I’ve heard that pethidine can make you feel sick, and the baby drowsy after birth. Is this true?
Pethidine is from the family of drugs called opiates and is the most commonly used drug during labour. It is usually given by injection and its side effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or drowsiness; it can also delay the baby’s breathing. To combat the nausea and vomiting, an anti-sickness drug is usually given with pethidine If the baby’s breathing is noticeably affected, an antidote injection is sometimes given to reverse the effects of the pethidine, although this is not usually necessary and would only be given if the baby didn’t respond well to other types of stimulus, such as gently rubbing the baby’s back with a warm towel, or gently stimulating and rubbing the feet of a baby, which can be enough to make him inhale. Your baby’s ability to breastfeed can be affected if he is drowsy, and midwives are now encouraged to provide extra support to mothers choosing to breastfeed if they have had pethidine during labour in an attempt to overcome this side effect.
Related Questions
- I’ve heard that storing my baby’s cells may help if he or she develops a blood disorder like childhood leukaemia. Is that true?
- I’ve heard that only "problem" animals who are either sick or aggressive come to shelters. Is that true?
- I’ve heard that pethidine can make you feel sick, and the baby drowsy after birth. Is this true?
