I’m nearly 29 weeks pregnant, and this Thursday will be a prenatal checkup with a glucose screening. She’ll also be drawing blood for labwork – ugh. I don’t dread this nearly as much as usual because I’ve figured out that I rarely faint if we use a pediatric needle and I lie down while the blood is flowing.
This makes me much less embarrassed, since I feel like a wimp for fainting over a silly needle. Now I have proof – sort of – that it’s not the needle that bothers me. It’s my low blood pressure, which just slips down even lower when somebody takes blood from me. I suspect the pediatric needle isn’t as necessary as the lying down, but I’m not about to request a bigger needle to check that theory.
Also this Thursday, I’ll be announcing a group blogging project with 3 blog friends. We think you’ll enjoy it, and we really hope so because we intend to enjoy it thoroughly. I’ll admit up front that it was not my idea. I just had enough kids that they invited me to join them. Can you guess what it is? Maybe you’ve already seen the announcements on their blogs?
And since nobody begged to know what our next great giveaway is, I’m going to make you all wait til Thursday for that too. There. Let that be a lesson.
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I’m not sure if this would help you or not but I have a somewhat similar fainting problem and have found that being ridiculously well hydrated right before a stick helps a lot- I’m talking 24 ounces of water 45-60 minutes before. It makes the veins much easier to find so there is a lot less prodding and the whole process is much faster.
Becky,
I’ll be sure to try that – it probably would help a lot. But they never have trouble finding my veins. I’m blessed to have “good veins.” At least I have that in my favor when it comes to blood draws, but it does make me feel even wimpier since my blood draws are so easy and I still manage to faint if I’m not lying down.
haha we are total opposite regarding blood and needles. I was a nurse (before getting married and having children) and I just loved taking blood sample and then someone mention that I would not be as much fun if the sample had to be taken out of me instead of me!
Well they were wrong, I love seeing the little tube filling up with my blood and that felling of pressure against the wall of my veins etc…
Ok ok I’ll spot talking about it, I think some of your readers might be near the point of fainting just reading my comment hehe!
New blog opportunity!!!! and many kids???? well you got my attention!!! now can’t wait to know more!!!!
I have “difficult” veins. It always takes several search and {not} find missions before they call in a pediatric specialist to administer my IV’s, which I always warn the nurses about, but they never listen!!! It’s the worst part of labor and delivery to me!
I can’t wait to find out more about your group blogging project! :0)
I have great veins, sorry I can’t relate. I do however, have very long difficult births, does that make us even?
Are you at risk? And even so, is the test really reliable?
Here is an article by Henci Goer:
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/pcomplications/0,,9z3m,00.html
Freida,
Actually I am at risk. I had a stillbirth 6 years ago due to suspected gestational diabetes, and I’m very hypoglycemic esp. during pregnancy.
I have doubts about the reliability of the test but my midwife is actually doing a pre-screening: I’ll eat a breakfast including (ugh) 60-80 grams of sugar, and if my blood sugar is below 125 I pass the test. If it’s higher, we’ll move on to the standard 1 hour test with the bottle of orange goop.
Does anybody have a history with E antibody blood , finding out during pregnancy? We found out during my last miscarriage (Nov.). Test determine that my husband carries the E antigen….we have five children and never had it shown up in tests before. Read alot online…would like to talk to someone .
i had the same problem for more than 15 years! and they finally discovered i have hypothyroidism-put me on thyroid meds and my blood pressure is normal
Don’t feel too bad about the fainting. I can tolerate just about anybody else’s blood or other body fluid all over the place. I can even draw blood or start an IV if needed. But if it is my blood and it is a more than a few drops outside of my skin….. then that’s the end of that. I just lay down and relax. That usually helps with any fainting and I get to rest a bit. Hope all went well.