In your opinion is an unmedicated birth with a first baby "do-able"??

Question

Before you answer please take a second to read my story. I'm 34, expecting baby No 1 in December. I am an "emetophobic" (phobia of vomiting) which means I get into a terrible panic state if I even think I might be sick (last time I was sick I went into actual shock). I'm also terrified of hospitals!!

It would be easier for me to have a homebirth but thats not possible because I am taking anti-depressants (Paroxetine) which my doctor has advised me to continue throughout my pregnancy. I need to give birth in a hospital in case the baby has any withdrawal from the Paroxetine (I wanted to stop taking it but Dr advised me against that).

Because of my phobia I am terrifed of nausea/vomiting in labour and my Ob/Gyn Cons has advised me to therefore have a waterbirth and avoid having narcotics to avoid any sickness from the drugs. But all mothers I've asked seems to think that it isn't possible to have a first baby unmedicated because of the pain and length of labour. Opinions?

momma2mingub -

Yeah sadly I know some women do vomit in labour for no reason or at transition. My Doctor says that if it really bothers me I could have a shot of antiemetic (thats the advantage of being in a hospital I guess) to prevent it. I had an antiemetic shot when I had to have a general anaesthetic last year for a laparoscopy and it seemed to work as I wan't sick, so I will definitely ask for one in labour. If I do throw up and go into shock I guess it could harm the baby so its probably a good precaution to take. I always knew having a baby would be hard with my phobia but other emetophobics have bad babies and survived so I guess I will too . . .!

I'm trusting my Consultant that a first time birth is do-able in water with no narcotics!!

Belza -

Yes it is just me being/feeling sick that sends me into a panic. I can cope fine with babies/children throwing up or possetting (which is just milk so its OK) - I've babysat several sicky kids in the past. I don't like adults doing it in front of me though which is another reason I hate hospitals - people puking up in the same ward/toilets or corridors or the smell of it freaks me out.

I hand't decided on natural childbirth myself its my Ob/Gyn Cons who's telling me to do it to lessen the risk of being sick from pethidine or gas n air. I'm planning to use a Birthing Centre so can't have an epidural there.

Answer 1

My friend had her baby with gas and air only. you can use tens also.... it is definitly do able....you could always choose pethadine at the last moment or you could choose to have an epidural. Good luck

Answer 2

Gas and air often makes people nauseaus. With all this worry you have, although not the best option, how about discussion with the doctor of caesarean assisted delivery. Is it just yourself being personally sick? (how will you cope when the baby is sick, possetts) I don't think you could plan for water birth in case there are minor complications, if baby poo's inside you, your blood pressure up they won't allow water delivery. I had a TENS but had to stop using as my son had a clip on his head and every time i pressed it, it shorted out! I thought i had quite a high pain threshold but trying to part with a 9lb 8oz first baby would have been impossible without pain relief for me. In fact i ended up with a general anaesthetic for a crash emergency section, i do remember the anti-nausea drug they gave me the last thing I do remember- i was glad as the pain was over. I think you need a lot of discussion with professionals to cover every eventuality, as in child birth expect the unexpected- You may have a very quick labour that you don't even have time to think about anything. I don't know if epidural causes sickness, worth asking. Good Luck.

Answer 3

Well I tell all those other women "NONSENSE!"

I've had three babies, all unmedicated births. FIrst was unmed hospital birth (about 18 hours), #2 was freestanding birth center waterbirth with midwife and #3 was home waterbirth.

First off - have you discussed switching to a different anit-depressent? Maybe there is something else you can take?

Have you considered a hospital birth with a midwife?

Have you considered hiring a doula? I *HIGHLY* recommend this if you want an unmedicated hospital birth. Some hospitals will even provide a doula for FREE if you ask in advance. She will support you through labor, stay with you the whole time and suggest things you can do to cope or ways your partner can help you.

Waterbirth is GREAT. Being in the birth tub really does a lot to help you out and make you more comfortable. There is a reason a lot of people call it "an aqua-dural" because it WORKS.

If you dilate quickly, expecially in the transition period, you could become sick during labor. Have you talked to your caregiver about that?

Make sure you can remain active and move around. Find out if you can eat and drink light foods in labor (clear broths, Gatorade, Jello, grapes, protein drinks) to help you maintain your energy. Consider using a birth ball during labor as well. Make sure you get a nurse who is supportive of unmedicated birth. If you don't "click" with your nurse, ask to talk to the charge nurse and ask for a nurse who is supportive of unmedicated birth.

You CAN do this!

Answer 4

The worry of labour can be stressful enough without the added worry of your phobia - poor you!

Have you investigated going to a local birthing centre - I've heard very good reports from these from my other mummy friends! Not sure if this is an option because of the anti-depressents.

Have you considered self-hypnosis to help with the pain of labour? My friend tried this (she also suffers with depression) and she found ti v useful - she had a long tear when she gave birth but her self-hypnosis worked for her - no epidural had!!

