Pitocin Induction, Med-free Delivery

abbycjones · July 2015

I apologize if this topic has all ready been discussed. I did a search but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

I had my 36 week check-up and growth scan yesterday (I was 36 and 5). Baby is measuring 7lbs 12oz according to the scan. I saw the OB instead of my midwife because she wasn't in yesterday and the OB informed me I will probably need to be induced at 39 weeks if I don't go into labor on my own before then. Due to my Gestational Diabetes diagnosis they don't advise I go past 39 weeks because the baby may be too big and that could cause some problems with delivery. My due date is 8/13 so they want to induce on 8/6.

I'm really hoping I'll go into labor on my own before then. The OB said they can do inductions one of two ways. One way is to insert a balloon-like thing and see if the pressure will break my water and cause me to dilate or they can use Pitocin. I've heard so many horror stories from women who've had Pitocin inductions (including my mother). From what I've heard, Pitocin increases the intensity of contractions and most women who are induced this way usually end up requesting pain meds.

My goal was for a completely med-free labor and delivery. Now I'm having to reconsider that. My question is, are there any moms on here who've been induced with Pitocin who have been able to deliver without pain meds? I'm just wondering what the chances are of me being able to handle being med-free if they induce with Pitocin. I'm not completely opposed to an epidural if I need one but I would really like to try and deliver without pain meds if possible. Any tips, advice or encouragement would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

amk013 · July 2015

No personal experience, but one of my friends had a baby last November and she was induced with pitocin. It made her contractions come so close together that she couldn't have an epidural, so she had a med free birth.

lrichhx05 · July 2015

I was induced with pitocin. The contractions did come close together right from the start, but I think if I was really wanting a med free birth that it would have been possible. My epidural wore off towards the end which was by far the worst part and I made it through that. I just always knew I wanted an epidural but like I said I think a med free delivery would have been possible if I had my mind set on it.

thesportsgal · July 2015

I think you should still try and use the techniques you've been working on (hopefully;) and see what happens and with something like Hypnobabies, it could totally still work. I don't know how to describe the Pitocin. While I don't think it's the devil and I don't have a horror story to share (my induction was perfectly fine) I don't know about doing med-free with Pitocin. It can be pretty hard core BUT I think you should still try, especially since you want to.

Good luck!

breezymeema7 · July 2015

No personal experience but my mom had a med-free Pitocin induced birth with my younger sister. She said it was more intense the her other labour and deliveries, but do-able. I think it's one of those things you just have to set your mind to.

jesselayne8 · July 2015

My best friend just had one 3 months ago. She went from 3-10cm in less than an hour. She said it was intense but a million times better than her first birth with an epidural.

emmacake08 · July 2015

My OB will let me go to 40 weeks with insulin dependent GD but not really past that. I would push them on the 39 week cut off (if you can) by asking if there's anymore monitoring you could have to make them feel better leaving you pregnant and giving you even a few more days.
Also, my OB has talked to me too about using pitocin to start a labor and then backing off and even stopping it once labor kicks in. Ask them if that's an option? They might have a certain dilation goal for you and then try backing off. That could also be a good goal to hold out for an epidural if you can make it to that point.
My practice also recommends not breaking the bag of waters until 6cm dilated so I personally would choose pitocin over the balloon.
Good luck! Birth can be so complicated!

mrsrfwii · July 2015

Yes! My second was 12 days late when we induced with Pitocin. I delivered her without any other meds. It is possible, but I think a lot depends on your pain tolerance.

kat+1 · July 2015

I have had a med free birth with pit. And I can say it was my first birth so I can't compair it to anything but what I can say is I loved my labour. I stood I walked, It was intense and I used low sounds and held my hubby's hands. And had showers to relax. It can be done.
My montra was " the power and intensity of my contractions can not be more then me because it is me"

One thing if I can add is my US estimated a Big baby they said prob 10 lbs he was 8.3. No tearing or stiches. My water broke the day before my due date but He came one day past my due date but had to have pitocin to bring my contractions on more regular because I had a fever and babies heart rate was high.
US are not always right. And many women have birthed babies 10 lbs plus with out a problem. My first midwife tried to scare me by Saying babies of GD moms can be born large and I would need to deliver befor he was due. I fired her and got a new one that understood my feelings about not wanting interventions unless there was a real need for it. ( I had a need in the end for pit and was happy with how it turned out)

LittleFox2015 · July 2015

Thank you for posting this. I am in somewhat the same position and for some reason the epidural scares me. But with the insulin i worry i will have to be induced as well. Good luck, i'll keep you in my thoughts.

NicoMarie1 · July 2015

My doctor also wants to induce me at 39 weeks due to GD and high blood pressure. My GD is well managed without meds but my high blood pressure is the issue. I really don't want to be induced and force my baby out. I want to have her naturally without pit. I read so much about pit and it scares me and seems unnatural. I am more concerned with forcing her out then getting an epidural. To me if I am going to force her out with drugs what's the point in a med free birth? But since my health is the issue I was looking into membrane scrapping/sweeping. It requires no drugs and makes me feel better about inducing. Worth looking into and then you may be able to handle the birth without pain medicine.

samiij · July 2015

I'm being induced tomorrow 38w1d with pit due to GD. Super nervous but the more I have read the better I feel about it. I'm taking the approach re epidural open minded (guess that's the nurse in me). Who knows whether I will get the window of time needed for epidural if I decide to go with it or whether things will run quickly I'm a FTM so no clue what to expect. Guess I'm kind of glad to have nothing to compare to as the whole process of labour has scared me since I was attending nursing college. Best of luck

aleecats · July 2015

I'm a FTM so I can't give you an opinion either way, but I can say I'm terrified to death of pit... I actually added in my birth plan that unless medically necessary I intend to refuse it. I only added it because one of the doctors in my practice (there are 4, whoever is on call will deliver my baby, and I seriously hate one of them!) is known to push pit to speed up labors, she also has the highest emergency c-section rate in the hospital

and I know she'll try to push it.

