Pitocin After Labor - A New Standard?

Venus04 · June 2014

I was told at my prepared childbirth class that the use of Pitocin after labor has become pretty standard to offset the chance of heavy bleeding. Pitocin (administered through an IV) helps your uterus contract, and in this case, after birth, it helps it contract back down. Has anyone been given this after birth in the past? Any brutal side effects? Will you refuse it if offered?

Valancyy · June 2014

I got it, to help expel the placenta. It wasn't through IV though, it was a shot in the leg. Without it, it can take quite awhile for the placenta to come out. The Pitocin shot expels it much more quickly. There weren't any side effects for me.

ETA: Just to be clear...are you talking about getting it after the placenta is already expelled? In that case I would think it wouldn't be done unless there was heavy bleeding. Breastfeeding right away also helps the uterus to contract.

workmm01 · June 2014

We were told this at my birth class too. They said even with a natural birth it was pretty standard. I asked my midwife if this was the case and she said I could have it in my birthplan that I don't want it unless there is a concern for heavy bleeding. They said if you have an IV, you don't even know they give it to you so you better tell someone before hand if you don't want it. If you don't have an IV and they have to give you an injection, then you have an oppurtunity to decline if you didn't talk to someone before about this.

lookame3639 · June 2014

I had potocin after my birth with DS (7 yrs ago) i was already on it though for my induction but I bled heavily for the first hour or 2 then I had basically no bleeding after that.

lookame3639 · June 2014

...i was actually thinking about this earlier today... i wonder if i truly needed the potocin after birth or not. I know i had to have an episotomy and DS also tore me. I just remember hearing my OB tell a nurse to keep me on the potocin for another hour to help stop the bleed.

KittyMisha · June 2014

I have no idea whether they gave me pit after DD was born. I had an IV and had been on it during the labor, so they easily could have. All I really remember is the doctor jiggling the crap out of my big floppy belly, which was quite painful. But I had my baby on my chest by then, and that will distract you from most anything.

rstarrlemaitre · June 2014

My birthing center does not use pitocin after labor unless medically necessary. It's on my birth plan that I would prefer not to have it.

shevaCC · June 2014

Pitocin was the only thing I got after DD's birth. I didn't notice any side effects and will go with the midwife's recommendation this time too. I know I got it since I had a hep lock during labor but never needed any fluids or anything else administered. After I delivered the placenta while DD was BFing, they did the uterine compressions then gave me a bag of pitocin. They didn't mention whether I was bleeding particularly heavily or not.

Jolaine83 · June 2014

I was in a normal hospital and I was induced with pitocin both times, but I know my IV was disconnected from any line after delivery of the placenta. The port itself wasn't removed until I was ready to move to the mother/child ward (after they deemed any post delivery risk was past) but I know I had no chance of anything being given to me once they finished stitching me up because that's when everything was taken off - cath, IV, bp monitor, etc.

tamarar5 · June 2014

I'm no help because I needed pitocin to actually have labor both times. But I would think that unless there was a concert of hemorrhage you should be able to refuse. If you had a successful delivery without pit, who would you need our after the baby comes out!

I would definitely talk about this with your ob.

Regufsevolem · June 2014

Venus04 said:

I was told at my prepared childbirth class that the use of Pitocin after labor has become pretty standard to offset the chance of heavy bleeding. Pitocin (administered through an IV) helps your uterus contract, and in this case, after birth, it helps it contract back down. Has anyone been given this after birth in the past? Any brutal side effects? Will you refuse it if offered?

The only time I got Pitocin was when I was pushing. Didn't get after.

Nuclearcupcake · June 2014

I got it after my son was born to help deliver the placenta, I also had a second degree tear. No side effects from what I remember.

caybeh · June 2014

I had pitocin during my labor with DS. I know it didn't take too long to deliver the placenta. They removed all my IVs but kept the port in pretty soon after the placenta was delivered. So I'm really no help. I also would like to stay away from pitocin during labor this time just due to the labor contractions under pitocin.

bcbuzzafsu · June 2014

They were hooking it up as I delivered DS because they had the contraction monitors on wrong and thought I needed it. The doctor just left it and said something about the placenta. My memory is hazy. I do know that at that point I didn't care. I had an epidural if that makes a difference. No tearing, but DS came out claws out so he scratched me up a bit causing bleeding. I'm not sure how much though because I was just happy he was finally out.

GinnyJ2012 · June 2014

Nuclearcupcake said:
I got it after my son was born to help deliver the placenta, I also had a second degree tear. No side effects from what I remember.

This was me exactly. I don't think I had any additional given after the placenta was delivered though.

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