cannula/drip question

[elliejjtiny]

In what circumstances would I need a cannula during labour/birth? I have awful veins. I have to have the head phlebotomist do all my routine bloods as the midwife can't do it. Last time I had a blood test (non pregnancy related) the head phlebotomist tried 10 times on 3 seperate occasions to take my blood before giving up. I'm dreading someone trying to do that while I'm having contractions as when I'm in labour I hate being interfered with never mind being poked endless times with needles.

I've had 3 straightforward births. DS1 was born at home in water. DS2 was born in hospital after prolonged rupture of membranes and traces of meconium. DS3 was meant to be induced because of prolonged rupture of membranes but labour ward was busy and by the time a bed was free I was 5cm and he was born 2 hours later. They said I was high risk with DS3 because my bmi was high but I didn't have high blood pressure or a huge baby or anything else they said I would have. They wanted to put a cannula and epidural in just in case because of my awful veins but I said no to the epidural as I'd only had gas and air before and that was all I needed even with ds2 who was back to back. I said I'd think about the canula but it never got done in the end because by the time they found an anaesthatist it was too late and I'd had him.

Now I'm pregnant again with dc4 and not sure what to about a canula this time. My veins are worse than before although on a positive note I'm a bit lighter .

I've had 2xemcs and they had to call several people and try up to 10 times to site one of the cannulas. They went straight through a vein at one point. My arm was black and blue the following day.

I'd make sure it's well highlighted on your notes and hope you don't need one.

You should only need a cannula in if they begin any medical interventions such as-

induction;
you are labouring so long, dehydration risked;
epidural;
fetal monitoring-continuous;
you have a medical condition;
foetal distress or early deceleration of heartbeat;
slow progression hinting at possible CS, forceps or assisted delivery.

Cannulas should not normally be needed for women labouring effectively and healthily by themselves.

However, the team may class your obstructive veins as a 'medical indication' for pre-emptive cannulation rather than distressing you later on in your labour when it is harder to keep still.

If you need one, have a warm bath first or ask them to place it whilst you are relaxed and very warm in a bath.

Thanks. Sorry my OP was a bit garbled, I was typing while DH was saying "aren't you going to put the boys to bed?" and me saying "hang on a minute I'm not finished". Multitasking has never been my strong point .

Fingers crossed I wont need one. My longest labour was 4h 20m (ds1) so hopefully I'll have another quick one. I managed to escape quite a few interventions last time because there was the usual slowness that happens in hospitals when you aren't an emergency and ds3 was too quick for them. The midwife said I ought to have the injection to deliver the placenta and I asked if it was really necessary. Before she had a chance to reply it shot out.

I hear you on the bad veins. I regularly take 3 people and many many attempts to get blood taken, think the record was 10 attempts between both arms and the back of one hand.

I had a haemorrhage (she tore my cervix rather than placenta) with DC1 so they have always made me have a cannula in in the early stages of labour since as when that happened a lot needed done very quickly.

Like you I am due to have my 4th in 4 weeks and have only had gas and air with the others. With DC3 a midwife tried to find the vein, then the head midwife, who is apparently known as "the vampire" then she gave up and they got a junior doctor out of her bed and she got it first time using some technique she had been shown a few weeks before - her technique meant nothing to me as I am not medically qualified.

So as much as I hate having the cannula put in, for me it is the best option.

Ooo, you could be me in terms of being sent to lab.

I had DD1 on Saturday. She went into distress and they wanted saline in me as a precaution. They tried once and immediately recognised how bad my veins were and got an anesthetist. Those guys are the best - much better than the path lab head guy. Got it straight in and told me he liked the chance to demonstrate his skills! I didn't even feel it.

I didn't have an epidural. They offered me one and I stuck with the gas and air.

I had one because they though they might have to intervene, but the thought of the consultants arriving made me push harder and DS came out without help. In the end I needed the cannula for a drug to slow down the haemorrhaging following the placenta removal. It was a real pain because if I didn't keep it totally level an alarm went off and I had the bloody thing in all night and called the midwives several times to turn the alarm back off!

I had a cannula as I needed a drip as I'd been on steroids throughout my pregnancy Due to an existing medical condition

I had a planned caesarean, and so knew I would need a canula, which terrified me. I told them my fears, and they applied anaesthetic gel before inserting it. Insist on this, if it would help you. I felt nothing, and it was a huge relief.

Afterwards, they wanted to keep it in for the whole time I was in hospital (two nights), but once I explained how I hated it they did remove it.

Of all the things that happen in a c-section, it was the canula that I most feared, and they were generally quite sympathetic.

I have the same problem and have been in hospital for 10 days already now and will be till ELCS in 2 weeks. They're concerned about bleeding as I have low placenta and vasa praevia - likely to need fluid and/or transfusion if laboour starts and I need EMCS, so no choice about cannula for me. Will need to have three or more new ones before I get out of here. I told the midwives about my bad experiences of having drs trying and failing to get them in and explained this has given me a phobia. They were great and got the anaethetist to do it - she also used local anaesthetic which meant I hardly felt it go in. Make sure your MW is clear just how scared you are and insist they get a pro in to do it (ie. an anaethetist!)