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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Contact lenses during labour?

37 replies

lakelandfirsttime · 04/08/2008 15:07

I'm due in 4 weeks and read in one of my pregnancy books over the weekend that you can't wear contact lenses during labour. There was no explanation for this it just said that you can't. I wear daily lenses and really don't want to have to wear my glasses. Can anyone advise if this is correct and if so why?

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2point4kids · 04/08/2008 15:08

I wore mine both times. Never even thouht not to!
T'was fine

happynappies · 04/08/2008 15:19

I wore mine for 32 hours of labour - not the best idea probably, but it was the last thing I was thinking about! (I came to no harm anyway!) I'm not sure if you have to take them out if you have a CS? Perhaps someone else will know that.

dinkystinky · 04/08/2008 15:23

I wore glasses for my labour (normally wear daily lenses) - purely because didnt want to be faffing around taking lenses out during a contraction...

YumeeMumee · 04/08/2008 15:27

I wore glasses too (normally wear daily disposables) my midwife told me that it's because if there are complications ie emergency c-section or other surgery then they don't have to worry about you having lenses in as there prob won't be time to think about that on top of everything else.

tiggerlovestobounce · 04/08/2008 15:28

I wore glasses, as I wanted to be able to sleep when I could afterwards without worrying about taking the lenses out, or even worse that feeling of waking up with lenses stuck to eyeballs.

belgo · 04/08/2008 15:30

I wore my glasses because I went into labour at night time both times.

I also think if you have to have an emergency c-section, it's best not to wear contact lenses.

EffiePerine · 04/08/2008 15:33

I wouldn;t - you could be in labour for ages and you don't want to have to worry about dry and itchy eyes at the end (plus you might get to nap at some point)

EffiePerine · 04/08/2008 15:34

If you do go into labout at night, I can guarantee you won't be faffing about trying to get your lenses in! Mind you the same could apply to taking them out...

fettle · 04/08/2008 15:35

Hi Lakeland!

I asked the exact same question about 10 months ago! Was basically given the good advice that once you are in labour, contact lenses are the least of your worries!

I think that as others have said it is only an issue if you need an emergency operation.

I opted in the end not to wear them as I was being induced early and was in hospital for a few days before hand.

Good luck and enjoy!!!
xxx

CoteDAzur · 04/08/2008 15:36

I wore mine. Can't see why you have to take them out for c-section. I slept through the night with my contacts quite a few times (forgot them) and came to no harm.

Surely it's not reasonable to ask someone to go through labour blind as a bat so she won't be inconvenienced in the minute chance that she will have to have an emergency c-section.

belgo · 04/08/2008 15:37

I personally wouldn't want to wear contact lenses in hospital due to risk of infection.

belgo · 04/08/2008 15:39

do you not have glasses cote d'azur?

If you do wear contact lenses when you are in labour, make sure the midwives know about it so that they know thay have to take them out if the worst happens and you end up having emergency surgery.

belgo · 04/08/2008 15:39

Sleeping with your contact lenses in puts your eyes are risk of becoming dry and making them more susceptable to infection.

CoteDAzur · 04/08/2008 15:48

I've been wearing contact lenses since the age of 8. In the 29 years I have worn contact lenses every day, there have been times when I slept with them on. Nobody died. No infection. Eyes were a bit dry in the morning. A drop of solution and all was well.

Do what feels OK for you, is my advice. If you are going to fret about having contacts in place and what to do about them, best leave them at home. If you are not anxious about them in general, you will not be thinking about them in labour, either.

LOL at not wearing lenses because of risk of infection in hospital, btw (sorry). If you will be infected, I dare say it will be in the fanjo, where you've been prodded/cut/stitched etc.

dgomez · 04/08/2008 15:55

The other reason why you shouldn't wear them is because some women when they push they use the muscles in their face and you could also loose or damage your lenses, and your eyes.

belgo · 04/08/2008 15:57

I'm not sure if you know much about infection risks in NHS hospitals Cote dazur! They are really not the cleanest of places unfortunately, and it's hands that carry the most bugs that can be tranported to the eyes. I never wore my contact lenses whilst working in hospitals for this reason, and I wouldn't wear them as a patient in hospital either.

But of course everyone can make the decision for themselves.

belgo · 04/08/2008 15:58

dgomez - I didn't know that, but it makes sense as I've heard of heard of women having blood shot eyes after labour.

Tapster · 04/08/2008 16:06

I had to take mine out when I had an emergency CS - nobody seemed to be able to give me a decent answer about why.

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 04/08/2008 16:31

not even thought about it - ugh another thing to add to the list. If I'm at home I won't bother with lenses or glasses, will prob wear glasses to hospital but take lenses for photo ops afterwards (vain woman that I am)

Original poster

lakelandfirsttime · 04/08/2008 17:03

Thanks for all the advice!
Think I'll wear my contacts (they are daily disposable ones) and take my glasses with me just in case.
I know what you mean GWTMH - it's more of a vain issue than anything else, don't want to look like Deidre Barlow on the photos!!

OP posts:

waitingtobloom · 04/08/2008 19:27

I wear contacts and never considered taking them out. I remember wearing them all day, all night and the next day until I got home - not ideal but I was fine. I now wear monthly disposables that can be left in for a month day and night so perhaps they are an option if you are worried about length. I take them out every night usually but if I do sleep with them in they are fine.

Time wise - really doesnt take that long to take them out does it? Non emergency - take a clean case with some fluid already in it and pop them in? If you are worried about germs take a small bottle of that hand cleansing stuff? Or get disposables and throw them away? True emergency - least of your worries - whip them out and chuck them!

harpomarx · 04/08/2008 19:35

lol, lakeland

I wore my glasses in hospital. I do indeed look like Deidre Barlow in the one pre-birth picture I have. A very cross Deirdre Barlow wearing a hideous big t-shirt saying Tweety Pie or something on it.

In my post-birth pictures I look like a less cross Deirdre Barlow and had ditched the tweety pie t-shirt.

having said that, I would still wear glasses. Too much faff to be bothering with contact lenses. I wouldn't want to sleep with them or have dry eyes and it's much easier to just grab glasses and put them on than to mess around with lenses.

belgo · 05/08/2008 07:49

If you wear glasses, you can always take them off for the photos. But be careful not to lose them.

BouncingTurtle · 05/08/2008 08:11

Yes because heaven forbid you have your photos with glasses on, you'll look hideous

Believe me after you have had your baby the last thing you'll be worrying about is how you'll look as you will look like shit anyway as you'll be bloody knackered. And you will be too tired to worry about fiddling with taking lenses out and cleaning them and tbh I think some hospitals aren't as clean as they should be so you might struggle finding somewhere to clean them and put them in!
Plus the risk of losing them as well.

MarkStretch · 05/08/2008 08:15

I wore my contacts during labour. I only had to take them out when I went for a emergency section.

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