Morphine vs. Pethadine

[Baby Girl]

Hi all,

I went for an appointment with my midwife at Westmead Hospital in Sydney yesterday and she mentioned that they no longer use Pethadine as a form of pain relief in labour, they are now using Morphine as it has less side effects for the unborn child. Call me ignorant but I thought that is why they switched to Pethadine form Morphine years ago. Because peth had less side effects for both mother and child. Can someone please correct me if I am mistaken?

Has anyone else's hospital, OB or midwife mentioned this change or could it just be Westmead? I am just wondering if it is accross the board or just a hospital choice.

I was given peth during labour last time and both me and my daughter were fine. I have been given morphine (and maxalon to stop me vomiting from the morphine) for pain before and spent hours in more pain from throwing up the entire contents of my stomach over and over again and I am not keen to have this happen while I am labouring!!

[firsttimemum]

Hi Schmell

I am only a first time mum hence my name lol so I don't really know alot!! But at the Royal Brisbane Pethidine is still an option Morphine was not even on the list to choose from.

[Tannie]

Haven't heard this either - still were offering Pethidine when I had bub 2 months ago.
Make sure you tell them Morphine makes you throw up - it's not uncommon for people to get sick from Morphine - I can't have it either (makes me itch....) so you have a valid reason to not be given it anyway.
t

[WeThree]

i didnt think morphine was even an option, when i had tilly only 4mths ago it was still pethadine, i would get a second opinion from another midwife or doctor on this one..

[Baby Girl]

You have all echoed my thoughts!!

When I asked her if I could be given peth instead as I didn't react well to morphine I was told that they didn't offer it at all at Westmead now (which I found hard to believe).

I think I might give a quick call around to a couple of other maternity clinics and the local hospitals and ask if this is becoming common???

Although, if all goes well, I hope not to have either anyway!! I am very keen to try and go totally natural this time!! But better to suss out the situation before hand just in case.....