Natural Birth

Induction =/= epidural! :)

Hi girls!

I wish this board had been around during my first pregnancy. It would have been very valuable. 

I have had two natural births in less than two years.  I can honestly say that my births were the most amazing, empowering days of my life and they changed me forever.

My first baby was a week overdue and very quick, all natural, no tearing.

My second baby, however, had to be induced two days early due to high blood pressure. I was always so worried about induction because I had heard so many horror stories about pitocin contractions and how women inevitably got an epidural with them.

I wanted to share that this was not my case at all! The pitocin contractions were no worse than my natural ones I had with my first birth. I never once felt tempted to get te epi and I made it through using positive visualization, humming, and practiced breathing techniques. Another beautiful birth without tearing or complications.

Anyway, I don't know if anyone was worried about this, so I just wanted to share my positive induction experience. 

Good luck ladies! You can do it, and it is sooooo worth it!!!!  :)

"Get your facts first. Then you can distort them as you please." ~ Mark Twain

Re: Induction =/= epidural! :)

  • Congratulations! That's good to know! I'm not planning on being in labor again anytime soon, but no doubt this'll be encouraging for some women on here. 
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  • i've only been through labor once, so i have no comparison, but pitocin didn't make me get an epidural either!  
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  • Thanks for posting this - I'm being induced tomorrow and freaking out about it!

     

    Congrats!

  • imagepinkeggs:

    Hi girls!

    I wish this board had been around during my first pregnancy. It would have been very valuable. 

    I have had two natural births in less than two years.  I can honestly say that my births were the most amazing, empowering days of my life and they changed me forever.

    My first baby was a week overdue and very quick, all natural, no tearing.

    My second baby, however, had to be induced two days early due to high blood pressure. I was always so worried about induction because I had heard so many horror stories about pitocin contractions and how women inevitably got an epidural with them.

    I wanted to share that this was not my case at all! The pitocin contractions were no worse than my natural ones I had with my first birth. I never once felt tempted to get te epi and I made it through using positive visualization, humming, and practiced breathing techniques. Another beautiful birth without tearing or complications.

    Anyway, I don't know if anyone was worried about this, so I just wanted to share my positive induction experience. 

    Good luck ladies! You can do it, and it is sooooo worth it!!!!  :)

     How big were your babies and did you do any perineal massage or anything to help prevent the tearing? So happy to hear such a positive experience..I'm due to give birth any day now:)

  • imagepinkeggs:

    Hi girls!

    I wish this board had been around during my first pregnancy. It would have been very valuable. 

    I have had two natural births in less than two years.  I can honestly say that my births were the most amazing, empowering days of my life and they changed me forever.

    My first baby was a week overdue and very quick, all natural, no tearing.

    My second baby, however, had to be induced two days early due to high blood pressure. I was always so worried about induction because I had heard so many horror stories about pitocin contractions and how women inevitably got an epidural with them.

    I wanted to share that this was not my case at all! The pitocin contractions were no worse than my natural ones I had with my first birth. I never once felt tempted to get te epi and I made it through using positive visualization, humming, and practiced breathing techniques. Another beautiful birth without tearing or complications.

    Anyway, I don't know if anyone was worried about this, so I just wanted to share my positive induction experience. 

    Good luck ladies! You can do it, and it is sooooo worth it!!!!  :)

     How big were your babies and did you do any prep to prevent tearing (peri massage, etc.)?  Thanks for your positive experience:)

  • Thanks for posting this!  I am 9 days overdue and scheduled for an induction if baby doesn't get here by Tues so I've been freaking out (just a little).  At least I avoided my doctor's "You need to come in tomorrow for a c-section" on Wed which mysteriously occured right before she left for vacation on Fri.  I thought I wanted her at my birth, but now I'm glad she's gone!
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  • I had two all natural VBACs... and this time around wound up in a situation where they wanted to move things along with pitocin- like you- I'd heard a lot of stories about pitocin and the different kind of contraction which causes the baby hardship and mom needing pain relief- and I was reluctant because of that- but actually did feel that due to the circumstances- (water broke and no real organization to the ctx- Dr. nervous about a deadline with risk of infection) thought I should give it a try.  Apparently all I needed was a very small amount- and I was already at- I think 6 cm- when we started the pit.  

     It worked well and like you- I didn't think the ctx were any worse than anything else I've experienced in other labors- if anything it just jumped me forward about 3 to six hours in the laboring process and left me with more energy than I would have had had I gone the slow and natural way (which I gladly would have done had I not had a deadline to deliver looming).  I did wind up delivering without using any pain drugs- feel a bit disappointed that I did wind up (I don't want to say "needing")... *including* pitocin in my birth management- but in this scenario it seemed like a good way to go for me.

    If you do wind up in this situation- I don't want to endorse or encourage the use of pitocin- but I think it's OK to try to keep a really positive attitude and not feel doomed or crushed by the change in plans- if you let it freak you out- it could be a self fulfilling prophecy.

  • I'm also interested to see if/how you prepared to avoid tearing.

     

    Thanks so much for posting. That's very encouraging!

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  • Congrats on such a successful labor & delivery! I was also induced, due to being 2 weeks past due with my 1st - the 1st day all cervical ripening agents, due to the fact mine hadn't changed at all. Nothing changed, so the second day I was started on pitocin at 10am - had minor contractions until 4 when I went into active labor - DS was born 12 hours later - only 5 minutes of pushing! I had no drugs other than the induction. Although not what we had planned, everything worked out perfectly & thinking back on the labor & delivery - it was a great experience. I don't have anything to compare this birth to, but knowing that it can be done would have eased my mind prior to induction. GL everyone!
  • My first baby was 6lbs 12 oz and my second was 7lbs 14oz. To reduce the chances of tearing, I massaged evening primrose oil on my perineum the week before delivering.

    Also - and I think that this was really important - as hard as it to think clearly when you're in the middle of pushing, I made sure to kind of pause when they crowned and go very very slowly. It helped that I had attendants who helped with that a lot. You tear when you push too fast, so slowing down at the end is vital! GL!! :)

    "Get your facts first. Then you can distort them as you please." ~ Mark Twain
  • That is great to hear.  One of my girlfriends had to be given pitocin because her water broke before she was even in active labor (wasn't having any noticeable contractions).  She labored for 17hrs with it, and said it was horribly painful, and ended up getting an epidural.  Since she wasn't having contractions before, it's hard to know what hers would have felt like of course.  But she was hoping for a natural birth (hence the 17hr delay on the epi).  So it is encouraging to hear your story knowing that maybe pitocin contractions aren't so bad for everyone.
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  • Congrats! I was induced with pitocin too, I didn't get an epidural. It helped that I was in labor for less than 4 hours. :-)
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  • How wonderful for you! That is probably really helpful to a lot of people. I would suggest posting it on the 3rd Tri board too....
  • That is great to read! Thanks for sharing this. I don't think I will have to be induced for any medical reason, but it is very encouraging to read just in case.

    Baby #3 is on the way! EDD  3/8/15
    DD1--8/29/10
    DD2--11/6/12
     
  • I too had pitocin and no epi. Taking one contraction at a time was the key for me (and an amazing birth coach, DH!).
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  • Thanks for posting..I've been freaking about the whole inducing..I'm being checked-in on thursday to the hospital to get induced.

     

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