vomiting in labour - does everyone?

[addie81]

I am quite phobic about being sick, and really really hate it. Quite a few ladies on MN seem to refer to being sick in labour at some point. I was just wondering if this is inevitable? Were you all sick whilst giving birth? Thanks!

I threw up once when i was in early labour with DS1. It was the mixture of pot noodle and blue slush puppy more than anything els ei think!
I didn't even feel nauseous with DS2 and 3

I did - but only twice - it took me by suprise - just after my waters broke and contractions were getting strong. Forgot about it minutes after as was concentrating to contractions and G&A!
Try not to worry about it too much - easier said than done - could you go and see a hypnotherapist?

4 births, was never sick. Midwives dont like to you to eat or drink in labour for that reason but I smuggled a carton of ribena in for my 3rd and I was fine (I did just sip it tho)

I wasn't sick with either of mine

Most people are sick or at least nauseous at some point, usually early on or at 'transition' if not during labour then afterwards if they have the drug to help deliver the placenta (syntometrine). If you are sick you can ask for an anti-emetic injection to stop it (explain your phobia to the midwife). You should not be prevented from eating or drinking during normal labour but most units restrict women to clear fluids if it is 'high risk (epidural, syntocinon etc) because you are at greater risk of going to theatre and possibly requiring a GA (with the small risk of aspirating the contents of the stomach). But this is not necessarily backed up by the evidence so...

Thanks for the replies. Have tried hypnotherapy and lots of other things but nothing works. I think it is just part of my personality really! I am worrying more about this than I am of the pain of labour, I would rather be in the worst agony under the sun than vomit! I am going to avoid gas and air and pethidine and all the other drugs that can make you nauseous.

Reikizen, what makes you say that most people are sick? Based on responses so far that doesn't seem to be the case.

You will be given an anti-emetic drug with pethidine or diamorphine so no need to avoid it on that basis. (btw, if you get the choice, go with diamorphine). Could you get some oral antiemetics prescribed prior to labour from your GP to take just incase?

I have anti emetic drugs (cyclizine and metaclopromide). They didn't stop me from vomiting when my MS was at its worse though so am worried they won't work in labour.

I didn't with DD1 but did with DD2. I think it was more the pethidine that did it for me with DD2!!

Sorry, addie81, missed that last post. Just my experience as a midwife tbh. Sometimes its just the normal course of labour, sometimes the pain and sometimes the drugs we give them (e.g. syntocinon). Lots of people will retch rather than vomit though, iyswim, esp if they have an empty stomach.

I got the poor same miwife twice in one birth.

Got her with my waters and then puked on her 3 hours later! !

And she was still lovely to me!

9 births - never sick.
I was given an anti-emetic after being given syntometrine delivering the placenta, though.

I didn't throw up with any of my DCs. I wasn't nauseous either.
I didn't have any drugs.

I wasn't sick or nauseous at all. Had plenty of gas & air! Lovely stuff.

TBH if you've got through morning sickness I think the potential sickness part of labour would be quite minor compared to that, it sounds like it's only a brief phase even if it does happen.

The Synto drip made me vomit with DD1 and the gas and air with DD2.

thanks everyone. Very reassuring. It sounds like whilst puking is a distinct possibility, its far from inevitable.

I did, threw up in the carpark outside the hospital and then the cowbag midwife wouldn't let me have gas and air because I'd been sick! Loads of other mums I know were sick and were allowed G&A, I think she was just in a bad mood...

I am an emetophobe. Seriously scared of feeling/being/seeing others being sick. I was nauseous when in labour and did retch. It did upset me a bit if I'm honest but everything else was so consuming and as labour carried on regardless, I actually couldn't concentrate on being upset about that.

I'm also a bit phobic of being sick, and I wasn't sick with either of mine. I got an anti emetic pill with my first (because I was more worried about the sickness than the pain so kept asking for it!), but didn't bother with the second and I was fine.

The second time I did, but only when I was in transition. Honestly I hate being sick but by that point the lights were on but noone was home and I couldn't have cared less about puking. What I did notice was that it made the contractions feel more intense because vomiting seemed to push the baby down harder onto my cervix and then I was fully dilated right afterwards.
The first time I didn't during labour but then the hospital decided I should be nil by mouth for a day basically, so I was empty. After I had DD1 I was sick lots of times from all the drugs I was given for an emcs and in my case the anti-emetic drugs don't work either, I just had to wait for it to stop. Thing is, I had a lovely baby to distract myself with so even that wasn't so bad.

I had pethidine injections x2 with ds1 and epidural/gas and air with ds2. I was not sick with either.

Wasn't sick, didn't feel sick.

I had horrific morning sickness that lasted all of my pregnancy... but didn't feel at all sick in labour. When I went into labour my morning sickness finally stopped with my first contractions, and it was the first day I had gone more than an hour without vomiting in the whole nine months. I was so glad not to be vomiting that labour seemed like a breeze by comparison to pregnancy. Pregnancy was so awful, I was already in love with DS but felt too dreadful to really enjoy it. I didn't have any gas+air or anything else as labour was so quick there wasn't time. I felt fantastic afterwards - no contractions AND no nausea - felt like heaven! Oh, and there was DS of course. Happy to see him and all that.