Can you still have a mostly medicine free delivery if the doctors decide to induce you?

feistyred23 · October 2011

I hope you ladies can help me out with my situation. My doctors seem to think I have developed preeclampsia now and depending on the protein numbers in my urine tomorrow will look into inducing me. I am at 37 weeks so that in itself is good, but how natural can my labor still be if they decide that I really need to be induced? I know that they would start pitocin, but could I still do without an epi? I have been trying to prepare for awhile for a natural birth, but am obviously much more concerned about having a healthy baby at this point. I am about 70 percent effaced which seemed to please the doctor today and about 1 cm dilated, but I know these numbers aren't everything. Any thoughts from you ladies would be greatly appreciated.

bethios · October 2011

From what I understand getting pitocin makes the contractions much stronger and more painful than they would be naturally... so the chances of needed an epi are higher,... that's not to say you can't do it, its just harder.

shelbym · October 2011

Yes it is totally possible. I was induced with my second. We came in at 7 and started the pitocin. Once my contractions started in full force the doctor turned off the pitocin and let my body take over on its own (she also broke my water). I didn't have an epi and after my water broke didn't have any more pitocin. Good luck.

MrsNash37212 · October 2011

Do you have to have magnesium because of the pre e? My friend was induced at 37 weeks for pre e and went without pain meds. It was absolutely no picnic (thanks to the magnesium more than the pitocin), but she did do it.

jcsumm0 · October 2011

I was induced at 37 weeks had no epi--birth story in my siggy. There's also some info about this in the FAQ https://naturalbirthfaq.wordpress.com/

Would type more but baby is calling! You can do it!!

Novas Mommy · October 2011

I did. I was induced at 38 weeks with pitocin. I went through the whole L&D with no medication. I also had back labor which more painful. It can be done!

PAAZwife · October 2011

I was induced for high BP at 39w with DS. I was actually given the prostaglandin gel (not the suppository) in two doses about two hours apart. It would have been three doses, but the gel itself sent me into labor. Two hours later, DS was born without a single drop of pitocin. Since you're only 1cm, you'll likely get something to ripen your cervix so I'd see if you can get the gel.

SWBs Wifey · October 2011

I think it depends on you and your providers. With my son, my water broke and I wasn't progressing quickly enough for the OB overseeing my midwife. Once they put me in bed and started me on pitocin, they wouldn't let me out. Not EVEN to go to the bathroom. I wasn't allowed to sit up because the monitor would fall off of my very round belly. I had to lay on my side. And it was extremely painful not to be able to get up and move when I felt like I needed to. 8 hours into the pitocin, I asked for an epi through crazy tears because I felt like I'd failed myself. I don't think I failed myself though. I think my healthcare providers failed me by treating me like I had no ability or control over my own labor.

704bride · October 2011

I've definitely heard that it makes things harder, but not impossible to do naturally. Try to relax as much as you can during your labor and ask them to turn down the pitocin at some point to see if your body will take over naturally. You could also ask if you can try some natural ways to induce yourself first. Good luck!

feistyred23 · October 2011

Thank you ladies so much for responding. We will see tomorrow what my BP is and go from there. Earlier it was 148/92, but I'm hoping that this might not warrant the magnesium sulfate if they decide to induce. I'll talk to my providers about the gel and hopefully if they do decide to induce tomorrow, that I can definitely do it as natural as possible.

dosafyre · October 2011

You can do it!

I was laboring naturally, but my water had broken so they started me on low drip of pitocin. I'm sure every women is different, but for me, they felt the same as the non-pitocin contractions...just came on faster and longer.

I think you get a little bit of "getting used to 'em" time when you are going at your own pace. I was probably on it 1/2 an hour when they turned it off since I was in Active labor now...and I got to breath between them more (but really, the intensity was the same for me). Transition was a bit hard, but that was over in a flash and then the pushing urges hit, which feel good

PAAZwife · October 2011

LalaMama81:
PAAZwife:
I was induced for high BP at 39w with DS. I was actually given the prostaglandin gel (not the suppository) in two doses about two hours apart. It would have been three doses, but the gel itself sent me into labor. Two hours later, DS was born without a single drop of pitocin. Since you're only 1cm, you'll likely get something to ripen your cervix so I'd see if you can get the gel.
I had a very similar experience. I was 40w, not dilated at all. They inserted the cervadil at 8pm, my water broke at 10pm and DD was born at 5:24am. No pitocin, no epi. My bp wasn't high enough to warrant the magnesium, though.

No Mag for me either.

MawrtyrB · October 2011

For alot of reasons, I did a pit induction with my twins and went natural (epi-free). People try to scare you off when using pit but it wasn't so bad. Actually I thought it was easier than my first delivery because I was calmer, more relaxed, and in a much more natural friendly environment.

The numbers mean nothing. I think i was 3-4 cm dialated for a couple of weeks.

mpstochlinski8 · October 2011

Im hoping not to be induced as well and my OB told me it increases the risk of needing a c-sec. I think if you still wanted to avoid the epi and are induced you could but I have heard it does make the pain more intense and makes for a longer labor. GL

MrsS2203 · October 2011

I was induced at 37 wks 6 days. I had Pre-E and an aging placenta. Went in at 330pm and had DS at 323am. I did have Mag and I'll be honest it sucks. The pit wasn't too bad. I did take something to take the edge off because of horrible back labor...still have tailbone issues. I avoided an epidural...totally possible. I will say you'll need support, someone to do WHATEVER you need. For me it was rubbing my belly. Good luck!

P.S. Go in open minded....if you end up with an epi you're not a failure.

kacelle · October 2011

I was induced at 41 weeks 6 days. I was on pitocin and had my water broken artificially (which I strongly recommend against; the doctor didn't ask my permission). I got stadol through the IV after my water was broken because the contractions came on SO strong (I went from being 4 centimeters to complete in 2 hours), but it was a terrible idea because it just made me sleepy and didn't help with the pain at all. I never got an epidural though, so it can definitely be done!

ETA: I didn't notice a difference in my contractions (which I'd been having irregularly for some time) before and after the pitocin was started. It was the doctor breaking my water that set everything off. I also didn't move around at all during labour; I had been up all night and was so drowsy from the stadol (but unable to sleep, unfortunately) that I was in a fog the entire time and just lay on my back. So it might be easier for you if you are able to be up and moving!

FabulousMrs.P · October 2011

You absolutely can. My mother did it with me. I was 3 weeks late and she was induced with pitocin. She had me in 4 hours without any medication at all. That said, I have heard that pitocin can make those contractions stronger than maybe they will naturally be, so it might be harder to do everything naturally, but it IS possible!

BDK807 · October 2011

Double post.double post

BDK807 · October 2011

I was induced at 38 weeks due to low fluid. Since my midwife knew I wanted to go med free they induced using a foley bulb without pitocin. You may want to disuss this option with your doctor.

Want a personalized experience?

Can you still have a mostly medicine free delivery if the doctors decide to induce you?

Re: Can you still have a mostly medicine free delivery if the doctors decide to induce you?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards