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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Cannulas

79 replies

Dustyzest · 20/03/2019 15:52

I am very needle phobic and I’m currently having CBT for my fears. Today I had to look at cannulas and I just can’t see how I’m ever going to be ok with this. Did you have a cannula during child birth? My therapist says it’s highly likely I’ll have one but a few of my friends said they didn’t.

OP posts:
gubbsywubbsy · 20/03/2019 18:16

I did with both .. it's not really a needle though , it's a tube .. 😬... you can ask for numbing cream though .

1sttimeDD · 20/03/2019 18:25

I had one inserted for my induction (which definitely wasn't part of the plan!)

Once I was in the throes of labour, however, I didn't give two hoots about it!

DelphiMum · 20/03/2019 20:22

I don’t like them but not as far as a phobia.

Had one with DC1 (birth experience of doom) but not with DC2 (textbook birth).

The worst bit about the cannular for me was afterwards when they wouldn’t take it out (in case I needed more fluids later). It’s uncomfortable and makes breastfeeding unnecessarily difficult.

reallybadidea · 20/03/2019 20:27

Unless your therapist actually has experience of working in a delivery unit, I'm not sure why they would know one way or the other!

Cornishmumofone · 20/03/2019 20:27

I'm bad with needles, so the hospital staff wrapped my hand with a gentle stretchy bandage so I couldn't see the cannula.

anniehm · 20/03/2019 20:30

No, but I had natural births - I didn't want any needles in my arm or back! Obviously if you need a c-section you have no choice but otherwise avoiding pain relief will reduce the likelihood of needing one

Twickerhun · 20/03/2019 20:32

I didn’t need one.

Tfoot75 · 20/03/2019 20:33

I didn't have one during either labour but did have one both times afterwards due to surgical repaid of third degree tear. Also you can opt to have an injection of syntocinon (I think?) when passing the placenta as it can prevent post partum haemorrage. And you'll be offered a vitamin k injection for your baby shortly after birth as well, if that is likely to be an issue.

SoyDora · 20/03/2019 20:33

3 babies here and no hint of a cannula.

Yakadee · 20/03/2019 20:33

Sorry but yes, had one (well one in each arm first time around) with both of my labours. First was VB and second was section.

Good luck xx

icanhearapindrop · 20/03/2019 20:36

I did with my first, but only ‘just in case’. So do question them if they insist on putting one in. I didn’t have one with my second or third.

ooonicorn · 20/03/2019 20:40

I had one and similar to you but not as severe have a similar phobia. I explained to the midwife and she very kindly bandaged it up for me so I didn't need to look at it. It helped a lot

CountessVonBoobs · 20/03/2019 20:45

I didn't have one for first birth (spontaneous labour in midwife-led centre, no pain relief) but did for second (high-risk early induction) as it was how they administered the syntocin to start labour and they also pushed fluids when the epidural made my blood pressure drop. It was placed before labour really started.

If you have a spontaneous labour and a vaginal delivery you're fairly unlikely to need one, but if they have to augment or induce your labour by drip or if you need a CS you will need one. So the balance of probability, I think, is in favour of you not having one. About 75% of first time mums have a vaginal birth but some of them may have been induced by drip.

However, if it becomes a prospect during labour I doubt you will be very bothered. If you ask for an epidural I don't think the needles will be putting you off.

Hillaria · 20/03/2019 20:45

I had one home birth (which went wrong, and ended up with ventouse then forceps), and one ELCS. Both involved cannulas. They are truly horrible, and very painful.

However... My own particular phobia is vomiting. I am absolutely paranoid about vomiting. So much so that I chose a drug-free home birth. The community MW had meptid as a back-up, but I rejected it at the outset, as I was so terrified of the thought of meptid (which has vomiting as a side effect, albeit an uncommon one. Even if it was one woman in 100,000,000 that risk was too much for me).

In the end, I was transferred to hospital and had every intervention under the sun, because DC1 got stuck.

