Do you really have to have needles in your hand during labour...

[applestrudels]

... even if you're not being induced or have any other complications?

I was just browsing on another pregnancy forum, that's dominated by Americans, and someone put a pic up of herself in labour with loads of needles stuck in her hand, and someone asked if it was a normal to have them even with no complications, and tons of people replied saying yes, they put them in your hand when you arrive at the hospital even if there's no immediate need, and keep them there until you leave, just in case you later need an IV at some point later on for whatever reason.

Now I get really woozy at the thought of needles, to the point where I declined the screening for Edwards and Patau's after nearly passing out in the street following the blood test at my booking in appointment. (I haven't ruled out an epidural, but I think I could cope with that needle because I wouldn't be able to see it or feel it as much, and I don't have any problems with injections in my arm as I can't see the vein and they're very quick).

But anyway, I feel like in America they seem to do tons of unnecessary tests and procedures and stuff that we don't do here, so I thought it sounds unlikely they'd do that in Britain if it wasn't necessary... but would they? (I'm also probably going to give birth in a midwife led unit that's attached to a hospital, if that makes any difference). Can someone reassure me?

If it helps, I had to just go look at a few photos of my labour/post birth as I have zero memory what so ever! Turns out I do have a plaster on my hand in one photo but I’m still mid-labour/post epidural & I can’t at all remember why they’d put one in & take if out..! You are in so much pain, a needle barely registers! But I would advise not looking at the epidural needle. Bloody terrifying 😂

None here. Just a needle for epidural but I wanted that

1 labour, in mainstream English hospital. No needles until complications after the birth.

American labours are highly medicalised.

I had needles in my hand after the 4th day of induction. I was failing to progress and they wanted to prepare me for the eventual EMCS. Midwife blew the vein too. By that point I didn’t give a fuck how many needles they stuck in me or how many veins they blew, I just wanted DS out alive.

Not the case for natural/successful labours though I’m sure.

Speak to a midwife at your next appointment to put your mind at rest. Knowledge will help you feel more in control.

Two labours, needles both times. Needed IV antibiotics as my waters broke both times and contractions didn't start for ages.

I hate needles and it wasn't that bad. I just looked away. First time was in the hand but second time was in my forearm and that was MUCH better so if you need it I recommend that. It's easier to cover up so you don't have to look at it.

None here.
Went in when my waters broke after a few hours.

I Was given paracetamol and a birthing pool and gave birth to her within 3 hours. I then had to have a tear sutured as her shoulder was stuck a bit (just a small amount of local anaesthetic needed and didn’t have any problems with it).

We were then up for a shower and changed to a private room for visitors (although coming out the pool meant a we were clean anyway to be honest)
I was kept in for 2 days in a private room to establish breast feeding as she was slow to latch and my husband stayed with us too then we were discharged home. I never got stuck with a needle once

This was a midwife led centre however

The AIMS website has loads of information about your choices. One idea might be to talk to your local homebirth team - none of those kinds of interventions are done at home and starting labour at home reduces the risk of augmentation (a drip) and other interventions where you might have a catheter. For first births you are fairly likely to transfer to hospital (about 4/10 first time mums do), but that doesn't mean you can't plan a home birth and more than half of mums will have the home birth that they planned. I planned a home birth for my first, she ended up born in hospital but with no interventions. For my second I'm with the home birth team again. Homebirth team midwives are often really used to women who want to avoid intervention and I've found them super supportive even when I did transfer in my first birth. It seemed to set a tone towards much less intervention.

I had to have a cannula as I had an induction (drip). It was in my arm though, not my hand and didn’t hurt. I was like you with a bad needle phobia before I got pregnant so had CBT like a poster above.
Congratulations 😀

Really depends on your labour. In my trust high risk pregnancies get a cannula. If you're going for c-section you'll get a cannula. Low risk labours dont.

Bear in mind though if something goes wrong they will put one in.