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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

How many of you were sick during labour?

129 replies

mostlyalurker · 12/06/2008 09:22

My lovely niece is choosing weather to train to become a midwife. She is really keen but is not good with sick at all. She feels that as she wants to do it so bad, she shouldn't let this phobia stop her. This is the only thing thats holding her back. Do you think she could cope?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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jessiesmummy · 12/06/2008 15:56

I was sick loads during labour but I'm sure she'll get used to it.

champagneSuperBunting · 12/06/2008 16:19

I was. A whole marguerita pizza. What a waste of a tenner!

BigBadMouse · 12/06/2008 16:34

I was after giving birth to DD1 - they gave me an antiemetic with DD2 but with DS I was fine .

Definitely agree she should try CBT or hypnotherapy - it is not neccessary for a phobia to hold you back from doing something you really want to do.

heronsfly · 12/06/2008 16:42

Just to even things up a bit,ive had 6 dcs and was never sick once [I know im lucky].

JulesJules · 12/06/2008 16:47

I threw up every 20 mins or so, all the way through labour. Sorry.

minouminou · 12/06/2008 16:52

I was sick once, when the contractions started building up and becoming very painful.
It's v common, as you've probabl;y guessed!

Mercy · 12/06/2008 17:02

Same as minou.

It was completely involuntary, ie, I didn't feel sick beforehand, it just suddenly happened.

Didn't happen during 2nd labour though (even though I'd just had my dinner!)

dizzydixies · 12/06/2008 17:03

me, both times, all the way through

am sure sick might be the least of her worries ?!

Mercy · 12/06/2008 17:10

My bil is a doctor and occasionally faints at the sight of blood, so there is hope for your niece.

CaptainKarvol · 12/06/2008 17:14

oh yes, as a first reaction to the pain, and again when I got the betablockers - don't think they helped much with my BP when they were in a kidney dish!

MadamePlatypus · 12/06/2008 20:03

Yes - both times. First time just after waters were broken, second time on arrival at hospital. I think my body doesn't like the combination of contractions and a full stomach.

PearTart · 13/06/2008 05:41

I was sick for 4 hours continuously.
Really hoping it doesn't happen again- it's my due date tomorrow!

Starshinetiger · 13/06/2008 09:02

Mostlyalurker - really hope it doesn't put yoru neice off - am sure it is something she would get used to (same as when you become a parent I guess - you get used to these kinds of things). I was sick when I got to hospital, but it was the best thing. I felt so rotten and when actually thought I would be sick, midwife just handed me a cardboard bowl, let me get on with it, then took it away and disposed - that was it, I wasn't sick again even after gas & air. So, it wouldn't necessarily be something she would have to be very close to - just thought I'd offer the alternative experience!

LuLuMacGloo · 13/06/2008 10:40

Havent had time to read the whole thread so sorry if this is repeating an earlier post but wasn't there a mumsnetter who was having therapy to overcome her emetophobia? She posted a questionnaire about attitudes to vomiting as part of her therapy? I can't remember who it was or what the outcome was but maybe someone else will or you could track it down in a search. This might be something your neice should consider?

wasabipeanut · 13/06/2008 10:44

Puked on and off for entire labour. It was no biggie as I'd got pretty used to it while pregnant.

Apparently its normal to go through pukey phases in labour.

Sorry.

Niecie · 13/06/2008 10:57

Lulu - I think it was BelgianBun.

Can I redress the balance a bit and say that I wasn't sick during either labour.

However, I can completely understand where the OP's neice is coming from. I would love to be a midwife but I just couldn't cope with the puking.

I was chatting to an old retired midwife once and I told her I would love her job but I was too squeamish and she told me that her family had thought she had would never cope and wouldn't stick the training and she had her doubts too. However she said that her first day on the wards (she did nursing first) somebody came to the door and threw up all over her. She said she retched all through cleaning herself, the patient and the floor but after that it just never bothered her. A baptism of fire but for her it was OK. You don't know how you will be until you try.

belgo · 13/06/2008 11:32

Niecie - yes BB has ematophobia.

But many people are squeemish about bodily fluids without actually havin a full blown phobia. In fact, most people are a bit sqeemish about something!

But if you are a trained professional, wearing a uniform, with medical gloves, then it is easier to put up a kind of barrier between you and the patient, and something like vomiting may not have the same effect on you as it would do if some random person vomits on the street.

LEMONADEGIRL · 13/06/2008 13:34

Wasn't sick in labour but did feel very nauseous after ds was born. I only know one person to be sick in labour and they were induced.

I have emetephobia it did not stop me having a baby as I knew I could get ms (did not though -which was a huge relief. )The thing with this particualr phobia is that you deal with it on a daily basis which can be exhausting. Allother bodily fluids do not bother me i might add.

I agree with another poster who suggested work experience to see if she could get used to it.

PippiCalzelunghe · 13/06/2008 13:34

did it too. once when the pain starts to become quite unbereable, each time. I think it was the gas an air tbh.

princessmel · 13/06/2008 13:35

I was sick in labour with ds. I'd had pethedine at that made me sick . And then when I went into the opperating theatre I was flat on my back, full of drugs and scared. I was sick then too.

Not sick with dd.

DarthVader · 13/06/2008 13:36

I was sick too - it is obviously common - she could try some hypnotherapy?

lilyloo · 13/06/2008 13:36

sick with ds and dd1 not dd2
ds and dd2 induced dd1 natural

gemdangracie · 13/06/2008 13:46

I was violently sick with my dd which they said was due to the meptid (even thoough had the anti sickness jab!) then when this stopped, i tried the gas and air and this made me sick too, but i think that was just from the shock and having too much gas and air lol.. She should get over her phobia once she gets used to seeing it all the time!! If she wants to be a midwife she can be at the birth when i have my next one (yet to be concieved lol!!).

Pinkchampagne · 13/06/2008 13:52

I wasn't sick with either of my labours. I had an epidural, but no other pain relief, so don't know if it was the lack of gas & air etc.

Both labours started in the early hours of the morning, so I had a pretty empty stomach, but I remember feeling a bit sick after DS2 was born.

HensMum · 13/06/2008 14:06

Yep. I blame the TENS machine. And the NHS cheese and coleslaw sandwich. I've never liked coleslaw much but it was all they had available. I can safely say I'll never eat it again.
My partner has a slight phobia of vomit too. He literally threw a bowl at me and ran out of the room.

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