PG after MC: Posifrickentivity, Batshit Crazy and a Rash of New Babies...

[SaggyIsHavingAPinkKitten]

Here we go ladies...

What are you doing at uni, cbeebies? Glad you're feeling better now, seems you were right about the cause of feeling so rubbish.

Looooove ikea! Looking forward to a visit there soon (bank balance isn't, though! )

Are you under rhe "high risk" fat bird consultant Pixie?
The advice ive picked up from others on here, is to get as much info on your own situation as you can.
Make a sensible choice. Ive had 2 perfectly normal births. We know baby has a heart defect. My choice atm is that unless the paed cardiologist reconmends continuous monitoring, then I refuse this. I want to be as mobile as possible and not be given any opiates. In sure the drugs wont do the baby any good. The way I see it, a stress free mobile birth with no interventions must be better for her than epidural/oxytocin/forceps etc.
im going to speak to everyone involved. If there's no baby based reason for them, advice ive read is to have a valis argument, make your opinions known before hand and write in big letters on your birth plan, I DO NOT CONSENT TO CONTINUOUS MONITORING. I DO NOT CONSENT TO A CANULA JUST IN CASE AND I DECLINE AN EARLY EPIDURAL.
make sure your birth partner knows this too and will advocate for you.

That said, Ill do anything to help the baby, so this could change at any time.

Thanks for talking me through your thoughts saggy. I'm consultant led care due to a section last time as DD was undiagnosed breech. I went into labour naturally last time though and was progressing ok until they realised she was foot down so I don't really see the justification for a canula... I am agreeing to continuous monitoring which I was previously v against but I just can't understand why their very pro vbac argument is then accompanied by a 'well you must have a canula just in case' proviso. If they're that convinced I'll end up EMCS I feel like saying look I'll just take the elective option! thanks for listening, I know I'm a bit of a bore on this

Btw I totally agree as little intervention as possible really seems the best thing for your DD saggy in terms of putting as little stress as possible on her, I don't understand why they want the early epidural especially

Wow pig/snot - did you know that you'd gone for the BOGOF deal??? That's fantastic

I had a cannula and continuous monitoring last time and the cannula (and the failed one in my other hand were so painful and limiting to my ability to move around, because I could put any weight in my hands. I'm sure the four hours of pushing was caused by bring so immobile (baby stargazing to everyone's surprise) so his time I'm going to try for a pool and/or mobility. Just hope my waters don't go early again!

That cannula "just in case" makes me irrationally angry. I'm no hcp so maybe I'm totally off the mark but surely it wouldn't be that hard to whack one in if necessary. I refused one when I was in A&E miscarrying. In fact I got very upset and very told off by the fucking horrible A&E nurse for it.

blackholes that's awful they tried to force a canula on you while they were mc'ing

santa I hate them with a passion they put two in me by accident for my erpc and they hurt so much so one of my main reasons for trying vbac was to avoid one!

medusa & snot/pig congratulations on your good scans!

janie your employer sucks, I hope you're writing that letter - as per ibip 's advice - this weekend. Good luck! ibip how can you be so sure that the baby's turned again? I can never tell with certainty (clueless!)

bump I know how you feel, I'm not ready either and I'm 38 weeks. I am convinced the baby will come early November so if I end up going into labour in October I'll be shocked and totally unprepared.

Thanks - and Santa, I'd already been told about the special offer - had an early scan resulting in 'oh my goodness' from me and something a bit more sweary from the DH (luckily he wasn't there at the time!)

Well this is all very interesting, I can vaguely remember them trying to put a cannula in me but then not doing as I was starting to push. I had no idea this was 'just in case'! I ended up with one after the birth as I had to go in to surgery for a bad tear and I bloody hated that cannula. There is no way I will be having one on the off chance I need it! Thanks for bringing this up saggy. I agree with you blackholes surely if they can whip you in for an EMCS the extra seconds putting a cannula in really aren't that vital?!

pentagon i agree, I never really know what my one is up to. Unless the back is sticking out to one side then that's a good clue

Evening lovely people

Cannulas can be a proper pain in the ass to get in and the last thing I'd want to be doing is routing round for a good vein under pressure as a mum to be has to get to surgery like now! There is no reason they can't put one in your acf vein in the bend in your arm which is less painful as shouldn't restrict any movement. If there was any doubt that there may be birth complications I'd let them put one in, you may find yourself up against someone who isn't that confident with them etc which in turn could waste precious time.

