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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Midwife bad with needles!

40 replies

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 10:15

At my booking in appointment I had the routine blood test done by my midwife. The needle left a large bruise on my arm and what looked like a small amount of bleeding under the skin. It took several weeks to disappear. When the needle was in my arm she also seemed to be jiggling it about a bit, which wasn’t ideal! While doing the test she actually commented on how I have very obvious veins, so I don’t think it was down to that. She’s in her 50s I would guess so must have been doing blood tests for a long time!

Contrast this with the blood test I had done in hospital a couple of years ago, where there wasn’t so much as a pin prick where they’d taken the sample.

I’ve now found out that I’m rhesus negative blood type, which means I’ll have to have further, anti D injections at 16 weeks and 28 weeks (I think?)

Does anyone know whether these are done by the midwife or in hospital? Given my experiences so far I’m really hoping it’s the second one!

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PreschoolYes · 25/10/2019 10:18

I had anti D at the hospital, it went in my thigh and I'm afraid it stung quite a bit!

Injection is different to having a blood test though, in terms of accuracy needed.

Original poster

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 10:20

I had anti D at the hospital, it went in my thigh and I'm afraid it stung quite a bit!

Oh no - I hate needles so am dreading it! How long is the needle actually injected for?

OP posts:

PreschoolYes · 25/10/2019 10:22

I can't really remember, the same sort of time as a vaccination injection I suppose.

MrsEG · 25/10/2019 10:25

You can react to having blood drawn differently every time - I can donate a pint of blood and not even notice a scratch but a simple blood test leaves me bruised - I think it can be the luck of the draw at times! Try and elevate your arm for a few seconds afterwards and see if that helps :)

thatwasMauijustmessingaround · 25/10/2019 10:26

Every midwife I've ever seen at the doctors and the hospital struggle to take my blood. I won't even tell you the saga behind the day they tried to put a cannula in...

But in contrast, I've been to two different phlebotomy clinics many many times. Staff at those can take my blood within two seconds flat....!

katmarie · 25/10/2019 10:28

The chances of you seeing the same midwife throughout your pregnancy are quite slim in my experience. In fact in my last pregnancy I only saw my booking in midwife once more, and that was when she happened to be on shift to do my discharge paperwork after DS was born and we were going home. I haven't seen the booking in midwife from this time round at all yet, and I'm past 40 weeks now.

This time round I had my anti d injection in my arm at the hospital, I had the whooping cough vaccine with the nurse at my GP's and I've had three or four different lots of blood tests done, as well as a glucose tolerance test. Every single one done by someone different. So I would not worry too much if I were you.

CAG12 · 25/10/2019 12:10

Are you sure you'll have to have the anti D injection?

Im O Neg, and because of that I had a further blood test which will test for the babies blood type. Depending on that result I may or may not have to have the anti D injection

As someone who routinely takes blood, sometimes it is really tricky even if someones veins are really obvious.

If its any consolation injections are much simpler and much quicker to do!

TiredandHangry · 25/10/2019 12:20

I had my anti-D injections at the hospital, not with my regular midwife. I didn't think it was as bad as I'd anticipated but I had a lovely midwife doing it!

Original poster

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 12:27

@CAG12 yes, 100% sure I need it as I'm rhesus negative unfortunately. Wish I wasn't!

OP posts:

tigerfeets · 25/10/2019 13:20

I had the anti D in my arm and it was fine - I didn't even feel it go in.

It stung slightly when they administered the stuff but it's the least painful injection I've had (less so than the flu and whooping cough ones)

Try not to scare yourself!

CmdrCressidaDuck · 25/10/2019 13:25

Every time I've had my blood taken by a midwife it takes so long to get three vials, I get super dizzy, and there's a massive bruise after. Every time it's taken by the phlebotomists in the hospital blood test department, they're in and out in seconds and leave barely a mark. I think full-time phlebotomists do tend to be smoother at it.

If you find blood tests hard I think you can opt to go and have them all done at the hospital in pregnancy instead of by your midwife. Don't know about the anti-D injections, but any vaccinations during pregnancy were administered by a practice nurse rather than a midwife.

