ELCS and scared of Cannula!!

[AJK23]

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

Thanks so much for the new replies!! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your story with me as it is really reassuring! Just spoke to my husband and he said from his memory, they blew my vein three times and had to keep changing the location of the cannula! But like a lot of you are saying, an anethesist are absolute experts - which is super reassuring to be honest! I think the numbing cream might be the best way forward for me, like a lot of you are suggesting as I honestly can’t even risk feeling like that again! And I’ve got another consultant appointment coming up so I’m going to stress to them how concerned I am about this again!

they had to insert yet another one actually in theatre as I felt horrendously sick and needed more anti sickness! I know no birth is pain free or comfortable by any means but good grief haha! Xxx

Emla cream. I use it all the time for blood tests and you can buy it over the counter.

For my last pregnancy (14 year's ago!!) the lovely midwife passed me the gas and air for when she put the cannula in!

I am so terrified of cannulas that I stubbornly gave birth twice with just gas and air 😂

I once had a midwife poke away at me for ages attempting to put a canula in (was being induced with twins and it was a just in case thing) It was really painful and every time she got the needle in a vein she'd come up against a valve and have to take it out and try somewhere else. After a half dozen goes she gave up and got a doctor who apparently had more options as to where to put the thing.

Popped it in to my wrist first time. Wasn't terribly impressed at the state of my hand though. A much more experienced midwife turned up shortly after to take over my care.

I hate them. They really hurt. A lot of people disagree but I find them painful. If I know I am having one I buy and apply my own emla now.

I had an ELCS last time and about to have another one. I had never been in hospital for anything before so I had already geared myself up that the cannula was going to be awful. Luckily they did manage to get it in first time but all I remember is tapping my other hand on my leg while they did it because it was obviously really quite sore and took longer than a quick 2 seconds. I can come back and update you this time after I have it this week! It was one of those pains where once you’re in it though you know it’s going to be over relatively quickly and my memory from the whole thing is just of that and not of the spinal so I have no idea what that even felt like but it must have been less painful than the cannula!

Oh I did wonder about numbing cream last time but was almost embarrassed to ask in case they laughed at me! But I’m 100% taking some 😂

I find that for mild to moderately painful things - they hurt less when you’re breathing out and relaxed the surrounding muscles. Works for me for injections, blood draws, contractions all that sort of thing. It doesn’t stop you feeling it completely obviously but somehow it helps. I’d hope that a well practiced catheter placer like an anesthetist would have it in by the time you finished your breath.

I had a cannula for a cervical stitch earlier on pregnancy and it was horrible, so painful. When I knew I'd have to have one to be induced I felt exactly the same as you but this time they got an anaesthetist to do it and it was honestly so different, it wasn't comfortable but none of the pain or horrible bruising I had when a midwife did it.

Just to echo what has already been said, I had an ELCS with DC2 and the cannula was done by a senior anaesthetist (he was even more senior than the one who did my spinal!) and it absolutely fine. He put some numbing cream on first and then put it in seamlessly. When it is an ELCS the environment is very calm, dare I say it quite jovial !! Everyone is specialised in what they are doing and you will be so well looked after. Do voice your concerns with the anaesthetist when they see you pre-op on the day but I’m sure it will be fine.

I had another operation recently for something else and the anaesthetist put the cannula in without numbing cream but he was so skilled it was honestly less painful than a blood test!

I was anxious before having mine put in but I told the anaesthetist who couldn’t have been kinder and used a portable ultrasound probe to guide the needle so it was incredibly quick and worked first time. I was also given a local anaesthetic injection beforehand. During my C-section I ended up having to have an emergency cannula put in during surgery and the difference between the experience and pain involved in them was huge. If the emergency one been my first experience of one I would be terrified too but a calm, planned one is a completely different experience so try not to worry.