Is MORPHINE normal after giving birth?

[caitycaity]

my mom was on morphine when she was in labor with me. apparently it doesn't hurt the fetus.

 

[bellacam]

I had a morphine drip for 2 days after Aidan was born. The only side effrect was some itching.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I didn't get a morphine drip, just the shot when I woke up. Percocet after a different surgery is what had me dreaming weird stuff and itching like crazy!

 

[LoraJ]

I think people freak out hearing "morphine". It's really very commonly used, it's a wonderful drug for pain management, cheap, effective and it is not habit forming when used in these cases. Most hospitals use a lot of it

I had a morphine drip in the emergency room after a car accident. It was wonderful!

 

[mrsv98]

ACK! I am so allergic to morphine, actually any of the "ines" codine...etc. Told the anestegiologist this and he didn't believe me! After DD was born and the doc was putting my insides back together, I told him my chest hurt (referred pain) so he says "Let me give you just a little bit of morphine" um, NO....too late....have you even thrown up while lying strapped down to an operating table? Not a pretty sight. Then he says "Wow, we are going to have to work on your pain management because you are really sensitive to morphine" DUH!!!

So they gave me a shot, demerol I think, and so pill every so often. But, they left the damn PCA machine hooked up to my arm for almost 2 days and I had to keep explaining that I wasn't using it and could they please take it out. Geesh. Anyway, by the end of the week, I went home with no prescriptions, just used ibuprofen and I was fine.

 

[goofyforlife]

See now that's weird...Percocet is what makes me itch.....

I had morphine for my c-section 12 yrs ago for 1st 24 hrs... They told me if I wanted a shower I had to come off of it... (OK I'm off) after that the gave percocet which made me itch...I complained and they switched me to motrin 400's...(I had stronger stuff than that at home...) so I had to bug the nurses EVERY 4 hrs for my medicine and still was hurting....

I also had a morphine drip after my LAP gallbladder surgery in March. (That was so helpful.)

No weird sides either time....

 

[kasar]

I'm so impressed with everyone that used Tylenol for c-section pain! You guys are Superwomen!

My pain really knocked me for a loop and I have a pretty high pain threshold.

 

[SpecialK]

I had a morphine drip too, but just needed it the first 12 hours. Morphine does not cross over into the breast milk either.
After the first 12 hours I just used Advil.

Same for me. Recovered much more quickly with this treatment than I did with the epidural drip for my first-born.

 

[princesspumpkin]

It is common in my hospital to give duramorph ( large dose of morphine given thru the epidural space AFTER the baby is delivered). This is supposed to take care of the pain for 12-24 hours. Also, sometimes patients are given pain medications that are pushed through their IV with a syringe. For both of these medications, many times, the patient isn't even aware that they received it! I have had many patients arrive to my floor after giving birth and I was the one who informed them that, yes, they did receive Morphine in the labor and delivery room after the birth. When people start itching (one of the most common side effects), I inform them that they are reacting to the Morphine. In my 18 years as a post-partum nurse, i can't say that I ever remember someone having a c-section and never receive any type of pain medication. I had a c-section myself and once the spinal wore off, it felt like a there was an anvil on my abdomen! After the first 24 hours, that's when I see people "not" taking pain medications. But, that is also rare.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

I'm so impressed with everyone that used Tylenol for c-section pain! You guys are Superwomen!

My pain really knocked me for a loop and I have a pretty high pain threshold.

Well don't be impressed with me! It wasn't my choice, I wanted something stronger. I'm not a big pain fan at all! lol! I wanted to smack the nurse when I told her I was in pain and she brought me a tylenol. I just couldn't believe that. Tylenol doesn't even get rid of my headaches! I had a hysterectomy earlier this year and I got the narcotic drip, but not with my c-section. Yikes!

 

[MandM-Mom]

You sure that wasn't Tylenol 3 or something? I can't imagine anyone just giving tylenol after that kind of surgery! You would be in terrible pain

I too only used regular tylenol after both my C-sections, I refused the morphine, I didn't want to be groggy and miss the first times seeing my babies. I had very minimal pain for both C-sections and had a very quick recovery, I was actually bugging the nurses to let me get up after only getting out of surgery hours before, the longer you sit the more stiff you get!!!

