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OK, jsut a question.....
I want to know how hard i can fight this!
Hospital policy is that catheter is inserted by midwife PRIOR to ECS.
What the ??? Why???? i mean, why cause a little bit of pain when i 20 minutes patients are numb?
Can i really put my foot down and say no?
I would. Never had an ECS myself but as a nurse it sounds more like convenience for the theatre staff than anyhing else. Make it clear that you are the patient and its your decision and you want inserted after your anaesthetic ( general, block or whatever you are having)! If they say no ask what their rationale and is this an evidenced based practice (ie does doing it before have a better outcome)
Good luck and let me know how you go
I've had two c-sections now, and both times it was inserted when i was numb..... so i'd insist that they wait...
With my ECS the catheter was inserted in surgery, after the spinal was put in, and while they were getting me ready for the surgery... I asked my OB and this is standard practice at my hospital.
I can only think there may be a chance that if you can't feel it going in due to being numb you cant tell them if it hurts or not.
I've had a couple of catheters put in for various things and only one of them hurt. I also ended up with a UTI from it so it may have damaged me on the way in. I imagine if you can tell them it hurts then they can stop and try again :dunno:
Mine was done after the spinal as well, though it wasn't an elective c/s.
Mine was done after the spinal as well. I queried it before the op (at the presurgical appt where you chat to the anaesthetist, etc) and they said I could choose either way but they usually do it after the spinal. Just ask.
i have asked a few staff there, and they all insist on before the spinal..
I just think it sux, i am stressed about it all as it is, i dont need to stress about this too.
hey , i had an emerg cesarean for my son , and i screamed during the catheter insertion , was soo horible, i can still remember the feeling so well, , i had my daughter elective 13 months later and in my plan i stated i wanted it put in after i was numb, so point going thru the pain and stress of it, just request and push for it, it only takes the nurse a minute ,
ps.. they may insist on it but it is your birth your decision, you can down right refuse, and once they have all their staff there to work on you , they dont want to waste everyones time, so they will end up doing it for you numbed, it is purely only a convienice thing for them,, coz if u have it numbed they have to come with u to theatre to do it, DEMAND " i did, u are right u do not need the stress
I would insist that it is done post block.
Putting a IDC in a female is easier than a male in someways (other than finding the hole), the urethra is heaps shorter than in a male, so usually when its in, its in - they will get urine running out when it reaches the bladder... In a male you can get urine coming out (very rarely) when its still in the urethra and if you blow the balloon up too soon you can rupture the urethra which is incredibly painful.
When a male IDC is inserted we put in lignocane gel to numb the area - cant do that for a female de the anatomy of a female (TMI - nothing to hold onto to shove the lignocaine down).
If you get a UTI post IDC it is usually because the procedure was not sterile or the area is not cleaned regularly or was left in too long (which seldom is the case for c/s as they are usually removed after surgery, when sensation is back or the next day)
HTH :)
Its more the norm to have the Teletubby bag...I mean cath put in BEFORE going into theatre for an elective c/s as it cuts down on the waiting time for others who are having c/s that day. They want to get into gettign the baby out and moving the next person in so to speak rather then take 5 mins after your numb or knocked out to put the cath in.
with an emergency they tend to want to get the eppi into you as quick as they can and normally try to do the cath straight after it as they dont want you to be contracting badly (so I was told) when they do it
i would tell the anethatist (sp?) when you see them - usually 2 days before your c/s, that you qould prefer this method and use your voice...tell who ever you come into contact to...they'll soon get the hint.
i had one put in while I was labouring with VY and the stupid woman put 2 yes 2 up there because the first one was to big so she slid the second one up there...that friggen KILLED!!! (sorry not what you want to hear)
ETA Im crossing my legs and gritting my teeth over the thought of the thing for you
Mine went in before I went into theatre, still in the labour ward. It didn't really hurt, just a bit uncomfortable which suprised me, I was really worried it would hurt.
definately insist they wait until after your spinal/epi - they cannot force you. Ive had 3 c/s - my 2nd was an elective and they put the catheter in before the spinal and it was horrible - i said never again - i had my 3rd elective 2 weeks ago and told them there was no way i would let them put it in before my spinal and they were actually quite understanding and no one kicked up a fuss - just warned me i would have an audience when it was done - like i cared after having 3 bubs!
definately stick to your guns, i aksed a midwife at around 30 weeks about it as i was already losing sleep over it - i know most people dont have bad experiences with them being put in - but once you've had one bad experience i think it would make you more tense which would make it worse.
have to say even after the spinal i could feel it going in but no pain or uncomfyness - just the sensation.
