Has anyone been induced, but NOT had an epidural?

Question

I am considering being induced tomorrow, but I DO NOT want and epidural (fear of infection in spinal column...yes, it happens).

I just want to hear if anyone has had Pitocin but no epidural.

Answer 1

Well I was induced with all 3 of my babies and with the first I had an epidural and it was wonderful, the 2nd one I didn't have anything and I must say that my labor went so quick with him that it wasn't that bad, and don't get me wrong it hurts but it was over so quick and when you have your baby crying everything else kind of goes away. The last one I had they put the epidural in wrong and it didn't work right either and once again there is pain but it's over so quick that it's not that bad. I also go from 4cm to 10 in like less than 5 min with the last 2 babies. Either way you choose to go you will be just fine and you will either be uncomfortable for awhile and then be able to get up and hold your baby, or you will feel little to no pain but not be able to get up for up to 4 hours to go see or hold your baby. I also must say that when I had the epidural with #1 when I came off it made my legs hurt, gave me the shakes, and made me sicker than I had ever felt before and right after you have a baby you don't want to feel like that. Remember the choice is yours and you will be fine either way. Good Luck to you and your baby.

Answer 2

If youre fine with having a c-section, then I wouldnt worry about being induced. There are not usually greater risks to you or the baby, except for that of more medical intervention and increased risk of c-section (which obviously has some minor additional risks compared to a vagnial delivery). As far as being induced goes, though, it is usually more painful than natural labor, which means that most people end up wanting the epidural. The truth is, an epidural is just like most medications, it affects differently people differently. Some people get a really large effect from it and have difficulty pushing the baby out because they have no feeling below the waist, while others experience only partial or no pain relief at all. However, when the epidural is administered correctly most women experience some, if not complete pain relief. Personally, I labored for 10 hours before I got the epidural, ended up getting it at that point, and then it wore off at the end. I pushed with barely any pain relief, which was not an experience I'd like to repeat. But, it helped for the seven hours that it worked (it only wore off the last hour - 2 hours). I am pregnant with baby number 2 and plan to get the epidural again, but I am going to try to hold out as long as possible before I get it (just like I did last time) so that my labor has less chance of stalling (the epidural can stall the labor process, especially if used early in labor). As far as time goes, statistically speaking the average time that a first time mom is in labor is 19-20 hours, but again every labor is different. Good luck! and congrats on the new baby!

Answer 3

I was induced with pitocin with my first child and I did not have an epidural. I did not want anyone putting a needle in my spine either. I was more afraid of that than I was of having the baby. I really didn't think the labor was that bad. They started the drip around 8 am and My daughter was born at 3:41 pm. I don't know if the contractions were harder than when you are not induced or not. I didn't really notice the contractions until after they broke my water (I could see on the monitor that I was having them, but they weren't that bad). The worst part about being induced for me was that I was stuck in the bed and had a monitor attached. That got kind of old after awhile, but I was lucky and was only in labor about 8 hours, so it wasn't too bad. My second child wasn't induced, but I didn't have an epidural that time either. If you need an epidural then that's ok, But I really don't think they are necessary. Plus, if you need them, they can give you drugs to relax (like Stadol or Demerol) that are not pain killers and don't inhibit your ability to push when the time comes.

Answer 4

my aunt had an induction with pitocin and did not have an epidural, she said it was very very painful, the contractions. She has 10 kids 5 at home all natural 3 in hospital induced with no drugs and 2 induced with epidural. obvously it is do-able. From my understanding the contractions are heavy from the start so you will have time to decide if you want it or not. Good Luck, I myself have only had 2 emergency c-sections so I don't know much about natural births.

Answer 5

I was induced with Cervidil at 42 weeks pregnant with my first.
I did not have an epidural.
I lived through it.
I was induced at 41 weeks pregnant with my 2nd, cervidil again... this time I did get the epidural, and I regreted it.

I know I am probably one of the few women in the world who regreted getting an epidural.
It gave me the chills SO badly that I was almost in convulsions, they gave me heated blanket after heated blanket and it did not help.
I was only in labor a short time so I only had the meds for an hour and a half tops, BUT because I delivered in the night the anesthesiologist did not want to come back up to remove the tube from my back, I had that tube in my back until almost 1pm the next day :-(
The epidural did effect my daughters nursing... though some say it does not effect the baby, in some small ways it does, and nursing got off to a very rocky start! I am 39 weeks pregnant and absolutely plan on NOT having an epidural this labor and delivery.

Answer 6

Yes, I did! It was for my second child. And honestly it was so much easier than going into labor naturally with my first. My first was 24 hours of back labor, no epidural then either, and my second, when I had the pitocin, was 4 hours and it only started hurting right when I became 9 cm dilated. And then it was time to push, and it was over before I knew it. So you can definitely have pitocin with out an epidural! Good Luck!

Answer 7

Induction Without Epidural

Answer 8

Pitocin = pain!!! Did that twice, pitocin forces your body into labor, and the contractions dont start small and gradually get stronger, they are hard and fast, I would so go for the epidural if I had to do it over again, see if your doctor has any other ideas. By the way Demerol, IV pain killer, is awful, it makes you really sleepy, I keep dozing off in between contractions. And every 2 minutes I would be in sooooo much pain cause I was not anticipating the next contraction I would not recommend it at all.

Answer 9

I was induced with Pitocin and my contractions were 30 second long every minute. I finally opted for the epidural and 15 minutes later I felt nothing and 3 hours after that baby Gabriel was born!

Answer 10

I was induced and no epidural with two of my children. I had an edidural with my youngest child and it was wonderful. I couldn't feel any pain. The Pitocin will bring on the labour but in my experience it was very painful. I would consider the epidural if I were you.