anyone able to go natural with an induction?

ateach

I'm probably looking at an induction on Thursday night/Friday if baby doesn't come before. Baby will most likely be measuring close to 10 lbs, and my doctor is really insistent that once baby measures more than 9lbs15oz my chances of delivering vaginally are going to go down. I don't 100% buy into the measurements and induction, but I'll be nearly 41 weeks and I think he has somewhat of a point if baby is over 10 lbs. Anyways, more to the point is I am curious if anyone here was able to go pain medicine free with an induction? Everyone says pitocin contractions are so awful they can't imagine going natural, but I really want to try. Hoping for some encouragement! I do have a doula, so I am hoping that helps!

sbevmc09

Do you have any other complications that could result in an abnormally large baby?  If not, I would research this before moving forward with an induction.  ACOG specifically recommends against inductions based on size guesstimates because growth U/S are extremely unreliable.  Under normal circumstances, chances are that your body will not grow a baby too large for you to delivery vaginally. 

Either way, GL!

Celyn

The challenge with pitocin is not that it always makes the contractions harder -- it just makes "transition-like" contractions faster instead of easing into it.  I find that asking the staff to try to keep the contraction pattern more like active labor (4-5 min apart) than like transition (2-3 min) for moms who are trying to achieve a pain med-free labor works pretty well.  Usually, they're expecting mom to want an epidural, so they go for speed instead of comfort.  

Some are even able to turn the pitocin off once a satisfactory pattern is established.  So it's worth asking if that's an option.

ReichleyMama

Please, please please do NOT listen to your doctor.  You can ABSOLUTELY go natural, and the measurements are usually wrong.  I had my first on pitocin,2 weeks late, said baby was 6lb b/c I was so small, 8 hours, no meds, healthy baby, 7lb 8oz..  My 2nd, natural, 9lb 9oz (they said was a 7 lb baby).  My 3rd due in 4 weeks, expecting a large baby (runs in the family, my moms 3rd was 10lb6oz).  I'll be going natural, I don't really care what my OB says.  Keep your mind focused, find out what your rights are... if you are contracting and it's soooo painful you can ask for the pit to be turned down!  Best of luck!

sthomas1222

sbevmc09:

Do you have any other complications that could result in an abnormally large baby?  If not, I would research this before moving forward with an induction.  ACOG specifically recommends against inductions based on size guesstimates because growth U/S are extremely unreliable.  Under normal circumstances, chances are that your body will not grow a baby too large for you to delivery vaginally. 

Either way, GL!

Exactly this 

Amanda&EricB

I was 9lbs 15 1/2 oz and my mom delivered me with no pain meds, in just a few hours.

It's totally possible but I agree with the others that size estimates are simple that. Estimates.

I was induced with my son and delivered with no pain meds.

chance_encounters

Do not trust the measurements! They insisted my daughter was supposed to be 9 1/2 pounds. She was not! I have had 2 pitocin induced labors well after my water broke and it was horrible. Let your Dr. know how you feel. They can not FORCE you to be induced. Let him know you want 1 more week. Good luck!

nosoup4u

How many sizing u/s have you had? Have you had a few to get the weight estimate?y second baby was 10.5 lbs,and he was a med free birth. Like a PP said, ACOG doesn't recommend induction for suspected macrosomia. I would wait a week also. Good luck!

ateach

I have had many sizing ultrasounds by 2 different techs and they have had the abdomen measuring 3 weeks ahead consistently since about 27 weeks. I know all the ACOG information, but my doctor is generally pretty conservative about inductions and I feel he is probably right about this baby's size. I've been weighing the options (he did leave it up to me) and I just think his rec may be the right choice for me.

Anyways, I am happy to hear that several of you had successful inductions without pain meds. Hopefully I can do the same (or better yet have this baby before Thursday night!!). 

cwm11985

I did it! 22 hours on pitocin and no pain meds  It sucked a big one but it IS possible.

SunnyMuffin

I wasnt able to.  I made it 24 hours with cervidil and 3 hours on pitocin but then they broke my water and I couldnt handle it anymore, I got an epidural within the hour

 I was induced because I was 15 days past my edd.  I def wouldnt be induced due to an estimated size. Thats not really a medical indication  

llenadevida900

You can do it! I did. I went in for my induction at 41w2d, and after 12 hr on the lowest doses of pitocin, was able to continue from there w/o any meds. LO was 8lb 2 oz. Best of luck!

ateach

Yesterday I went to the hospital due to decreased movement. Everything was fine but baby measured 10lb11oz, so even if they are off by 2 lbs, we are still talking about a huge babe. I  am definitely going ahead with the induction on. Thursday. Hopefully it goes well and I can still avoid pain meds.

alrdytkn1222

for my first two i was induced and used cervadil and pitocin and all i used was nubain at the very last minute...so it didnt really effect the labor but was helpful

 with the stitching!!! on my third baby i was given cytotec overnight and they broke my water and i delivered 1.5hrs later with no medicine while waiting for my epidural....just hold out! 

BLPL101

I was able to and while it was hard, it wasn't as bad as I expected. This is my first birth so I have nothing to compare to.

georgi611

I was induced to do slight preeclampsia.  Cervidil.  My original birth plan included an epidural, but I progressed so quickly after they inserted cervidil, there was no time (or point) in getting the epidural.  They said if I really wanted it, they would order it, but I made the decision to go natural.  So so so SO glad I did!  Our next child I will plan med-free from the get go.

kspies

I did with my hospital baby, but it was tough. My induction was Cervadil/ROM/breast pump (no pit, but the nipple stim contractions are the real deal too). A lot of the concessions you would ask for in a birth plan will be lost in an induction (particularly those about monitoring), so you will probably be more restricted. Good luck to you!

finallyplanned

YOU CAN DO IT!!

My second daughter was 10lbs 6oz with pitocin and Demerol which took the very first part of the contraction away and then I felt the rest, so basically med free and we were both just fine.  I did have an episiotomy and tore pretty bad and she came out with a fractured collar bone but overall, everything was fine.  We had no idea she would be that big, Dr and I were expecting 9.5lbs tops because they really don't know how big baby actually is.

I'm surprised that the doctor would let you go past 40 weeks if he anticipated a large baby.

Hope all works out for you.

EEDB

My mom gave birth 3 times with NO meds at all.  2/3 were inductions...so YES, you can do it! We were also all decent sized babies - smallest was 8lbs 10oz and that was me, and the one that WASN'T an induction.

And for size, I know it depends on the person, but my husband was 10lbs 14oz and my MIL used no pain meds as well (wasn't an induction though - just 2 weeks late!) 

Heav

A good friend of mine was set on a natural delivery and was really bummed when she went to teh hospital with contractions and then they stopped. She let her family talk her into getting the pitocin she was offered to restart the contractions. She was under a lot of pressure from everyone b/c baby was past due date, her husband was about to graduate vet school in a few days and they had fmaily in town visiting who wanted to see the baby before they left. She gave in and got the pitocin and still regrets it. She made it through everything naturally after that, but is convinced that the pitocin ruined the birth experience that she'd wanted to have. There's no way to know how things might've been different, but it stinks to look back and feel like you regret the decisions you made. I would research more and see what all of your options are before deciding.