Good luck with your boys birth - wishing you all the best
Julie x
i had a elective ceasar 5 months ago and they put the catheter in after i had my spinal block done i was worried to and just asked and the midwife said they put it in after the spinal
with both my of my previous caesars.. catheter was put in prior to going into surgery :( NOT nice.. am now after seeing this going to ask them to put the catheter in when i am numb... will see what is said to that...
This was one of the first questions I asked my OB. He said that if I wanted it done after the spinal that is what he would do.
Then DS decided he wanted to arrive by himself, so when they took me to theatre on the day of my scheduled c/s, my OB did the catheter before I had anaesthetic. I was completely freaked out, but didn't feel a thing!
Definately keep fighting it, if it is freaking you out (understandably) then it won't be helpful to you or to them either.
Nic
ok,
i had 3 C/S.
2 em c/s under general- they insert it BEFORE i went under.
1 c/s with an epidural and the catheder went in AFTER i had the epidural in....
i would Q their practise, although i have to say the 2 i had inserted before the general weren't too bad. they were uncomfortable, but i would lie if i'd say they hurt, they really didn't.
good luck
Ive had both an elective and emergency c-section and both were put in after epi and spinal. They asked me what i wanted to do for the elective too. I would say out right "NO". What are they gonna do really. Say u cant have the c-section anymore. The hospital that your going to must not really like making thier patients comfortable. Seems silly doesnt it.
mine was put in before my spinal (em-c)
that said, i was in fiercely horrific transition after 25 hours, so they could have clubbed my urethra with a spiked instrument and i wouldn't have cared.
Ok, i've never had a section OR a catheter - my closest experience is having a urethral swab taken when i had a UTI - got my legs crossed tightly right now!!!
Talk to anyone who will listen, and use the word "consent" - consent is a powerful legal term. "i would prefer to have the catheter in after i'm numb" is a best-case-scenario preference. "I do not consent to having the catheter placed before i am numb" is a fair warning that you're not mucking about, there WILL be a lawsuit, and they'd better remember it! Ask your Ob to write it on your notes in big writing (you can make them write it - i made mine write "does not consent to chemical induction" even though it was effectively putting handcuffs on him, he HAD to do it! LOL).
If you have done this and a nurse still arrives pre-anaesthatist with a cath pack PUT YOUR KNEES TOGETHER and tell them they can place it just as soon as the anaesthatist has done their thing, as per your notes.
Ladies just because you're having surgery DOES NOT mean THEY are in control. It is YOUR baby, YOUR body, YOUR birth. The answer to "It's hospital policy to place the cath first" is "It is MY policy not to allow that". You're in charge, don't forget!
Bx
Mumma - it is a policy but every hospital i have worked in!.
Basically it is a time and sterility issue.
Once you have been given your spinal the ob is usually scrubbed up (the midwife isnt as they are not part of the theater team as such). And your body and the table is sterile. SO to have someone come in to catheterise could cause a sterility problem as wee runs out etc etc (although it is considered sterlie as well). As you will have no control down there - there are a lot of precautions to be taken so that your legs are positioned correctly as not to fall off the table.. it more people touching you - reducing sterlity. But also the anaestist would prefer you to have your spinal for the least amount of time possible - and not be waitin around for the catheter to be placed in case they make a real mess and then they have to clean everything and re steriliser the theatre area .. which is very difficult with a patient who cannot move from the chest down.
A lot of hospitals now - catheterisation doesnt need to be sterile. ANd honestly yourmidwife would have done a million of them and should only take 5 minutes after your prep shower. then the theatre staff can just get on with it.
In saying that though.
They are often put in theatre if the ob agrees the nursing staff to do so. (not just c/s but all operations that reduce mobility in the patient post-op)
So it is definatly worth asking about it - it is your body