Pitocin and natural labor?

Question

I had pitocin with my daughter because I wasn't dialating. Up until that point, labor was painful, but bearable. Next time around I would like to try to go natural (which won't be for a few more years). If you have gone through both, was pitocin induced labor a lot different than natural labor? I'm guessing prior to the pitocin wasn't as bad as it could have been because they weren't dialating me, but what is the difference? Please only answer if you've experienced both. I'm just curious. Thanks!!

Oh, believe me, I was all over the place, LOL. Lots of walking, standing, squatting, I couldn't sit still!

I'd like naturally occuring birth (not that I had a choice this time around, my bag of waters had broken and 10 hours later I wasn't dialating still) and would like to try sans epidural as well. Sorry I wasn't clear on that!

Answer 1

I did it both ways with an epi and natural.

With pitocin, you do have stronger contractions. I believe it's because your body doesn't get a gradual build up to the strong contractions like you do when natural labor starts.

#2 was totally natural. Something about my platelets were low and couldn't have an epi. By then I didn't care. With natural, if you can tolerate the pain until you can push, then you have it whooped. Once you get to push with the contractions, you really don't feel any pain. When the babies head starts to come out, the pain is back, except its a burning pain down there. You can ask for a local or push through the pain as it only lasts until the baby's head pops out. It took me only one very stronge push to get his head out, as I knew if I backed off, the pain would last longer.

#3 I was induced. My plan was to do it all naturally, and I almost made it. I would've made it, but when the nurse checked me, I was only 5 cm dilated. Within 2 minutes after being checked the pain and strong contractions really hit, and I was thinking if I'm only 5 cm, there is no way I was going to make it all the way. I asked for the epi, and after they hooked me up...instant relief...they checked again and I was 9cm dilated. Not sure if it had to do with the pit, or being my 3rd, but I went from 5 to 9 cm in less than 15 minutes. Waste of an epi in my opinion since I got it at 9 cm, and it was time to start pushing. If only I knew LOL. The basic scenario-pit started at 6:45 a.m., mild labor pain began at 9, Major labor pain at 11, epi at 11:15, baby 11:22. Jello legs pretty much for the rest of the day...hated that part of the epi.

Another thing that makes a big difference, is your Dr. If you're comfortable with him/her, then your more relaxed. My Dr. will talk to you in a very soothing, and encouraging manner, which boosts you up to keep going.

Answer 2

Are you talking about a naturally occurring labor or a natural childbirth? Since I am not sure, I will answer from the knowledge of both :o) !

I have had an epidural induction without pain medication and I can tell you it IS more intense than normal labor. With normal labor, I was able to chitchat, go into relaxation during contractions and then back out of my relaxation between contractions because the contractions would build and swell naturally.

With induced labor, once labor got going, I had to get into my relaxation spot and not come out of it - contractions came on more abruptly with no building and ebbing.

BTW, I have had 5 children - 2 were the induction (twins and pitocin induced) and 3 were naturally occurring. All were pain medication free. I would not get another induction unless medically necessary and my baby or I were in distress.

Answer 3

YES, pitocin-induced labor was a lot different from my natural labor. Several reasons:

1. Induction happens quickly and contractions come on very intense and painful. Natural labor builds up gradually and you have time to learn to deal with the contractions

2. Induction requires close monitoring and usually staying in bed. This can hamper the progression of labor. Natural labor allows free movement (walking, squatting, etc) which encourages labor to progress and baby to descend.

3. Induction statistically sets you up for a greater chance of drug intervention as well as the need for a C-Section. Natural labor has much lower surgery rates.

My first baby was an induction that led to a C-Section. My second two babies were natural all the way and I wouldn't trade that for anything! I felt such a sense of accomplishment by working through natural labor and pushing the babies out with no drug intervention. I was also MUCH more comfortable during labor because I could go whereever I wanted and be in ANY position I wanted.

All the best to you!

Answer 4

I had pitocin with my first and needed an epidural right away. The problem with taking pitocin is that your delivery speeds up so fast that your baby is not given time to adjust to the increase in pain from the contractions. Studies show that women who have pitocin to help induce or speed up labor are more then twice as likely to need drugs to help with the pain. I am almost nine months pregnant with my second and am hoping to have a natural delivery this time. In about a month I will be able to tell you for sure.

Answer 5

my 1st son i had pitocin and my water broken because i was leaking fluid and over due, my labor lasted 10+ hrs.it was ok in the beginning but every 30 min they turned up the pitocin not giving me the chance to get used to the pain b4 then.but after the epidural i was good. 5 yrs later w/my 2nd i was all natural and had him in 4 hours. that time the contractions were much stronger because it did not take as long and there was no 30min time to get used to the pain i was a consistant 2-4 min apart from the start. so it just depends on how fast the labor goes.

Answer 6

I had both with my daughter. I went into labor for her and progressed to 6cm. I think it took me almost 12hours to get there. Well the hospital staff and the Dr on call felt I was moving too slow for there linking so they started a Pitocin drip... with in 5 min of them turning the machine on I was having contractions on top of contractions. I went from 6cm to ready to push in about 30 to 45 mins. It was the worst experience I have ever had. I had no pain meds, I wanted to go natural but once I couldn't breathe because of the contractions after the Pitocin got the epidural which I wish I didn't get. My Dr finally got to the hospital and turned everything off and I had my daughter "med" free. I will NOT be induced unless it is totally medically neccesay!!

Answer 7

I have had both.

Some people say pitocin is worse, but that isn't always the case.

Pit is different because your contractions peak very quickly and hold that peak steady for what feels like forever, then disappears just as quickly as it came on.

With natural labor contractions, the contraction starts off weak, slowly builds to a shorter peak, and then slowly goes away.

So yes, pitocin can feel more intense, but there's no denying that even natural labor is very uncomfortable too, for some (many, actually) women it does get unbearable just as it would with pitocin.

*edit: thanks to the Negative Nellie who gave a thumbs down! Surely my answer was worthy of that, as if my personal and professional experience is not credible! LOL! There's a lot of jerks handing out thumbs down ratings lately for really educated answers. Get a life - or a college degree.

Answer 8

I have had pit induced birth, as well as natural home births! The pit induced birth was much stronger than the natural ones!!
Try walking during labor, squats can also help aid dilation!
Flat on your back makes it harder to dial ate.
Good luck..in the next few years!
My water broke days before AI had one of mine...we checked temp every 30 minutes to make sure I did not have an infection, when my temp spiked we went to the hospital for induction, I was SO sad, I had planned a home birth..baby was fine, so that's all that really mattered!

ps..sometimes pit drips are needed for a healthy outcome, yes the chance of c-section is higher, listen to your health care provider..are you a Mom yet???

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Potocin contrations are soo much worse than doing on yur own, I had potocin for my first child and it was like you painful but bearable. When I had my second child I didn't think I was in real labour because the pain wasn't that bad and the same for my last child.