I am getting worried because I may not be able to get an epidural because I have rods in my spine. I will find out next month but I am so nervous.
2007-10-01 08:51:45 · 5 answers · asked by stella 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Other common pain medications used in labor are Demerol, Stadol and Nubain which are narcotics. They typically promote a relaxed (or in some cases "drugged") state and might help take the edge off the pain. You will be able to feel to push. They are usually administered earlier than an epidural because they start working faster, and an anesthesiologist does not have to be present.
The most common side effect of narcotics, besides relaxation and dulling of pain sensations, is nausea and/or vomiting which some doctors counteract with phenergen, but it also makes you sleepy!
More info here:
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/narcotics.html
2007-10-01 10:55:33 · answer #1 · answered by Veritas 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had Nubain, a narcotic pain medicine they give you through IV. I was so doped up I slept through 7 hours of hard labor. Unfortunately, I was so doped up that my daughter had respiratory depression at birth and required oxygen and observation in the Level II nursery for several hours.
Nubain has variable results in different people. Some people are very sensitive to it and it works well (like me) but other people report that it barely takes the edge of the contractions and only makes it so they can rest in between a little better. And no matter what, it always crosses the placenta and can have effects on the baby. That's why it's better to be given in earlier labor, so it has time to wear off before the baby is born. Some doc's won't give Nubain if you're more than 6cm dilated for that reason.
Basically, ANYTHING they give you through an IV or injection into a muscle is going to cross the placenta and therefore present some degree of increased risk to the baby. By risk, that means fetal distress (low heart rate or big dips in the heart rate, especially after a contraction) or after the baby is born they have trouble breathing.
But epidurals aren't without risks to baby either, so I'm not saying one is "better" than the other.
2007-10-01 09:01:45 · answer #2 · answered by Take A Test! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did not have the epidural with either of my girls. I will not lie, it will hurt without it, but it is only for a short time. Don't stress yourself out over the epidural, women have done it for years before the epidural was invented. I have such a low pain tolerance, and I did it. IV pain medications will help but will not completly eliminate the pain.
2007-10-01 11:01:56 · answer #3 · answered by awnya_nirvelli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had something called Nubain when I was in labor. It took the edge of the contractions. Some of my friends were given Morphine but that is extreme. Is it too late for you to take some natural child birth classes?
2007-10-01 08:55:38 · answer #4 · answered by missie_d_73 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
u can ask for some pain meds through your iv, nubain(not sure on the spelling) but it will make you feel like your kinda drunk, in a good place..i heard lots of women having it and it works wonders.
2007-10-01 08:56:00 · answer #5 · answered by D's Gurl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