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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

ELCS and scared of Cannula!!

36 replies

AJK23 · 13/08/2023 21:26

Hi everyone :) hope youre all doing well.

I am 35 weeks pregnant with my second baby. The first was delivered via emergency c section although I did have an ELCS booked, she decided to arrive early! Long story short, I was in labour and had to have a cannula inserted in the back of my hand, despite being in agony with contractions, the cannula really really hurt! They couldn’t get it in properly even though I was keeping as still as possible and they even blew my vein! It took 3 attempts until they finally put it in the side of my wrist. It was genuinely the worst bit of the whole experience, I’d go as far as to say it was just as agonising as my contractions! I have an ELCS booked in 4 weeks time and I raised my concerns with the consultant who said that it could well have been a midwife or even a trainee who Inserted my cannula last time and it would be the anethesist who would do it under different circumstances and so wouldn’t be as traumatic of an experience. This however, hasn’t reassured me and I’m absolutely petrified of having to go through this again! It was honestly the worst pain I’ve ever experienced- so sorry if that makes me sound really OTT!

im just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience to me? And perhaps if anyone has any positive cannula experiences to share with me? Of course I know they do hurt but as my consultant said, it shouldn’t have been THAT bad!!

thank you so much for reading! And sorry if I sound like a complete wimp haha xxx

OP posts:

Purplesheep2023 · 13/08/2023 21:39

Would echo what your consultant said - this will be done by anaesthetist under much calmer conditions.
make sure you’re well hydrated beforehand and try to stay calm - it will be fine.
since being pregnant I’ve discovered I’m a nightmare to get blood from but I’m sure part of that is I walk around slightly dehydrated a lot of the time! I hate needles but just turn my head and try and think of something else.
Will be worth it in the end :)

Lkahsvtv · 13/08/2023 21:43

I had 6 hospital admissions during my pregnancy and a total of 10 cannulas as they had to change them after a few days. I would say that while not exactly pleasant they weren’t painful in my hand but admittedly more so in my wrist. I was offered numbing cream when painful which I would recommend asking for.
I think the stress you were under may have made it hurt more as you were concentrating on staying still.

MotherOfCrocodiles · 13/08/2023 21:49

For an Elcs they will do it in advance while you are waiting to go in to surgery

Tell them when you check in that you had a very bad experience with it before.

I am very bad with cannula and they couldn't manage with dc2 (although I was quite dehydrated as waiting ages to be called). They ended up calling a nurse over from another ward who was known to be really good at it. Should have got her to start with!

Alloveragain3 · 13/08/2023 21:51

Oh no bless you, that sounds horrible.

I think most of the time they get it first try and it shouldn't hurt this much (but can imagine you were quite bruised by the time they got it in). I don't remember mine causing any pain and my pain threshold isn't high, so hopefully your next time is much easier.

Ask for EMLA numbing cream x

Iminpatchinghell · 13/08/2023 21:51

Hello,

I have a treatment for a long term health condition which means I have cannulas every 8 weeks, so I’m very used to them.

Your experience does sound horrible and I can understand why you’d be fearful at a repeat.
I’ve had a general anaesthetic previously and the anaesthetist did the cannula. As I said, I’ve had a lot of cannulas and I didn’t even feel the one he did. When done by an experienced medical professional you shouldn’t even feel it.

Anaesthetists place cannulas day in, day out. They are experts. It’s unlikely you’d have an even remotely similar experience to before.
I’m sure you’ll be fine x

thesandwich · 13/08/2023 21:52

Tell them about your previous experience, and as others say, keep as hydrated as possible and keep your hands warm- makes a difference. Had cannulas throughout chemo and nurses do vary. The hydration and warmth helps massively.

Iminpatchinghell · 13/08/2023 21:53

Forgot to say, to make it easier to place, you should drink lots of water and keep your arms and hand warm. That helps make the veins easier to find.

Original poster

AJK23 · 13/08/2023 21:55

this is such a good point! I hadn’t eaten or drank anything since the night before and my daughter was born at 12.20pm! So maybe that was partially the reason! I’ll make sure I drink plenty of water beforehand and try and stay super calm. Thank you for your advice! I’m willing to try anything that might help! Xxx

OP posts:

Greybeardy · 13/08/2023 21:56

Most midwives/obstetricians don’t seem to use local anaesthetic. Most anaesthetists do. It’s also generally easier when you’re not in labour.

Original poster

AJK23 · 13/08/2023 21:58

Aww thanks everyone for your replies! They’re honestly so reassuring for me. I think you’re all right though, I think under calmer circumstances with a more experience professional then will create a completely different experience! And I’ll certainly request maybe some numbing cream or something of the sort , if for peace of mind if nothing else! Thanks so much again for all your replies, they really help :) xxx

OP posts:

Totalwasteofpaper · 13/08/2023 21:58

Elcs will be different.
I have crap veins and had a horrendous time in general with stuff being stabbed into me.
The surgical team are very experienced so you were perhaps unlucky.

Tell/warn them about your past experience.
Go in warm and chug water It makes it easier.

