Austin Babies

IV tips and induction tips

I remember a discussion (maybe even a few months ago) re: IV's when going into the hospital.?I'm likely going in to be induced on Sunday night and was wondering what I need to ask for re: IV's during labor and delivery.

I'm also very nervous about the whole induction process, as our plan during the pregnancy had been to do everything naturally.?Any tips or words of encouragement, and wonderful induction stories are appreciated. Thanks :)?

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Re: IV tips and induction tips

  • I'm not familiar with the IV discussion, but am definitely curious!  :)

    I just wanted to tell you good luck, and you will do great!  I was induced when I had DS - the induction started at 7am, and I had him at 1:04pm.  I was super nervous about the process, but it ended up being a wonderful, problem-free experience!  As you are going through the labor and delivery, you may not get to follow your original plans, but trust that your doctors are making decisions that are in you and your baby's best interest.  Even though I was hoping for things to happen a certain way, in the end, I was just so thankful to have a perfect, healthy baby in my arms! 

    Wishing you a super easy labor and delivery!  :)

     

  • I did not have a normal induction, my water broke but I did not start contractions on my own so they had to start a pitocin drip.  My labor was wonderful, I was planning on an epi the entire time though, so take that for what it is.  It was only 6 hours from the time that started the pitocin until I was pushing, and I only pushed 3 times.  Yes Everything went so smoothly, I could not have asked for a better labor.

    I will be honest the contration were very intense and painful.  I had had contraction (false labor) the week before. While those were painful, they were nothing compared to the pitocin contractions.  Not to scare you, but just wanted you to be prepared.

    As for the IV.  I knew I wanted an epi so they started an IV on me right away.  (I believe they also start one soon with an induction, since they give you the pitocin through the IV).  I am not sure if the nurse just was not very good at IV (she was a wonderful nurse in every other aspect) but it hurt a lot!  Of course I am terrified of needles so that might have something to do wwith it.  Anyway, when I had my back surgery this summer, I was very nervous about the IV.  The nurse gave me a shot for a local first and then put in the IV needle.  It was soooooooo much better.  I felt the slight sting from the needle with the local and then nothing from the IV needle.  I will definitely be asking for them to do that when I have this baby. 

     Good Luck!  I am sure everything will be great.  I might not be the labor you dreamed of, but you will still get to hold your precious baby in the ned, and that is what is important, right.

     

    I think the IV discussion you mention was about where to have them put it?  I do remember that, but not what was said.  I will be interested in the responses though.  Mine was in the side of my hand and it aggravated me until they finally took it out, a few hours after delivery.

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  • Have your OB prescribe you EMLA cream. It is a numbing cream that you put on the skin 1 hour prior to needle sticks and cover completely. I have used it for EVERY single blood draw and IV's. I have NEVER felt being poked. I am a needle phobic! ;-) My OB prescribes it to me. Just ask and tell them that you are afraid of the IV and you need the cream. It is the best thing ever.
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  • I was induced w/DS at 40w6d and I requested (ahead of time) to have an IV started right away - that way I would be able to get epidural when I needed it, b/c you have to have a certain amount of fluids given to you via IV before they'll let you have it. I know that you plan to go as natural as possible, but just thought I'd pass that info on to you. I went in at 6am, OB broke my water at 9am, epi at 10am (my OB let me have the epi as soon as I asked for it), DS came at 8pm after 1hr of pushing.
  • you're gonna do great! my only advice (which is pretty much my advice with all things) is that slow and steady wins the race.?

    once you're at the hospital- don't feel rushed. if you have a question about what they are doing- ask. if you wonder if there is a different way they could do something- ask.?

    i know your plan is to go med-free. i opted to have some Staydol (i think that is the name of it) and it made me LOOOOOPY. I wouldn't do that again.

    i think you're at namc, right? the nurses there are rock-stars. awesome. remind them of your plans to go med free, ask them about position suggestions, IV placement for better mobility, etc. they're on your team!

    can't wait to meet her!?

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  • I was induced with both, and everything went great both times.  Here's the Cliff notes version :)

    Baby #1 - By 38 weeks I was dilated to 3.  My water broke, and four hours later I still wasn't having any contractions.  I was put on pitocin about 5pm and labor started.  I had wanted to go without pain meds, I had even taken a lamaze class.  But by 10 pm I was only dilated to 5 and couldn't take it any more.  Got the epi...it didn't work...was dilated to 10 by 2 am...pushed a couple times and Jakob was born - 6 lbs 11 oz.  My doc had tried to stretch things down there but I still needed an episiotomy and then two stitches. 

