Has anyone been successful at an otherwise unmedicated childbirth with induction?

[TaraD.]

My doctor will not let me go any longer and has scheduled an induction for tomorrow. I am committed to not having any pain medication. Has anyone had success with this? I've heard that it's nearly impossible. Is this true? I'm feeling so scared and discouraged. . .

[WC_hapamama]

I made it almost all the way through 1 induced labor (AROM, pitocin) without medication... if I had realized how close I was to delivery (1 hour), I would have not asked for the stadol... I only got one dose.

Honestly, the labor pains I had with pitocin were not that bad... they were a cakewalk compared to the wicked back labor I had with my first baby (no pitocin involved with that one).

I think what was important with that induction was that I was already somewhat dialated (2ish cm) and effaced when they broke my water and started the pitocin.

[jennybean0722]

There is one girl I know in my birth group that induced (b/c they were about to move out of state) and she made it through and to her it didn't seem bad. She had pitocin.

How 'overdue' are you? You CAN switch providers. I had a girlfriend switch doctors TWICE at the very end of her pregnancy. And that was in Louisiana...

[sebarnes]

My sister was induced with all four of her children and didn't have any pain meds. So, it can be done

[starshine1001]

I had Pit and AROM, and got thru it fine. I only had medication for the repair (3rd degree), and for nausea in transition.

[bhawkins]

Yes, it can definitely be done. My first two birth were induced with cytotec and they were otherwise completely unmedicated. I do feel like cytotec does not produce contractions as strong as Pit does, but I was induced nonetheless.

I have also witness several unmedicatied inductions as an L&D nurse. It has seemed to me that they are tougher than those who just walk-in in labor (and that was my own experience, too).

How overdue are you?

[Juvysen]

I was induced w/no pain meds. I *HIGHLY* recommend requesting that they take it REALLY slow. That's what they did and my body kicked in by the end, so they ended up actually turning the pit down. It was intense, though, no question, but otherwise a really lovely hospital birth. I really was happy with my experience. I was able to move around and use the tub and stuff. The 30 minutes or so they forced me to sit in bed were H*LL, so I highly recommend getting up and moving and requesting that ability, or you'll really need to cave in to the pain meds (imo).

That said, w/my second one, I had a homebirth.

[soso-lynn]

I have never been induced, but most people I know who needed to be induced (mostly because midwives here cannot attend a birth after 42 weeks) did it more naturally, by nipple stimulation, castor oil, sex or other herbal methods. You should give that a try before going to the hospital. You also have the right to not get induced so make sure you get a good reason from the doctor. The size of the baby or just the fact that you are overdue are not medical reasons.

[soso-lynn]

oh, and I forgot, if you do get pitocin, do not let them break your water because they will then use that to put a time limit for a c-section. You should probably tell them that very clearly before letting anyone examine you because doctors have been known to do it without your consent.

[berkeleyp]

Would they let you try natural induction methods for a couple of days instead? Could you do some things yourself and simply not show up for the induction until a day or so later?

[basilslamomma]

Due to being both overdue and GD, I was scheduled for induction at 41 weeks. I wish I had refused now, of course. I had cervadil to begin, I refused AROM, but after "rough" exam my waters promptly ruptured. I walked for 5 hours with nothing, so they began the pitocin induction. I also had a uterine monitor b/c the pit was not dialating me for some time. However, once it kicked in, there was a rough patch of long/double peak contraction and vomiting. The actual hard labor lasted about 3 hours and was extruciating as I was on my back in the bed b/c of cont. monitoring and Uterine cath.

Despite it all, I had NO pain medications of any kind. It can be done.

[thatblondegirl]

i envy you guys. i tried, SO hard not to get pain meds. i was induced. it was my first and i wasn't expecting it to be SOOOOO intense. but it was pretty intense once they started the pitocin. no gradual buildup for me.

i'm gonna try med free again next time!

[ani'smommy]

I was induced with DD with cytotec and then pitocen. It was pretty awful, to be honest, but then it was over and I had my baby! You can do it!

[Luv2Skydive]

I've done it twice with Pit and AROM. For me, it was unbelievable pain but it DOES end and remember that! Also, definitely try to put off AROM because that definitely puts you on their clock before a c-section is *required*. Make sure they attempt stopping the Pit to see if you can progress on your own periodically.....sometimes you just need a jumpstart! They didn't do this with me and I didn't know any better. They just kept upping the dosage. Also realize and prepare yourself that some women will be so tense and tired from the pain that they are actually fighting dilation and can stall....in this case, it might be better to agree to some pain intervention to actually help you progress. I've read stories of women that stall and once they get to rest and relax a bit from pain meds/epi, they dilate and are pushing in no time, so just keep an open mind. It would also be great if you had someone like a doula that could be an advocate for you and to help you recognize what might help you progress in labor. I wish I'd had someone like this, because honestly, all I could do was hold on to the bedrail with a death grip and recede so far deep into my mind that I had no idea what was happening around me until it was time to push.

[Kitten]

I had an induction with my first and no other meds. It can be done. But it ain't great.

If you don't want an induction just don't show up. It's your body. Call and say your car broke down and you have no way of getting there.

[PoppyMama]

I had a Pit induction with my 1st and had an epidural and the pit with my 2nd and no pain meds. My OB kept it going high (at least with the 2nd) because my water had broken 12 hours (so I said ) from the time I went to the hospital and she knew I was dead set against a C-section. It was very different from the first delivery but I lived through it and I wasn't sorry. When you're in that much pain and it's so fast and almost out of control you sorta enter another place and the whole thing was hazy at the time and even hazier now.

[Girlprof]

I had an induction w/pitocin in January and it was fine. I also had AROM. In my case, it was a medical issue and I couldn't even move around (high blood pressure - very high). I had a fantastic midwife who helped a lot and I suspect they upped the pitocin pretty slowly. BUT the best thing of all that got me through it was the hospital provided a massage therapist. I had back labor (of course, I seem to always have back labor) and she pressed HARD on my back and vibrated her hand. She was doing this so hard I was convinced she had a machine of some kind.

I didn't want to be induced and I was pretty scared, but it worked out ok. It wasn't my first birth, which I think made a big difference. I also had a great midwife and a great doula, not to mention my super DH and that massage therapist sent from heaven. So, I had a lot of help. But, I had a beautiful birth. My four year old son came in and saw his sister born and that meant the world to me. The pitocin contractions were more relentless than the regular contractions I had the first time around, but I don't know that they were fiercer - and everything went much quicker. So, an induction sure ain't ideal, but if it's what you have to do, it can work out.

[New_Natural_Mom]

I would have if my lo didn't have a ginormous head. Actually, I did get the epidural. I wanted a completely med free birth, but 20 hours of cx and my body needed a break. The epidural was the most beautiful thing on earth.

[polishprinsezz]

i had my bag of waters broken to start my induction. that way i didnt have to be hooked up to an iv. labor started withen ther hour and i had him 6 hours after that. no iv, no pain meds, no epiesotomy. i was a week overdue. i was very happy with the way my birth turned out.

[g&a]

i did it. with my vbac.

My midwife says that she thinks that when a baby needs to come out fast it does - ie. she may not have tollerated a long labour well.

That said I would be trying everything else to let it happen on it's own time. Switch doctors if you have to. Just being late isn't a good enough reason for me. And don't let them try to tell you your baby is huge, either.

g.