Not meaning to disagree with anyone here, just my opinion based on many arrest calls to patients that need emergency access and have no cannula!! Ahhh panic!!

And come on...it's only a little prick. Surely that's how we all ended up on this thread in the first place haha

Fair point tomkat but how likely is that extreme situation if you haven't experienced major blood loss or similar complications in the past? also if in an emergency situ wouldn't there be a suitably experienced person there to get one in? not trying to argue, I'm just interested and want to understand. for me the psychological effect is 'we don't think you'll manage this' which isn't helpful!

Sorry didn't explain only meant if pregnancy considered to be high risk etc. Dont see the need for a uncomplicated pregnancy.

You would hope someone there knows what they are doing. Put it like this...the other morning there were 7 qualified nurses looking after 38 patients. The arrest bell went off and we all went running. Patient had no cannula...there were only 2 of us confident enough to get one in. 2 newly qualified staff, 2 who hadn't undergone the necessary training and one who didn't feel comfortable doing it in a hurry!

A little knowledge of the 'other side' ie working at a hospital isn't always a good thing. I had an 'internal graze' more like a huge tear when I had my son and there was no way I was letting a doctor who was probably bleary eyed and inexperienced taking a needle to my fanjo!!! It healed fine on its own.

And ive had a canula in my elbow. It was bloody uncomfortable.
Like I previously said, if something is needed for the safety of my baby, thats one thing, she has a hole in the heart, if continuous monitoring is necessary then so be it, but just in case is an entirely different matter. Its suggested in my case because Im overweight. Apparently it's routinely suggested, along with an early epidural and continuous monitoring. But with a history of safely birthing large babies without help, Im going to fight my corner.

Just read that back...sounds like I'm trying to terrify you all!

That's not my intention at all, there are many wonderful staff out there. However, If a pregnancy is looking at all like it could be anything other than straight forward I would take everything on offer to save time. Hope that makes sense x

Bloody hell saggy I'll be having one then if they're giving em out to overweight woman. There's no way I'm having one of them in my arm

tomkat it is useful to hear about that. I think part of the problem is that they didn't explain why I needed one, its only tonight I've read online that its because they want to be able to give drugs if c section scar ruptures... which I think is v small chance. I will keep thinking about it as I have the continuous monitoring. I've become convinced by that but do have very horrible cannula experiences from past so would really rather not partake.

That's shocking pixie, before even attempting a cannula I always tell my patients the rationale for one and explain the procedure...and also that's it going to sting. You must obtain consent, either verbal or implied before doing it, unless emergency situation etc.
Remember it's your right to ask for someone to carry out any procedure who has the necessary skills and experience to do it well. Your arm is not someone's dart board. Cannulation shouldn't hurt too badly if the vein has been assessed correctly and the correct size used. If you are in any doubt about someone's ability then please say so. No-one should be offended by this if they are a professional x

I was like pixie it wasn't explained to me why it was happening. I hadn't really thought about it till now. I had a straight forward labour and a normal BMI. I don't mind needles and I'm not squeamish but it was harder trying to breast feed and get DD in different positions with a needle in my hand (as I said before i did have one in the end due to repair after the birth) I would be really annoyed to have one that wasn't needed when there wasn't a high likely hood of needing it iyswim.

sorry think I was a bit misleading, it was at my vbac appointment that the mw didn't explain, just said I had to have one. I don't think they did explain in either eprc or c section but in those situations its more obvious why they're needed, still nice to be told though.

Just to add a more positive story if anyone is getting a bit worried, I had a cannula when I had to go to theatre having DS and it wasn't painful going in or out and didn't effect me at all holding or feeding DS so if you do have to have one don't panic it might be fine!

I don't really understand the 'just in case' train of thought either tho so would question that myself if it was suggested before labour?

Ditto Shell - don't panic those who've not had cannula's before/first time mum's, I had no issues with mine (but then medical professionals get a twinkle in their eyes when they see my veins etc you can almost hear the sigh of relief as they see how easy it's going to be!)

Hi everyone. Just marking place. I think this is the first time I've made it on to the subsequent thread...just hoping I'm still here after Thursday.
Trying to be positive, today I am pregnant, or at least pregnant until proven otherwise, as they say on the pred thread.