Induced and still able to birth vaginally without pain meds?

[MrsSoup]

So yesterday, I woke up before my alarm because I was having contractions that were pretty regular. Almost exactly every 10 minutes. They weren't painful, I didn't have to breathe through them, but were constant. The thought of getting out of bed and going to work made me want to cry, so I called in. Spent the morning in bed with DH and even DTD (omg it didn't hurt!). Later on in the morning, the contractions slowed to about every 30 minutes, but were more intense. Then they got to be about every 20 minutes and more intense. Then, they slowed down, got lighter and almost went away.

We had our Doc appointment that evening anyway, so no worries. Got there, was only 1 cm dilated. Sadness. But the really sad part is his concerns. Baby is fine, normal sized and head down. But he's concerned about me. See, I've managed to lose weight in the past week.....and been vomiting. Even with Zofran.

So today he called and made an appointment for induction on Thursday, and we are going to reevaluate at our next appointment on Wed.

I've really wanted to go all natural....but I also am worried about my health. I know that I'll still be a momma if I get induced....and also trying to realize that yes, I can be induced and have a vaginal birth without pain medication.

I guess I just want to know if anyone has been induced and was able to go vaginal without pain. That, and I REALLY don't want to have to have a c-section...I heal really slowly, and am stressed at the time it would take to heal after that.....

[Kimmiepie]

Yes, it can be done. I did it with my last and it was my best birth yet!! BUT I had already birthed 3 (all also induced) and had epidurals with them all. So I knew what I was in for with the pitocin contractions, and I knew that they would be very strong. So for me, it took a few induced births before I was able to do it without an epi. BUT that's not to say that you can't do it. Read and study up on the subject, and prepare yourself. Having an induction is not the end of the world, and you will be fine.

[box_of_rain]

I was induced because of postdates with my first two. My first was 28 hours of pitocin labor and no pain meds at all. My second was 4 hours of pitocin labor and no pain meds at all.

It can be done. And it is worth it. Pitocin is a harsh drug - try to be as prepared as possible. Take it moment by moment.

[Mrs.Oz]

I was induced with DS, he was posterior the whole way as well. I broke down and got an epi but it DID NOT work, so I pretty much got through it on my own. It can be rough, but it's totally doable.

This time around I'm possibly facing an induction again due to being borderline PIH (pray my second 24-hour urine test comes back with better numbers today!!) but I know I can do it, esp. if this one decides to come out facing the right way!

[andbabymakes4]

I give major props to anyone who gets induced with pitocin and goes w/o meds. I tried to go as long as I could....which for me was 7 hours of pit and gave in. It was too much.

[Murihiku]

My mother did it three times but not with pitocin, with having her membranes stripped. But she also had labours between 6 and 4.5 hours long.

[ruthmg]

I did it with my first DS. I was induced at 36 weeks becuase of PROM. I had about 8-10 hours of pitocin labor - I did it without any pain meds, and laboring on my side only due to blood pressure issues. If you are able to get up, walk around, labor on a birth ball, etc, you may be able to do it.

Just remember that everyone is different. Yes it can be done, but I got really angry at the color of kangaroos at one point during that labor. I think I was irrational at that point, because it hurt so dang much.

I would try some natural induction measures to hurry the process along- evening primose oil (you can do a search on MDC to see how to do it) - that may ripen your cervix some, and maybe you'll need less pitocin.

Good luck!!!!

[MrsSoup]

Thank you ladies. It really helped to know that its possible to do it vaginally, even with medication. That's my biggest fear, really. Having a c-section. Thank goodness that our OB and hospital both have a low c-section rate and the OB knows that c-section would be truly the last resort/only in an emergency.

We are starting the natural induction methods today, castor oil, evening primrose oil, DTD, walking, etc.....and hoping it works.

I know it will be difficult and most importantly, know I'm not a failure if I need an epi or c-section...but knowing its possible will help my state of mind.

Thank you ladies!!!

[_betsy_]

I did it with my first. But apparently, I just birth REALLY intense and fast.

