IVs During Labor and Delivery

klow · Aug 2, 2008

Did you receive an IV during your labor and delivery? I'd love to hear from you. I am writing an article for a pregnancy site. Would love to get general info about IVs and moms experiences with them...

Please email me at [email protected]

Would need to use your name, city and state

Thank you so much!
Keath

Stacia Kane · Aug 2, 2008

I'll email! I had an IV. I looooved my IV. It had Demerol in it.

jennifer75 · Aug 2, 2008

I had an IV. I basically had to be refilled with fluids because my water broke so long before delivery, I was a beached whale. It was horrific. I swelled up three times my size.

I also had meds comin through it so I was a bit loopy.

jennifer75 · Aug 2, 2008

google doesn't recognize your email addy.

Greenwolf103 · Aug 3, 2008

Unpleasant IV experience here. The MA had a hard time getting the needle into my vein. She had to stick me several times. It was not pleasant. Finally got the IV in after numbing my hand.

Jersey Chick · Aug 3, 2008

I had an IV during both of my kids' deliveries - emergency c and scheduled c - not bad experiences, though my hand and wrist swelled up the second time. Mine also carried drugs - good, good things...

willfulone · Aug 3, 2008

I thought all women had an IV during delivery? That is the way it is here, but maybe not everywhere. I asked my sisters and friends who all have children (well the ones home right now). Of 26 deliveries, ALL had an IV of antibiotics to prevent infection and fluids to prevent dehydration. Even my sister who ended up delivering in the ER (water broke, drove to hospital, baby born less than 1 hour after water broke) had IV antibiotics/fluids. I had an IV, but not only for antibiotics/fluids. I had the antibiotics, lovely pitocin for 5 hours before I got some pain med, then finally an epidural (IV in the spine). What IV type are you requesting information about?

ETA: Correction. I should state ALL deliveries in hospital here have antibiotic and fluid IVs at a minimum. I only refer to hospital births in my area when I state those all have IVs. For, home births or deliveries on way to hospital and the like may not have any IV intervention.

Nakhlasmoke · Aug 3, 2008

willfulone said:
I thought all women had an IV during delivery? ....

And here is why I am so glad my second birth was at home.

I did have an IV for my hospital birth (and a catheter, what FUN!) and a baby monitor. Grrrrr.

Perks · Aug 3, 2008

I had the works the first time and hated it. I went with a midwife the second time, in a hospital and allowed them to insert a heparin lock (an IV port with a drop of heparin [an anti-coagulant] to keep it open.) It was a great compromise, because they could insert a line in right away, if needed. (It wasn't.)

They were none too pleased that I sipped water and chicken broth (and munched a few crackers) during labor, but they couldn't stop me.

The danger of food and water during labor presupposes quite a cascade of things going wrong. I wouldn't advise any laboring mother to eat a steak dinner in the middle of everything, but small amounts of easily digestible foods keep you going.

It was great.

willfulone · Aug 3, 2008

Nakhlasmoke said:
And here is why I am so glad my second birth was at home.

I did have an IV for my hospital birth (and a catheter, what FUN!) and a baby monitor. Grrrrr.

I don't think it is bad to have IV antibiotics, nor fluids during delivery. I don't think preventing infection or dehydration are cop outs in delivery. Not saying you are saying that either.

Likewise, I think home delivery is a wonderful thing, if one can manage it and it works for them. I had no such choice in my situation.

Melanie Nilles · Aug 3, 2008

I only had an IV for pitocin. Once you get an epidural, they also give pitocin, so the epi doesn't slow down delivery, at least where I was. Otherwise, I got fluids the old fashioned way--water and ice chips. No antibiotics either. There wasn't any risk of infection of anything for either of my girls.

Perks · Aug 3, 2008

willfulone said:
ETA: Correction. I should state ALL deliveries in hospital here have antibiotic and fluid IVs at a minimum. I only refer to hospital births in my area when I state those all have IVs. For, home births or deliveries on way to hospital and the like may not have any IV intervention.

