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Childbirth

Is it a routine 'thing' to advise pg women to take 2 paracetamol and wait an hour when calling in?

33 replies

birdonawire1 · 08/05/2019 11:28

Just that really. I wonder if this is a common recommendation by midwives taking calls from pg women with a variety of symptoms.

OP posts:

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minniecat2406 · 08/05/2019 11:35

It was for me! Didn't make any difference though

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firstimemamma · 08/05/2019 11:46

No I was told to come in. When we arrived i was already 5 cm though

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alex1616 · 08/05/2019 12:31

I was told the same thing with my first, as my contractions weren't too regular at this stage

Congrats!

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CatstorTroy · 08/05/2019 16:58

I was told this and also told 'you don't sound like you're in enough pain.' I gave birth at home 20 mins after phoning... ( I knew something was up but didn't want to be a bother so did as I was told!)

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soundsystem · 08/05/2019 17:01

I was told this with my first! I declined as I was pretty sure I definitely was really really having the baby; the midwife arrived shortly afterwards and confirmed I was 10cm and ready to go.

Subsequent births notes have instructions for the midwives to get a move on, and for me to call them at the first twinge

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AnyoneButAnton · 08/05/2019 17:05

Yes, and indeed I had plenty of time to have a bath, finish the ironing, lie around saying “ow” and trying to read a book etc etc. This was in the days before MN and Netflix unfortunately, but I did watch a rather good movie with a young Sean Connery in Channel 4.

“Take two paracetamol and call back in an hour” is number one on my list of “parts of childbirth they never show in fiction”

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Iliketeaagain · 08/05/2019 17:06

It is a thing. And it's bloody ridiculous. You take 2 paracetamol for a headache, not when you are in the process of getting a baby out!

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Gunpowder · 08/05/2019 17:10

Apparently you aren’t supposed to take paracetamol if you are in labour as it can slow things down!

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SummerHouse · 08/05/2019 17:13

I definitely was told to but that was 7 yrs ago.

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SummerHouse · 08/05/2019 17:14

I think posters are assuming you mean for labour but do you mean with other things?

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Greenvalleymama · 08/05/2019 17:19

I think it is a thing they tell first time Mums. I recall my husband ringing in several times before eventually going in, probably 5 or 6 hrs after labour started and once my waters had broken.

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TheStakeIsNotThePower · 08/05/2019 17:49

It rather depends on the call.
I'm bleeding heavily = come in.
My baby hasn't moved all day = come in.
I'm having a few cramps and pain in my pelvis = paracetamol, bath, give me a ring in an hour and let me know how you are getting on. If anything changes (insert list of symptoms) come on down.
We like to keep you chatting on the phone when you call ? labour to see how often contractions are coming and see how you behave through them. Oddly, we do have some experience though of course every woman in different. But we also know that the earlier you come to hospital in labour, the more likely you are statistically to have intervention and the more you come in to be sent home not in established labour the less happy you feel about your birth experience.

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whatnow40 · 08/05/2019 17:50

7 yrs ago I went in as had a bleed. I was examined and was at 2cm. My first contraction came about 5 mins after the internal exam. I told them I'd had a contraction. They sent me in to the waiting room and a student ME arrived with 2 paracetamol for me. I declined as I wasn't in pain at that point, just period pains and I had no idea how long this was going to take. Baby was breech and I'd had a CS booked, and fully intended to have EMCS instead.

I was told the paracetamol will slow things down, so I took them. 40 mins later I was 8cm and being rushed to theatre. I hate to think how quick it would have been if I'd not had the paracetamol!

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birdonawire1 · 08/05/2019 18:12

Summerhouse. As this is in the childbirth section I don't want to say why I'm asking as it could be upsetting to some people. I just wondered if this was common advice (and a delaying tactic) given by midwives regardless of the actual circumstances. It seems like it is ☹️

OP posts:

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SummerHouse · 08/05/2019 18:18

I would not read anything into it bird
I think it's like calling IT and being told to switch it off and switch it on again. It's just the first line of defence. Hope all is well for you. And hope you have support IRL.

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MamaofAHH · 08/05/2019 18:18

Yes it is, this is what I was told 6 years ago. My first pregnancy and I was convinced I'd had Braxton Hicks all night until I called my friend who said they don't last all night.
I was 3 weeks away from my actual due date, a high risk pregnancy and under a consultant with a c section booked in 2 weeks.
I explained all this to the labour ward as it was early in the morning and I was still told to take paracetamol and have a bath.
Eventually got hold of my midwife who almost lost the plot and told me to get to the hospital and she'd meet me there. I had an emergency c section a couple of hours later as I was in labour and due to medical reasons I cannot give birth naturally.

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JellySlice · 08/05/2019 18:20

I've never been told this, and assume that it's because by the time I call the labour ward I cannot keep a conversation going through a contraction.

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Waitingtomove · 08/05/2019 18:21

My sister was told just that, waited an hour as advised then headed to hospital, my DN was born within 7 minutes of arriving.

Should have gone in sooner really

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feduuup · 08/05/2019 18:23

Yep, but thankfully I followed my instincts and chinned her off and gave birth 30 mins after arriving. Considering it was an hour's drive it's a risky tactic 😡 I appreciate it's all statistics etc but not every woman is in labour for hours!!!!

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feduuup · 08/05/2019 18:25

@JellySlice that's exactly why they didn't call me in as I could talk clearly through a contraction. But mine ramped up extremely quickly, I didn't have that steady build up, literally went from oh that's uncomfortable to holy shit it's ripping out of me. Both times.

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famousfour · 08/05/2019 18:28

Yep for me. Have a shower was thrown in there too . I was 10cm when I arrived. I think it’s because I’m not a shouter so didn’t sound in enough pain and hadn’t apparently been in labour long enough. I don’t think they believed my contractions were as frequent as I said. Also refused me gas on arrival till they deigned to take a look at which point gas was handed over immediately!

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feduuup · 08/05/2019 18:32

And I was told to eat, literally threw up straight afterwards with a contraction.

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feduuup · 08/05/2019 18:33

Oh and another thing (lol) my contractions were never longer than 30seconds, another reason the midwives thought I wasn't quite there yet as they were getting to a minute long

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MacrosomicMumma · 08/05/2019 18:34

If it's for a miscarriage and not a labour then yes. They can't do anything really until the process is complete. While it's distressing for you, they'd be really full if everyone miscarrying went to the hospital. Hugs.

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Soubriquet · 08/05/2019 18:34

Yes

I got told to take two paracetamol and have a bath 6 years ago

This just made my contractions worse so meant we called them back half an hour later

They huffed and puffed and then said “well I suppose you better come in then”

Funnily enough, I didn’t get this advice with ds (4). Could be because I was having contractions all night first