With DD1, I was induced for no good reason. I had her in just under 2 hours. Pitocin on the lowest "test dose" and went from 4 cms and 100% effaced (never feeling a single contraction, no BH, and walking around at 2-3 cms for a month) to pushing in about an hour. Never felt the urge to push, so I was coached. Because it went so fast and I was with an OB, I ended up with an episiotomy. I think I had a local pain killer for that. But no epidural, no c-section. INTENSE contractions, right away, no build up, no breaks in between, and painful. But, over quickly. Pushed for 35-45 minutes.

DD2, born last Friday - no nothing. No pain meds, no cutting, no midwife! Went so fast she missed it by about 3 minutes. I was in the hospital after my water broke, 10 mins later I started the same sort of intense cx, but with breaks in between, some more mild. But again, no chance to gear up to them, I never felt any real contrax before the water broke. I went from 4-5 cms and 100% for at least a week (and 2-3 cms for a month before that) to complete and pushing with in an hour. 2 pushes, and she was out.

It can be done, and in my experience (though I apparently have an abnormal reaction to oxytocin/pitocin) it's about the same intensity, but different.

[squishymama]

If you're already losing weight from vomitting I might be careful about castor oil. You don't want to be dehydrated and then take something that will give you tons of diarrhea (I am a terrible speller, sorry if thats wrong).

Hopefully you won't need to be induced after all...

[jr'smom]

I was induced with pitocin with my 1st and went 25 hours without pain meds. I DID end up having a C/S though for not progressing/water broken 25 hours. (BTW I was 40w +2d at the time and my water broke on its own.)

So I never had pain med. until spinal for surgery.

I'm posting because I really just want you to avoid my mistake. Once I was admitted (had planned HB), they had me lying down and constantly monitored. They told me it would make no difference to lay down or walk around. I should have known better--but when you're in the middle of it--and in pain--you may believe them.

Please walk around/ change position to help the baby move down and keep you progressing.

Hoping you don't have to be induced after all!

[Quindin]

I was induced with Pitocin with baby 3.
I don't want to scare you, but the contractions were all of this world.
You need to have a very good support system to make sure you won't cave for an epidural.
I didn't, caved, and had an epi.
I should not have. The epi brought more problems than anything.

[katmann]

I have one friend who had all four babies with pitocin but no pain meds. She spoke really highly of the Bradley method for natural childbirth. She loved every minute of it.

I have another friend who had her baby with pitocin and when they started to bully her into an epi (with the anesthesiologist in the room), her husband asked them to check again and she was fully dilated and she pushed her baby out a few minutes afterward.

I hope your natural induction methods work, but if you have to go with pit, I'm sure you'll be able to handle it! Make sure they start with a low dose first and gradually increase it if need be. Good Luck!

[MeadowAndColtsMama]

Originally Posted by squishymama

If you're already losing weight from vomitting I might be careful about castor oil. You don't want to be dehydrated and then take something that will give you tons of diarrhea (I am a terrible speller, sorry if thats wrong).

Hopefully you won't need to be induced after all...

I agree. Take care, momma!

[MrsSoup]

I am truly blessed that my DH will be an amazing support system. He's able to get me breathing and concentrate on things when I have issues in ways that I've never been able to experience before. He's incredable.

And jr'smom, thank you for the advice to walk around! I'll make sure that I can do that instead of just laying there.

Squishymama, that's a good point about the castor oil....maybe I'll try everything else BUT that first.....

Thank you all for the support, mamas! You have really helped me breathe and relax about the whole thing.

[Moonprysm]

I was induced with preeclampsia with DS and managed to have a natural birth. It's entirely do-able. I also helped coach a friend through a 16 hour natural induction labor. The birth ball helped me immensely, while it just made things worse for her. It also really helps if your body is already prepared (DS was born in only 5 hours). The key is really to take it one contraction at a time. Every contraction you make it through is one you'll never have to do again. And it's one more step towards your baby. Try to think of it as a staircase going somewhere very high - maybe you're walking to the top of the Eiffel tower. If you sprint up the stairs, or look up, or think about how many stairs there are, it would easily get overwhelming and sound great to take an elevator. But if you focus on one stair at a time, it's much easier. After awhile you might even look back and see how high you are without noticing. I found the attitude that I took with labor really spilled over into other areas of my life afterwards. Things like exercising - looking at the timer and thinking there's no way I can make it 10 more minutes, but let me just make it one. And once that one's gone, focus on making the next one.