 

[Deb in IA]

While I agree with Alex that morphine is a excellent pain medication, especially for post-operative pain control, it should not be given to NURSING mothers. Morphine is excreted in breastmilk, and can cause withdrawal in infants when the mother stops using this medication.

Nursing Mothers
Low levels of morphine have been detected in the breast milk. Withdrawal symptoms can occur in breast-feeding infants when maternal administration of morphine sulfate is stopped. Ordinarily, nursing should not be undertaken while a patient is receiving morphine since morphine may be excreted in the milk.

 

[Magickndm]

Morphine is excreted in breastmilk, and can cause withdrawal in infants when the mother stops using this medication.

I read and was told the opposite...but that was almost 15 years ago so maybe they have new info.

 

[luvmy2sams]

I too only used regular tylenol after both my C-sections, I refused the morphine, I didn't want to be groggy and miss the first times seeing my babies. I had very minimal pain for both C-sections and had a very quick recovery, I was actually bugging the nurses to let me get up after only getting out of surgery hours before, the longer you sit the more stiff you get!!!

Very similar experience here. I've had 2 c-sections (the first unplanned & the second nicely scheduled ) and didn't have anything other than plain old Tylenol. I was given morphine in the delivery room with DD, but nothing was given with DS. I was at the OBGYN today and we were discussing pain threshholds. She said she always uses me as an example of the weirdly pain tolerant woman. I really wasn't in much pain and just wanted to get out of the hospital so I could get some sleep!

 

[Feralpeg]

I had a block for my C-section and the first 24 hours after. I didn't take anything after that. I really wasn't in much pain. Now, don't ask about my hysterectomy. That was another story!!!

 

[CajunDixie]

In my 18 years as a post-partum nurse, i can't say that I ever remember someone having a c-section and never receive any type of pain medication. I had a c-section myself and once the spinal wore off, it felt like a there was an anvil on my abdomen! After the first 24 hours, that's when I see people "not" taking pain medications. But, that is also rare.

I wonder if it's a college or regional thing for the doctors prescribing the meds?

I didn't have any pain meds (not even Tylenol) after my 2 C-Sections. I went home as soon as I could talk the Dr into it also. I know the nurses did not like that I refused the pain meds and sent the Dr in to try to talk me into it. He ended up saying they rarely saw people with high pain tolerence and he removed the IV after I proved to him I could get out of bed and walk to the chair in the room. And he told the nurses I could walk the halls as much as I wanted which he said was better than laying in bed. When I had my second son the nurses asked about background with my first C-Section and I told them last time I used no pain meds and was out of bed ASAP. They said Great!! They had a full floor and were glad they wouldn't have to give me unneccessary attention but made me promise if I changed my mind about the pain meds to let them know.

On the other hand my BF had a C-Section and she was in major pain. She pushed the button on her pump constantly and refused to get out of the bed for 2 days.

 

[kidshop]

While I agree with Alex that morphine is a excellent pain medication, especially for post-operative pain control, it should not be given to NURSING mothers. Morphine is excreted in breastmilk, and can cause withdrawal in infants when the mother stops using this medication.

Just adding on: "The IV medications listed above have a very short half life and the milk to plasma ratio is low for most of these drugs, except Valium and Morphine. The half lives of these drugs are quite long and the milk to plasma ratio is somewhat higher than the other drugs listed. Some references suggest using caution with these drugs, and some do not. My advice is to use caution when using these drugs with the breastfeeding mother, or even better, chose a more appropriate alternative besides diazepam or morphine."


more info at this link: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/sedation.html

The best solution is to use a pain drug that IS more compatible with nursing and most of them are.

Carry on...

 

[Divamomto3]

Is there a drug called duramorph? I think I had that in my epidural but it was making me sick. They switched me to demerol shots then to demerol/phenergan in the pill form. I think it was over the top...I was having nightmares of people in white trying to kill me.

I'm a nurse...you may not have been dreaming.



Just kidding!!! Just kidding!!!

 

[Blondy876]

I'm allergic to Vicodin so I was given morphine after I had my c-sections.

 

[Talking Hands]

Yep, had it after both my C-sec. And this was 27 and 23 years ago. It is a longtime practice.