    Baby #2 - My doctor took mercy on me and induced at 39 weeks 6 days.  I wasn't dilated at all.  At 8 pm I got the Cervadil put in, and I had very mild contractions all night.  By 7 am I still wasn't dilated and we started the pitocin.  Contractions were the devil - by 10 am I was dilated to 3 and I got the epi which was a god-send.  Baby's heart rate dipped slightly so they put me on oxygen.  Pure oxygen will make you kinda silly...I spent the next hour stoned out of my mind and deliriously happy :)  By 11 am I was to 10 cm, baby was born at 11:18.  8 lbs 3 oz...no tearing or stitches.  I felt so great from the epidural that I was laughing while I was pushing because it was so easy.  IMO that's how labor should be.  Not screaming and crying from the pain, but happy and laughing, excited to meet the baby.

    My only tip - get the IV right away.  I could have gotten the epi sooner with Baby #2 but we had to wait the IV to finish so I would be fully hydrated.  If you're getting induced then you already aren't going med-free.  I hear that pitocin-induced contractions are worse, but I wouldn't know.

    Good luck!  The end is in sight and you'll have your little baby soon :)

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  • My story is similar to Abbysmom. My water broke on its own but then my labor totally stopped for some reason and I ended up having to have pitocin to start contractions. Everything went really smoothly. I only labored about 10 hours and only pushed for about 30-40 minutes. I dealt with early labor for 2.5 weeks and I absolutely agree that my post-pitocin contractions were a lot stronger than anything else I had felt. Good luck! I can't wait to hear your story and see pictures!
    Kimberly, DH Monte, Angel baby 10/06, Angel twin 7/07, Rhett Kaden, our IVF miracle, born 3/23/08, Mason Robert & Wyatt David, our FET miracles, born 8/2/09 at 36 weeks, 3 days
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  • Same as some others - my water broke, but no labor... started pitocin. I labored for 7 hours w/o meds and was uncomfortable, but wasn't asking for meds until hour 5 or so. ?The baby wasn't low enough or something and I was only 2cm so they didn't want to give me an epi and gave me some staydol - like PP it made me feel very out of it and didn't do much for the pain. I got an epi at hour 6 and went from 2 to 7 in like 1 hour! ?I stalled there for awhile and the epi wore off - they gave me more and I got to 10 really quickly. ?I only pushed for 30 min and was very happy and pain free during delivery - I had a small tear and 2 stiches. As far as the IV goes - they didn't give me a choice. ?As soon as I got there they did it. It is a bigger needle and it was annoying, but not too bad.

    So, all in all, I was very happy with my experience... it wasn't how I planned it, but the end result was the same :)?

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  • how exciting!!  :) 

    i wish i had asked them to put the iv in my left arm/hand instead of my right. i'm right-handed and it was just uncomfortable when i was stroking my beautiful new baby. :)  i meant to ask the nurse to do the left but it happened so quickly that i didn't even realize what she was doing until it was done.

  • I was induced at 38 weeks with only a fingertip dilated and maybe 30% effaced. IMHO I was not a good candidate for an induction and probably should have had a scheduled c-section. Anyway, we went in the night before for Cervidil (no big thing. I slept through the night). The next morning at 9 AM, they broke my water and started pit. I dilated to 6 cm and then stalled. I got the epi at 5 cm. I don't think I knew what to expect because the pit contractions weren't as bad as I made them to be in my head. But the epi was awesome!

    RE: the IV --- It took five tries to get the IV started on me (vein kept blowing). This is not to scare you as I've always been difficult to start an IV on. However, after DS was born, all the fluids I had made me swell. That being said, my IV was in an odd location (vein that runs along the outside of your wrist) and the swelling caused my hospital ID to get very tight around the portion where the canula is in your vein from the IV. Very uncomfortable. 

    So just be sure they can put the IV somewhere where it won't be compromised by your ID band.

  • My Mom had pitocin to speed up labor and delivered without pain medication. Just wanted to mention that it is possible. Her attitude was "I can do anything for 45 seconds" which is how long her contractions lasted. The best advice I can offer is to not worry about things too much. Babies have plans that may be different than ours. Also, every person's labor is different. Don't listed to the scare stories. It is likely that you will have a wonderful and positive labor and delivery.

     Also, completely unrelated advice...I wish I had slept more in the hospital. I was so excited I couldn't sleep. I didn't realize it was the best chance to sleep for a few weeks.

     

    Good Luck!!


     

  • Request that they not put it in your hand or in the crook of your elbow. Most healthy young women have a nice vein that runs along the top of your arm, about 3-4 inches above your wrist. Cradle a stuffed animal like you would a baby and you'll see how much you move your hand/wrist and you wouldn't want your baby's head lying on your IV in the pit of your elbow! Be nice but firm about the location you don't want it.