I'd also recommend visiting the hopsital and doing a tour - they should run them but if they don't get in touch with them and explain your situation and ask for a personal tour - by knowing where it will happen and what their approaches are, i am sure it will help you remain calm during labour.

I had complications with my labour due to having the rock of gibraltar growing in my kidney - my boy ended up being a ventouse assisted delivery and we had a lot of people suddenly appear in the room - but because i'd read up about it and taken my hospital tour, i knew that this was perfectly normal and that i didn't need to panic about it - my friend had exactly the same situation (i.e. ventouse) same hospital but a week later, and it freaked her out because she didn't know to expect it.


OOOh - what about having hypnotherapy to address your phobia - if you can't change the hospital side of things,can you change the phobia side of things?


Ultimately, you need to feel in control of your situation so get as much information as you can about your options and then make an informed decision.

Good luck!! You can do it!!

Answer 5

Don't listen to anyones labour horror stories -we've all got them. You know were all different, you may not puke so don't worry about that one. Just try to go with whatever you feel when you get there. Don't get all hyped up before you go otherwise it will be ...not good! Don't like hospitals much either but if you put this somewhere on your birthing plan then that will be taken into consideration and midwives are soooo bloomin nice and encouraging anyway.

TENS machines are quite good for eary labour (you might be lucky enough to stick with just that), and the pool is quite soothing too. Make sure your midwife knows about your medication and she will know exactly what to give you or not.

I am sure you will be fine, just don't fret and don't listen to other peoples stories. Once it's born and you are both OK you wil forget it all anyway. Honestly

All the best and hope it goes well - it will.

Answer 6

I believe it is, I know a lot of women who have had their first children unassisted without much pain, I have also known women orgasm from giving birth, and so the idea that birth has to be painful is not true in all cases.

I think it has a lot to do with socialisation rather than just medicine and biology, women are taught anything to do with sex or their sexual anatomy is 'supposed' to be painful, take for example loosing your virginity or menstruation; Loosing virginity in a lot of cases is down to ignorance about anatomy and sex, but also in many cases a result of the girls fear of pain. Menstrual cramps are in most cases perfectly preventable, however a lot of women think it is normal and so do nothing to prevent the pain.

I think if a woman is well educated about childbirth and she is aware that it is not necessarily painful then it will make childbirth a lot easier, certainly if you are expecting it to be painful chances are it will be – I am also of the mind it is detrimental for childbirth to be painful, it makes me wonder why it is painful, it would not seem natural to make something so important to human survival painful.

That then does pretty much spell pain for you though, which is unfortunate, it may be an idea to look more into un-medicated and unassisted births to see what options there are and what other women have experienced. I would also suggest perhaps looking into hypnotherapy because by the sounds of it childbirth is not going to be a very pleasant experience in terms of pain for you as it is, without the added problems you have mentioned here.

Good luck whatever happens.

Answer 7

Yes, it is possible, and I did it, but I wouldn't reccommend it. I didn't have an un-medicated birth through choice, they said they couldn't give me anything - bad hospital - lack of hospital funds.

I wasn't sick, though!

No, but seriously I was in labour for 28 hours, and I had 28 stitches! I have a phobia of vomiting, too, but I was screaming for anything, even a Paracetamol by the end of it!

If you want to do it that way, do so, but one does not always vomit under the medication, and I'd take that risk anyday over having another natural birth!

Answer 8

Asked to be induced, if you go into labour naturally the body sometimes has a clear out and so you may be sick and get doreah, i was induced and never got sick, i felt quite sick at first, but this was due to the gas and air, i told the midwife i felt really sick and i pannicked and she gave me an injection of anti sickness straight away (in my bum so u dont see needles) and that cured everything, i didnt feel sick again and gave birth in 2 1/2 hours with only gas and air for releif.

this is my experience, others differ.x

Answer 9

I think it is possible only because i was in full labor for 3 days with my first and was13 years old and i did it to prove to my mom that i could but i would never recommend it to any one and there is a drug called finagrin that is not how to spell it but it stops u from vomiting and do not eat enything at all and eat ice chips instead of drinking when u go in labor because the pain will make u vomit so just avoid it by not really having anything in your system

Answer 10

Yes it is possible to go through your first labor and not get sick at all. The main thing to do is to stay as calm as you can and not get all tore up about the progress of your labor. And as the other ladies said and I also recommened you to get a doula. They are wonderful to have when you are in labor. But I had a epudirual and went through labor without vomiting. So you can go either way. Good luck with the labor and delivery!

Answer 11

well it is possible because I have done it.
I wanted a water birth but it didn't happen because when I arrived to the hospital all the rooms with water equipment were taken.

I was sent to a normal delivery room.I didn't get any medication all the 20 hours I was in labour and I can tell you I was in PAIN.I asked a few time just to be told I would be better without.never again.