Catheter?

hokiemama06

Okay, so I am one of those people who have never been to the hospital for anything.  The most serious thing ever to have happened/done to me is I had my wisdom teeth out.  So, I'm a little anxious about all the different things that will be happening to me at the hospital (not even the birth so much as the IVs, monitoring, etc.)

I know that epis and cathers are BOGO, but my question to you ladies who have had one is...do the cathers hurt?  I feel like having a tube pushed into your urethra would be really uncomfortable, and the whole urine bag thing doesn't do much for my dignity, particularly when I understand you have to keep it in for 24 hours after the delivery.  Having guests see my bag of pee isn't really that appealing to me...

(I know this is a dumb question, asking if a cather will hurt when I am prepping to push a baby out my vag, but I'm asking anyway...it's probably a coping mechanism to focus on one small thing that weirds me out instead of thinking about the whole process )

danieliza1127

I didn't think you automatically get a catheter just because you get an epidural.  Is that what you mean by BOGO?  I've read so many birth stories and no one has ever mentioned that.  Now I'm curious!

MrsSarahL

Having a catheter put in doesn't hurt.  Usually they wait until you can't feel it go in, but I have had one wide awake before and it wasn't too bad.  This probably sounds weird, but I don't mind having one.  Unless your bag is full or there is a kink in the hose, you never feel like you have to pee.  And, at least for me, you can barely feel anaything when it comes out.

 They, at least at my hospital, hang the bag on the side of the bed so that it is partially covered by blankets.  Other people in the room won't notice it.

cwm11985

I had one when I was hospitalized a year ago.  I was on no sort of pain medication and it was nothing, I was freaking out about it and then just had to laugh because a finger prick is way worse IMO.

basil2008

I've been scared about this too but hear they wait until after you get your epi to put it in. If you aren't having an epi than hopefully what the PPs said is true.

oncoRN

It shouldn't hurt, it should just feel like pressure

piper09

You won't even know it's going in.  I'm not sure about them leaving it in for 24 hours, though.  They took mine out after I delivered and monitored my urination for 12 hours.  I had to pee a certain amount during that time (they put a measuring cup type thing in the toilet, lol).  Because of the epi, I couldn't feel the urge to pee, so they gave me TONS of liquids to drink.  I still couldn't go, and my bladder was so incredibly full that I had to get another catheter put in.  That didn't hurt, either.  The full bladder was extremely painful and the worst part of my entire labor experience.

I will add that they had a really hard time putting in the second one because I was so swollen from pushing for two hours.  It still didn't hurt at all.

jennyflynn

Ok, now i really want to know about the leaving it in for 24 hours bit. That's news to me! What have other people experienced? I don't want to visit with family and friends while my pee-bag fills up!

CountryWild84

I guess I am the odd one out.

The catheter is what I remember the most from labor with my first. It was so uncomfortable. The nurses kept telling me that I shouldn't be feeling it since I had an epidural but I did!

I am not sure if I was having a reaction to the tubing or maybe I had a small bladder infection to begin with, but it stung like hell.

I am dreading this more than anything. When I tell people that they look at me like I have two heads. I wll hold of on the epidural until I can no longer stand it.

And they took it out shortly after deliver. No need to have it for 24 hours.

Soontobemrspaulding

To be honest I never knew I had one. If I did it came out within an hour of giving birth. In fact to get sent to mother baby from labor and delivery you had to get up twice to use the bathroom. 

CopsGirl11103

If you chose to have an epidural you will have a catheter put in because u r numb from the waist down and can't walk anymore to use the restroom. So u r numb and therefore don't feel it going in.

I has mine in while I was pushing. They tape it to the inside of your thigh so it's not in the way. Then it is removed after the vaginal birth/csection. When it's removed they just tell you to take a deep breath and then they pull it out. It's slightly uncomfortable, not really painful.

Yes ur bag o' pee is hanging right out for the world to see, but I had my mom have the hospital blanket kinda hang over the side of the bed to cover it when ppl were there. I really wasn't thinking about it but I think it bothered her more to see it so she covered it.

  

KissyFishyLips

During my last labor, I had my catheter put in after my epi was already working. So I didn't feel the catheter at all, thankfully.

 I've had one put in when I was *not* under any kind of pain meds, and while it didn't really hurt, per se, it wasn't the most pleasant feeling.   

1happygurl

I had 2 vaginal births with 2 epi's, no catheter either time.  My BP was high after the birth so they did put one in to get a clean urine sample.  It definitely hurt, but was over pretty quickly.

peeper72

I didn't have an epidural but did have and IVC and one time urinary catheter. The IVc was annoying but not painful.

The urinary catheter: towards the end of my labor we realized that I hadn't urinated on my own the entire time I was at the hospital (hours) and had been pushing against a full bladder. That should give you an idea of how skewed your sensation is though - I can't believe how much urine there was and I had NO sensation that I had to go, didn't feel the U-cath go in either (remember, no epi). 

catmtl

I didn't feel it going in or coming out. They took it out pretty soon after labor too cause I went to pee on my own about 2 hours after giving birth and was OK.

CJCross81

I had one with my c section and it didn't hurt when they put it in. If you need one, just remember to relax, look at the ceiling tiles or something when they are putting it in, and when they get the tube in your bladder, it will feel like you gotta pee, but it's all getting collected in a bag. Same with a straight cath, though the tube doesn't stay in your bladder. Maybe some Drs opt for the catheter when you have an epi, 'cause a full bladder will inhibit the progress of labor, and maybe getting up and down out of bed every hour or so to use the bathroom would be a safety/fall risk.

ashleynaka

The good news is, neither the IV, nor the cath hurt if done properly.  The cath will only be placed if you are getting an epi and the epi will be in place before you get your cath, so you don't feel a darn thing!  I got my IV in my arm instead of my hand and it was so much better!  I was only feeling the weirdness of the IV in my forearm, but not pain like in the hand.

Try not to worry, because if you are like me and go into labor and are suffering by the time you walk in the door, they can pretty much do anything and you won't feel the pain b/c your contractions will be so darn painful! 

flygirlbethany

Dejavu! This was me too a tee with the 1st delivery and I'm dreading it more then labor this time!

People think I'm nuts and the nurses also said I shouldn't feel it with the epidural.

I wanted to ask my Dr. if I could not get one this time. ???? Is it a must?