Those who have been induced...

HRMJPC · August 2010

My BP is climbing so my doc is starting to talk about induction. I am on "bedrest" for a few days and then going back for another BP, urine check. Most of my labs are just fine right now, though. While I want to remain optimistic, I would love to hear about your "natural" inductions. Part of me me fears that if that d*mn pitocin gets anywhere near me, I will be screaming for some pain meds. However, my doc says he usually initiates his inductions with prostaglandin gel.

I really want all the amazing benefits of a pain med-free childbirth for me and the baby. And, after getting all the preeclampsia tests yesterday, being hooked up to a monitor and forced to keep a squishy pillow under my right butt cheek and a BP cuff on, I KNOW that I cannot handle all this medical equipment attached to me. It is SO uncomfortable.

So, tell me about your inductions? If induction becomes a reality, DH and I are going to try every single "natural" way beforehand. But not the castor oil. That stuff scares me.

lala_slp · August 2010

I'm in the same position right now. Actually, as far as the hospital is concerned, I am set for induction on Sunday. My BP has been somewhat high (highest being 150/90, but more consistently 130/110) but always comes down when laying on my side. My levels are fine, no swelling, and baby is fine according to ultrasound yesterday. My midwife was okay with letting me continue as long as no other symptoms presented but this a.m. when I called to talk to a nurse about a little headache she freaked and called another doctor whose opinion was not the same as my midwife's.

I'm trying to get some answers for the doctor at this point. I would love to hear other people's experiences. I want to make an informed decision. I'm for induction if truly that's what's necessary. It's hard to know.

newmommy5 · August 2010

i was induced and i still had a natural labor. i posted my birth story in the august birth stories board. my contractions were still manageable. i dont think the pitocin made them worse. but like they always say, "everyone is different"

clynn58 · August 2010

I was also induced with Ds bc of protein in my urine. I did it with out an epi so it is possible just tough bc you have to be attached to the bed and hooked up to all kinds of monitors. I think it would have been better if I was able to walk around or been able change postions.

I would check out Dr.brewers diet you are supposed to eat tons of protein which somehow helps with BP and protein in the urine.

armandos_girl · August 2010

clynn58:
I was also induced with Ds bc of protein in my urine. I did it with out an epi so it is possible just tough bc you have to be attached to the bed and hooked up to all kinds of monitors. I think it would have been better if I was able to walk around or been able change postions.

This exactly. Find out what your hospital's policies are for induction. I was induced with DS and had prepared for the possibility that we would be constantly monitored. What we did not prepare for was them confining me to the bed per hospital policy for anyone on pitocin. It really limited my ability to manage the pain and I ended up with an epi. I really think I would have lasted longer or made it all the way through without meds if I had been able to stand up and move around, even if I was limited to the 5 feet or so around the bed by the monitor.

Also, talk with your DH very specifically about how to stick with a natural plan despite the induction. I feel like DH mentally threw in the towel as soon as we decided to be induced. I felt like he didn't have the confidence in me that I could do it, which caused me to lose confidence. We've already talked about what we want to do differently with this baby and I've told him I want and need him to stick up for our plan if I waver.

Good luck.

flyer23 · August 2010

I was induced with DD, starting with Cervidil and then going to Pitocin. My birth story is in my bio. I was allowed to move with a ~5 foot radius of the fetal monitor machine, and my OB took me off Pitocin about 4-5 hours into labor to let me get in the shower for a bit. Both of those things helped tremendously. I didn't get any pain meds.

Having now been through spontaneous labor with DS, I can say that I don't think Pitocin-induced contractions were any harder to deal with. DS's birth was a lot easier, but that was mainly due to the length (about 4 hours of active labor, compared to nearly 12 hours of active labor with DD), not the intensity of each individual contraction.

You can do it! Good luck!

Vixey529 · August 2010

I was induced but managed to make it without the epi. It was a good experience overall, even though I'd hoped to go totally natural.

The link to my birth story is here: https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/21501342.aspx

HRMJPC · August 2010

clynn58:
I was also induced with Ds bc of protein in my urine. I did it with out an epi so it is possible just tough bc you have to be attached to the bed and hooked up to all kinds of monitors. I think it would have been better if I was able to walk around or been able change postions.

I would check out Dr.brewers diet you are supposed to eat tons of protein which somehow helps with BP and protein in the urine.

