Is there anything that can stop vomiting during labour?

[LemonLemonLemon]

Sorry if this is a silly question.

During my labour with DS1, I vomited during the entire 12 hours and afterwards. I think I began struggling with the labour as I couldn’t hold any food or water down.

The midwife said I could only have an anti-emetic if I had pethidine, I was only going to have gas and air but was happy to compromise on this, however it did not work.

Following the birth, I was still vomiting for another 6 hours or so, so I couldn’t really hold DS and have the early cuddles, I was afraid of dropping him, as I was so sick and weak.

I feel like I struggled more with labour because of lack of energy due to this.

Is there anything additional I can ask for during labour with DS2 in December, or is it one of those things I will just have to cope with?

Of course you can have an antiemetics without pethidine. Ask one of the doctors to prescribe it. Gas & air and pethidine (and all the other opioids) are well known to cause nausea. Vomiting in labour is pretty common. The drugs don’t always work, but you can definitely try them.

I've got antiemetics written into my birth plan because I've got a vomiting phobia. Absolutely ask for them.

I also put this in my birth plan with full support from my consultant. She viewed it as common sense and my previous experience was nothing near as bad as yours. Was it a midwife who said you couldn’t have an anti-emetic?

Midwife was wrong. She can only give you an antiemetic without a dr prescription if it’s with pethidine or diamorphine. However she could have got a dr prescription for one……

Ask for a birth notes discussion and go over what occurred and why with another midwife.

Then get your plan written up with anti emetics given as soon as you feel nausea

Sounds like you had a hideous midwife leading your first birth. Wishing you a much easier, calmer second time round xx

I was induced with dd1 and vomited for 37 hours of my 41 hour labour. It was pretty awful and I was very weak and definitely struggled with the labour because of it. I had hg during the pregnancy and my anti sickness tablets didn’t work during the labour or the injection they gave me. I ended up with an epidural and forceps delivery. I was worried about it second time around and anxious to avoid another induction. I ended up being induced due to reduced movements and I was sick twice but this labour was different, the midwives offered an anti emetic injection straight away which was much more effective and my labour/birth was a much better experience. So you can definitely have an anti-emetic injection during labour but your experience might be different anyway. Good luck!

My midwife told me I could only have pain relief beyond gas and air after I had tried the birthing pool. I had said very clearly I didn’t want to be in a birthing pool. Once in she said if I wanted them I’d have to get out and get dry before I could have pain relief.

They lie.

Thank you so much all. I will definitely get it written in. I vomited before I’d even had medication so I’m assuming it’s hormonal.

I had an elcs 2nd time round for several reasons, including the 24 hours of vomiting and resultant dehydration during dc1 birth.

Bit extreme perhaps, but you do have options.

Make sure your birth partner is fully up to speed with the plan as well, and can advocate for you if you're not able to. Get everything written down in advance, and get your partner to read through it and understand it.

I had an anti-emetic during my labour after just one vom, not sure whether it was down to my sepsis or because I had been nil by mouth for 24 hours and they'd just let me have an ice lolly 😂. Definitely not with anything else as had had an epidural.

I am starting to wonder why so many of the things you 'can' and 'can't' do in labour seem shrouded in mystery- if you're vomiting that much surely there is a pathway for someone getting you a simple anti-emetic jab even if the midwife in the room has to organise it from someone else? Would make everyone's lives easier I would have thought.

I also had this written into my birth plan & a small amount prescribed by my consultant for the period of labour spent at home. I also have vomiting phobia & everyone looking after me was absolutely amazing in this respect and I had no trouble getting anti emetic drugs during the labour & at any point I was concerned about pain relief options causing n&v. Don't be fobbed off - you can absolutely get anti emetics in labour. I requested to have them prophylactically as well and this was also accommodated.

You could opt for a c section, I did also for different reasons but same sort of thing.

I vomited loads with my first but I hadn’t eaten anything for hours because of the timing & thought you couldn’t eat in labour. I read something later about ketones I think which said eating little & often helps so with DC2 & DC3 I nibbled on flapjacks etc throughout & it made such a difference. Definitely worth a try. I didn’t always feel like eating but it definitely kept my energy up & I was only sick once or twice in stead of about 20 odd times.