Is it common to throw up during labor??

[HopefulEm]

Recently I started reading "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" and I noticed a lot of the women during their natural births throw up during labor. Is this really that common??

I hadn't heard of it before. Is it one of those situations where the pain is so bad you feel like throwing up, or is it just general nausea?

 

[Mummafrog]

It is more about the body emptying to prepare to use all of its energy for labour. Just as it is common to go to the toilet regularly before labour, it's common to throw up. I have never heard of it being to do with the intensity of pain. It's still important to eat during labour but it helps to eat lightly I've heard so you don't feel uncomfortably full and get nauseous.
I've read stuff from Ina May too, she's great

 

[RaspberryK]

Yes I did, at transition, just loads of water. Midwife didn't recognise this as a sign so left me at home , and we went to hospital where ds was born in 30 mins.
Xx

 

[BunnyN]

Before labour I kind of wondered if the throwing up was more to do with side effects to drugs, which it is sometimes, but I had a drug free birth and the first thing I did when labour really got going was to throw up. I threw up quite a few times over the next 30 hrs of labour. Toward the end I couldn't eat or drink much without throwing up shortly after and I worked hard to have little sips of water so I didn't dehydrate because it was a long labour. Sucking on ice cubes was quite good. I didn't feel that queasy (like I did during the awful morning sickness) it was more jut a strong sensation that I needed to throw up. After I did I'd feel fine again. It usually did come with a particularly painful contraction and felt partly related to the pain but as Mummafrog said I think it was more to do with my body feeling the need for an empty stomach so it could concentrate on labour. I stopped throwing up before I got to the pushing stage and although the feeling came on suddenly it was never so quick or intense that I couldn't make my way to the toilet to throw up. I hope that helps. That is just my experience so it might be different for others.

 

[smallpeanut]

I threw up when I was given gas and air. Then I refused to have it near me lol x

 

[SarahBear]

Recently I started reading "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" and I noticed a lot of the women during their natural births throw up during labor. Is this really that common??

I hadn't heard of it before. Is it one of those situations where the pain is so bad you feel like throwing up, or is it just general nausea?

Yes, it's very common. If it happens to you, one way to keep a positive attitude about it is that it means you're getting close. This typically happens in the transition phase and when you open up, up top, things tend to be opening up down below. It's not about the pain though. My pain was quite manageable and I still threw up. (TMI warning) At one point I was on the toilet with a pot in front of me because I never knew which end things were going to come out of. Loose stool is also very common during labor... Labor is a messy ordeal. Basically, don't worry about it and if it happens, think to yourself, "woohoo, this means I'm getting close to being able to meet my baby!"

Edit: Also, I don't remember feeling nauseated. I just remember that I'd suddenly feel the need to throw up. It happened multiple times. You're body is going through a lot during labor.

 

[ttc bubby no2]

I threw up during transition with my first, I had my show at the same time. With my second I felt like I was going to be sick during transition and had a bucket ready but managed not throw up.

 

[Shadowy Lady]

I didn't but when I was in transition I swear I thought I would throw up a few times. It never did happen for which I'm glad. I have a phobia of throwing up :/

 

[lozzy21]

Yep, you get every body fluid and excretion during labour.

 

[madasa]

Yes, it's very common. You can also throw up if your blood sugar gets very low, so nibbling and sipping in early labour can really help. It's got nothing to do with pain. I had an easy labour last time and still threw up. But ...as Ina May says, "as above, so below" (the theory is that it can help you dilate)

 

[SarahBear]

Yes, it's very common. You can also throw up if your blood sugar gets very low, so nibbling and sipping in early labour can really help. It's got nothing to do with pain. I had an easy labour last time and still threw up. But ...as Ina May says, "as above, so below" (the theory is that it can help you dilate)

That's what I was getting at. I think it's true!

 

[SwissMiss]

I didn't have anything in my stomach by transistion with both my labours but dry heaved intensely both times. Also thank God withouth nausea, just an intense 'urge to purge' so to speak..
I HATE throwing up but I barely remember that bit - I only just did b/c of reading the thread!
xxx

 

[Lois22]

I was never sick or even felt sick

 

[BunnyN]

My mum wasn't sick at all during her natural labours so not everyone gets it.

It's funny I threw up through the whole labour but stopped by transition.

 

[Kirstiedenman]

I threw up uncontrollably with my first to the point of needing an injection to stop it as I could barely catch my breathe I was vomiting that much. I had a huge fear of it this time round and made sure my midwife had the shot on standby as it was a homebirth but although I felt like I needed to lots of times I never actually did thank god. I never felt nauseous though it just sort of appeared and out it came lol

 

[BunnyN]

I threw up uncontrollably with my first to the point of needing an injection to stop it as I could barely catch my breathe I was vomiting that much. I had a huge fear of it this time round and made sure my midwife had the shot on standby as it was a homebirth but although I felt like I needed to lots of times I never actually did thank god. I never felt nauseous though it just sort of appeared and out it came lol

That is interesting you had it the first time and not the second. Did you have any medication or anything that may have made you sick or was it just your reaction to labour?

 

[Mrs W 11]

I was really sick but I'd drank lots of water and was on gas & air so I felt drunk at the time, which meant it wasn't as bad as I'd feared. I have a bit of a phobia too x

 

[MonyMony]

I've heard of this of course, but it never happened to me either time. I have a low tolerance for pain too, and started shaking uncontrollably with my first labor. But never had the urge to throw up at all.

 

[Reidfidleir]

I didnt. Never felt an urge to either. But I don't generally vomit. Last time I did was 16 years ago. Yep.
My bowels emptied in early labor but that was it.

 

[KateNicola]

I threw up during labour. I was induced so I didn't really have any easing into it (zero to hard labour). I didn't feel nauseous, it just came up during a contraction and then I was fine. I hit the end of the bed! Remembering that still amuses me for some odd reason Everything tends to come out during labour. Do NOT worry about it. If someone tries to give you grief, they need to be removed.