I hope you don't end up needing to be induced, but if it you, just know it's possible.

[BethSLP]

I was induced with DD because of pre-e. First time mom. 6 days over with a cervix totally hard and closed. The OB basically told me "good luck" with my induction. He thought it was nearly impossible it would work. I had such unfavorable conditions.

I got to the second highest dosage of pit (they almost called off the pit and went for the C section) when slowly things started happening. Then the pit was full force and it was a VERY difficult labor for me. I pretty much stalled at 5 cm because things were so intense that I just could not relax. My MW (who was going to attend my homebirth before this happened and we had to go to the hospital) was very much pro natural birth of course and trying to convince me to hold off. At 5, I was just in agony and could not relax and was stalling out. I knew what they needed me to do (relax my bottom) but the contractions were so hard and fast and my body felt all medicine-y tense, it seemed impossible. So I got the epi (which was kind of crummy and didn't fully take), but it was enough to take the edge off. I quickly went from 5-9cm in less than one hour. So in my case, my MW actually said that the epi might have saved me from a C section because it allowed my body to relax as the meds were making me so tense. If that makes sense??

My DD was posterior, and totally crooked in the canal because she was completely not ready to be born. I pushed for 3.5 hours. I felt her head ramming one side, and my best friend (a doula) thinks my epidural was weak on that side. I felt the ring of fire when she was born. I had a small tear and the doc went to stitch it and thought I wouldn't need any meds because of the epi. OUCH. wrong, I felt it.

So my basic point is:
1. every induction is SO different and under much different conditions.
2. every birth is so different anyhow.
3. I felt like a hero for simply having a vaginal birth! : My MW was treating me with kid gloves probing how I "felt about my birth." I was like "I feel freakin great about my birth! I did it! I got a vaginal birth against all odds." KWIM?

I have never had a normal labor myself, so I have nothing to compare to, but moms who have had both tell me the pit makes it way harder.

I fully commend those who have natural births, but I've also had some friends whose births sounded like a picnic compared to mine.

I remember being in awe of one of my friends in my birth class who was in labor for 60 hours at home and had her baby naturally. My MW told me "she didn't have your birth." I was shocked. Wow, mine really WAS that hard.

So I think its important to have goals, but also be open to all possibilities. And I'm by no means advocating epidurals or saying they "help" everyone, but in my case, I truly DO believe it helped me avoid a cesarean. I also think we need to not be hard on ourselves if we don't manage to have a natural birth, as some of us who have natural births have a quick and "easy" (I know they are never easy, but relatively speaking) birth. It doesn't mean you are a failure if you need meds, and you cannot compare your birth to someone else.

I hope this post didn't scare you about induction. According to my friend, most she's seen in the hospital as a doula were not like mine. Even with the difficult birth, the experience itself was absolutely wonderful. I was loved on by everyone in the hospital like family and all my wishes respected. As a homebirth person, I was terrified to go there, but it was a great experience in the end.

Best wishes!
XOXO
B

[MrsSoup]

Originally Posted by BethSLP

So I think its important to have goals, but also be open to all possibilities. And I'm by no means advocating epidurals or saying they "help" everyone, but in my case, I truly DO believe it helped me avoid a cesarean. I also think we need to not be hard on ourselves if we don't manage to have a natural birth, as some of us who have natural births have a quick and "easy" (I know they are never easy, but relatively speaking) birth. It doesn't mean you are a failure if you need meds, and you cannot compare your birth to someone else.

I hope this post didn't scare you about induction. According to my friend, most she's seen in the hospital as a doula were not like mine. Even with the difficult birth, the experience itself was absolutely wonderful. I was loved on by everyone in the hospital like family and all my wishes respected. As a homebirth person, I was terrified to go there, but it was a great experience in the end.

Best wishes!
XOXO
B

No, it hasn't scared me, in fact, it just reaffirms my thoughts and mindsets. I've come about this the way I did my wedding. I have a plan. I have backups. But in the end, as long as both are healthy, I will have succeeded. So mentally, I'm preparing myself to still "succeed" in case I have to have a c-section....but I'll do everything I can to not have to.

So thank you for the honesty!!

[Luv2bemommy]

It's totally possible.. I've been induced three times for postdates and only had stadol with my first.. My other two were totally pain med free.