Difference in Natural vs. Pitocin Labor

[Luv2Skydive]

I've only been induced/augmented with Pitocin for both previous labors because, sad to say, I just didn't know any better. I was the usual "Failure to progress" within 2-4 hours of being in the hospital at 4cm. This time, I'm staying home and laboring as LONG as possible on my own, but because I've only had horrendous Pit labors with no pain meds, I have no idea what "natural" labor feels like or how it progresses. I fear that I will compare it to the excruciating non-stop contractions from before and won't make it to the hospital in time (I'm actually pretty ok with this possibility, but DH, not so much!) because I'll keep thinking I'm not far enough along to leave since it doesn't hurt as bad or as long. I'd love to hear from ladies who have experienced both types of labors!

[sunnymw]

*subbing* although I'm planning to stay home, I'd like to know how much of a difference to expect.

FWIW, with my last one, my labor didn't follow any dilation curve at all, but followed a textbook labor for "emotional signposts" in the Bradley book

[Goddess3_2005]

Its night and day. I am in awe you made it through a pitocin labor with out an epi, I couldn't. Natural labor is so much more manageable wave of pain, pitocin is searing pain that you can catch your breath. Theres a huge difference.

[PookieMom]

The Pit blew right through my epi It was horrendous. I am really looking forward to labor this time, as strange as it sounds.

[Veritaserum]

I was induced with pitocin with my first and had spontaneous labors with my next ones. Pitcoin contractions are MUCH harder and more difficult physically. I didn't even approach my discomfort at 3 cm on pit with later births during transition!

[Luv2Skydive]

See, that's what I'm stressing about! Since all I know is evil Pitocin contractions, I can see myself saying "Well, it hurts, but I'm getting breaks in between and it's not that bad, so I'll wait a little longer....." then BAM!, time to push! With my last two, when it was time to push, I got that immediate, uncontrollable, body-pushing-by-itself feeling and there was NO stopping it.

I'm very excited to see what my body does on it's own and in a way it feels like a first labor. I have a HIGH pain tolerance. At this point, I'd just planned on going when my contractions are 3-4 minutes apart lasting for 1 minute for at least an hour. Any advice from those who have done Pit and no Pit on when they knew it was getting close to push time or transition?

[ltk]

well, all I know is PIT in terms of transition and pushing. I think I got to 8 and then they gave it to me. I was "fine" in laborland w/out it. once I got it, I was begging for an epi. my doula/girlfriend talked me out of it......those last hours were excruciating! I suspect that labor w/out pit is much more tolerable. I just remember it feeling like a runaway train, or like someone else was in charge of my body (shudder). It can be done w/out an epi, but I will NEVER do that again!
I will be trying OTHER methods (like my little clitoral stimulator) to move to full dilation.

[mmhinton]

I don't have experience with and w/o Pit, but maybe some helpful stuff???
With #1, we labored (w/ water broken - big gush at home) for 36 hours with NO meds. But, I was not progressing (we went to the hospital after about 6 hours at home with contractions consistently 1+ minutes and 2-5 min apart), so dr. rec Pit. I knew at that point I could not handle Pit w/o an epi, so that was what we did. I had been handling (breathing and relaxing through) the contractions w/o the Pit/Epi. But, after a couple of hours the epi started to "wear off" and the contractions were unbearable!!

In hindsight, we went to the hospital too early! Live and learn

Currently pg with #2 (41 wks - ready ANY day) and planning a natural birth with labor at home as LONG as possible! We took a Bradley class with #1 and fully expected a natural birth. This time I read the book "Natural Birth the Bradley Way" and it really clicked with me! As someone else mentioned about the "emotional signposts"......I feel like those are probably the most reliable signs combined with contraction timing as to determining "where things are" in labor! If you have a chance, I would really recommend reading that book - especially the emotional stages part. And, if he will, have dh read it too!! (I highlighted the parts I wanted dh to read as I knew he would not read all of it )

[Luv2Skydive]

I have the Bradley book as well as Ina May's Guide to Childbirth! I've highlighted and earmarked SO much stuff in that book for DH it's insane! : )

I keep (half) teasing him that we are having this baby at home. He (nervously) laughs at me and says "No we're not!". We'll see........I really, really dread loading up and going to the hospital just to have someone "catch" the baby. Seems like a waste of money, time, and is not the birth experience I want. : (

[MKury]

So, being just a nosey surfer, Luv2skydive, WHY are you NOT having a homebirth with a midwife?

In other advice, I agree with pps, and watch for emotional signposts. Your transition may be totally in a different perspective than most, though. But once you feel like pushing, I'd stay put. There's simply no need to have a baby in the car at 80 mph... (IMO)

[LaffNowCryLater]

I was induced with #1 and hated it so much that I vowed to never be induced again.
With #2, I really didn't know I was in labor and by the time I was at the hospital I was 7 CM! It was sooo much easier and better and less painful!! It started out like menstrual cramps and got stronger and stronger and stayed steady.
This time I am delivering at a birth center.

[ZoshaMosha]

My labor was augmented with Pit. and I'm not sure it made anything harder. I had prodromal labor 4 days prior to being admitted in labor and delivery, and by the time I was finally admitted at 4 cms, I was already so tired and in so much pain at that point. The pit. plus epi were like a vacation for me.

This is not the labor I want to have again this time, mind you. I'm hoping for a natural birth.

[Luv2Skydive]

Originally Posted by MKury

So, being just a nosey surfer, Luv2skydive, WHY are you NOT having a homebirth with a midwife?

