Natural Birth
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Catheter for natural birth?
Maybe a silly question... Due date is 8 days away...do they still insert a catheter during natural child labour? If so, is it painful?!
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Re: Catheter for natural birth?
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
I haven't known anyone who needed a catheter. Nobody. Not those who had a epidural and not those who didn't. Maybe you could ask at the place you will deliver to see what they do there.
I had one natural birth and one birth with an epidural.
You would typically not need a catheter, because you can pee on your own. There may be a rare case where a woman has a very full bladder and can't empty it, and the care provider thinks it would help the baby get born if the bladder was emptied so a cath may be used then, but I haven't heard any stories of it.
I think with my daughter's birth, who emerged posterior (sunny side up) a very full bladder may have been part of the reason why my pushing stage was so long. I had been drinking tons, and tried to pee upon arriving at the hospital (I was fully dilated), but nothing would come out. 3+ hours of pushing later (and still no peeing) she was finally born. I sometimes wonder if it would have taken less time if they had cathed me. I'm sure that would have been super uncomfortable though, and maybe not "necessary" in the sense that I did finally get her out.
So my advice is to pee early and often when in labor.
Bonus: The very movements of getting to the toilet and sitting on the toilet can help to open the cervix and help baby maneuver through your pelvis!
I had a catheter. I had a 100% natural birth. I didn't pee for over 16 hours during labor and the baby wouldn't drop because my bladder was so full. There is a name for this, I just can't recall. My midwife who has only seen this happen to one other patient ever in 30 years of her practice inserted a temporary cath. They emptied a little over a liter of pee from my bladder.
My bladder was so full that it was like I had a bump and a bladder bump.
In addition, I had to have another catheter the next morning. By that afternoon, I was peeing fine.
My baby is two!!! Baby girl 9/17/09
My other baby is still a baby! Baby Boy 11-30-11
Everyone else pretty much said it - barring any unexpected circumstances, you shouldn't ever be cathed for an unmedicated birth.
SHOULD you wind up getting an epidural, it IS worth noting that you can (and IMO should) insist that they cath you AFTER the epidural has kicked in. Then you don't have to worry about the pain.
More Green For Less Green
I needed a catheter shortly after my son's natural birth. I couldn't empty my bladder on my own. I didn't even have the urge to go at all. Anyway, I only needed it for a few moments and compared with all of the other discomforts associated with childbirth, it wasn't that bad. A few hours later I was able to pee on my own.
Though as an aside, for about 2 months after giving birth I didn't have very strong urges to pee. I could go forever without having to pee. My bladder must have been shocked senseless from the delivery....