CondeNasty · 25/10/2019 13:26

@wondering7777, I am rhesus negative and they took further bloods from me to find out babies blood type. If baby is negative you dont need the anti d. Have you had this test done? Dont think they do it until around 15 weeks. I got a letter at home offering me the test. My blood was sent to Bristol so I imagine it is a nationwide thing.

Essexgirlupnorth · 25/10/2019 13:28

They give a dose of anti-d during pregnancy then take a cord blood sample at birth to test the baby and if they are rhesus positive the you have another dose after the birth. Had both at the hospital and it did hurt

Original poster

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 13:40

I am rhesus negative and they took further bloods from me to find out babies blood type. If baby is negative you dont need the anti d. Have you had this test done? Dont think they do it until around 15 weeks. I got a letter at home offering me the test. My blood was sent to Bristol so I imagine it is a nationwide thing.

@CondeNasty no, I haven't been offered that test (and am currently 13 weeks!) My midwife hasn't even mentioned it - I wonder why?

OP posts:

CAG12 · 25/10/2019 13:54

@wondering7777 this is the same for me in what I posted earlier but I think maybe you misunderstood what I was saying. Im O Neg (blood group O, rhesus neg). If the further blood test comes back and says the baby is also of a Rhesus neg blood group then you dont need Anti D injections.

Maybe they dont offer the blood test in your area? Its worth asking though

Original poster

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 13:58

Maybe they dont offer the blood test in your area? Its worth asking though

@CAG12 oh, apologies! Can I insist on one do you think? I know it sounds silly but I’m really squeamish about having somebody else’s blood injected into me, so would rather avoid it if possible.

OP posts:

CAG12 · 25/10/2019 14:01

@wondering7777 what do you mean you have to have someone elses blood injected into you?

Original poster

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 14:14

@CAG12 anti D injections contain blood plasma from a donor I believe!

OP posts:

Em8725 · 25/10/2019 14:25

I had this, I was all worked up for it to go into my thigh, and for it to be agony (thanks mum!), but actually it was fine. It went into my arm, I had to sit there for 20 minutes afterwards to make sure I didn’t have a reaction, and then I could leave. It was no more painful than a flu jab, but I could feel the stuff going into my arm. It actually reminded me of the HPV vaccine I had when I was 15. I’m A neg. I only had to have it once as they test baby when it’s born, and if baby is also negative you don’t need to have it again.

CAG12 · 25/10/2019 14:33

Oh I see what you mean.

Yeah you can ask for the further blood test to see, hopefully they offer it in your area.

CAG12 · 25/10/2019 14:35

Urgh posted too soon. I was going to say perhaps they wont offer it though until a bit later. I only had the blood test at my 17 week midwife appointment. So perhaps as you're 13 weeks they just havent mentioned it yet.

Original poster

wondering7777 · 25/10/2019 14:42

Thanks so much for all the helpful advice!

OP posts:

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 25/10/2019 14:44

The fetal blood typing will depend on area, not all areas offer it yet.

As both a recipient and a giver of ante D injections, it isn't the nicest thing to have in afraid, it is stingy. I know some give it in the arm but really due to the amount of fluid in the injection it should be given into the top of your thigh/ bum.

As for the midwife and bloods, taking blood can be different every time. Someone's veins can look beautiful but collapse as soon as you go in. They can be invisible but easy to feel. You can get it first time easily one day and take a repeat sample on the same person next day and struggle. I'm sorry you got a big bruise but sometimes these things happen. If you do have a phobia and struggle with the idea of her doing it again then do request a referral to the phlebotomist for your bloods next time, the community midwives will be happy to help make life easier for you.

SleepyKat · 25/10/2019 14:48

It should be given in the upper arm as per the manufacturer’s instructions. It should not be given in the leg. It’s licensed as a deltoid injection. Yes, it stings a bit but isn’t as effective if given in the leg.

janey15 · 25/10/2019 15:34

My midwife took ages to get blood out of me at my booking appointment and when she did I think she almost missed the vein as it took ages to come out and hurt a lot! Then at my 12 week scan it took seconds and I barely felt it. I'm bad with needles but I just view it as necessary and I know it's over quickly. We did 6 rounds of fertility treatment, 100s of painful injections and I only managed to do it myself once but I got through it - you can do it too!

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