Induction and needles

[Jurassiclover]

Hey guys,

Appreciate this might be an odd question, but can anyone who's been induced remember if they take blood/put in a canula or anything when you arrive to the hospital for an induction? Or do they wait until they've tried the gel etc before they'd put any drip stuff in? I'm petrified of needles so just trying to prepare mentally for what's going to happen!

Thanks guys

I was cannulated as part of admissions for my induction. Its a precaution incase they need to give you meds urgently I was told.
You could ask for magic cream? Then you wouldn't feel it?

I was in hospital over a number of days for my induction and had 2 x pessaries before it was decided that my membranes would be artificially ruptured. I had the cannula put in at that point when I was on the delivery suite.

Ooh I can answer this but my answer is already different to PP.

I didn't get any needles at all until I was taken down to have my waters broken. I then got one hand cannula for the drip, and because I had an epidural I obviously had the needle for that.
Nothing more the til I developed sepsis so I had blood taken from my foot (couldn't feel or see it, epidural) and then another cannula put in the opposite wrist for the antibiotics. I had na anti-sickness jab at one point in the leg but again couldn't see or feel that. And then another jab to help deliver the placenta as that's what I opted for.

Even with all that going on I had no more needles after, they took some bloods once the drip cannula was freed up but that was it.

If the pessary had worked I suspect I'd have only had single needles (pain, sickness etc) but there is always the chance you'd need the drip later down the line. It really wasn't that bad to have the cannulas though, I'd never had one before and it was a bit stingy when they did it but fine once in and it was just part of getting the job done, I'd been in hospital nearly a week by then and it's amazing how your mindset changes and overcomes the fear, I promise.

Always worth asking if you can have gas and air as well for anything like that- I had it for internal examinations but they didn't offer it, I had to ask (had a tipoff from a HCA on the ward!). I don't know if you can have it for needles but can't hurt to ask.

Mine was a while ago but I definitely didn’t have a cannula for the first stage as I spent almost three days (no space for me on delivery suite so had to wait despite being dilated enough to progress) wondering up and down the stairs trying to jump start my labour to avoid the drip.

Hi OP, I've been induced twice and only got as far as the pessary/artificial breaking of waters (so no drip) before DC were born. I had no needles for anything either time until after the baby was born (the injection to make the placenta detach I think, which they asked if I wanted) which I genuinely did not see happen or notice, and cannulas after my first was born because I needed fluids (I lost a lot of blood with DC1, unrelated to induction, which is why I needed them put in, I definitely didn't have cannulas put in for DC2).
Good luck OP

I had cannula (in established labour for the drip) and anti-sickness injections. And epidural!

Same as PP - pessaries first and then when they didn’t work waters broken, then an hour later when this also did nothing had a cannula installed for the drip. I was really worried about the cannula too but it wasn’t as bad as I’d expected and as I’d already had mw’s rooting around downstairs with pessaries and sweeps I figured that it couldn’t be much worse than that!
Good luck :)

No needles until delivery for me. Would have been better earlier as a contraction made me ruin the first attempt at the last moment...

I got a canula in before they started the process.

I was 6 days overdue though. They knew they were able to break my waters so did so right away but instead of waiting to see if anything happened I was put straight on the drip and went from zero to 100.

Was useful when I ended up needing antibiotics over the next few days. If kind it very uncomfortable though having it in. My poor baby had to get one in too to get antibiotics 😢

I had an induction in February. No needles for the first 48hours with pessaries. Had waters broken then about an hour later they put the cannula in (put a double valve in so they could do hormone drip and then add anything else easier). The needle itself was fine, I hate them too, but the ache from the cannula annoyed me and I found it hard to get comfortable. To be honest as I couldn’t feel contractions at all I complained about the ache from the cannula a lot!

I was an inpatient before my induction. The cannula was put in the night before to make it easier on the induction midwife the next day

I had a cannula before the induction and an epidural afterwards. I hate needles but both were actually fine and the epidural was a game changer as it took all the pain away and made the birth a walk in the park. Opt for an epidural if you can. You can’t see the needle and barely feel it going in. Wishing you all the best for your birth.

I was induced in June last year. They put the gel in, then broke my waters. Only involved needles once the drip was needed as labour didn’t progress. The midwives were brilliant. Never felt a thing. I would tell them of your worries though.