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Natural Birth
"Natural" birth with Pitocin?
I am at the end of the line almost. Thursday I will have to go to the hospital for pitocin, as of wednesday midnight if not in active labor I cannot birth at the birth center (looks like they have my DD as 2 days after my ticker, so that is their 42 weeks)
Since it seems this baby does not want to come out of me, I have resigned myself to the fact that it will be hospital + pitocin for me. Anybody still manage to stay epi free despite these circumstances?
It's very depressing because I had a picture of what my labor & delivery would be like and now it's all ruined. All the birth classes, all the reading etc. But of course, getting the baby out healthy is the most important thing.
Yesterday they applied Cervadil and it caused me about 8 hours of agony (like contractions I think, but instead of being a minute long it was forever long. Felt like my butt was going to break in half. --baby is face up). But this morning, nothing. I just can't believe it! I am a FTM and never imagined this would happen to me, that at 42 weeks pregnant my body would still not go into labor! but I guess nobody ever does!
anyway just hoping somebody could share a story of something similar happening, and maybe it not turning out so badly after all...
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Re: "Natural" birth with Pitocin?
Ive been doing all the regular stuff - long walks, bouncing, spicy food, pineapples, tea, etc. Haven't had acupuncture though...
I only found out yesterday when I went for an ultrasound that the baby was face up, the midwife gave me some exercises to do to encourage the baby to turn. I have to say I'd much rather the baby turn before labor starts because the back&butt pain yesterday from the cervadil was ridiculous.
This is me, but she wants to induce at 40w, since that's Memorial Day weekend. I've heard you can ask them to start with a low dose and increase gradually so the experience is progressive like labor.
Let me know how the sunny side up rotation goes! I have an anterior placenta, so Alien is more likely to be sunny side up...and I know it makes labor longer and more painful. My first was 30 hours, IDK if I want to do "longer"
I can't speak from experience but just wanted to wish you well! I can only imagine how frustrating that must feel for you, but you're also SO close to meeting LO, so that's exciting
I definitely have seen stories on here from women who have been induced and still manage to go med-free, so it's totally possible. And there may be a few things you could still try, such as acupuncture (which I've heard positive things about), castor oil, and massage (some prenatal massage places near me offer "induction massages" where they just work on all the pressure points that may help get things moving).
Good luck and all the best to you and LO!
Since no one else has come in here to say so, I will tell you very simply: Yes I did this! It's possible.
Going pain-med free was my goal with my first two births, but I was not very well prepared and had to be induced and everything hurt like hell (of course it did). and I ended up with the epi. For my third, I prepared from the start, just reading books and doing some exercises and my own little meditating/coping things. When he didn't come on time, I knew I would end up with pitocin and I was so scared it would be awful. My babies are always very BIG, so I was induced on my due date to have the best chances of delivering a baby vaginally safely. (I will not get into it, but apparently they barely fit) I went in for the induction, had about 4 hours of the hard pit contrax (not fast or easy, even though it was my third!), but delivered pain med free, which was my goal. The part I'm so proud of, too, is that my baby weighed 10 lbs!!
So it's possible, but be prepared! It was NOT easy by any means, but worth it
Elizabeth
My mom went into labor naturally with my brother (this was 9 years ago), but her labor slowed down so they had to apply pit halfway through. I know it's different than your story, but I wanted to say that she still delivered him with no pain meds and successfully in spite of the pit.
Good luck
I delivered DS with no pain meds on pitocin. My MW started me on the lowest possible dose and then increased until I was having regular contractions. I labored in warm water, which I credit with helping things continue moving along and not stalling. She allowed me to do this despite having the fetal monitor on in the tub (she had them get a monitor from the cardiac floor that could be used in water). A good MW will work with you toward your goal.
I won't lie; the contractions were very intense with the pitocin without much of a break between. I have since had DD with no meds without pitocin, and it is a different experience. However, it was extremely liberating to be able to say that if I could do it on pitocin, I could do it again no problem. Good luck!
My friend just delivered a baby at 41 weeks 6 days - she tried acupuncture as a last resort to getting labor started naturally, and she went into labor that night! So I would definitely recommend trying that.
I know that you asked for positive stories, and you've gotten a few here which should provide you with encouragement that it is totally possible to have a pain-med-free delivery.
That said, I think that it's a good idea to remain open to some form of pain relief if your labor becomes extremely prolonged and/or painful (common when babies are face up.) My son was also face up, and I had to be augmented with pitocin after 20 hours. The pit contractions were excruciating, and I held out for another several hours before asking for the epi. I actually wish I had gotten it sooner because both me and my DH had completely deteriorated mentally by that point. After the epi, I slept for 3 hours and woke up refreshed and ready to push. I think the epi helped me avoid a c-section as there is no way I would have had energy to push for 2 hours without that nap.
This may not be a popular opinion on the NB board, but I do think there is a time and place for pain relief in labor, and with pitocin we need to be especially kind to ourselves.
Good luck - hopefully you can jump start things today or tomorrow and none of this will be an issue for you!
TTC #2 since July 2010
March 2012 IVF (MDL Protocol) Started stims 3/3; ER 3/11 (9R, 8M, 7F) ET 3/16 (5dt of 2 blasts graded 3AB and 3BA, 3 frosties(!!) Beta 3/26 = 386; Beta 3/28 = 827; u/s 4/11 says TWINS! Boy/Girl Twins delivered at 36 weeks 6 days
I've known more people who have gone epi free when getting pit than those who haven't. No prob, you can do it.
