stupid question I am sure LOL

**Rach75** · April 14th, 2008, 03:02 PM

ok this could possibly be classed as the most dumbest stupidest question but well I have never thought of it before

was reading a friends birth story she had a epidural, ok didn't think anything of it till she was telling me about how long she had cathetor in ... ok here comes the stupid part.........

how do you give birth with a cathetor in does it go in a different part of your hoo haa than where bubs come out seriously nobody is allowed to laugh I feel like a complete dumb butt not knowing this

**alioops** · April 14th, 2008, 03:05 PM

Yes hun the catheter goes up the urethra (where u pee from) and the baby comes out the vagina (where you put a tampon). you can do damage if you push too hard with it in so i would recommend to avoid an epi for as long as possible.

**Janie** · April 14th, 2008, 03:09 PM

No such thing as a stupid question Rach

how else do we learn? I don't need to answer it for you though, Ali has done that

**Rach75** · April 14th, 2008, 04:19 PM

thanks girls I feel like a complete nut it came to me while I was doing my shopping I was like

**jenjams** · April 14th, 2008, 09:05 PM

Hmm Rach- I never thought of that. I had an epi and did not even think about the cathetar then I was pushing.

**Lulu** · April 14th, 2008, 10:18 PM

Uummm, can I ask a stupid question too???

**alioops** · April 14th, 2008, 10:25 PM

of course Lulu, don't you always :P tongue in cheek GSOH no offence iykwim

**Lulu** · April 14th, 2008, 11:08 PM

No this one is real!

Uummm, when you have a c section, how does the placenta come out??

*hides under the desk*

**alioops** · April 14th, 2008, 11:11 PM

I would assume they pull it out as part of the cleanup before stiching up. someone can correct me if i am wrong.

**Janie** · April 14th, 2008, 11:19 PM

Good question Lulu! I've always just assumed it is removed after the baby has been delivered. But I don't know anything about how long afterwards etc etc.

**diva det** · April 14th, 2008, 11:43 PM

yeah they pull it out when they pull the bubba out
i had twins and it was my DH job to carry the placentas down to the nursery in plastic bags so that they could inspect them to make sure they were in tact. Go DH!!! He said that they were still very warm!!!

I also had very little bleeding afterwards - and it was really only spotting for about a week or so and that's it!

HTH
odette

paradise lost · April 15th, 2008, 03:25 AM

Re: the catheter... My SIL had an epi and they emptied her bladder with a disposable catheter (very short straw it looked like) into a bedpan every 2 hours, she didn't have to push with it in.

Re: the placenta: the surgeon peels it off by hand before closing you up.

**MantaRay** · April 15th, 2008, 06:15 AM

Sadly it is a requirement in most, if not all hossies here that if you have an epi you have to have a catheter in for 24 hours.

paradise lost · April 15th, 2008, 06:46 AM

REALLY? That's so weird. I wonder why the UK doesn't do that? With SIL she had the "normal" epi experience. It was given at about 5cm, topped up once, began to wear off at transition, was allowed to wear off through pushing, and SIL felt the crowning, could move her legs by the time she was pushing and was able to stand within 30mins of delivery. They cath'd her about an hour after the epi was put in (because she said she felt uncomfy but couldn't feel why) and then every 2 hours thereafter. She had to pee by herself in delivery (within 2 hours of birth) to be allowed to the ward.

I think if they had the same rule here epi uptake might drop!

**Trish** · April 15th, 2008, 07:27 AM

I must be the only one on here that had a c section and got not cathetar. How good is that.

The placenta is taken out pretty much as soon as they get bub out.

**Lulu** · April 15th, 2008, 08:09 AM

Thanks guys! Sorry for the thread hijack Rach.

Wow, so it just peels off? Is there more chance of the usual "retained product"?

**Trish** · April 15th, 2008, 08:20 AM

Yes Lulu there is because basically they just tear it out any old how. Generally thet will say on their report about the placenta that it was "ragged membranes" because of how it ends up when they remove it.

paradise lost · April 15th, 2008, 10:13 AM

They have to get it out quickly because as soon as the baby is out the uterus begins to contract down hard, and they have to get the placenta out and carefully stitch it shut in a double layer while the whole organ basically halves in size. It happens fast, and they have to do a good suture job, so time is of the essence.