Cervidil and then Pitocin when being induced?

T&BMay142005

My doctor has scheduled me for an induction this Thursday night. They scheduled me for Cervidil in the evening and Pitocin to begin in the morning. Do any of you have experience with this? I would appreciate any advice or experience you have had with this (good and bad) to help me understand what normally happens with these.  TIA!

nuttybunch

I just had pitocin. Apparently they can use cervidil to help thin your cervix and pitocin to start contrax. I guess it just depends on how 'ready' you are. My cervix didn't need preparation.

lzbflogrl

I was induced and given Pitocin.  They had to slow down the pitocin has few days because (1) the IV was going into my arms, not my vein (swollen and painful) and (2) the baby's heartrate was speeding up.  That was a bit scary but the nurses monitored everything and were fantastic.

kellyperk85

nuttybunch:

I just had pitocin. Apparently they can use cervidil to help thin your cervix and pitocin to start contrax. I guess it just depends on how 'ready' you are. My cervix didn't need preparation.

Ditto.  Pitocin just makes the contrax come faster and stronger IMO.

MrsJMB

This was me exactly! 

I was at 1 cm when I went in.  They put the Cervadil in for 12 hours and I was still at 1 cm when they took it out.  It didn't help me at all.  I was already 90% effaced. The Cervadil is something (kind of like a tampon I guess) that they insert into your vagina.

I started the Pitocin at 1:30 am and was at 10 cm by 6:30am.  I didn't have an epidural until I was at 10 cm.  They thought I was only at 6 and didn't check me again, gave me the epi and then realized I was at 10.  I guess I was transitioning, which is why it hurt so bad.  If I had known I was at 10 I would have gone without the epidural.  I pushed for 30 min and had our daughter at 7:01 am.  So, once the Pitocin started, it was 5 hrs to get to 10 cm and 30 minutes of pushing. 

Good luck!  You'll do great!

momma trixie

I did this too.  She started me at 2pm on the cervidil and then came in around midnight and started the pitocin.  My labor was excruciating by 7am and had my epidural.  By 11:30 baby's heartrate wasnt regulating and I hadnt dialated past 5cm so she took me in for C-section.  Aiden was born at 1:30 happy and healthy.  Good luck to you.  Hope you dialate better than I did!  

me&mymonkey

I only had pitocin for my induction since I was about 80% thinned going into the induction.  I had to be at the hospital at 6am and the pitocin was started at 7am.  By midnight I was at 10cm and 100% and ready to push.  I did have a c/s but the induction was successful (ds was sunnyside up and tilted).  I didn't feel any contractions until the dr. broke my water around noon.  Then the contractions came on very fast and painful and I had an epi at 5pm.  Good luck and try to relax and sleep as much as possible while you are being induced.

ldominie

I went through the same thing.  It was pretty mellow in the evening with the Cervidil.  I did cramp with it but nothing major.  They gave me a sleep aid to get me through the nite.  With all the monitors, wires, and the cramping they figured I would need some help!  I also contracted a little through the nite.  The Pitocin was given to me at 7am the next day. Within a couple of hours, I was in some pretty good pain with the contractions. It kicked in quick! I labored for 12 hours that day.

As far as the Pitocin, they had to back off the dosage with me throughout the day bc it was beginning to adversely affect LO's heart rate.  Nothing too major, but enough that I had to receive oxygen during labor and delivery.  Everything ended up great and I had a beautiful healthy baby girl!!

Looking back on it, it was a pretty smooth process.  No worries!  (I was terribly nervous prior to going to the hospital...I wish I had someone who had gone through it to tell me it was no biggie!)

GL!

CameroonKate

This was the plan for me.  I started on Cervidil in the evening and it helped my body along enough that I went into labor on my own.  I never got to the point that I needed the Pitocin.

jillianfries

I was just given pitocin. I got my IV about 7am, they broke my water at about 3pm, epidural about 9pm, and had DS at 12:45am. It wasn't bad for me, just boring.

KatieRL1979

CameroonKate:

This was the plan for me.  I started on Cervidil in the evening and it helped my body along enough that I went into labor on my own.  I never got to the point that I needed the Pitocin.

Exactly this for me too

Mrs.C042807

This is how I was induced.  I had an NST at 11:30pm on the Saturday, BP was high again, so OB put in cervadil around noon.  It basically thins your cervix and can also start contractions in some.  I didn't get any noticeable contractions until 5:30-6am Sudnay morning.  OB started me on Pit at 7am and broke my water then too.  I had DS at 2:34pm that day.

GL to you.

