Pitocin....good/bad experiences???

Wriggley1123 · March 2014

I'm due the 16th, and my dr wants to induce Tuesday bc of high blood pressure. It was high Friday, but has gone down some since then. The more that I'm reading about pitocin slowing down the baby's heartrate is scaring me. Does anyone have any good/bad pitocin labor experiences? I'm going to call my dr Monday just to answer some questions, but would like to hear any experiences if you have them! Thx ladies!

aLsMay24 · March 2014

I was induced with DS at 40w exactly for high bp. Pit sucks but they started it at 5:00 pm and I delivered DS vaginally with no complications at 9am the next morning. I was between 1-2 when they started it and I did get an Epi after my water broke on its own about 7 hours into it. I really don't want to do it again because I want to be able to move more during contractions but my mw this time has told me they work with their moms on pit and will let me get up and stand/use a birthing ball etc if we have to do it again. Good luck!!

Wriggley1123 · March 2014

Thx, glad to hear that you didn't have any complications with it. I just get nervous that it will make her heartrate drop too much, but i guess I just have to hope for the best!

Rita092010 · March 2014

The only bad experience I had was that it caused me to shake so terrible they eventually just had to turn it off (and I was too far to stop labor because I was 5 cm and they broke my water), then I failed to progress…which led to a section + other issues.

NortyLeigh · March 2014

I was induced with pitocin with DS1 after my water broke but I never had contractions. It wasn't bad at all for me. There were a few times when his heart rate dropped slightly and once when they had to give me oxygen to help him breathe a little better but overall, it wasn't a bad experience by any means. I've heard of people saying that inductions are awful but maybe mine wasn't as bad because my water had broken on its own? My recovery after induction was pretty painful compared to DS2's birth which ended up being med free due to being born 27 minutes after getting to the hospital. That could have been the difference between an epidural and no epidural though. If it's safer to get your LO out due to high blood pressure, I would think a pitocin induction would still be safer than waiting it out. Good luck!

jasi704 · March 2014

My LO's heart rate didn't drop at all while I was on pitocin. But my contractions were extremely painful and I caved in and got an epidural. Not sure if that is at all a concern to you?

amdecker1016 · March 2014

I have nothing bad to say. I don't tolerate artificial hormones well, and had no complications.
Mia had an arrhythmia but it had also showed up one other time at our 20 week ultrasound. So i'm not sure if pitocin contributed to her arrhythmia during labor.

amandapthompson · March 2014

I was wondering about this too. I'm nervous about being induced on Monday.
@torilea how dilated were you already before they started the pit? That was quick to get to fully dilated. I'm hoping for the same thing.

kaking78 · March 2014

FTM with no experience to share yet, but have you asked your doctor about starting off with some other options first? I'm thinking of nipple stimulation, membrane sweep (if you're already a little dilated), and/or trying Cervadil before pitocin.

Wriggley1123 · March 2014

Thanks so much!! I think I need to stop worrying about stupid pitocin. It seems there are plenty of ppl who have had it and didn't have their baby's heart rate drop too.

ladyglittersparkles · March 2014

I was on max dose. It Causes my LO's heart rate to drop but it was monitored internally and externally and they put the pit dosage lower and also put me on oxygen to combat it.

DTNZ4Ever · March 2014

My water broke and I wasn't having contractions I was maybe 1/2cm. I had DS 22hrs later after starting pitocin vaginally. If not for the pitocin I would have has a c-section.

mevensen · March 2014

LOs heart rate stayed perfect and we had no complications. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I think the contractions were terrible prior to my epi.

dedeyoba · March 2014

No complications. I was however on it for two days and never progressed. It just did t work for me.

sebullows · March 2014

I was induced at 39+1 due to HBP and they used pitocin. My baby had meconium and his hr was still great the entire time. He handled it wonderfully. Between contractions I would say "is he ok??!!" And they always said "he's doing beautifully!" I did have a CS but that's bc his giant head wouldn't fit through me.

Eta: my epi didn't work and the contractions were absolutely unbearable. But I survived! I also don't have anything to compare it to tho.

jennybean80 · March 2014

It's not that pitocin itself causes heart rate issues. It does make the contractions stronger and closer together, which some babies don't tolerate well. Those same babies might have had HR issues if the contractions progressed to that strength/frequency naturally. Plus if you are being induced the reason for induction can also cause stress for baby, and lead to decels.

Ask what your hospitals protocol for increasing the dose of pit is (normally up by 1mg/min every 15 min or 2mg/min every 30) and when they stop increasing it (you shouldn't be have more than 5 one-minute contractions in a 10 minute period).

Good luck! Hope everything goes smoothly for you!

PS I had 12 hours of pitocin with preterm twins (high likelihood of heart rate issue) and neither baby ever had a deceleration throughout my labour. I had a vaginal delivery, but did PPH after which was likely due to long labour, twins, long interval between them (over an hour) and a long time on pitocin.

fish8412 · March 2014

I totally understand your concern. I was induced on Tuesday and very paranoid about it leading to a csection which it did not. Everything went really well. My induction started with cervidil to open my cervix. It got me from 0 to 2. Then they broke my water and started Pitocin at noon. Things progressed really fast and I delivered at 6:43 pm. I got an epidural-the contractions were intense and came fast. My baby tolerated everything just fine. I had a quick vaginal delivery and only pushed for 40 minutes. Emma is healthy and happy. Just tell your doctor your concerns and stay positive! Your baby will be monitored the whole time so you and your doctor will know immediately if something is wrong. Good luck!

Wriggley1123 · March 2014

fish8412 said:
I totally understand your concern. I was induced on Tuesday and very paranoid about it leading to a csection which it did not. Everything went really well. My induction started with cervidil to open my cervix. It got me from 0 to 2. Then they broke my water and started Pitocin at noon. Things progressed really fast and I delivered at 6:43 pm. I got an epidural-the contractions were intense and came fast. My baby tolerated everything just fine. I had a quick vaginal delivery and only pushed for 40 minutes. Emma is healthy and happy. Just tell your doctor your concerns and stay positive! Your baby will be monitored the whole time so you and your doctor will know immediately if something is wrong. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing your story. It really makes me feel better! Glad to hear your delivery went well!!

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