OK, I want the truth!

[Visitor9]

I vomitted once in labour maybe that was because they poked me with pethadine without asking for consent (I'm sure he thought he was doing me a favour). DH cant stand vomiting and left me with the midwife and was outside talking to my mum the obst over heard and said " Yes it sounds like she is getting the full brunt" What a DH!!
Bec
I'm sure its the drugs that make you sick not the actual birthing process

[Astrid]

I'm sure its the drugs that make you sick not the actual birthing process

I must be the exception, but I suppose it was bound to happen to me during labour, as period pain would often make me vomit.

[Beckibee]

Never vomitted...I did do a no.2 however, but that's an entirely another story. To be honest, I don't really know many women who DID vomit during labour & childbirth, regardless of whether they had natural or drug-assisted births.

I did tear, but that was more to do with the urgency of needing to get Maddy out quickly at the end. My midwife assures me that had this not been the case, I probably would have escaped with just grazing.

[Ambah]

I didn't vomit, and I didn't tear (just some grazing).

Maybe you should print this thread out and give it to that midwife who ran the class... might teach her a thing or two...

[Phteven]

I vomitted while I was in labour with Yasin and I think it was because of the drugs because I had plenty but up until I realised that I would need a c-section for Imran I had no drugs and was quite active and I didn't vomit (I did pee on a midwife though lol).
I would think that if you have a natural labour you will be much less likely to vomit.

[sasha]

LOL Ambah, not a bad idea!

Was talking to DH later and he thought perhaps she was just trying to make sure that those women who were sick in labour or tore badly (I mean, she went into a lot of detail about 4th degree tears which I really don't think I needed to hear... if I ever got one that bad, I certainly don't want to know it, I just want to be carefully stitched up and given lots of painkillers! How can it make it better for her to describe which parts of your anus tear?!!! EEEK!!)

Anyway, where was I? Dh thought it was just to reassure those women to whom it might happen that it was OK, and I was talking to my sister and she said it's the same with pain medication, some midwives are set on promoting a drug free natural birth to the point that some of the other women who went through labour at the same time as my sister were having real feelings of failure because they'd had to have pain relief.

I won't have that midwife again, anyway - she's in the other team and so won't be taking any more of my classes or be at the birth.

So odd, really, I know that I'm well educated about lots of things to do with birth and labour, so why don't I trust the information I have at hand? I suspect it's a case of blindly trusting someone in authority, gee, that can be a dangerous thing! Perhaps it's just as well I've met this midwife to give me a bit of a kick in the pants and show me that I should be forming my own opinions, and trusting them!!

[Cricket]

I vomitted during transition with my first baby, but not with my second. I think it might have had something to do with my state of mind too, though. I was feeling overwhelmed with the pain, etc, with my first, whereas with my second, I felt much more in control. (as much as can be expected during labour. :wink: ) I had not had any pain medication up to that point with my first, so it was not medication that did it.
As far as tearing goes, I managed to get away both times with only "scrapes" - no stitches. Some doctors do have higher "tear rates" than others, and some do episiotomies much more often, so it does have something to do with the caregiver, for sure. However, some women have more room than others, and stretchier skin, so there is no way to absolutely guarantee no tearing. But, as the PP have mentioned, you most likely won't feel it if you do. Apparently the baby's head compresses the nerves there during delivery, or something like that. (someone can set me straight here, I'm sure.) My doctor said that part of the reason I didn't tear was because I could stop pushing when she asked me to. Many women feel the urge to push overwhelming, and can't stop long enough for the skin to stretch a little more.
Not very nice of your midwife to scare you! Although, I remember being horrified when I heard that many women have BMs during pushing, but found it very comforting to know that it was normal when it actually happened to me in labour! Maybe that was what she had in mind.
Anyways, don't be afraid of labour - it's tough, that's for sure, but you were made to do it, and you CAN do it, and you'll be fine at the end, with your baby in your arms.
All the best!

[Lucy]

I vomitted in transition with both Olivia and Charlie, but to be honest, it was a good thing in both cases!! With Olivia, my OB popped into see me, and looked at the CTG machine read out and said "This baby won't come till tomorrow, these are just niggly little contractions" and then I vomitted on his shoes and so his attitude changed, he did an internal and I was 9cm and Olivia was born aboiut 20 minutes later! (No drugs, no tearing)

With Charlie, I was induced, and the gels they used made me vomit. I then vomitted again in transition, but again, it was good, as I knew I was close and they tried to get me onto the bed but becasue I recognised the feeling I knew to stay standing and Charlie was born about 5 mins later, whilst I was still standing up, which is what I really wanted. Again, no tearing.

With Lexie, she was born so fast, I had no time to vomit, but I did feel as if I could/would like to vomit, but she was born so quickly, and my breathing was so deep, I think that warded the spew off.......(and again, so teearing.)

(They do say that if you really regulate your breathing and are breathing really deeply and are focused on your breathing that the intake and concentration of oxygen in your blood can ward off vomitting.......)

[sasha]

then I vomitted on his shoes and so his attitude changed

that's hilarious.

[Patooties]

Hi Sasha - I was lucky enough that I didn't tear with both my girls births. I had started drinking raspberry leaf tea and tried to massage a little ( a little tricky with a big belly - but I guess i should have asked dh to do it!!)
I do recall vomiting - but I think that's cause i had a little too much gas.

[Karina]

Sasha thanks for posting this! I have found it most informative to read everyones replies!

[Tobily]

I never vomited at all during labour.
But I did vomit about 1/2 hour after DD was born
That's a pretty broad generalisation for that midwife to make.....

[BellyBelly]

I vomited after gas with Marisa, but I didnt realise I was well into labour and scoffed a huge lamb casserole @ 5cms and then was put on the drip to speed things up and had gas. Not a nice thing to have done, thrown up all that!!! No tearing.

With Elijah, I wasn't hungry much for a long time but I wasn't fussed, figured I wouldn't throw up.... but what's worse, throwing up food or bile? I threw up at transition, as soon as I arrived into hospital @ 9cms. No drugs as there was no time. No tearing.

[Fi]

Lucy - interesting about the breathing.
One of my midwives told me to breathe in slowly through my nose, and try to get it all to my tummy. Her justification was that its a big muscle (the uterus) and the more oxygen it has, the less lactic acid build up, there fore less pain.;
Not sure if it is true, but it was great to focus on something with my breathing. Interesting that you say it could prevent spewing too!

[beckles]

I never vomited in transition, wanted to pack up and go home promising i would return the next day but never vomited and i have been to heaps and heaps of births and only 1 woman vomited. so don't know why the MW would say that. as for tearing, yes lots of woman do but not all woman. gosh she certainly loves the blanket statements. i love kellys comments on 'anti natal' ba hahahah.
beckles

[simone]

LOL beckles!! I wanted to go home to... i tried to push DS back up as i was afraid of tearing!!

[Alan]

Sasha
That midwife needs to find a new job. Perhaps one of those monsters you can see in a scary movie would suit her. With people like that involved in midwifery it is not surprising that the OB’s have taken over what was once the domain of midwives.
Most women do not tear. Most women do not vomit in transition. However it is very common to feel nauseous at this time.

[Liz]

No vomiting here. And only a graze. I had one stitch - but it was 'cosmetic' lol. there was a little flap of skin (or something) that he tidied up, and he said it's a common thing if you used tampons when you were still a virgin ??? hehehe. No idea how true that is!

Maybe she's getting people freaked out and expecting the worst so that they think they've done really well when none of it happens! Stupid.

You'll be fine! Go with your body. I understand that if you're pushing without the urge to push, that can cause tearing, so just go with the flow