My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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:
Report
octonoughtcake3 · 08/05/2019 18:38

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.

Report
Buddytheelf85 · 08/05/2019 19:21

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!

Report
Waggily · 13/05/2019 15:22

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.

Report
DizzyMerry · 13/05/2019 16:55

Yes, I was also told to take paracetamol and “see what happens” Hmm 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.

Report
Baloonphobia · 13/05/2019 22:13

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

Report
Reastie · 14/05/2019 18:48

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

Report
birdonawire1 · 18/05/2019 11:07

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.

OP posts:
Report
birdonawire1 · 18/05/2019 11:07

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

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.