Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heplocks do bother me (I've had to have them for other issues as well). For me, it is just really uncomfortable, no matter where it is placed - some have been worse than others. Also, the needle can shift. OP, I opted out during labor, but if you don't want to do that, you could have them place one and remove it if it's too distracting or painful.

Like another PP explained, there is no needle in your arm once it is placed. It is a flexible plastic catheter. Maybe you feel tape pulling your arm hair-- that can feel like a pinch.

I am the PP. I am aware that it is tiny plastic tube, but yep, they are typically uncomfortable to me at the insertion site (it's not the tape) - not always right away, but sometimes after 24hours or so.

No advice, just sympathy OP. The heplock and IV fluids that I got when dehydrated did not bother me but the catheter hurt like hell and that's one of those things you're not supposed to even notice but during contractions, it burned like no other, even with the epi. I'm not sure if I should expect it to hurt again in the future or if it was a fluke but I'm also worried about getting it again the second time around.

Thanks to all the posters. I'm going to write these suggestions down and bring them to the hospital. So appreciate it!

Anonymous wrote:Mine was bad for my first labor. For my second, I asked to have the anesthesiologist give me a numbing injection before they put it in...maybe lidocaine? This made a big difference, as I also have small veins that are difficult. The pain probably isn't from the saline lock itself, but bruising from them digging around for the proper placement,

You can also ask for EMLA cream--they use that on pediatric patients; it's a topical ointment, but it needs to be on your skin for about 1/2 an hour before you get the heplock.

You can tell the L&D nurse at the hospital that you had a really negative/painful experience with the saline lock the first time around, and that you would like to request that someone very skilled do the placement (there are generally specific nurses, residents, etc. who have a reputation for being able to get one in smoothly and on the first try). Also I think making sure it's not in your dominant arm if possible, and that it is not anywhere near a bend in your wrist or elbow, can help (though it sounds like that wasn't the issue the first time).

With my second baby I received antibiotics through a butterfly needle -- midwife put the needle/catheter in, put the medicine in, then removed everything. My current provider says they can do that this time if it appears that I'll only need one dose of antibiotics so I'm hoping to go that route. With an epidural though you'd need to saline lock to get fluids, etc.

PP's suggestion of asking for lidocaine is a really good one. And I think if it really bothers you it would be worth asking them to redo it...it could have been that they put it in poorly and that a better placed one would not have bothered you as much.

Mine was bad for my first labor. For my second, I asked to have the anesthesiologist give me a numbing injection before they put it in...maybe lidocaine? This made a big difference, as I also have small veins that are difficult. The pain probably isn't from the saline lock itself, but bruising from them digging around for the proper placement,

I barely noticed mine. Putting it in was unpleasant (I always have a hard time with blood draws/blood donation/etc.) but once it was in, it was fine. I had some bruising afterwards, but it blended in to the massive bruising on my forearms, which I apparently did while laboring and have no memory of.

Anonymous wrote:Heplocks do bother me (I've had to have them for other issues as well). For me, it is just really uncomfortable, no matter where it is placed - some have been worse than others. Also, the needle can shift. OP, I opted out during labor, but if you don't want to do that, you could have them place one and remove it if it's too distracting or painful.

Like another PP explained, there is no needle in your arm once it is placed. It is a flexible plastic catheter. Maybe you feel tape pulling your arm hair-- that can feel like a pinch.

I barely remember it the first time. This time it was awful. Easy quick pain med free labor. Got the iv because of Gbs. It was in my hand and placed in such a way that I didn't have full range of motion in my wrist, and when trying to labor in different positions and moving around a lot,i wanted to tear the damn thing out more than I wanted the baby out.

Heplocks do bother me (I've had to have them for other issues as well). For me, it is just really uncomfortable, no matter where it is placed - some have been worse than others. Also, the needle can shift. OP, I opted out during labor, but if you don't want to do that, you could have them place one and remove it if it's too distracting or painful.

Mine was really uncomfortable as well. The nurse blew out the vein in my forearm on her first attempt, and had to put it in the back of my hand. That one was also not placed very well, and just annoyed the crap out of me. I had some nasty bruising in my arm and a bit on my hand when all was said and done.

OP here- yes it was in my forearm and I was left with some ugly bruises going up and down my arm. I've been told I have small veins-- drawing blood is always difficult when I have to get a blood test... Not sure if that makes a difference.

Where was your heplock? Mine was in my forearm and didn't bother me at all. However, skill definitely varies when placing IVs/heplocks - I had one recently for a different procedure and the anesthesiologist left a huge bruise at the IV site (my labor heplock was placed by a nurse and done perfectly).

It can be unconformable for some people, they don't leave the needle in your arm FYI it's a small plastic tube in your vain.

With my first, incredibly long 36 hour labor, I went to the hospital after 24 hours. I decided to go without the epidural for a few more hours, but they gave me the hep lock, so I would be ready. Even with contractions coming every 2 minutes, I was still bothered by the darn thing. Yes, compared to contractions the hep lock was not that painful, but it was a throbbing discomfort that just wouldn't quit and it caused me to have trouble focusing. As soon as baby was born, I asked them to remove it immediately.

Should it have been so uncomfortable? I am not sure if that is normal, or if they did a bad job. I'm dreading labor more because of that stupid needle than anything else! Can I get some feedback from others-- if it hurts like that next time, should I ask the nurse to reposition it or is the dull pain of it standard? What was your experience? Thanks!