Need good vibes for induction tomorrow (anyone managed to do one without an epi?)

[hjrowan]

Helo everyone
I've been reading the posts here for a few months and have really enjoyed everyone's stories but haven't posted before!

I'm 41 +1 today with my first baby and have had an induction scheduled for tomorrow (after getting "dumped" by my hospital midwifery practice at 37 weeks because my baby was apparently too small for their comfort! A LONG story - btw the baby has passed all its multiple tests just fine). I had to find someone to take me on really fast, found a great family doc and I believe from what others have said she has been pretty good at letting me go to 9 days "over". Due to a ripe cervix, she'll just be using a low dose of pit to start off with.

Anyway of course I never expected this - I wanted a low intervention, unmedicated birth but it was not to be! Of course there is one day left but given that I've tried every trick in the book to get this baby out (except castor oil) I'm not holding out too much hope!

SO if anyone has been through this before and had a good expericence I'd love to know because at this stage I'm getting really anxious.

Cheers
Hannah

[sunmamma]

I do know of a couple recently who had an induction without an epi.(and have heard of others too) They attribute their great success to having a doula with them for support. Think of it as an "epidoula" This was sort of a last minute induction(risked out of a birth center), and they found a doula at the last minute. Check around, sometimes even the hospitals have doulas affiliated with them or resources of where to go. Check out DONA.org too, for lists of doulas in your area. Many will do a last minute birth because they are passionate about mamas having the best birth experiences possible. Even if you call one doula andshe says no, ask her for other names/numbers because most doulas in an area know each other. It is so helpful in a situation like this to have someone giving you constant support who is familiar with and has faith in the process of birth, and knows all the hospital procedures and your choices.
Good luck mama, and let us know how it goes!

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

My sister just did! She did have some other pharmaceutical pain relief but no epi. She found that to be just fine
I'd second the doula suggestion, if you can find one now.

Hoping your low dose gets you going and you have a great birth

[hjrowan]

Thanks!

Thanks guys - I do actually have a doula (thank goodness) so hopefully I'll be able to rely on her for some good pain relief techniques and I'm really glad to hear it can be done without an epi - the idea of one freaks me out!

My other concern is that my body just won't react to the pitocin but I guess I won't know until tomorrow - sigh! I suppose this has been a good exercise in letting go of control seeing as parenthood is not a situation in which control plays much of a role!

H

[mamaprek]

I did it with my last pregnancy. Induction due to low fluid. They started the pit. around 6 a.m. and he was born about 1:30 p.m. From all of the bad stories I had heard I was really scared, but truthfully, it really wasn't that bad. Go in thinking you can do it! I'll be thinking of you and sending good birth vibes your way!!

[RainRaven]

yes I did it with out one, with my first it was a pit. induction and I ended up with Demaral. whit my second it was a cervidil induction and I had no pain meds just a continuos hot shower. it can be done but I would also suggest a doula.

Also ask if she will do the Cervidil insted if your cervix is ripe I sould work plus the baby will handle it better. I have done bolth and it was far easyer on me.

[cam&kat's_mom]

i have had all 3 by induction (unfortunately) but am pleased to say none required any pain meds, (I'm too afraid of an epidural to get one! LOL

[Lizafava]

The women I know who've had the best success have either only needed a little bit of pit or cervidil to get things going, or upped the pitocin veeeeeery slowly. Dr.s and nurses treat everyone as if they are going to get "their epidural", and are not that aware of how difficult hard, close pit. contractions are in early labor. If you are making change and ctx. are 4-5 minutes apart see if you can stop the pit altogether or at least stop upping it. Often they increase it until they are 2-3 minutes apart and over a minute long. Thats just too much at 2cm, imo. Don't let them break your water. Turn the pit off at night so you can sleep. Eat. Shower. Talk with your Dr. about strategies for achieving the birth you want, they might have some ideas.

I know one lady who convinced her Dr. to let her be in charge of when the pit was increased. She ended up with a long, but fairly gentle labor.

[bvnms]

I'm not in your DDC but I just wanted to say that I had Pitocin with Beverly and I didn't use any drugs at all. I sat up as long as I could in a rocking chair next to the bed and concentrated on this shape on the light that looked like santa claus. The nurses kept coming in and saying things like "I'll bet you're ready for your epidural now aren't you?" I would just shake my head at them and they would just shake theirs like they were upset that I wouldn't get it. They were doing this up until about 10 minutes before she was born so you want to be prepared for that. But it can be done. It hurt alot but I've never had an epidural and don't plan on ever getting one.

[Benji'sMom]

Not in your DDC but I did it w/ my first. Good luck!