I will look into this. I had protein in my urine a week ago. Anyone try this diet?

xnbride · August 2010

I have had both a "no pain med/natural" induction and a spontaneous natural labor. Although I would not opt to be induced (it was for medical reasons) I honestly think that the pain is not that much different. I think that the mind is our most powerful tool we have in labor. Take it one contraction at a time and pretend like it was your first.

Remember that once you get to 7cm the pain does not intensify it just comes at you quicker and this is usually when the hospital staff starts using scare tactics to get you to order the epi. If you make it to 7 then you did it. From 4-7 is the hardest. Once you are at 8 then you should progress very rapidly (as long as baby is in a good position and can fit through the pelvis).

Listen to your body, tell your support people what you need/don't need, do what you need to do to make it through. Make sure your support person is on board with your desires/needs. They are so important in this process! GL to you. YOU CAN DO IT!!

KristyElder · August 2010

I was induced last Thanksgiving with my DD. I really thought the contractions were still manageable, they didnt even start hurting until my water was broken a few hours into it. After that, everything went so fast! I had her within 3 and a half hours! It helped me to kick everyone out of my room except DH, so I could concentrate better, and I counted through my contractions. I knew after the first few that they started to go down by the time I got to 20! lol...it's a weird way to do it but it worked for me. DH was my biggest help, holding my hand and encouraging me through the whole ordeal. GL! You can do it if you believe you can!

iluvmytxrgr · August 2010

Hi. I've been lurking a bit but I figured I'd come out and tell you my story.

My H was due to deploy very shortly. I was already dialated to 2 cm, so my midwife decided to help get things rolling. She stripped my membranes and then rubbed evening primrose oil on my cervix. She gave me a few more tablets to take home. She said for us to have sex and put two tablets in there before I went to sleep, TMI sorry. Our apt with her was at 3pm. 4am, I had strong contraction 7 min apart. 6am, we were at the hospital and I was 5cm. By noon, I had only dialated to 6cm. They decided to start pitocin to move things along.

The pain with the pitocin was a little more than without, but still not more than I could handle. Around 2, my water broke and I was at 8cm. That is when the really bad pain started. I was still able to breathe through. My trick to it is to focus on waves on a beach. I try to hear the sound of the waves. As the wave comes in, I breathe in. As the wave goes out, I breathe out. I has worked for me through 4 births. You also have to keep in mind that, at some point, the pain doesn't get any worse. It still hurts, but it isn't going to get worse. The point when you usually feel like giving up is the point where you are almost to the finish line.

I always start to feel like I am spent right about the time they tell me it is time to push. That kind of re-energizes me because I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Around 3, I started pushing. At 3:23, my son was born.

Stay positive. If you give yourself the option to give up, you'll give up. Even if you do end up with pitocin, keep telling your self you can do it.

christina627 · August 2010

Have you been checking your BP at home? For the last few weeks of my pregnancy, my BP was a little high at the MW's house, but fine whenever I took it at home (she had me checking it twice a day at home). Then when I went in to the hospital for BPP the day before he was born, in the doctor's office when I first went in my BP was fine...perfectly normal...after being hooked up to a monitor for 4 hours (it was supposed to be 20 minutes) and not being told anything...my BP was up and that was one of the reasons they suggested induction. You tell me whose BP isn't going to go up in that situation! It did go down a bit once we decided what we were going to do though.

christina627 · August 2010

Birth story:

https://www.fullcirclemidwifery.com/2009/06/morgans-birth/

HRMJPC · August 2010

christina627:
Have you been checking your BP at home? For the last few weeks of my pregnancy, my BP was a little high at the MW's house, but fine whenever I took it at home (she had me checking it twice a day at home). Then when I went in to the hospital for BPP the day before he was born, in the doctor's office when I first went in my BP was fine...perfectly normal...after being hooked up to a monitor for 4 hours (it was supposed to be 20 minutes) and not being told anything...my BP was up and that was one of the reasons they suggested induction. You tell me whose BP isn't going to go up in that situation! It did go down a bit once we decided what we were going to do though.

My neighbor came by with a BP monitor yesterday and I have checked my BP several times since. Most of the time it is within normal limits. I plan to discuss this with my doc if my BP is elevated again on Wednesday at the office. I doubt that he'd induce unless I have consistently high BPs, so I am feeling pretty good now!

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