Most women experience some nausea during the course of their pregnancy however what many first time moms may not know is nausea during labor is also common. In my own pregnancy I was nauseated for the first four months around the clock. During labor and in the middle of a C-section to deliver my son the nausea this time accompanied by vomiting reappeared. There are several reasons why women may experience nausea during labor.
A side effect of pain medication. Various types of pain medication may be given at certain stages during labor which may cause nausea as a side effect. Although it may not be possible to prevent this side effect when taking pain medications, discuss taking the lowest dose to get some pain relief but possibly limiting side effects. Educate yourself prior to going into labor on pain relief options such as massage and breathing techniques.
Anxiety. Another common cause of nausea during labor is the stress and worry some women experience when in labor. This may especially be true for first time moms. To prevent anxiety related nausea consider reading about what to expect during labor and attend a childbirth class which may lessen fears. Practice breathing techniques to remain calm and relaxed. Having a supportive birth coach may also help when anxiety starts.
Pain. Labor hurts. Some women may have a high tolerance to pain for others the pain may be so intense it triggers nausea. Depending on where you stand on pain medications and epidurals you may want to consider other pain management techniques such as relaxation techniques and hypnosis.
Undigested food. Pregnancy slows digestion down. If there is undigested food in your stomach when you go into labor it may cause nausea. It may be impossible to completely prevent nausea due to undigested food. Eating small frequent meals may help.
Change in hormone levels. One theory regarding why women get nauseated during pregnancy is the increases in certain hormones. During labor hormonal changes also take place to trigger the birthing process. While women can’t control hormone levels during labor they may be able to ease nausea by wearing pressure bands on the wrists or sucking on a hard candy.
Exhaustion. If labor is long, especially if you have been pushing for a while the pain and physical exertion can cause exhaustion which can lead to nausea. Reduce the chances of nausea by resting when you can during labor.
Stress of pushing. Giving birth is hard work and pushing can be intense. The stress can cause varied degrees of nausea. Taking deep breaths and remembering breathing techniques may help
A result of a medical condition. Occasionally a medical condition or an infection can cause nausea during labor. It may be difficult to prevent this symptom form occurring. Eating ice chips or doing deep breathing may help control nausea.
A drop in blood pressure. For women who receive an epidural during labor one side effect may be a drop in blood pressure. The drop is blood pressure causes nausea in some women. This was one of the triggers of my nausea. There is not much you can do to prevent blood pressure from dropping.
Overheating. As the body is stressed from pushing, pain and anxiety body temperature can increase. Overheating can result which can lead to nausea. Sucking on ice chips may help keep the body cool.
Regardless of the reason for nausea during labor the good news is it’s only temporary. As soon as you hold your new little one you’ll forget all your tummy troubles.