There's every chance you won't need a cannula at all. But what I'm trying to say is that when it comes to it, all you will worry about is not your phobia. All you will want is for your baby to be born alive. You really won't care how that happens, should it get to that point. When it did get to that point, for me, my mum had to give consent because I was unconscious.

Original poster
Dustyzest · 20/03/2019 20:47

Thanks everyone. Needle phobia is probably a bad way to phrase it - my phobia is actually anything going in my skin (I can’t even look at people’s piercings without feeling a bit wrong).

All I can do is continue with the CBT and hope if I do have one I’m so off my head in pain I don’t notice and that they mummify my hand...

OP posts:
sparkling123 · 20/03/2019 20:50

There will be so much going on, and then after when you're baby is here it will seem like a very small detail

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 20/03/2019 20:50

PP saying they didn't mind misses the point - you think you will.

I have had 3 dc and no cannula till after no 3 as they had reason to think I might haemorrhage so had to put me on a drip, but it wasn't a given.

Some places like to put them in "in case" but you can say no to this. Remember if you are stressed in labour it can impact negatively on progression so it's a risk/benefit calculation that really only you can make.

Ohhgreat · 20/03/2019 20:52

So approximately 25% of first births end in a csection, so all those will have a cannular. There are other reasons (syntocin drip etc), but even if 25% of people have those, that's still only a 50/50 chance, not highly likely at all.

WiKi84 · 20/03/2019 20:53

I'm not needle phobic at all (in fact really weirdly quite enjoy giving blood) but for some reason the thought of having a cannula in the back of my hand really freaked me out. I did have to have one during labour as I was severely dehydrated but the midwife was great even though I felt like I was being irrational. She actually put it in the side of wrist somewhere which felt so much better than even the thought of the back of my hand. I know that's unlikely to help with an actual phobia but maybe there are small steps like that which might help ease some fears?

kk66 · 20/03/2019 20:54

How is your therapist qualified to know what's likely to happen in your labour does he/she have a crystal ball??!

Prepare for a really positive birth- hypnobirthing is fab. It will lessen the likelihood of interventions (which is where needles would come in) but teach you strategies for being calm should you need to have any.

Good luck x

BigFatGiant · 20/03/2019 20:55

I definitely had it once but I can’t remember with my second child.

RoseDog · 20/03/2019 20:58

After quite an easy labour and birth with only gas and air I needed a cannula after I gave birth Confused and I was so terrified they gave me the gas and air back so they could insert it! I don't remember it going in!

Sleepthiefsmum18 · 20/03/2019 20:59

I had one both times (needed antibiotics both times and the drip first time). I can’t say I have a phobia exactly, but I really don’t like needles and was petrified. I cried when I was told I needed one first time. But it honestly wasn’t bad at all. The thought of it was way worse than the event.
Second time round I hoped to avoid, but again needed it.
I found hypnobirthing techniques really help in situations like that. Maybe worth giving it a go? It basically meant that I breathed and really intensely focussed on something else, which helped a lot. Good luck.

Iwrotethissongfor · 20/03/2019 21:01

I hated needles - it’s fear of contamination for me - and needed cannula (ELCS). I don’t like needles now but its so routine during pregnancy that I got desensitised. I don’t remember the cannula at all until later on the same day when I was bf’ing and changing baby, it snagged on everything which hurt a little but was really really annoying. Hearing about the bandaging I’d def ask for that for convenience if nothing else.

ScottishDiblet · 20/03/2019 21:09

I hope this is a helpful thing to say. My cousin is also severely phobic of needles. She would cry at even the thought of an injection or blood test and would need someone to attend appointments with her. Then she had an emergency situation and condition that has meant many many injections, cannulas, a spinal tap etc etc and she has been absolutely FINE because she had no other choice. What I hope this would mean for you is that if, whilst in labour, there was call for an injection or cannula, you would be able to deal with it because in the moment you would just have to. Women are SO strong especially in labour and you will be able to come with what comes your way. That said, I wish you the very happiest and smoothest intervention-free birth. Best wishes.