Was your labor similar to this?

[ewpmsw]

Anyone else have a labor experience similar to this? It was my first and may be very typical, but I don't remember reading some of these symptoms and was kind of annoyed at the surprise of it all: 33 hours long, vomiting the whole time and couldn't keep water or anything else down; chills and couldn't get warm; felt like I was stoned and kept 'waking' between contractions. I wanted to be the woman who walked around and did stuff while the contractions came and went, who delivered the baby without epidural or other intervention. At the 24 hour mark, I got the epidural and am fine with it.

We're getting ready to start interviewing doulas and my mind has turned to the first labor experience. Now I'm wondering if that was normal or WTHeck was going on with the chills and what felt like passing out and freezing, even with lots of blankets. Maybe I just don't deal well with pain, who knows. I had low blood pressure issues, even after delivery. TIA for feedback and I apologize in advance if this isn't the right forum.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Did you have any meds that could have caused an allergic reaction?

[wellyes]

I had vomiting, chills and cramps (not just contractions) before I got the epidural. I think vomiting is pretty normal. I didn't feel like I was stoned or passing out. But if you were dehydrated from the vomiting that would definitely contribute to that sensation. Did you have IV fluids?

For me, it was miserable but I didn't feel like I was in danger or seriously ill. No one at the hospital seemed concerned about my symptoms, aside from being generally sympathetic, so I assume they were not that unusual. What did your delivery nurse / midwife / ob say about it at the time?

I sure as heck didn't make it to 24 hours before calling for medication, by the way. My first epidural didn't work but it did stop those symptoms.

If you do want to go without an epidural I'd probably talk to your doula about making sure you have IV fluids to keep your strength up.

[ewpmsw]

No meds at all in the weeks before delivery. I did have IV fluids after the epidural because I was so dehydrated from being sick. The midwife, nurses, etc. weren't concerned about the vomiting, chills, etc., and said everyone's labor is different. They were concerned about the low blood pressure.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Vomiting and chills are common. The stomach issues are related to your body clearing out to make room for the baby. Chills, I can't remember the reason but I had them with both but more after they were out than while in labor. Was your water broken? Were you running a fever? Did you have any narcotics? Those would really explain things!

During my labor with ds2 I was able to really rest between contractions when I was around 7cm. Everything just slowed down for about 30 minutes. It was wonderful. I never felt out of it though.

The low blood pressure could also explain a lot.

My CNM with ds2 kept insisting on me drinking lots of fluids and eating lightly even if I didn't want to. I think it really helped (I did not have an I.V.).

Beth

[mommylamb]

I felt no guilt for getting an epidural, and I planned to get it as soon as I possibly could. My labor wasn't nearly as hard as yours was. It lasted 6 hours. Contractions were painful until I got the epidural about 3.5 hours into it, but no vomitting or other problematic symptoms. Vaginal birth and I was up walking around within an hour of him coming out.

ETA: I hope you don't have such a hard time this time around.

[athompson]

I can't speak to all of your symptoms, but with my 2nd child I had serious chills after I delivered. I could not get warm and my teeth were literally chattering. I had no meds, so it couldn't be any type of allergic reaction. Throughout the pregnancy, I had very low platelet counts. I attributed the chills to losing lots of blood and low platelets. This didn't happen again during my 3rd birth when my platelets were closer to normal (but still low) and I didn't lose a significant amount of blood. Maybe mention this to your Dr. and/or Midwife?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Everyone at both of my births assured me that the after labor chills were normal and that's why they had warm blankets on hand.

Beth

[mamicka]

I had major chills & felt very out of it for most of my labor with DS1. But I was given narcotics & who knows what else so I always chalk it up to that, at least the severity.

DS2 & 3 labors were the exact opposite from that so there is hope.