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

[birdonawire1]

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

[birdonawire1]

.....which of course I made the midwife aware of.

[birdonawire1]

reastie. Yes, I am totally of this view now. Short of dire emergency and imminent birth this seems to be rote advice. Totally inappropriate as my baby was breech and ECS was booked.

[Reastie]

It’s the child birth equivalent of ‘have you turned it off and on again’ IT technician response I reckon.

[Baloonphobia]

I was advised to take 2 paracetamol and see. It was a false alarm.

[DizzyMerry]

Yes, I was also told to take paracetamol and “see what happens” The midwife also said she didn’t think I was having regular contractions. I duly took the paracetamol and as mentioned by app they made my contractions worse so off I went to the hospital. I was fully dilated when I arrived and my waters broke within 5 minutes of getting into the hospital and DS born shortly after.

This was very recent, however, 6 years ago when I had DD my waters broke at home and although contractions hadn’t started I was told to go in immediately and despite only being 2cm I was taken to the labour ward.

[Waggily]

I really think it’s their way of dealing with first time mums. I was repeatedly told “first babies take ages, take some paracetamol” in a really patronising manner. Baby was born less than an hour later, just made it to the hospital in time. I made a complaint to the hospital about some other issues after the birth and mentioned this. The head midwife admitted paracetamol do very little for labour pain and said she would tell her midwives to stop advising it.

[Buddytheelf85]

We were told in antenatal classes not to take paracetamol as apparently it’s a prostaglandin inhibitor (I think) and slows down the processing of the cervix thinning!

[octonoughtcake3]

I don’t think they said that to me but I had already been assessed as my waters had broken.

The advice is 3 contractions in 10 minutes and for this to have been happening for an hour and then go in.

[Soubriquet]

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

[MacrosomicMumma]

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.

[feduuup]

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

[feduuup]

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

[famousfour]

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!

[feduuup]

@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.

[feduuup]

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!!!!

[Waitingtomove]

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

[JellySlice]

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.

[MamaofAHH]

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.

[SummerHouse]

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.

[birdonawire1]

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 ☹️

[whatnow40]

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!

[TheStakeIsNotThePower]

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.

[Greenvalleymama]

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.

[SummerHouse]

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

[SummerHouse]

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