Canulas and Water Births

[Guest1234]

I have to have a canula in during labour, and am planning on using a bath during labour, and quite possibly having a water birth, too.

Is me having a canula going to be a problem or get in the way of using the bath during labour?

[Nowhere]

Wil the canula be hooked up to something while your in the pool, if so that is fine just have to put wrap glad wrap around the arm that the canula is in and then seel it with sleek tape.

[Guest1234]

No it won't be hooked up to anything, it's just so they can give me antibiotics during labour. They said I would still be able to have an active labour, but I don't know where that all stands WRT a water birth.

[Nowhere]

No it won't be hooked up to anything, it's just so they can give me antibiotics during labour. They said I would still be able to have an active labour, but I don't know where that all stands WRT a water birth.

If its just for IV Abs then yerp again that would be fine in teh bath just have to wrap in glad wrap and take for when your in the bath, The only way it would be an issue would be if they had it in there for emergancy medicine so they would want the access open all the time, But for Abs then would be fine.

[headoverfeet]

Are you GBS+ ?

Sorry I'm on my phone so I can't see how far along you are, can you ask for a re-test closer to your EDD?

[MrsLozza]

It will be fine. It's a closed system so you shouldn't need to cover it if it is dressed properly.

[Nowhere]

It will be fine. It's a closed system so you shouldn't need to cover it if it is dressed properly.

Realy ?? we always have to cover DDs lines weather it be cannulas, piccs or CVCs, even with water proof dressing cause if water gets around under the dressing yu can loose the access. maybe its difernt for adults than peads ?

[Guest1234]

Are you GBS+ ?

Sorry I'm on my phone so I can't see how far along you are, can you ask for a re-test closer to your EDD?

I've refused the test, because they are treating me as positive even if I tested negative for this pregnancy. I'm 38 weeks atm :)

[headoverfeet]

Sorry hope you don't mind me asking questions but why? Is there a link between a previous pregnancy with +GBS and a following pregnancy?

Feel free to tell me to bugger off lol I'm just curious about all things birthy :)

[Guest1234]

I was positive with my daughter, and the hospital I'm giving birth at has a procedure where they treat for GBS in consecutive pregnancies even if you test negative. Thats about all that I know about it though, apart from the usual info about strep b coming and going in all women and that you can be positive one day and negative the next.

[headoverfeet]

Ah ok, never heard of that policy, I wonder why they do that!

Yeah I know it can come and go which was why I asked about getting retested.

[Guest1234]

I have no idea, I personally think the whole GBS test and stuff is stupid, if they monitored new bubs properly then there would be no need to treat mum with antibiotics during labour.
Less than 5% of babies are affected my strep b and if they are monitored correctly for the first 24 hours of their life then a possible strep b infection can be detected and treated. Seems like its all just too hard to do that though, so treat mum just in case.
I guess they have their reasons and procedures, but its not a huge statistic.

[headoverfeet]

Yeah it seems they should only be given if your bub from a previous pregnancy actually had GBS, but not just if you have tested + in a previous pregnancy. If you don't want the hassle then I would suggest just asking them to monitor bub more closely like you said, giving out antibiotics willy nilly is not healthy for anyone.

Just because it is hospital policy does not mean you have to do it yeah?

[Guest1234]

Yeah, I don't have to do it, but I had such a fight just declining doing the test I don't really have the patience to go fighting to not have the antibiotics.
Plus if I didn't have the antibiotics during labour I wouldn't be able to be discharged for 24+ hours because of bub needing monitoring and I would like that to be a option to me. So I am happy to have the antibiotics if it means bub will not have to be monitored and I will have the option to be discharged almost instantly.

[headoverfeet]

Good point!

Best of luck, I hope everything goes smoothly :)

[Bellini]

Memie, I had the canulla during my water birth and it's probably my only regret (it wasn't annoying, I just now believe it was unnecessary). I've done a lot of research on the matter since, and I won't be having it next time. I was tested because I went to my GP about thrush and she sent my swab results to the BC because they came back positive to GBS. I had NO idea what it was then, but my GP kept mentioning the words "baby" and "die" :rolleyes: Which of course, freaked me out at the time.

But in answer to your original question, the cannula was inserted into my hand, the antibiotics were administered, and then the cannular was left in, in case I needed another dose. I was able to do as I pleased in the birth pool, and it didn't matter if it got wet.

And by the way, you can discharge whenever you want - they recommended that I stay in the hospital after birthing in the birth centre so that they could monitor DS (regardless of the fact that I was administered antibiotics), and a paediatrician came in to tell me that DS had a chance of dying if I didn't stay in the hospital (he kept repeating the word "die" :rolleyes:). I stayed in overnight, no nurses came in to monitor him and the next day they still told me I had to stay another night. However, I signed a document stating that I was discharging against medical advice. It's not prison :) You can go when you please, they just like to cover their backsides for legal reasons.

Sorry about the ranty post, it was just the only downer of my birth experience, and one I often try to forget about :(.

[TheCatsMeow]

Hi there!

I didn't have a water birth but I was in the showers for quite a while for the first part of my labour and had a canula in. I got one because it had been 24 hours since my waters had broke, and they just asked me to come out, they inserted the canula and back in I went.

Hopefully you get the birth that you want! Good luck! :)

[studentmum]

Just say no...

If you want your birth your way just say no to the cannula when you arrive and say no to being treated as GBS+ without proof (How can that even be legal???) and then when bub is born say I would like the papers to sign for my discharge please...

You too can monitor bubs, take temps when feeding baby and if you are at all concerned in the first 24hrs then just return to the hospital and have him/her checked.

DONE!

I did the above (and far more 'worse' stuff!) in order to get my vba2c, I just wish I'd done it for my first two.

Sarah :D

[katw]

Hi there, I tested positive GSB so had a canula in for antibiotics. i had waterbirth and my hand was in teh water for most of my labour (a couple of hours). it was taped over and no problems. Getting the canula inserted was one of the most painful bits of my birth experience! Go for being in the water it is wonderful. Good luck x

[Guest1234]

Thanks for the replies :)
I didn't end up having a water birth, the bath was in use and it was too late to start filling it when it was ready. The shower was amazing though! I felt bad standing in there for so long though.

[ck2b]

Didn't read all replies but I had to have a cannula for IVABS and they just inserted a butterfly line each time I needed the antibiotics and then removed it-didn't hurt at all compared to labor and much more convenient ( was aiming for a waterbirth so spent most of my time in the bath).