Son 4/27/12, Son 10/15/14, Daughter 9/29/16....Baby #4 due 10/09/19! Apparently we get really bored in January
Thank you all for the positive stories! I guess there is hope yet.
Although after the terrible pain I had yesterday from the cervadil, I'm not sure I'm cut out for natural labor! I did not deal well with the pain yesterday. Kind of embarrasing really. But I just thought it was quite unfair - it's supposed to hurt for a minute, then stop for 5 minutes and get progressively worse... not hurt a ton all of a sudden then keep hurting for hours and hours and hours with no relief...
Hopefully they will start low on the pitocin then, I guess I'll talk to my midwife tomorrow about it, and also about whether I'll still be able to get in a hot bath. Yesterday the hot tub saved me so I feel i could really use that as an option.
I had a pain med free birth w/Pitocin. You can read the story in my sig. Those birth classes have not been for nothing--even if you get an epidural at some point, the coping techniques will help you before that.
There are also more responses in the FAQ
https://naturalbirthfaq.wordpress.com/
This isn't the best advice - but FWIW, I was desperate and I inserted a couple evening primrose oil supplements as a vaginal suppository (punctured w/ a safety pin first - I know... it sounds crazy!) and I swear it made my water break. This wasn't the best plan because I wasn't able to labor at home, I was admitted and my labor did not end up progressing on it's own once my water broke so I was induced w/ Cytotec (it was my best option vs. cervidil or pitocin). BUT I did it w/o an epi and my son was 9# 3oz.!
I had an induction acupuncture appt. the morning my water broke.
GL! You can do it!
good luck, I will be thinking about you! I talk to my DR. tomorrow about my options.
And thanks to all the ladies with encouraging stories!!!
My water "pierced" and I went into slow labor.
24 hrs later, my midwives felt it was necessary to use pitocin to keep the risk of infection down. (My new midwives for this pregnancy would wait until 48 hrs and administer antibiotics at 24...news to me...anyway..)
I cried when I was put on pit. I was afraid of the domino effect. But I absolutely positively did not want an epidural.
I went to 7 cm and started fighting the powerful contractions. At 42 hours, I was all but spent. I knew I needed help. I had a narcotic, nubain, to relax me in between contractions so that I could make it to 10 cm and push. I did not want this to start going south. I knew I was on the clock.
The nubain did not take the pain away. It was supposed to have taken effect when I was socked with a triple whammy contraction with no break. I yelled out to my midwife. She said, "I'm sorry!!!" But in between, when there was an in between, because of the pit, boyyyy did I relax. Whoaaaaaa. I was ready to push in within a couple hours.
I was lucid in time for pushing. I felt everything. I bonded with my baby, felt a rush of energy, emotion and happy tears.
It was excellent, all in all.
I went epi and painkiller free with Pitocin!
I was a week over my due date, and at 40 and a high risk pregnancy, my perinatologist and doctor both agreed that I should be induced. I went into the hospital on a Saturday afternoon and they started me on Cytotec (and, unfortunately, an IV drip, which was for me the worst part). After a round of Cytotec and no real contractions, they had me do Cervidil overnight with monitors on and a sleeping pill. I had very mild contractions.
The next morning, the contractions slowed and stopped. At that point we had a powwow with my health care providers and decided that I should get my water broken, which happened at 6 p.m. on Sunday. I also at that point got the IV out disconnected, yay! Much more intense contractions started pretty much immediately, and I dilated to 5. I had labor pains through the evening and late night hours, and then fell asleep and...
The contractions slowed and became milder overnight.
Monday morning, I was only having a contraction every 10 - 15 minutes and I was still only at 5cm (though 100% effaced). So they started me on Pitocin (IV again, boo) at just a 'whisper' as my doctor said, and they slowly ramped it up throughout the day. Around 3 p.m. I went into transition and they got me in a warm tub for that, by then I was 7cm.
I won't lie to you, transition sucked, and if I could have had an Epi at that point, I might have broken down and had one (I swear I was cussing at them to just 'cut her out!') but I'm glad I didn't. At 4:15 or so they got me out of the tub (somehow, I really don't remember how) after checking and finding I was still at 7cm. Once back on the bed though I progressed quickly, within 15 minutes I was at 10 cm and they told me to push with my next contraction.
The pushing stage was SO MUCH BETTER than transition. I had between 6 and 8 contractions (several pushes with each) and gave birth to my little girl at 5:11.
So it can be done! I'll say this, the pain was only bearable for me because I've had migraines most of my life, and so I was used to that level or near that level of pain, and just the fact that contractions predictably end meant that the pain was more bearable, as well as it being in my body rather than my head.
*lurking*
I didn't get an epi with my induction. In the end though, I had to have a c-section because my LO wouldn't come down and while I was pushing trying to get her down she had drops in her heart rate.
My first DD was a vaginal epi free delivery and though the pitocin made my contractions a little more intense than my natural labor with DD1 - it wasn't AS intense as I guessed it would be with the pit.
Wishing you the best!!
thanks for this story, I will begin induction sunday night if LO doesnt come on her own before then. I am also a migraine sufferer and I have definitely had migraines that were worse than my first two births!