SHieb · July 2015

I have no personal experience but I have friend who was induced by having prostaglandin gel put on her cervix, which is way more of a natural process than pitocin. So maybe ask your doc if it's an option for you?

schup156 · July 2015

The perfect post for me to read this morning! I am heading to the hospital this evening to start the induction process (37 weeks and being induced due to heart issues with baby) and they'll start pitocin tomorrow morning. I had a quick med-free labor with my first, and I'm still struggling to wrap my head around how different this labor experience and post-delivery will be. I'm hoping to have a med-free labor again but am worried about the contractions on pitocin. I think having the right mindset going in is going to be really important!

BlindSheep · July 2015

I had to be induced with my daughter after my water broke. I didn't plan to get an epidural, but the contractions were really strong with no breaks in between them. I held out a long time, but did end up getting the epidural. It was actually a really great birthing experience and I have no regrets!

jenandbrett · July 2015

I was induced with my first and used no pain killers. You can absolutely do it. My midwife was good about turning the pitocin down during the times when my body took over, too. Just be sure to live in the moment she credit when your body rests. That means, when a contraction is over, breathe normally and relax. Also, move as much as possible. Walk, sway, rock in a chair or on a ball. You can do it!!

AshK1027 · July 2015

FTM, so I have no personal experience. My mother was given pitocin with my little brother and labored without epidural.

I hope all of you ladies get a birth experience that you're comfortable with. I can't wait to hear how it goes!

jessandandy09 · July 2015

No personal experience here. I refused induction with my last baby (it scares me also) but I know my ex-husbands new wife had to be induced with both of their last children and still did it med-free.

Good luck momma!

ALFreeman88 · July 2015

I went in at 38 weeks to be induced due to the baby having a two vessel cord. There is nothing else wrong no growth problem, the baby passes all the test they wanted done before inductions. So they started me on cervadil and a whole day of pit after that. It didn't seem to affect anything so I had to do another 12 hours of cervadil, nothing changed. Still 1.5 cm and 60% effaced. The dr ( who isn't my normal dr) said he wouldn't have tried to induce till 39 40 weeks and gave me the option of going home and seeing him Friday. My opinion is to try and wait as long as possible to induce and if your body isn't ready it's not going to let you unless they end up doing a c section which is something I am trying to avoid if possible. Just thought I'd share my induction story since I'm over here still pregnant and waiting for this baby come on out! Lol

Good luck if they do try and induce! Hope it goes better then mine!

Edit: you will think about having an epidural during the process it crossed my mind a million times, and they will offer you stadol. At least those were both offered to me when I was actually contracting on the cervadil. But it's all mind over matter and will depend on you and how badly you want to go med free.

kettlekitten · July 2015

SHieb said:
I have no personal experience but I have friend who was induced by having prostaglandin gel put on her cervix, which is way more of a natural process than pitocin. So maybe ask your doc if it's an option for you?

As far as I'm aware (someone will no doubt correct me if I am wrong) this is done to ripen the cervix about 12 hours prior to starting pitocin, so it's just the first step in the induction process. At least that's what was meant to happen to me... However I only needed the gel to kick start labour, and had the baby before the doctor turned up to give me the pitocin drip the next morning.

samiij · July 2015

Good luck tonight and tomorrow. Guess out Drs have the same ideas for us

.

samiij · July 2015

Yes that's what I've been told too but that as was with you it can start the contractions. I'm hoping that will happen with me lol but I don't even know if Riley's a boy or girl yet because babes been a little stinker all thru the pregnancy so we shall see

gulimz · July 2015

Wow! You and I have the same due dates and induction dates and basically the same reason!
I personally do not have previous experience since this is my first, but I've had a friend tell me that pitocin labor is intense. I personally do not have a pain tolerance, so I will have epidural.

abbycjones · July 2015

Thank you, everyone, for the advice! I truly appreciate it!

My SIL told me she had her membranes stripped and went into labor less than 24 hours later. I have an appointment in the morning and I'm going to ask if that's an option for me.

But I do feel a lot better about the ability to have a med-free delivery even if pitocin is necessary. You all rock!

hollyberri · July 2015

I was induced at 40w 1d with pitocin. I had been walking around 4cm dilated at that point for a few weeks. I did not need the pain meds, I practiced breathing techniques and my husband kept me on track when my focus was fading (I did start putting myself to sleep between contractions because they exhausted me during stage 2 labor, LOL).

I was also able to labor in the bathtub which I believe helped me to disseminate the discomfort I experienced.

KBGower · July 2015

I'm scheduled to be induced the 30th. I've been having strong contractions on and off for 3 days and only 4 cm dilated. I don't want pitocin and had high hopes I would have gone into full labor by now. Any suggestions to get labor going again? As much pain as I've already had I'm hoping I can manage the pitocin contractions.

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