Does induction hurt more than natural?

meganpatel · July 2015

hi ladies,

I'm a first timer, getting induced Wednesday this coming week, due to complications Iv had the whole pregnancy. Will be 38.3 weeks, and I keep hearing that induced labour is extremely painful, and am petrified. Has anyone had any experience with this? And any advice?

Thanks

heathernmay · July 2015

Yes! But really it is just more intense but with medications or epidural it is actually not that bad. I made it 12 hours before I requested the epi. You'll do great live in the moment but don't be afraid to ask for position help or medications. Good luck!!

babydoll1008 · July 2015

I experienced both! From my own personal experience, I thought getting induced was stress & pain free. You have time to get an epidural, sleep, and just enjoy the moment.

mnj05 · July 2015

I was induced with my first and had a great experience. I was started on the lowest dose of pitocin and worked my way up every hour or so. My contractions were not at all intense immediately although they did get that way within a couple of hours.

This tkme, I went into labor on my own and my contractions were way more intense, in fact I had to have a shot to slow them down because there was no break in between.

If you're like me, the unknown is so scary but the nurses are happy to talk you through everything that's going on and try not to think about what's next, just focus on what's happening right then.

daizyifyoudo · July 2015

Every labor is different. I have three older kiddos and three totally different birth stories.
My first was the worst. Water broke at home (38w2d), had extreme back labor and they started pitocin upon arrival. Contractions were off the chart and I got the epi. after 4 hours. Had LO 10 hours after water broke, with 2 hours of pushing.
2nd (due the day before this LO 9 years ago) I went in at 38w5d for my regular exam and was sent straight over l&d as when my midwife checked me I was in full blown labor (6cm fully effaced and he was fully engaged). He was born about an hour after we got there, all natural.
Third I was induced 4 days early and was the most controlled birth started pitocin in the morning and it took 4 hours and she was here. I had iv pain med with her to take edge off but it was bearable had I wanted to go natural.
It's been 6+ years now and I have no idea what to expect this go around. I'm 38w2d and nervous as I was with my first all over again. How with this birth go?!?!

gotdiesel2007 · July 2015

Induced hurt worse for me.

aliehoward · July 2015

I have two older kids both whom were induced at 37 weeks. The 1st time I had an epidural which I still felt when I had her because I guess it wore off..so with my 2nd baby I decided to get induced but not to have ANY meds at all. He weighed 9lbs!!!! And honestly it was not bad at all. Kinda painless. With this 3Rd baby I am 38.5 and will get membranes swept in hopes of delivering natural. So I'd say just depends on u and ur baby!! Dnt be scared. You will do great. Goodluck.

tierracmccoy · July 2015

Being induced was very painful for me but then again I can't tolerate much pain so idk. I had an epidural with my first child but I don't remember the contractions being quite as intense prior to epi as they were this time around.

+Vyxyn+ · July 2015

Pitocin causes stronger (and therefore more painful) contractions then med-free labor, but being induced doesn't necessarily mean you'll be given Pitocin. I was induced with Cervadil and then Cytotec, and then my own natural labor took over, so they never gave me any Pitocin, and I made it through my labor fine with no additional meds, and no epidural. Just focus on staying relaxed and calm through your contractions! Good luck!

ecloho · July 2015

I will give a disclaimer that I am an FTM so what do I know LOL… But from my research it sounds like the Pitocin can cause very strong painful contractions unlike the natural kind and that often is followed by an epidural

LeannFran · July 2015

I was induced with our first one but I got an epidural when contractions started to get too strong so I can't say that I would know vs. natural. Good luck!! Don't try to be super woman, it's ok if the pain gets to be too much

SBbabyonboard · July 2015

I was induced with my first and I have to say that even though I had a 40hour labour start to finish and then ended up with a c section cause the little bugger turned the last second, the actual labour itself was doable. I walked the halls for hours on end and just took breaks and rested against the walls through my contractions, I did dialate right to 10 cm, and never really experienced too much extreme unbearable pain. But everyone's experience is different. Some women have super quick labours after being induced and others it takes a lot longer, I also think it depends on what they use to induce you. They started me on cervidil then sent me home, I think that's why mine dragged out for so long. Regardless at the end of it all you will have a precious baby in your arms and won't even remember why you were so worried about all of this afterwards! It's amazing what unconditional love can do to you! Good luck you'll do great!

jesicabrennan · July 2015

To answer the actual question, without pain meds YES an induction is factually more painful and more intense. It basically has your uterus doing what it does in transition naturally (7-10cm, most intense but shortest period of labor) the whole time. Your body is not designed to sustain that kind of pain the way it is with natural labor so the epi and pitocin go hand in hand.

+Vyxyn+ · July 2015

Pitocin leads more women to opt for an Epidural because it causes stronger contractions than natural labor. One of the side effects of Epidurals is that they cause labor to slow down. This can lead to an undesirable vicious circle... I've heard a lot of people who went through this circle and then were funneled into C-section, usually after being labeled as failure to progress. Of course, plenty of people also do successfully complete vaginal birth with both. But IMHO, the best way to avoid all this is to avoid the Pitocin. If you are offered the option of trying other meds first for induction, I recommend that. Or at worst, if you are going to be given Pitocin, ask that they give you the least amount possible to start off with and for them to stop increasing the dose down the road if possible, to make your labor as natural as possible. The hospital that I was at was willing to do this for me if Pitocin was started (thankfully it wasn't started as the other inducement meds worked).

+Vyxyn+ · July 2015

Addendum - It's really the Pitocin that makes things more painful - Cervadil and Cytotec don't affect the aim of the resulting labor - they just help it to start. So not all inductions are more painful, it depends on the method/meds used.

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