 

coconuthoney

I had both since I was not ready to go into labor at all. They induced me at 38 weeks due to high blood pressure. Cervadil was a little painful to have inserted but I was ok. I had to have a balloon inserted as well to get my cervix to start opening. If they have to do that- get the pain killer they offer.

After that it was a lot of waiting around, sleeping and watching TV. I couldn;t feel the contractions when they started. Got the epi on a wed night bec they wanted to insert a catheter. Delivered vaginally on Thursday evening. No stress to the baby, regular delivery for me.

shellbug79

I was admitted into the hospital around 12am (midnight) started the Cervidil around 12:30 b/c my cervix needed all the help it could get!  Around 2am they broke my water & around 8am started me on pitocin.  I gave birth at 8pm.  They did have to lessen my pitocin at one point b/c my contractions were so hard & fast & the dr wasn't at the hospital yet.  I also had back labor & stomach labor, some say it's b/c of the pitocin but others say it's b/c I had scyatic nerve issues my entire pregnancy.

Michelle

haleyw458

I was 1 1/2-2 cm amd 50% effaced when I was induced at 9:45 am. They gave me cytotec (pill version of cervidil) and at 1:45 when I was due for the next one, they decided to just start the pitocin instead because I was then 80% effaced and being in labor would efface me the rest of the way.

Cervidil just thins the cervix and is supposed to make the labor go faster.

Melymel80

I started the Cervidil on Thursday night. 12 hour later no change. Did another dose...my water broke naturally about 5 hours later. No Pit needed. Once my water broke I gave birth 2 hours later. Cerv was painless. Like they were inserting a tampon. All I had with the cerv until my water broke was period like cramps.

nova@spamcop.net

I had the Cervadil Sunday night at 6 pm, and it started giving me contractions that night.  Monday morning, I was supposed to start the Pit, but I still hadn't dilated or effaced, so I got cytotec (like Cervadil) and labored another 24 hours.  They didn't start me on Pit until Tue morning, and it didn't go well. I ended up with an emergency c-section, but the doctors and nurses monitored me closely the whole time and everything worked out fine.

Something I didn't know.  When they give you the cervadil, I was supposed to lie flat in bed for 2 hours after putting it in, but I still had to pee every 30 minutes.  The nurses were unhappy with me getting up and stressed that I had to be -very- careful of the cervadil string and not dislogdge it (kind of like a tampon).

chickiesha

I was 1cm and 50 % effaced prior to being induced. I started the cervidil @ 3:30pm on thursday ... I had some pretty stong contactions from the cervidil ... I got the pitocin @ 6:30 am on friday, my doctor broke my water at 8am and LO was born at 9:29am .... I needed oxygen during labor as LO heart rate started to fluctuate but it was fast and easy

Mrs.Greenie

Tuesday morning I went to my OB to get checked. cervix was hard and closed. So that night at 6:30pm I went into the hospital, I was given cervidil at 9:30pm. They inserted it vaginally. There was no pain but I couldn't sleep at all and I was so hungry because they told me not to eat or drink after noon. The next morning at 9:00 am they removed it and let me take a shower, and started the pitocin at 9:30am. I was dialated to a 1 and 50% after the night of cervidil. I had some contractions but nothing too bad. at 12:00pm my Dr came and broke my water. I was not at a 3 and 80%. This is when the contractions started really hurting. About 45 mins later I got my epidural. I finally was able to sleep and I did sleep until 4:30pm when my Dr was there and came to check me. At 5:00pm we started pushing and at exactly 6:00pm my beautiful boy was finally here. it was a great experience and I have no regrets. Good Luck!!!

matthewjamesmommy

cervidil is a prostaglandin "tampon" that is inserted for 12 hours "typically" it is used to soften your cervix to ready you for labor. pitocin is then started after the cervidil is out...good luck

dewdrop1210

I was induced at 38 weeks due to PIH.  Admitted on a Wednesday evening @ 5, Cervadil inserted at 6:30 p.m. (hurt like he!!).  Early morning. maybe 3 a.m. started having mild contractions, still no progress. Cervadil was removed @ 6:30 a.m., no progress.  Pitocin was started around 8 a.m. & water was broke around 9:30 a.m..  I was getting pain meds regularly at this point.  Around noon I was at 4cm & got my epidural (heaven).  At 12:30 p.m. I told DH that there was a lot of pressure & to get the nurse to check me.  I was at 10cm!  YAY!  Never felt any contractions at all & the dr & nurses had to read the monitor to tell me when to push!  It was awesome!  DD was born Thursday at 1:33 p.m.  Good luck to you!