IV antibiotics are standard in your area? That's very strange to me. I did some preliminary study into midwifery and I know that in hospitals, fluids are commonplace, but prophylactic antibiotics? That must be very regional indeed.

willfulone · Aug 3, 2008

Perks said:
IV antibiotics are standard in your area? That's very strange to me. I did some preliminary study into midwifery and I know that in hospitals, fluids are commonplace, but prophylactic antibiotics? That must be very regional indeed.

It appears it was standard 15 - 23 years ago for those I asked today. At least in my area. Mind you, I only asked 9 women, not a cross section of the whole of the population (112,000+) in my city. It is possible that some memories are not accurate and only fluids were administered. I know, for my child, I did have antibiotics.

willfulone · Aug 3, 2008

Melanie Nilles said:
I only had an IV for pitocin. Once you get an epidural, they also give pitocin, so the epi doesn't slow down delivery, at least where I was. Otherwise, I got fluids the old fashioned way--water and ice chips. No antibiotics either. There wasn't any risk of infection of anything for either of my girls.

I had the pitocin for 5 hours, escalating dosages, before I had the epidural. I did not know that about giving pitocin with/after an epidural, but it makes sense.

I could not keep water down, thus no chips or drinks for me.

Stacia Kane · Aug 3, 2008

Nakhlasmoke said:
And here is why I am so glad my second birth was at home.

I did have an IV for my hospital birth (and a catheter, what FUN!) and a baby monitor. Grrrrr.

I liked the catheter. I didn't have to get up to go to the bathroom! Nice.

I don't think there were antibiotics in my IV though. I'm pretty sure it was just Pitocin, "fluids", and Demerol. Lovely Demerol.

Then I had the epidural with my first (which ended up being a c-section.) My second was a scheduled c-section so I had a spinal block, which was great, like floating on a warm cloud.

Robin · Aug 3, 2008

Our hospital only gives antibiotics during labor if the mom is positive for Group B strep. Women get tested for that around 35 weeks, so if a women comes to the hospital in early labor, she would get the antibiotics prophylactically.

I had a student nurse start my IV with the first baby. Ugh. I refused that the second time around. Demerol both times, Pit with the second one. Pitocin is very harsh.

Melanie Nilles · Aug 4, 2008

Robin said:
Our hospital only gives antibiotics during labor if the mom is positive for Group B strep. Women get tested for that around 35 weeks, so if a women comes to the hospital in early labor, she would get the antibiotics prophylactically.

I had a student nurse start my IV with the first baby. Ugh. I refused that the second time around. Demerol both times, Pit with the second one. Pitocin is very harsh.

Ditto, on both accounts--antibiotics and pit. I just want to add that I hate pitocin!

Sandi LeFaucheur · Aug 4, 2008

I had my son 21 years ago in England, and I have no recollection of having an IV. In fact, I'm sure I didn't. I didn't have any pain relief: was throwing up so couldn't have gas and air, and I don't think I could have had an epidural even if I wanted one. Can't remember why--possibly because I was 4 cm when I came in and the kid wasn't hanging about? Anyway, childbirth was a particularly foul experience for me. Wasn't allowed to go to the bathroom in case I had the child in the toilet, so they put a bedpan on a rocking chair--yes, a rocking chair. Then, whilst using bedpan on rocking chair, I started to throw up. Then, whilst throwing up whilst using bedpan on rocking chair, student doctor came in and said he'd like to help with the birth. I believe I was somewhat foul and ordered him out. Kid's shoulders got stuck and I declared I couldn't have the baby, I just couldn't do it. So the midwife said that was all right, she'd send me home on the bus. Then after the baby was born, the placenta didn't come out....

But did I have an IV? Nope.

Jersey Chick · Aug 4, 2008

DecemberQuinn said:
I liked the catheter. I didn't have to get up to go to the bathroom! Nice.

