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

[NowYouTellMe]

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

That you know of... apparently!

@furrytampon but that poster says that I wouldn't have noticed.

And that's it's done routinely.

I had a really traumatic experience with catheter. Very painful, inserted wrongly and filled with blood rather than urine but I detected for ages. Wondered why I still had the urge to pee and then midwife realised it wasn't working. Second time around it was done after anaesthesia. You get some real ham fisted ppl in the 'care industry '!

All 3 I've had after general. At my first section abroad, the nurse tried to put it in before and it wasn't happening! Ouch

another poster is claiming otherwise (I believe you, but that's what's been suggested).

But then I know two people who have to insert catheters every time they wee! It must be something you get used to.

If it wasn’t in your notes then it didn’t happen.

They literally write when you had tea and toast in the notes.

@Annoyingkidsmusic no harm to you but I have had experience (albeit not in childbirth) where my notes were inaccurate as per the legal definition and the health trust had to add a note with the correction and they admitted clinical negligence so I don't trust my notes for anything now.

Yes, I would have noticed. No pain relief with any of mine. Last birth student midwife was a nuisance, midwife was faffing with making notes instead of checking my dilation- baby popped out second I changed position- staff not ready.
I would definitely have noticed a catheter!

If you'd told me before hand I was going to need that procedure I would have been utterly horrified at the thought of it. In reality I have never felt so much relief in my life - it was amazing!!! I got the first one when I went I to the hospital at 8am desperate for the toilet having been unable to go for about 10 hours. When they said they could do a quick 'in and out' (which I'd never heard of) I was so relieved. I was then sent home as I was only one cm dilated. Still unable to pee, I had another when I was admitted that evening, and then several more through the night before baby was born the next morning. I was able to pee normally a few mins after baby born - that was also a massive relief! (I did have a thought of 'what if I can never pee again' - I was worried my body had forgotten how!)

Misogyny? Really? Most people don't have anaesthetic for catheters.The catheter probably inserted before a room full of people were present and therefore what I would consider best practice.

I was reading these comments really confused as to why people were being so harsh when you’re literally just talking about a part of your birth plan (that’s usually done when you’re already numb and on the table for a reason). So many snidey comments then looked and realised you’d posted it in AIBU and realised that was why 🤦🏼‍♀️ People are so harsh on here. If you didn’t find it painful you wouldn’t be posting about it. People are grazed by catheters all the time and it doesn’t sound pleasant in the slightest. Mine was done after anaesthesia and I was still aware that it was being done, although luckily didn’t have pain

Yes misogyny. The attitude of 'other people manage without one', 'I've done loads of these'.

But she was having an anaesthetic. So why not wait? Best practice would be to discuss with the patient. If you really thought it was better pre anaesthetic. Not decide for her.

I remember it’s painful but not a patch on contractions and test of childbirth.

Local anaesthetic was used when I was an aged care registered nurse in Australia over 25 years ago: Xylocaine gel inserted into the penis first, coat the tip & length of the catheter - wait a few minutes prior to insertion. How did the insertion of your indwelling urinary catheter feel? I am amazed that this doesn't appear to be longstanding normal practice in the UK. Bloody hell.

Catheters were and generally still are regarded as sometimes urgently necessary but awful things for the patient. (E.g. my partner experienced 7 attempts at insertion before success at getting one into his bladder through his blocked urethra, due to prostate enlargement, a couple of years ago - the poor emergency resident doctor went through several tubes of Lignocaine gel before eureka!) Speaking euphemistically here: catheters are NOT FUN! Take all the local anaesthesia you can get is my unsolicited advice. Argh! 🤯

I’m sorry you felt violated OP. But I would prefer privacy, if that was the reason.

im also concerned by the PP’s post that most births require a catheter.

I am completely, 100% sure that nobody has ever catheterised me and I have never heard of it being done in a straightforward vaginal birth, or as routine, ever. What back up or qualification do you have for that assertion PP? I and many others find the idea of procedures without knowledge or consent very disturbing.

I have had catheters inserted more times than I can count due to chronic kidney and bladder issues. Never was it done under anesthetic. Now, I'd call it a bit "ouchy," but not actively painful. She wasn't cruel, per se, but you might have asked if it could wait until you were well under.

in and out catheters are done only when the full bladder obstructs the descent or progression of labor. many women have spontaneous deliveries and don't need to have their bladder emptied. however, a full bladder can become damaged so it's important to not have it full and it interferes with the little one IF it's a tight tight fit.

I have had 5 sections and mostly was offered them in the ward. They do this for privacy reasons. I always opted for in theatre because once you are in there there is no discretion!

When discussing my upcoming section with the consultant, I asked him about when I would be fitted with a urine catheter and he said post block as it can sometimes be uncomfortable so why not wait til the patient is numb.

Why not indeed. Now I just need to work out how to have a pain free hand cannula inserted. My hands are bony and it always hurts so much!

@AndTwoFilmsByFrancoisTruffaut ask them to put it in the elbow.

Same here. I felt a little twang as it went in. Unpleasant, but minor compared to what else was going on.

@HorribleHerstory sometimes in spontaneous labour and during a vaginal delivery, a full bladder can cause constant contractions, impede the babies head from descending the birth canal and just generally feel extremely uncomfortable. In that circumstance (during pushing) I would catheterise a patient to deflate the bladder and 9/10 the north happens very fast after that. But I wouldn't do it without asking! And I'd use the numbing gel obviously

I've always had them in the wrist and refused a hand. Recent trip for something else and they put one in mid way up my arm.

Assault? It’s really difficult giving birth with a full bladder, that’s a good enough reason to insert on as it helps you, and I’m sure they say they need to do it beforehand as it’s difficult to do if you actually refuse. Can’t understand the ignorance of some people on here tbh!