IVs

[lushious09]

I was just wondering for those who had to or have ever had an IV... they leave the little needle thing in dont they? and plaster it down with tape... just wondered does this hurt... it makes me cringe to think if i caught it! or the fact i cant stand anything been stuck in me like that so im freaking out a bit incase i need one!x

 

[wantingno.2]

It's more annoying than anything, as you tend to not do things with that hand... well i did, didnt want to disturb it.

Yes it's a little needle bit left in your vein with like a tap thing at the end so they can give you things.... i found it more annoying than painful

 

[lushious09]

ughhh *shudders* i hate stuff like that lol

 

[dannyboygirl]

butterfly needles are smaller n less painful.i hate needles.Some people do it and it doesn't hurt.Some people make it hurt like a huge pinch..

 

[Mrs Liamxxs]

its called a cannula hunni, and dont worry there is no needle in there when they leave it in, its just a little plastic tube,(they only use a needle to put it in) to keep your vein open incase they need to give you Iv meds or take anymore blood, ni have had quite a few and they do hurt at first, but when it has been in for a couple of hours its not so bad, even if you catch it, it dont really hurt much hunni xx

 

[fire]

I've had numerous of these & will need to have one when I'm in labour due to me needing anti biotics whilst in labour due to a heart condition.

It is more uncomfortable & awkward than painful

 

[FirstBean]

I had one in when i was in labour and usually dont like these sort of things but it was fine wasnt painful at all

 

[lushious09]

ohh so a bit like when you get a peircing and the bar is left in (so to speak) after a while you forget about it...

 

[Mrs Liamxxs]

yeah its something abit like that hun, it really does sound worse than what it is xx

 

[DottyLottie]

It is the most irritating thing and one of my main reasons for wanting a homebirth - well, one of the many reasons, hospitals do such an incredible job of making you as imobile and uncomfortable as possible.
With my first LO, they sent a student midwife to insert the IV, she made a real cack job of it, and I spent my entire labour and a good many hours afterwards with my hand covered in dried and caked blood and this awful needle sticking out of it, it isn't painful, just uncomfortable and you are so conscious of not wanting to knock it on anything. ouch, that would hurt.

I had the same issue with my second. For my third birth, I was in a French hospital where they are even more medicalised, I was SO lucky to have a wonderful midwife who told me that though it was LAW to have an IV drip to rehydrate you, she would make an allowance for me and allow me to have it after the baby was born, so I could remain mobile during labour. I was still strapped to monitors though, which is also a royal pain in the ass, but I respect that is more to keep a check on LO.

I suppose they leave the IV in, just in case they need to use it again afterwards, but imo I think it is a little unecessary in most cases and not very fair to the new mums, as I am sure in most cases it is never used again, and they could always insert it in the other hand if something came up later and there was an emergency. It really is just super uncomfortable. I am so looking forward to a home birth, where I am the boss and not subjected to all that equipment and all those people walking in and out!

 

[ttc_lolly]

I had one when having an op and I'm a big wuss, the only thing that grossed me out was them putting it in so I got them to spray the area with freezing stuff first x

 

[lushious09]

i dont get the point... why not just give u an injection when you need it... :S

 

[newmommy23]

my mom is an RN and she's doing my iv. ugh. I hate letting anyone else do it!

 

[bubbles]

I hate them!! they make me feel so ill. I had my first ever one when pregnant with DS in 08 (was actually 2years ago exactly on 11th) and the nurse, bless her, was so gentle but I still almost passed out, I'm not good with things like blood tests either. When I had DS 2months later I had to have another one because I needed to be induced and he had pooped in me and I ended up with an infection from it. The gas and air really helped take my mind off it with the second one

 

[moomin_troll]

i havent read the replys but they take the metal out and leave a plastic under ur skin so u can still move.

im beyone terryfied of needles, but when i had zane i was loosing too much blood and just incase i needed it a IV was put into my hand, it was sore but then i was so busy holding zane i didnt care about it.

i didnt need it in the end and they left it in my hand for hours longer then they should and my hand was so brused after, it was quiet sore.

 

[kellis]

I've had tons of the bloody things and they're not so bad, as previously mentioned they don't leave the needle in, just a small plastic tube. They can be a bit tender if you've had it in a while but it's nothing to worry about.

 

[PeaceLoveBaby]

I'm a nurse and have done tons of IVs. No, it's not a needle they leave in..they just use the needle to get the catheter in the right position, then they take the needle out and the very flimsy, plastic/rubber cath is left in..its very bendy and you won't feel it once it's in there. Sometimes they get sore at the insertion site after you've had it for a while..but my guess is, once you're in labor, you won't even notice it or anything else really lol.

 

[katzone]

Think I must have the worst skin/veins for these things, either that or the person doing it wasn't very well trained, took them ages, had to try 3 different times and then I swear it was at a funny angle once they managed it.
However once in I didn't find it too bad, like everyone else has said it was more an annoyance than cause any pain.