Possible to labor w/o epi when induced?

Mrs.katemax · August 2011

I am scheduled to be induced on Monday if baby doesn't arrive this weekend. I have been at 4 cm and 80% effaced for 3 weeks, with some contractions but never anything consistent enough to get this baby moving! I had hopes of laboring without an epidural or other pain meds, but now that induction is looking more likely for me, I'm worried that my plan might not be possible since I've heard that pitocin makes contractions much more painful. Can anyone share their experience?

DisneyFreeek · August 2011

I was induced at 38 weeks 4 days. They started with that cervix pill thingy. It progressed to 3 and then stopped. They started petocin and it took a good 8 hours for me to really feel the contractions. I was doing ok til around 1 am, I was asleep and they actually woke me up in pain. By then I said gimme the drugs, couldn't take it anymore. I guess it all depends on how quickly you progress, I heard the more petocin the worse it gets. So I would sign the papers to get the drugs just in case, I am glad they had me do it now.

greenm&m's · August 2011

With my daughter I was induced at 38 weeks because my water broke but I was not having contractions. I was 1cm dilated when I went in. Received the pitocin at 4:00pm and she arrived at 7:15pm- I never took any meds. I also didn't think that the contractions were all that bad- but then again I only really had them for a couple of hours!

livalil319 · August 2011

It's definitely possible...sucks, but is possible. I was on pit for 12 hours at the max dose with no pain meds before pushing for 2.5 hours with DS. It was really exhausting because you get less breaks between contractions with the pit but if you have supportive people with you then you can do it. I had DH and a doula with me who both knew that I wanted to avoid the epi if I could so they never asked me and I never got desperate enough to ask for it. We had a code word for if I just couldn't take it anymore.

MrsGo4Hockeychick · August 2011

my BFF did. She couldn't have an epi because she was on blood thinners, and hadn't been off them long enough when they induced. The induction with her second took much longer though, and she did choose to get the epi when she could.

islandgirl79 · August 2011

The pit does make the contractions more intense and also closer together. I just posted this in another thread below but once I started on the pit I lasted 5 hours and was desperate for the epi. My issue is that the epi slows it all down again so they give you more pit.

Hopefully you go into labor on your own and manage the pain!

bre86ann · August 2011

islandgirl79:
The pit does make the contractions more intense and also closer together. I just posted this in another thread below but once I started on the pit I lasted 5 hours and was desperate for the epi. My issue is that the epi slows it all down again so they give you more pit.
Hopefully you go into labor on your own and manage the pain!

It's a vicious cycle.

happylady07 · August 2011

My aunt was induced with her last baby at 36 (years old, not weeks) and labored without an epi! I was honestly surprised when she told me about it recently, b/c she's a nurse, not in the best physical shape, and I guess I just assumed she was all for the meds based on her personality- lol! She told me she just had the mindset that she didn't want an epidural going into the induction, and it wasn't that bad, so it can definitely be done!

Daisharain · August 2011

I just had three friends go med-free and they were induced as well...heres the catch ALL their labors were 4 hours or less!! I never been induced but with 32 and 28 hour labors I gave in and got an epi. But if it would of been 4 hours or less I think I could of done it, with the right mind set!

adri77 · August 2011

Well, I don't know if my story will really "count" for some of you....but I was induced with a FAILED epi. I won't lie, it was horrendous, I was totally caught off guard b/c I did NOTHING to prepare myself for the possibility of a truly painful birth! The thought of going natural (I know I didn't really) was never, ever in my head. So maybe if I had had some better coping mechanisms....well, my saving grace was that I had a very fast labor- I started at nothing, was 4 cm after a couple hours, and then zoomed from 4 to complete in 1/2 hour. GL to you!!!

mabst196 · August 2011

I wasn't technically induced because my water broke with my DD, but I wasn't having contractions. I started pitocin and labored for 8 hours before getting an Epi. I wasn't progressing so they wanted to prep me for a csection. I thought it was fine honestly. Once I got the epi, I progressed and delivered vaginally.

myantonia · August 2011

I went through 4 doses of cytotec, a foley bulb and a lot of pitocin with no pain meds. I finally caved after 44 hours. It is possible!

kjg5445 · August 2011

i was induced with DS1 and did it without an epi.

Cotton · August 2011

I was induced with my third and delived without pain meds. And he weighed 10 lbs!! I can't say it was easy or fun, but def possible I had a postpartum hemorrhage which had to be treated in a variety of excruciating ways before they were able to stop it. I really wish I'd had an epidural when it was time for all that because I was freaking out and DONE with the pain. That was more than I bargained for.

Good luck!

Elizabeth

ps: Labor was 6 hours or so, not too quick for a third baby.

sjBear123 · August 2011

You've made some good progress already. I've heard of people being induced with just cervadil. Since your cervix has progressed already, maybe you'll be one of those. When I was induced with my first there was no way out of an epi after my water broke. Up until they broke my water I was fine without the epi. With my 2nd my water broke and my ctx did not start on their own, so the started the pitocin on me. She was born 5 hours later without an epi. It did hurt bad though. She was also my 2nd, so my labor was bound to be faster.

I'd say go into it with an open mind. Make an effort to go naturally, but if you need the epi don't feel bad. I wouldn't have made it through my first with out the epi, but I did prefer my 2nd birth experience. Still wouldn't change how I did it the first time though!

Snow1010 · August 2011

I seriously applaud anyone who has been induced and did not have an epi!

I have a very high pain tolerance and was in excellent physical shape when I delivered....but I needed an epi!

They started pitocin at 8am and by 8:15 the contractions were in full force. The worst part was that they were only 15 seconds apart so I had no break from the pain.

Luckily, the epi did NOT slow down my progress.

8am I was 1cm and started pitocin. 9:45am I was 4cm and got an epi. LO was born at 1:15pm

I really don't mean to scare you, but everyone's body responds differently. If the pain is too much for you than get an epi.

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