I don't think there were antibiotics in my IV though. I'm pretty sure it was just Pitocin, "fluids", and Demerol. Lovely Demerol.

Then I had the epidural with my first (which ended up being a c-section.) My second was a scheduled c-section so I had a spinal block, which was great, like floating on a warm cloud.

My deliveries were very similar - but I didn't like getting the block. It didn't exactly hurt, but the pressure was very, very uncomfortable. Once it was over, it was wonderful... and my equally wonderful doctor made sure the block had been administered before I was given the catheter.

jennifer75 · Aug 4, 2008

Greenwolf103 said:
Unpleasant IV experience here. The MA had a hard time getting the needle into my vein. She had to stick me several times. It was not pleasant. Finally got the IV in after numbing my hand.

I remember seeing blood travel up the tube, I thought maybe that wasn't so good, so I said something.....wasn't bad but required them to fix the connection which meant re-sticking!!! Numerous times!

jennifer75 · Aug 4, 2008

Nakhlasmoke said:
And here is why I am so glad my second birth was at home.

I did have an IV for my hospital birth (and a catheter, what FUN!) and a baby monitor. Grrrrr.

Oh yea I had that too, that was splendid.

I often thought later about how I should have paid more attention and thought more about the midwife delivery in a birthing home instead of at Kaiser, where my doctor never even showed up. Who knows how much more pleasant an experience it could have been.

jennifer75 · Aug 4, 2008

Melanie Nilles said:
I only had an IV for pitocin. Once you get an epidural, they also give pitocin, so the epi doesn't slow down delivery, at least where I was. Otherwise, I got fluids the old fashioned way--water and ice chips. No antibiotics either. There wasn't any risk of infection of anything for either of my girls.

I received pitocin a while before my epidural, and started contracting HEAVILY I REPEAT HEAVILY AND PAINFULLY, long before I was even dialated to two. Yea, love that pitocin.

Sakamonda · Aug 4, 2008

I too had a Heplock (IV portal placed in case of emergency but then sealed off and not used until later). I attempted to have totally natural nonmedicated birth in cooperation with a doula and an OB. (OB was very amenable to my wishes for natural). I drank water and juice to stay hydrated, ate granola bars and Popsicles to stay nourished, so there was no need for me to have an IV for fluids/nutrition. This was not considered a problem by the doctor or hospital at all. Laboring women DO NOT need IVs under normal circumstances; when hospitals require it (or tell you that you need it) it is usually overkill, unless there is a bona fide medical need for antibiotics or other meds. (Painkillers are NOT necessary for labor, though many women do prefer them).

Unfortunately, I was in labor for more than 27 hours with no progress beyond 7 cm, so they finally had to bring out the Pitocin, (yuck!), which required using that IV Heplock that had been placed at the beginning. And when they did that (can you say, AGONY??) I finally broke down and asked for the epidural. Baby was born less than 1 hour after Pit was started, and the epidural was very "light", so I was only on the IV for a little over an hour.

In a nutshell, IVs are not always necessary for births in the US, but the majority of laboring women do have them. I had to submit my request not to have an IV placed in writing in advance of my labor (though it was not considered a problem in any way that I made this request.)

WildScribe · Aug 6, 2008

Nakhlasmoke said:
And here is why I am so glad my second birth was at home.

I did have an IV for my hospital birth (and a catheter, what FUN!) and a baby monitor. Grrrrr.

**Cheers** I had a home birth, mostly to avoid needles. IVs are a standard procedure at most hospitals (you walk in the door and they practically stick you on your way to a bed!) I hate needles. Grrrr!

Home birth was great, in case anyone's interested.

Nakhlasmoke · Aug 6, 2008

Kinda derailing this thread, but yeah, home birth beat the hospital one hands down.

I was so amazed by what my body and mind were capable of, and my baby was so chilled and happy - no drugs, just getting straight into mommy's arms and checking out the world.

IVs During Labor and Delivery

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