For those that had a IV- Where is most comfy place to have it - Page 2

[Liquesce]

Just an added note, as a fellow "hard stick" (who currently has five good-sized bruises covering my arms from an IV a week ago) -- make sure to specifically ask that someone from the IV team is called in to do it, and not just any nurse. The IV personnel are, logically, generally a lot better at it, and if someone's trying who's having a lot of trouble it's not going to matter in the end where you'd rather it be placed -- it will just wind up wherever turns out to be possible.

[QueenOfThePride]

I had an IV in for my first labor. It was in the back of my hand. It didn't bother me during labor, but by the next day, after it was out, I had problems. The terminal end of the catheter must have been right in the crease of the back of my wrist. Because right there was a very painful lump in my vein. It was probably a clot from the end of the catheter rubbing inside my vein every time I moved my hand. I never told the nurses or doctor about it. I was just sick of medical stuff at that point.

[aylaanne]

I like forearm IVs the best. And I second the suggestion that someone else made about shaving your arms beforehand. It has several benefits, not the least of which that the IV is more comfortable coming out, the tape adheres better to your skin (so if you sweat a lot, like I do, it stays on better), there's the idea that there's less chance of infection (not really proven, IIRC) and it's easier to find the vein and get the stick the first time without the hair obscuring it.

If the hospital you're going to doesn't have an IV team, ask for their most successful IV starter (on my floor it was an LPN, she was genius with a catheter) and be assertive about it. You deserve to not be stuck fifty times. Also try to make your veins blossom by putting a warm pack on your arm before they try to start the IV. You can use a heating pad, a towel soaked in hot tap water, etc. Drink lots of water in the days leading to your birth so your blood volume is good.

Oh, and if your IV is uncomfortable, ask them to change it. They'll be resistant, because an IV is a portal of infection, but if you tell them that you'll take it out yourself if they don't change it they'll probably come around. Be a pain. I love patients who are a nuisance, It makes me pay attention to how I'm doing my job.

[HeatherB]

I've only had one and it was awful. They tried to stick my hand first (I was in active labor and couldn't really feel a thing), but apparently it started spurting blood everywhere - like on my DH who started looking faint and they asked him to have a seat! So then the went to the INNER forearm. I DO NOT recomend this site! It was nearly impossible for me to use that hand/arm at all because using the muscles in my forearm created pain. After my DS was born (by unnecesarean), I was positioned badly on the bed so that most of the space to put the baby was on the right - where the IV was. I couldn't use that arm to hold him or move him, and couldn't manage to move over due to the pain from surgery. Bad situation all around.

If I ever have to have one again (may it never be so!), I'll take the advice to go with the BACK of the forearm - not the inside!

[junamoss]

I always try to put them in the mid arm area. I hate hands, I found personally that they hurt. The mid lower arm can be wrapped and kept out of the way.