Daisy4569 · 13/08/2023 22:01

Only had the one but just wanted to say you are not overreacting. I had a cannula for my induction and it was by far the worst part of my experience, it distracted me through the whole thing as I just couldn’t get my hand in any comfortable position, it was achy and painful and I couldn’t use me hand properly when my little one arrived. I couldn’t wait to get it out. I hope this time is better for you, it sounds like there are much more positive experiences out there!

babybopella · 13/08/2023 22:02

me!! I hate them. Like I get seriously worked up and cry about having one. I have had to have one twice, once when I was induced, and once with an emergency c section. I had to have numbing cream, and honestly I didn’t feel it. That’s the truth. Make sure you ask for someone experienced at it and honestly it’s absolutely ok. With the emergency c section I didn’t have time for numbing cream, but they were amazing and just did it, and I felt the tiniest scratch, it was also fine. I’m terrible with them, but yeah ask for numbing creme and someone experienced, it will be ok.

MotherOfCrocodiles · 13/08/2023 22:03

You won't be allowed to drink water if waiting for ELCS unfortunately

But you could ask them to get it done as soon as you check in to get it out the way and before you get too dehydrated

Hopefully you won't have a long wait on the day but it can happen due to emergencies etc. that's how I ended I'm up in such a state that they almost couldn't do mine- had been nil by mouth for about 8 hours by the time they tried

Greybeardy · 13/08/2023 22:04

Re. Pp’s advice to drink lots - don’t forget you’ll need to follow the fasting advice they give you.

ShirleyPhallus · 13/08/2023 22:04

AJK23 · 13/08/2023 21:55

You will likely be nil by mouth before an ELCS

they gave me numbing cream for the cannula before mine though anyway

justanothernamechangemonday · 13/08/2023 22:04

Mine wasn't done until just before the local for my spinal for anELCS. I went to theatre at 8am, baby born by 9, cannula out / first loo visit / getting up and about by 3pm that afternoon. Once baby is here you won't notice the cannula

CheshireCat1 · 13/08/2023 22:04

Just make sure that you’re fully hydrated, you’ll notice a massive difference.

Olivia199 · 13/08/2023 22:06

When I had my ELCS, the anaesthetist placed the canula in theatre and used lidocaine to numb the area. (The same numbing injection used at the dentist. Bit of a sting and then no pain at all)

I'd absolutely let them know you had such a horrible experience and I'm sure they'll be able to offer either numbing cream (which has the downside that if the vein in that area isn't suitable, they have to go somewhere else) or local anaesthetic injection.

I'm an anaesthetic practitioner and quite a few consultants use local anaesthetic always. Others will use when asked. But the main thing to remember is that this is an art for them. They're the best you're going to possibly get and the chances of such a horrid experience happening again is very slim!

Good luck and congratulations.

WeWereInParis · 13/08/2023 22:08

I had a cannula with DD1 because I haemorrhaged. It was done in the emergency and really hurt - I may have told them, in my slightly delirious semi conscious state, that it hurt more than the childbirth.

With DD2 I had one at 34 weeks when my waters broke but I was in labour (this was for IV antibiotics) and one again when they induced me at 37 weeks. While they're not comfortable, neither were as bad as the one with DD1, because they were done in a much calmer situation. All were done by midwives, the last one by a trainee midwife.

BertieBotts · 13/08/2023 22:09

You can have it in the crook of your arm instead of your hand if you want. It doesn't hurt going in here. They messed up the one on my hand and wanted to do the other hand and I said no so they did my elbow instead. Much more comfortable!

Snippit · 13/08/2023 22:12

I had a traumatic incidence after being taken back into hospital with an infection in my cesaerean. The junior Dr tried to get the cannula in three times, there was blood everywhere. I told him to leave me alone, a lovely nurse came in and took over, did it straight away. However it traumatised me to the extent that I always ask for emla numbing cream, I start hyperventilating if they don’t take me seriously, I get so distraught. They’re fine with it, they won’t get near me without it.

It’s so bad psychologically that I even have the dental mardy cream on my gums for any injections, I can’t get rid of the mental damage it’s caused and that was 27 years ago!

Pre warn them you want Emla cream or it ain’t happening, they may have to get some from the childrens ward, you’ll be fine, won’t feel a thing. All the best 🤓

Greybeardy · 13/08/2023 22:12

BertieBotts · 13/08/2023 22:09

Doesn’t work well in theatre there unfortunately (as soon as you bend your arms they stop working) so it’s usually the last resort in the arms.

Hibiscrubbed · 13/08/2023 22:13

I had an ELCS and knowing I hate the feeling of a cannula in the back of my hand, requested it in either wrist or elbow. Which they did.

Laserbeam24 · 13/08/2023 22:18

I can relate. I had an ELCS, too. The nurse tried three times beforehand to put one in and couldn't get it. Then a doctor came and put one in on the side of my wrist, she dug about trying to find a vein, and then when she did, I peed blood over everything. It dropped everywhere.

When I finally got into surgery, they hooked me up to whatever they were giving me, but the cannula obviously failed so they had to do another.

The anaesthetist put it in, first try, literally no pain during the middle of the surgery.

They're much better at it! Alternatively, could you ask your midwife about numbing cream? It's clearly causing you a lot of anxiety and it doesn't need to. ☺️

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