Tell me about your epidural/pain-med free induction

quidditchcapn1120 · December 2013

I have cholestasis and therefore will be induced at 37-38 weeks. I was also induced due to cholestasis last time and just wasn't prepared for it. I ended up getting the epidural around 20 hours after I started feeling contractions.

I am hoping to have my epidural/pain-med free birth this time and would like to hear some good induction stories if you have them!

Stefanie&Byron · December 2013

I was induced at 39 weeks with pitocin. I got to 8cm without any pain medication but ultimately ended up with a csection due to failure to progress/LO not descending. Labor was over 36 hours long so it was hard. She was sunny side up once they opened me up. I think it's possible to do but you would need to have someone with you who could help you get in positions to get through the contractions. Sorry I know that's not a "good" story but it's a story!

amandaleigh1 · December 2013

Mine was good. Full of interventions, but I had a pain med free vaginal birth so I was pretty happy

I discussed having a gentle approach to induction with my OB with no explicit time line. This was key.

I had a very unfavorable bishop score/cervix for induction, so I was very much in favor of going the route or cervical ripening with prostoglandins (in my case cytotec) because studies have shown (that I read) cytotec to be relatively safe and reduce the chance of c section than going straight to pitocin.

I was not dilated after overnight cytotec, but I was fully effaced. So I couldn't do foley bulb as I had hoped. So we did a trial run of pitocin. We got labor established on a low dose for a few hours then unhooked it. I kept on going... I did get some again when my cntx spaced out during pushing.

I labored peacefully in th tub using hynobirthing and became fully dilated in the water after about 5 hours. I got out of the tub to push. I pushed for 2+ hours. Much of that time lo was so close to being out- just couldn't get past my pubic bone.

Well it turned out that he came down posterior which was surprising because I didn't feel any major back labor or anything.

So I asked for my final intervention- vacuum because I was exhausted and had very little energy left to keep pushing. They did a local pudental nerve block for that, so I did have a little pain management, but that was all. The OB turned DS somehow before attempting vacuum delivery, and in a few more minutes, DS was in my arms. Born very alert!

I am very happy with my birth experience and have no regrets! I think it is because I thought through and planned for various scenarios with my birth team.

Inductions can be beautiful gentle birth experiences, too, even if that wasn't part of the plan.

Good luck to you!

Mannaboo2992 · December 2013

I had my 1st child with no meds got in and out of the tub walked around used the ball even tho my son was face up instead of face down he got stuck I had to push for 4 hours and I did it with no meds it wasn't as bad as I thought as soon as he was out I had no pain I walked him to the nursery after getting cleaned up and I love the whole experience I'm now pregnant with #2 and I plan to use no meds with this one either best of luck to u and congrats

happylady07 · December 2013

I was induced at 40 +1 day with DS. My bishops score was very favorable, they began with breaking my water (which I probably would have denied had I been more informed) and hooked me up to a low dose of pit. My contractions got rolling immediately, and after a fast and furious labor just shy of 3 hours, my son was born. My husband and my mom are what got me through it. I was not expecting such a fast labor for my first baby, and was panicky during transition (mainly because I didn't realize I was in transition, and thought I would be feeling that way for the next 10 hours!). I was not allowed out of bed and that made labor really difficult for me. Next time I will have an experienced doula to help me, and hopefully feel more in control of the experience. End of the day, I got my pain med free delivery though, and DS was a big healthy boy.

stephl3055 · January 2014

I was induced at 40w5d due to GD. My Bishop's score was a 1 or 2, so I was really concerned the induction would fail. We went in at 10 PM to start Cervidil and then Pitocin was started the next morning around 7 AM. My cervix had softened but I was not dilated at all. My water broke on its own a few hours later and LO arrived at 5:38 PM after 45 minutes of pushing.

PhoenixBritt · January 2014

I was induced at 41 weeks 1 day. I was in labor for 20 hours with 2+hours of pushing and it was really really hard but I've never been more proud of myself. You can do it!

FeistyFrenchBride · January 2014

I was induced at 36 weeks, after my water broke but could not get contractions started 12 hours later. I didn't love being restricted to the IV, but I rolled it around while I walked the halls, and managed ok. After about 7 hours of labour, I pushed for less than an hour before my sweet girl was born. Med free!
I think the key is to have strong birth/labour support from a partner or doula or MW, or whathaveyou during the hardest moments. I really felt that I needed someone "in it with me" the whole way, or I would have felt too afraid. Fear is often the biggest hurdle, I think.
I had also done the hynobabies home study course, which helped a lot to shake that fear. A lot of my practice felt like it went out the window when plans changed so radically (ie. water breaking, induction, etc.)... but it did help me to feel confident and informed.
I felt that the pit did make labour a lot harder (granted, I don't have anything else to compare it with)... but I felt very proud of myself. Best of luck to you! You can do it!

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