

Why are you claiming you were catheterised without your consent? You would have 100% noticed therefore you weren’t

Show quote history

I think you have misunderstood, another poster has stated that women are routinely being catheterised without consent for vaginal births and we 'just didn't notice'.

in my case I'm 100% certain that didn't happen (gave birth upright on my knees each time with no pain relief and I think I would have noticed!) and I'm pretty sure it's not normal practice generally but understandably others are worried.

CosyDarkNights · 15/10/2022 23:20

I had in and out ones during 3 natural births to empty my bladder to push, compared to the labour pain I barely felt it. When I had to have a forceps birth after pushing failed with one of them it was done after I'd had a spinal block, I can't say I'd have noticed if they'd have done it before the pain I was in. Having a catheter isn't painful, maybe kinder to do it once numb as it wouldn't make much difference if it was an elective section and not an emergency.

SD1978 · 15/10/2022 23:20

No. Many (most) people have a catheter inserted without a spinal or being unconscious. There is no cruelty to it.

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:20

The poster said that women wouldn't be aware of it but it would be done.

That's why I'm asking. I've quoted the person and not sure quite why you're being so aggressive with me.

I certainly wasn't asked and if I wouldn't have noticed then I had a medical procedure carried out on me without consent which is assault.

Annoyingkidsmusic · 15/10/2022 23:20

Cinnabomb · 15/10/2022 21:18

If it helps @NowYouTellMe pretty much most births have a catheter inserted - and I mean even vaginal “normal” births. The midwives will normally do a quick in/out catheter at the start of pushing to empty the bladder in vaginal deliveries. The insertion procedure is exactly the same, the catheter just comes straight out again. In every other setting (non obstetric) they are inserted without even pain relief.

Really? I’ve had 3 normal vaginal births and never a catheter. What’s the reasoning? Surely it’s an unnecessary intervention in an otherwise normal birth.

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:22

Annoyingkidsmusic · 15/10/2022 23:20

Really? I’ve had 3 normal vaginal births and never a catheter. What’s the reasoning? Surely it’s an unnecessary intervention in an otherwise normal birth.

Show quote history

it is, and something a woman without an epidural would notice straight away

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:22

The statement is that most births have a catheter inserted, even normal vagina births. And women just don't notice.

That's a gross violation and something that really should be brought to attention.

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 23:23

asdadult · 15/10/2022 23:20

The poster said that women wouldn't be aware of it but it would be done.

That's why I'm asking. I've quoted the person and not sure quite why you're being so aggressive with me.

I certainly wasn't asked and if I wouldn't have noticed then I had a medical procedure carried out on me without consent which is assault.

but you definitely would have noticed so there was no assault 🤷🏾‍♀️

GabriellaMontez · 15/10/2022 23:23

furrytampon · 15/10/2022 22:25

YABU to claim your midwife was ‘cruel’ for doing something most people don’t need/get an anaesthetic for 🙄

You're wrong.

It's cruel to do this procedure knowing that someone is about to have anaesthesia anyway. It's cruel not to wait.

Lot of misogyny here. About what women should be able to endure. A real race to the bottom. Why not aim for compassion, communication, best practice?