Using Stadol as Labor Pain Relief
How Narcotics affect Mother, Baby and the Mother's Labor
Narcotics can provide rest and relaxation to mothers in labor. However, narcotics can also affect the mother and the baby. Find out what you need to know.
Narcotics such as stadol are used very commonly as a pain relief option in labor. They are typically administered by the labor nurse through an IV during early or active labor. Because they do enter the mother's bloodstream, they are considered to be "systemic" in that the effects of the medication travel throughout not only the mother's body, but readily cross the placenta and reach the baby. What are both the pros and cons of this type of IV pain medication to help you decide what is right for you?
How Stadol may Affect the Mother
One of the advantages of narcotics is to allow mothers to relax or rest during labor. In some cases, mothers may even fall asleep for brief periods right after the medication takes affect. However, most mothers find that the effects of stadol provides some relaxation only between contractions, while during contractions, they often "wake-up" and feel they still need to do other coping methods such as breathing patterns. Unfortunately stadol and other narcotics often have other unpleasant side effects such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting and even hallucinations.
How Stadol may Affect the Baby
Since narcotics have a depressant effect on the mother, the same can be true for the baby. If the mother is still in labor, the medical staff will need to more closely watch the baby with continuous electronic fetal monitoring. If stadol is given to the mother within 3 hours of giving birth, the effect of the narcotic on the baby will be greater. Babies affected by narcotics such as stadol can have more difficulty in breathing as well as latching on well to breastfeed.
Other Pain Relief Options to Consider
While some mothers may find that stadol is effective, many are not happy with the side effects. In fact, mothers who have used stadol during labor often report that it did not effectively reduce their pain and they would not choose to use it again for their next birth.
Some mothers may opt to have an epidural instead of narcotics. Others may prefer a whole host of comfort measures or pain relief techniques such as hydrotherapy, position changes, massage, breathing and relaxation, to name a few. Use of a doula will often provide a greater array of pain relief techniques to the laboring mother.
Did you use stadol during your labor? Why or why not? What was your experience like? Tell us about it on the forum.
