# Where can the IV go?



## AllyTiel

So whenever I watch "One born every minute" or any labour video, they always stick the IV in around the wrist? Why on earth would they put it there? That is thin, sensitive skin! I am actually really worried about this part of having a baby. Can't I ask to get it up higher in the underside of my elbow, where I get blood drawn?? Im paranoid about needles :(


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## goddess25

Most hospitals have a policy of not using that for IVs because 1 its an area to avoid because it has the best/biggest veins so they try and keep it in case they need it in an emergency. Plus most people find it difficult to keep there arm straight and if there is a slight bend in the elbow the machine beeps with an alarm saying there is an occlusion...and the IV solution does not run.

If you have a straight forward birth you will not need an IV.


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## AllyTiel

I already know I will have to have an IV as they found Strep B in me recently. So I won't have a choice. Does it hurt as bad as I think it will? How is a needle in a wrist different than the elbow area?


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## teal

I had the IV in my hand. To be honest it was a bit nippy being put in but once it was in it was fine :hugs: xx


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## MrsGreen

I would ask for the arm. If your vein permits they can put it on the top of your forearm. The hand hurts to have an IV in because it's so hard to move your hand.

You can ask them to numb it first too. That's what I do. Ask for a bit of lidocane. It stings for a second, but is worth it.


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## AimeeM

The hand is much more comfy than the arm. I had it further up the arm this time as she said my had vains were too scrawny! It felt horrible in my upper forearm.


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## Celesse

I've just got out of hospital for post partum sepsis and had to have the IV sited 3 times as after they had been used for a bit they stopped working. I had one in the underside of my elbow, one in the back of my hand and one in my wrist. By far the most comfortable and the only that didn't break down was the one in my wrist. The others broke down, were painful when in use and greatly restricted my ability to use my arms- especially when trying to breastfeed LO.


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## stardust599

When in labour the DRs couldn't get mine into my hand even though I've had no problem before. They put it into my elbow instead which was awkward and restricted movement as it was painful. It made it really quite difficult to breastfeed as I couldn't use that arm at all. Next time I'll ask for it to go into my wrist!


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## mum2beagain

ive been induced with both of mine and they put the syntocin iv in the side of my wrist and tbh sorry but it was hell it hurt so bad but apperently thats the only place they can put it :(


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## NashiPear

I know I had one when I was admitted after complications in my first birth. It was in my wrist (the back side), a bit above the back of my hand. 

When I gave birth this time, I had to have one in and they put it in my hand. It was hard to get comfortable with it because I couldn't move my hand back, so I had to make a fist with that hand when I was leaning on them. 

I much preferred the wrist. It was a bit more unobtrusive.


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## amjon

I had one on my wrist and one on my arm as I was in for 4 days. Neither really hurt. I hate needles but it wasn't all that bad. They have to put it where they find a good vein.


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## xxEMZxx

Had my first in my hand, second was in my wrist. I'm a wimp when it comes to things like that, hate blood and veins but neither were that bad, honest! x


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## MiissMuffet

sometimes they put them in dreadful places :dohh: I had mine in the top of my hand x


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## smileygurl85

This issue is THE only reason I'd ever consider home-birth. Needles scare the poo out of me - no way do I want an IV anywhere! :-(


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## punk_pig

I had a litre of saline via the top of my wrist, it really hardly hurt at all and I could move my hand fine. I think elbow would be restrictive and the veins not big enough.

However my contractions had slowed down AGAIN at 10cm after 92hrs of labour and they thought dehydration was causing it so I just wanted ANYTHING to allow me to push this baby out, so I wasn't concentrating on whether it hurt or not. Worked a charm, 20mins later contractions back with a vengence!!


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## amjon

smileygurl85 said:


> This issue is THE only reason I'd ever consider home-birth. Needles scare the poo out of me - no way do I want an IV anywhere! :-(

That's why I planned a birth center birth, but ended up having to be induced in the hospital, so got the IV. :(


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## emilyjade

i had an IV put in twice with my last pregnancy one at 26 weeks for threatened preterm labour and the other when i was induced. I do like it depends on the person doing it if you get pain. My first one was fine but the second the doctor was really heavy handed x


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## emilyjade

i had both mine in my left hand x


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## x__amour

I hate needles *so* much. I've always had IVs/blood taken out from my arm crease. When I was in labor though, I had it on the top of my wrist, under my hand and it didn't hurt at all! I was so surprised! Apparently they don't like to put them in the upper arm or in the hand because it can pop out from squeezing! They took blood from my hand, oh my God! That hurt so bad! But yeah, the top of my wrist didn't hut at all! Couldn't even feel it! :flower:


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## Leopard

It depends on hospital policy. here you can have top of hand, under wrist, under elbow, foot.


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## kcj2008

Hi hun I had my first IV in the top of my hand with my first labour which did not hurt at all to have placed. On my second labour I was silly enough to say that I found it hard to get comfortable in labour with it in the top of my hand can they position elsewhere, they said oh yes on your wrist. Boy did it bloody hurt, although it was the numbing injection that hurt me the most, I have such thin wrists that it was swollen for about 2 weeks after. If you need one defo ask for it in the top of your hand!!


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## steph.

Hey I'm a doctor so I've placed hundreds on IVs, and they can go anywhere where there is a decent straight piece of vein. When people have really terrible veins I've even put it in their feet, legs, and in babies scalps :S During childbirth they like to put big IVs in, incase you bleed, so the bigger the vein the better. People usually have a big vein running along the side of their wrist which is an easy target! But if you dont want them to put it in that one, just say so. The one in your elbow, we tend to avoid during labour because during contractions you will probably forget about it and bend your elbow and it will get dislodged, which means you will need a second one put in. 

Dont worry about the pain. You can ask for a local anaesthetic, but even without it its not too bad. We used to practice on each other in medical school  And compared to contactions the sting of an IV is insignificant! Good luck and stop worrying xxx


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## GingerNut

I had one in each elbow during my induction (insulin in one, oxytocin in the other) and it was fine. They tried to put one in the back of my hand but it bled so badly they couldn't - poor DH ended up standing putting pressure on my hand to stop the bleeding while the midwives all panicked, it was a bit nuts! I'll be insisting on elbows this time as well.


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## loverguts

I've had them in my hand (ugh!), arm and wrist, and i have to say the wrist was my favourite...if thats the word....place to have it. I am a complete wuss with seeing those big needle things pushed in so i prefer it in the side of my wrist as it hurts less :)


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## shayandfamily

At the Hospital I gave birth in they gave IVs on the back of the hand and on the inside of the elbow. Never seen anyone have an IV on the wrist and I only had blood taken from there once when it was an 'emergency' and they couldn't draw blood from anywhere else. I agree, it seems like a really strange and very painful place to put an IV! x


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## AllyTiel

Lord help me I'm so scared! No way around it lol. Different opinions on hand and wrist. I guess what I gathered was wrist was the best out of the majority?


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## purple_kiwi

mine was under my wrist area little bit up the arm and it only hurt a little bit to get placed and when taken out. never really hurt while in and they taped it up to it wouldn't move around or get caught and pull i have pretty small veins that they have a lot of trouble getting blood so needles usually hurt for me


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