Vomit phobic

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I am 25 weeks now and having managed to get through the first trimester with my sicky issues I am now starting to become concerned about the birth itself.
I'm sure this is difficult to understand for people with a 'normal' attitude to the reappearance of their stomach contents, or even just the threat of reappearance (unpleasant but not anxiety attack triggering!) but I am more worried about feeling nauseous during labour than the pain. I know, this probably makes me nuts.
The more I read/hear about labour the more I hear about the dreaded sickness that many people seem to experience. Eeek!!
I have 'phobia of vomiting' listed on my maternity notes, I will make sure my DH champions my cause to the staff involved, and I will self treat/medicate as far as possible. However I would love to hear from any other mums who have experienced something similar and how you coped!

I'm emetaphobic too and due this week....eeeek

I managed full pregnancy with only 2 vomiting incidences. First was due to an uti and second was trapped wind. It's all over my notes that I'm emetaphobic and I have discussed it with my midwife. I know that meds will be available during delivery if I require them.

Speak to your midwife as they can offer far more support than you think. There's no need to suffer.

I would say I'm quite emetophobic. But it isn't anywhere in my notes. Perhaps it should be. Oh well. I think the reasons that you might vomit during labour would be due a reaction to pain medication - apparently gas and air can make you feel drunk and queasy.... but everyone will react differently. My only fear that is worse than that of throwing up - is tearing during delivery (or episiotomy or C-Section) - basically being cut or torn anywhere. I don't know if it is going to work for me, but I have done a hypnobirthing course to try to relax which should help stop me from fighting with my body during delivery, which can help cause tears. It may be worth trying something like that. Also I was considering some hypnotherapy to deal with my fear of medical places - surgeries/hospitals etc. I bet that would work for emetophobia

Good luck Mrs MB, let us know how you get on!
I'm sure hypnotherapy probably would help, I did have some about 10 years ago to help me cope with pain from IBS and it has helped me with that problem to a degree. I'm not sure it's realistic for me to fit that in (either financially or time-wise) between now and January.
I plan to avoid pethidine as far as I can because of possible nausea; and am worried about gas+air too, has anyone got experience of how sicky that can make you?

Hi I'm emetephobic and my first baby was back to back and the pain of that made me feel sick but I wasn't (it takes a lot to make me sick as have spent so many years repressing it). Had gas and air which made me feel very relaxed and not sick at all. Also if it did it wears off very quickly so I wouldn't worry about trying it. I would not take pethedine for reason of would worry about causing nausea and also I like to feel in control and I have heard you are just away with the fairies on that. I am sure if it's in your notes they would agree to epidural over pethadine if your pain was too much. I generally wouldn't worry about it though. Most emetephobes are excellent at not being sick so I think it very unlikely you would be x

Not during labour, but have had G&A while waiting for my dislocated kneecap to be reduced. Unfortunately, it's one of those things - some people find it makes them sick, others don't.

You can minimise the risk though by making sure you use it correctly! Ask the MW if you aren't sure. But the main thing to remember is to breathe it in as the pain starts (so in this case, the contraction obviously) and take slow deep breaths, then to stop using it as the contraction ends. Continuous use will make you feel very odd, and they will take it away from you! The good news is, if you do feel sick as soon as you stop breathing it in, the nausea should fade pretty quickly, unlike opiates etc.