In other advice, I agree with pps, and watch for emotional signposts. Your transition may be totally in a different perspective than most, though. But once you feel like pushing, I'd stay put. There's simply no need to have a baby in the car at 80 mph... (IMO)

That's definitely a valid question.....I had only begun questioning my last two births at around the 28th week of this pregnancy. Until that point, I had resigned myself to the same fate WITH an epi and was none the wiser to anything being "off" about my last two hospital births. THEN I started reading stories and threads from other ladies in another forum and something felt wrong. I had a voice somewhere saying "Something doesn't fit." I started researching interventions, inductions, reading birth stories where interventions led to more interventions and complications and it clicked. I was given Pitocin for NO reason. My whole labor and delivery was so detached and sterile and I had no idea. Then I started reading all the wonderful experiences here and I longed for the same thing. Unfortunately, financially we've already put out a lot of money in prenatal care. I just switched OB's (to one that is rumored to be more natural-birth friendly) and we switched hospitals to one that is 2 blocks away and, again, is more accepting of women who want no interventions. We don't even have a birth center closer than 2 hours, so that isn't an option. And honestly, because this epiphany IS so recent, I lack the confidence to make another change this late in the game....and DH is certainly not on board for a homebirth (although he IS researching emergency procedures!). He realizes my pushing reflex is like a really sensitive gag reflex for others....when it happens, there is NO stopping it, so we have both come to terms with the fact that if it gets that far at home, we aren't going ANYWHERE. I'm ok with that, and I pray he has the confidence to get through it as well. I'm soaking up everything I can from you ladies here and I have purchased a birth kit just in case.

[Alison]

I was induced with pit at almost 42 weeks. I'm determined to try and avoid it this time. It was awful from the beginning, and I ended up with a c-section. Everyone I've spoken to and everything I've read says that going into labour by yourself is much more manageable. I've got a midwife this time around, although as a VBAC, I'm still planning a hospital birth (I know the rate of c-section ruptures is low, but I know two people who've had it happen, and it's certainly not the ideal situation for a homebirth!). But I'm hoping that having a midwife will give me the strength to avoid induction, and the strength to stay home as long as I can before heading to the hospital (the hospital is literally across the street, I really ought to be able to not go too early!).

[EarthsSpiral]

No advice on the laboring, as I was induced the first time. I will say however, that we switched just this last week (34 weeks pg) to a MW and we are having a HB. We are eating the costs of the HB to be comfortable IYKWIM. The thought of building up security and safety in my home to have to get in a car and drive to a hospital where I will be on guard for everything... I just couldn't take it anymore! I feel like so much stress has been lifted.

[Luv2Skydive]

Originally Posted by LaffNowCryLater

I was induced with #1 and hated it so much that I vowed to never be induced again.
With #2, I really didn't know I was in labor and by the time I was at the hospital I was 7 CM! It was sooo much easier and better and less painful!! It started out like menstrual cramps and got stronger and stronger and stayed steady.
This time I am delivering at a birth center.

That is the experience we are hoping for......I want to be in or close to transition when we get to the hospital. I want it to be too late for them to do anything but catch!

[KariM]

For me the biggest difference was the pacing and the freedom.

The Pit labor was like the end of my natural labor - but for 14 hours straight.

I had contractions one right after another with the pit with them lasting about a minute each. But as soon as one was ending the next was beginning. There was no break at all between them. It was exhausting and yet I couldn't rest because I was hooked up to all these machines and I had cranky nurses coming in and yelling at me from time to time.

I felt pain with the Pit, but it's hard to tell exactly what the source of the pain was. I was uncomfortable in the hospital bed, angry at being there and being forced to be there (docs told me they'd drop me from care if I didn't immediately go straight to the hospital from the OB office and begin induction). I had an IV in and external monitor to begin with. After a few hours the OB broke the amniotic sac (without consent or even notice) and attached an internal monitor into my son's scalp (again without consent or even telling us he was doing it). I honestly couldn't have been any more uncomfortable than that!

I had contractions like that at the very end of my DD's natural labor, but I was at home and free to move and act as I wanted to. For me the key difference was that freedom and control over my own movement and actions!

The contractions I had with my natural birth were intense and some took my breath away, but I didn't feel pain - it was different. I felt like I was working really really hard - sort of like you feel after a really hard work-out. You're tired and a bit worn out, but yet energized.

[_betsy_]

What if you and/or your partner learn to check dilation? That will help you have an idea how you're progressing, how quickly, and when you feel ready to go.

A doula and/or a midwife would likely be a great help to you, even in a hospital setting.

It's not too late to change. I read on here of women changing to midwives at 36 + weeks!

[Luv2Skydive]

You ladies are giving such great advice and insight from your own experiences...I feel more and more confident and ready to face this with every post I read!!

[MKury]

I'm not trying to stress a point (well, maybe I am ) but I was 34 weeks when I changed to my midwife- and dd came 10 days early. She was so awesome! She deducted from her fee all the doctor's visits that I had made on my own. So, $1000 came off the top. I had to convince my husband, as it was our first, but after telling him that this is what our bodies were MADE to do, and gave him all the research that I read, he was on board. My MD father, not so much. I have all the forms and letters that you would need to get the insurance company to pay at least the 60% out of network reimbursement, if you are interested in seeing how that works. And it is never too late to switch. As long as you are low risk, you would be an ideal client for any competent midwife. 2 natural births with pit?!?! That is some serious pain tolerance!!! You are indeed The Woman!

pm me if you want to look at the exceptions forms for the insurance... I got them from a student of mine who has been successful in making her company pay for all sorts of things!