[kltroy]

I haven't BTDT but some moms I know just needed the pit to get things rolling and were then able to partially or completely shut it off. Hopefully that's the case for you too! Either way, good luck. Just roll with it and things will go great for you - so exciting that you get to meet your baby tomorrow!!!

[PiesandAbrosmama]

Originally Posted by kltroy

I haven't BTDT but some moms I know just needed the pit to get things rolling and were then able to partially or completely shut it off. Hopefully that's the case for you too! Either way, good luck. Just roll with it and things will go great for you - so exciting that you get to meet your baby tomorrow!!!

Same for me! Never been there done that but have heard the same as above. Good luck

[klink2]

Good luck! You get to meet your baby very soon!

[skg_7]

I just did this 11 days ago -- pitocin induction and no epidural. I had pitocin for the whole labour (I mistakenly thought they'd just give me some to get the ball rolling and then unhook me, but apparently not). I was fully effaced and about 1cm dilated when we went in for the pitocin, so that may have helped, but I don't know.

On top of the pitocin, the baby was posterior. So I had back labour the whole time and some kind of crazy hip/leg labour that drove me crazy. My doula saved me, honestly. She squeezed my back or hips through every single contraction and used St. John's Wort Oil on m bakc in liberal quantities. Sometimes my partner would squeeze my hips while the doula took my back, and that's how I got through. The whole thing was about 8.5 hours from start to finish, and I wouldn't change anything. It was a beautiful birth in many ways.

You can do it!!!

On the other hand, if you need an epidural at some point, don't beat yourself up. One thing I did was beg them to turn down the dose of pitocin at some point near the end of my dilation because it was just too intense. So they rolled it back a little and low and behold my labour did not stall as they suggested it could. I was well on my way. I think they could've stopped the pit all together and I still would have progressed, but anyway it all worked out.

I wish you courage and strength and compassion for yourself. Do what you need to do and all will be well.

[BedHead]

I had two pitocin inductions without epi's. The first was posterior and I did have demerol, but the second was med free. I had no doula or anyone except the nurses and my (now ex) husband with me.

Best of luck tomorrow!

[fizzymom]

:::: :::
I have done 2 inductions with no pain meds of any kind.

The first was hard, i think mostly because I had a really nasty nurse and it never occurred to me to ask for another one - seriously, she was just plain mean. Also, DH thought that I was "just in early labor" and was "saving his energy" for the "real deal"(I was in transition for 4 hours) so no help there. However at no point did I ever think of asking for pain meds - I just did what I needed to do to get through one contraction at a time. That was my Bradley birth. Induction at @38 weeks due to low amniotic fluid levels and cord compressions - started with a bishop score of 5, pitocin only.

My second was a breeze. I had NO PAIN during labor except for 2 contractions at the end when the nurses were rushing around and I lost concentration (my HypnoBirth). Even then the pain was minimal and more of a reminder - oops, stop talking and focus on relaxing. Fully relaxed = no pain, period. DH was a lot more help this time around and spent most of my labor massaging my shoulders- the one area that refused to relax on it's own. I also had back labor with this birth, experienced as weird, distracting twitching (still no pain, just really annoying) - I used very hot water bottles to minimize the twitching. I wish that I had realized earlier that it was back labor because I would have changed positions. I didn't know DD was sunny-side up until she came out. I don't remember my bishop score from that birth although I think it was also pretty low, again pitocin only.

In both births, I refused membrane stripping and having my water broken, I wanted to at least have that cushion as long as possible, and I think that helped.

You can definitely do a no pain med induction - just stay relaxed. It doesn't have to be painful and horrible, the same principles apply. Relax and let your body do the work, one contraction at a time.

Funny, but I just realized while typing this that I'm actually nervous about having my water break and going through labor without the cushion of amniotic fluid as in a more "normal" birth.

[hjrowan]

Thanks so much for all your stories and support.

I'm going to have a bath and an early night in the hope that I can get some sleep and start the process tomorrow feeling vaguely refreshed!!

WIll post a story when I get home!

Hannah

[jlbaby]

jumping in from another DDC - i'll be thinking of you and sending positive thoughts!

i had pit with #1 and no epi. i won't say it was easy, but i was determined to birth drug-free. i hope your doc can be flexible with letting you move, even though you will have to be strapped to monitors. being supine did not help move my birth along! nothing did until they broke my waters. i wish i had known to ask them to shut off the pit, because contractions became really difficult at that point. however, baby and i made it through fine and i had great support there with me. so glad you have a doula, that will be wonderful for you! good luck!