Scary pregnancy-related procedures in the UK

Let's try this again, without daring step into the arena of benefits since we know what hellfire that causes...

I'd like to know what experiences others have had with pregnancy-related procedures; things like epidurals, amniocenteses, internal monitoring, induced labor, etc. etc.  In particular:

1. If you had them in the US, how did they compare?
2. Were there waiting periods that made you fearful for baby's health?
3. Were the doctors and staff caring and skilled?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Any talk of ethics, unless it has to do with that of the doctors who treated you, for example, really wouldn't be appreciated.

Thanks

My mother-in-law is convinced that amniocentisis (however it's spelled) causes down syndrome and damages your baby... 

Hehe..my kids are wierd certainly, but I don't see any evidence of that.

Elly-ah.. there was a book published last year on the differences between premie care in the UK and the US.  It was a nice read and I have been racking my brain trying to remember the name and the author.  All I seem to remember is that she was the wife of a comedian.  I know it was posted on here somewhere.... I will try to find it or maybe someone will come save me!

I'm reading it now--it's very funny! It's by Ann Leary, wife of Denis Leary the actor/comedian. "An Innocent, A Broad".
Bethany

THANKS!!!  I was typing in Innocent Abroad and it kept coming up with Mark Twain!

It's called something else here though-like The Long Weekend?  I think.  It's well worth reading. 

is this what I should be after?  I wonder if I'll have to special order it, or if the libraries might have it..

that's the one. I read and extract from it in the paper when I was pregnant, scared me half to death so I never read the book!

Lol... it's not bad really but I am not sure how I would have taken it had I been pregnant at the time.  Perhaps not best to read about premature babies when pg.   

and yes... that's the one!

Sorry elly-ah, I don't have any useful information since I didn't have any proceudres like that done whatsoever. There was a good chance that I'd be having a child with Spina Bifida, so they explained what tests they would do if that was the case and I felt really safe about it. If I were to need any of those procedures I would have felt safe - in my circumstances anyway.

is this what I should be after?  I wonder if I'll have to special order it, or if the libraries might have it..

That's it--I have the US version, which is that different title.
Bethany

I was induced with my first child as he was over two weeks late. They were so busy at the hospital that they sent me home on the day I was due to be induced! Talk about a bummer! Went in again the next day at 5.00 just to make sure I got in.  The induction took all blooming day....I finally started contracting at 6.00 pm and I think by 8.00 with the speed of the hurried up contractions, I was demanding an epidural. It took a half hour to get the anaestheseologist down to give me one - a very long half hour. But she was very good and nice and the relief was immediate. Think I passed out for about an hour or so.  I never worried about the baby's health. I think I was in too much pain to think about anything rational other than getting it out.

My baby was born at 2.30 am so a very long day for me but I dont regret the epidural at all. I asked for one on the second but was too far dilated so I had him naturally and remember the pain vividly!

Well I had all my babies so far in the US the baby I am expecting now will be born in the UK, so I soon will actually be able to compare, but so far I have had about all those things done, amniocentesis, induced labor, and epidurals.
All of the people that worked with me were well efficient and very caring and gentle, also quite informative.
With my son they had induced my labor, but soon after found out he was breach and had to do x-rays, and then an emergency ceserean, which meant epidural. I felt no pain, everything was explained quite detailed to me and I was helped to relax etc. There were always extra ppl in the operating room so that not only was baby seen to but so was I.
With my daughter, I had tons of ultrasounds etc before birth, and they ended up delivering her 2 weeks early due to failure to continue to grow anymore in the womb. Again, I had the epidural with the ceserean and local anesthetic, as well as gas. With my daughter I also had the Amnio done and it really wasn't as bad as I had dreaded it'd be, the doctor had the ultrasound machine to guide him as to where to stick the needle, and the needle was a quick feeling of pressure and no pain, and before you knew it, it was over.
I was fortunate maybe, I dunno, but all the experiences I've had to date have been good.
I just had a scan over here and they have found cysts on my ovaries, so looks like this pregnancy is gonna be a long rough road too, but I have faith that the professionals who will be handling things will be just that, professionals.
Hope that helped a little.

Well I had all my babies so far in the US the baby I am expecting now will be born in the UK, so I soon will actually be able to compare, but so far I have had about all those things done, amniocentesis, induced labor, and epidurals.
All of the people that worked with me were well efficient and very caring and gentle, also quite informative.
With my son they had induced my labor, but soon after found out he was breach and had to do x-rays, and then an emergency ceserean, which meant epidural. I felt no pain, everything was explained quite detailed to me and I was helped to relax etc. There were always extra ppl in the operating room so that not only was baby seen to but so was I.
With my daughter, I had tons of ultrasounds etc before birth, and they ended up delivering her 2 weeks early due to failure to continue to grow anymore in the womb. Again, I had the epidural with the ceserean and local anesthetic, as well as gas. With my daughter I also had the Amnio done and it really wasn't as bad as I had dreaded it'd be, the doctor had the ultrasound machine to guide him as to where to stick the needle, and the needle was a quick feeling of pressure and no pain, and before you knew it, it was over.
I was fortunate maybe, I dunno, but all the experiences I've had to date have been good.
I just had a scan over here and they have found cysts on my ovaries, so looks like this pregnancy is gonna be a long rough road too, but I have faith that the professionals who will be handling things will be just that, professionals.
Hope that helped a little.

Goodness, no easy pregnancy for you :/.  Hope it all goes well.  Amnios are funny because they're not painful so much as they're really creepy.  For the blood transfusions I needed, it's basically the same procedure, except the doctor has to poke into the right place in the umbilical cord.  The give the baby something to chill it out, but it's sort of pointless, since the difficult part is getting that needle in.  One time they had to do it 6 times!  Anyway, once they administer the baby dope, they take some blood for testing, then, and this is the particularly wierd part, they stand there holding the needle in your stomach while someone runs the blood to the lab and everyone waits for the phone call with the results.  Surreal...lol.  Fortunately during that pregnancy I moved, and moved hospitals as a results, and they were nice enough to dope me as well during the procedure .

PS, I relate to the 'i want to go home' sentiment. :/