    As for MrsRegis's comment about sleep - I couldn't agree more. I stayed in my room, in my bed for the most part - the entire stay. I wasn't one of those moms wandering the halls. I slept as much as I could. If they took her to the nursery, I let her stay there the full 3 hours or until they thought she was too hungry and needed to nurse. I know many moms can't stand the thought of their baby being away from them for one second, but I knew I'd have a good 9 weeks of 100% 1on1 time ahead of me. Sleep is a beautiful thing. Plus they bring the baby back from the nursery so perfectly swaddled it's amazing! Make sure to ask one of them how they do it so well =)

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  • I was induced at 41 weeks with no dilation.  They started Cervadil the night I went in and it was my least favorite part of the experience.  It's not much worse than a pap, but I thought it was like a tampon and instead it felt like a cardboard "x" being pushed up in there.  It lasts like 2 seconds, though.  Once it was in, I couldn't feel it.  The Cervadil worked and even started some contractions, although I never felt them.  I think I was 1-2 cm when they checked me in the morning.  They started Pitocin first thing in the morning and I asked for an epi right away.  I don't remember how dilated I was at that point, but I never felt more than discomfort in my back for a minute or so and that was it.  By 2:00, I was 8-9 cm.  I was shocked that my body was responding so well when it had done nothing before the induction.

    At that point, during the cervical exam they realized she was breech and I was off to a c/s.  That was completely out of the norm, though and never happens.  Everything up until that point was perfect, totally comfortable and things were happening quickly and as planned.

    I totally agree about sleeping while you're in the hospital.  I napped a little each day, but will be doing much more sleeping this time around!

     Good luck! I'm sure it will go smoothly!

  • Just wanted to give you my experience with an induction, and drug-free labor.

    DS was overdue almost a week, and though I resisted it as long as possible, my BP was high, and I had to be induced.  I checked into the hospital the night before and was given cervadil, and a hep-lock.  It was in my wrist, and was so irritating.  I will know next time to ask for different placement.  I was about 70% effaced and only a fingertip dialated when I arrived.  Around 3am, I started having contractions that mostly felt like menstral cramps.

    Before pitocin, I was almost completely effaced, and 3cm dialated.  So they started the pitocin drip around 7am.  It took about 30 minutes and then I could really feel the contractions kick into gear.  I was having to stop and concentrate with each contraction.  It wasn't long before it was pretty painful.  I didn't really experience hard contractions without pitocin, but let me tell you, with it, they hurt BAD.  I'm not trying to scare you, but if I wasn't 100% set on doing it drug-free, I would have easily opted for an epidural.  There were a few times I considered it, but DH and my doula (who was a life-saver) kept me focused.  I had to bite down on a washcloth because the contractions were so intense.

    They wanted to break my water at about 11am, and on the advice of my doula, we opted not to.  She said it would speed things along, but it would intensify the contractions.  No thank you, it hurt enough already.  It broke on it's own soon after that.

    Around 12:30pm I was completely dialated and ready to go.  It was a holiday weekend and the hospital was over-full and short-staffed, so I had to hold off on pushing through a few contractions.  That was not fun.  I pushed through probably 5-6 contractions and had DS at 12:58pm.

    So, a drug-free labor is possible despite being induced.  But I don't think I could have done it drug-free if I wasn't 100% determined to do so, and if I didn't have a doula and great DH.  But, if it's true that pitocin contractions are much worse than natural ones, I'm looking forward to having a drug-free labor again, but without the pitocin.  I'm planning a mid-wife and home or birthing center labor next go around.

    Best of luck to you.  It can be done!  And regardless of the means it takes to get there, meeting your baby is the best part of it all.

  • I think the IV tip was to have it in your writst, not in your hand or the crook of your arm.  That's where they put mine.

    My induction was wonderful, but I also had an epi, and I don't know if you want to go that route.  I was very relaxed, I progressed well, and everything went really smooth.  I was in labor for 9 hours and I only got up to 17 on the pit IV (they go anywhere from 2 to 40, depending on how you're progressing).  It could not have gone better!  But I will say that the contractions I had on pit were HORRIBLE- pain like I have never felt.  They didn't even compare to the moderate contractions I was having on my own all weekend.  I don't want to scare you, just prepare you.  It was rough on the pit before the epi.  The epi was a BREEZE- no pain at all.  Don't let fear of what the epi will feel like deter you from thinking about getting one, if that's one of your reasons.

    I pushed for 44 minutes and my little guy was here.  I had meconium in my water so I was really thankful we induced when we did.

    If you want a detailed play by play of everything you can email me!  baylorgirl at usa dot net 

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