vomiting/nausea during hb?

[mommy2jonah]

So with DS #1 I had a terrible time with being nauseous and I did vomit one time before getting something to stop it. It was really messing with how I was dealing with contractions. I am nervous now about my homebirth and this. I really don't want any drugs but does anyone have any remedies that I can have on hand if it gets really bad? Thanks!

[glowan1]

There is homeopathic ipecac that helps. I tried it and it helped some, but I still barfed. Mainly stay rested, hydrated and nourished in early labor. Have mild snacks and rehydrating drinks available (watered juice with salts or Recharge), I loved the ginger tea with honey that the mw kept giving me sips of. The rest of the ginger was used in warm compresses for my perineum. Worked great there too!

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I also vomited and was nauseous through a lot of midabor. I probably vomited 5x. I think it was the reason I transfered to the hospital because by the time it came to push I was just exhausted. I, too, am looking into ways to help with this for the next birth. What I do know is that energy drinks did not work - I could not keep anything down. I am going to talk to my new MW about having a strong anti-nauseous drug on hand.

I also tried to check over in UB to see what they did because I found that part of MDC to be helpful for things like post birth hemorage (I also had that, which was less of an issue but I wanted to have things on hand in case it happend again). I can post what I find here.

I do think that it may help to pass the time in early labor attending to the vomiting. I remember that I was a little distracted by the birth and wasn't staing on top of things nearly as much as I could have early on. I know with morning sickness that if I address the nausiousness very early on I can treat it. Sort of like motion sickness.

[Sweetiemommy]

I would just be careful about what you eat in the days/week preceding delivery. I wouldn't eat any spicy foods or things that cause heartburn. Also try to eat smaller meals more frequently, so you don't have a full stomach. I like the idea of drinking ginger and using spices like cloves and cinnamon to aid digestion, maybe even fennel seeds or supplements. Otherwise, I do think that some level of nausea and vomiting is normal during transition. I usually take the nausea as a sign that I am entering transition, which actually is a good thing, especially if you are a slow starter, like me! Last time I actually made my myself throw up because I was feeling so sick and hadn't actually thrown up and the midwife said that was okay. I think it helped get anything out of there that I didn't need and maybe even helped the baby move down a little bit. I got into the tub after that and felt better (in that regard). Anyway, like everything with labor, I try to think of the negative aspects as positives (meaning that we're getting closer to the moment of birth!).

[IdentityCrisisMama]

SM, I've read that some people do vomit during transition. I can totally see the value of vomitting once or even twice...maybe more if the body needs to be empty. My worry is that I had a longer labor with 4 hours of pushing last time. I felt like I was using way too much energy vomitting that I really needed for the birth. Not to mention the lack of fluids. I do worry about an anti-vomit drug not allowing the body to do its thing. Perhaps if they had a short duration?

Mom2J - do you know what you got to stop feeling nauseous? I'd love to hear how that helped and what the down sides were for that in your opinion. Of all the things one can get in the hospital that is the only thing I have ever thought I might want.

[MammaV]

anti-nausea drugs are hit and miss. I don't have nausea and vomiting during labor and birth, but I do have hyperemesis during the beginning of my pregnancies. I've tried a bunch of different anti-nausea drugs with no relief at all. In fact I haven't found one that works yet. Some of them actually make me feel even worse. I'd be reluctant to try a drug during labor when you don't know how it's going to affect you.
Bach Flower Essence Rescue Remedy might be helpful to alleviate the stress you experience in anticipating possible nausea and vomiting. Eliminating stress about things you cannot control and not worrying about the what ifs will do alot to help you enjoy this birth experience. Seeing a qualified classical homeopath can also help. The homeopath will do a good job matching you to the correct remedy.
Each birth is different. Just because you pushed for 4 hours last time doesn't mean you will have a similar situation this time. You could just as easily push for 10 minutes.
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year has great herbal remedies you might want to check out too!
Have a wonderful birth!

[IdentityCrisisMama]

True. I did jsut read a bunch of birth stories and it seems like there's no telling whether a mom will have repeat nausea or not. Still, I think I may try to "score" some anti-nausea drugs to have on hand...

Unfortunately, I think I will be able to will my way out of nausea long before I'll be able to overcome my skepticism over homeopathy. I suppose I will try it but I wonder if it can work for the unbelievers? That would be a good test anyhow. : - )

Thanks for the suppport!!!

[kathan12904]

Try having one of the those sea sickness arm bands on hand. Also, peppermint aromatherapy can really help relieve nausea. I'd also have a thing of tums on hand and take one if you start to feel sick. These things can address multiple fronts of your nausea and are all minimally invasive, nonhomeopathic, and without side effects. You probably will feel nauseous during transition as most women do. The act of throwing up has an interesting affect on the muscles of your diaphragm and perineum, so maybe your body was trying to loosen those areas and being aware of them and focusing on relaxing them during contractions might help next time?

[jljeppson]

Someone mentioned that ginger works really well and I agree. One source I have found is ginger candy. You can find it at an Asian market, there are no chemicals etc and they come 6-10 to a pack depending on the size of the pack. You can just stick one in your mouth and suck on it; you get the effects of the ginger since it's pretty potent without putting something in a possibly tender stomach. It's also ready made and you can have one immediately when needed. I often recommend moms carry them in their purse so they always have something on hand.

[Beppie]

i vomited during my first 2 births, both times at transition. (the second birth was at home). but i guess i didn't struggle too much with nausea, just the feeling came, i vomited, and then felt much better (sorry, not much help). i expected to do the same for my 3rd birth (homebirth), but didn't! so maybe you won't this time around?

nak