Who's been induced? What's it like?

[CamColt]

While it may be different for you, heres my experience with Pitocin.
My first came pretty fast for a first baby so with my second they wanted me in the hospital asap. My water broke at 9:15am. Upon arriving at the hospital around 11:00(I was stalling because I had no pain) they checked me out and I was at 5 centimeters, but "not in launching position" as I was told. After being stuck at 5 all day and having mild contractions(felt like flexing a muscle, not painful at all) I agreed to pitocin at 6:00pm. I hadnt wanted it because I dont like the idea of an IV. They finally got it going around 6:30, and I wasnt doped up or anything. Just pitocin, no other drugs. At 7:00 I got up to use the bahtroom and felt something "pop" inside. Instantly the contractions started full force and worse then the ones I had had with my first, I think.
By 7:45 I was telling the nurses I was ready, but they told me I had to wait for the doctor(Sunday night, only 1 doctor on duty). So then I said, then give me drugs, and again I was told I needed a doctor. At 8:00 the doctor came in, checked and said lets go...DS was born at 8:12. So, less than 2 hours after the pitocin started, he was born.
Best of luck to you! Keep us updated and dont forget pictures of the little guy!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Strip my WHAT???

And I've known since before I was pregnant, that if I ever GOT pregnant when I went into labor I was going to ask for all the drugs they could give me. I am not big on pain and I've seen plenty of non-epi'd births on TV on shows like TLC's Birth Story and A Baby Story and seeing what those moms have gone through frankly scares the poop outta me! Plus..it looksl like they do NOT enjoy giving birth at all because it's so painful. I want to be able to enjoy the birth of my son, not just scream and holler and cry because I'm in so much pain.

TOV

 

[Lewski709]

Oh and the water broke before I was given Pitocin. It was about 24hrs later the baby arrived. Different Dr's allow epidurals at diff times. Even tho the pain hasn't hit at 4cm, get the epi. I didn't and then didn't have enough time for it to work. I wanted to go natural the first time. Knew better the second time.

I am a hard stick too. To get the pitocin running, 3 diff nurses tried and I was badly bruised. HINT: You know you are a hard stick, tell them. Heat towels and put them on your arms before they go poking about. It will bring the veins to the surface.

 

[Lewski709]

The membranes are around the bag of waters. When they strip them, they remove any small membranes that are attached to the wall of the uterus to get you ready. It is said to help labor along. Ask your Dr about it. I promise, it's not that bad.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

you'll be fine. Just concentrate on your breathing and remember that it is never endless.

 

[Blondie]

Nobody has mentioned anything about geting gelled.

That would be "Cervidil" and it's to ripen the uterus. Not everyone needs it.

For DS#1, my water broke at 1PM on a Wednesday. Got to the hospital around 3PM (no contractions) and I just mildy contracted throughout the rest of the day & night. At 8AM on Thursday they turned on the Pitocin and holy cow! The contractions came on hard and fast! I got an epidural around 1:00 and the anesthesiologist had a very hard time getting it in, and the end result was a wet tap. I started pushing at 2:30pm and he wasn't born until 4:50pm! The "spinal" headaches (from the epidural) I had for the next 5 days were worse than any labor pains, and for that reason, I didn't request one with my second. I'd rather go natural than have those headaches again!

For DS#2, my blood pressure was on the increase so my OB decided to induce me on my due date. First they broke my water to see if it would bring on labor naturally and it didn't. Pit was started once again and I only labored from about 8:30AM until he was born at 1:40pm. Pushed with him for about 40 minutes. Natural labor and delivery! It can be done without pain medication!

 

[Lewski709]

Originally posted by TheOtherVillainess
scares the poop outta me!

That may happen too. Don't worry about it though. I know it may be TMI. Everything will be GREAT....it's ALL worth it.

The gel, cervadil, did nothing for me. It works for some. Every birth is different. Nubane made me puke, it's a pain med. Goes through the IV.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by TheOtherVillainess
Plus..it looksl like they do NOT enjoy giving birth at all because it's so painful. I want to be able to enjoy the birth of my son, not just scream and holler and cry because I'm in so much pain.

TOV

This had me ROFL! Yes, labor hurts like hell, but even with no pain meds, I thought giving birth was the most amazing thing...twice! I didnt not enjoy it at all, and I didnt scream holler or cry once. You never know how it will go, so dont count it out. And Ill put the disclaimer in, theres nothing wrong with pain meds, Im not against them, just you never know until youre in the situation.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Ok..thanks again ya'll. I guess I'll have to write down all these questions I now have for my OB when I go in on Weds for my last prenatal appt.

I'm even more nervous about this than ever though after reading all this....

TOV

 

[MosMom]

What I don't understand is why they are having to schedule you in to be induced. I know they schedule people in to have c-sections but why schedule to be induced? You are just taking up a L & D bed as you would if you went into labor naturally. I don't get why the OB has to schedule you for that.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Originally posted by MosMom
What I don't understand is why they are having to schedule you in to be induced. I know they schedule people in to have c-sections but why schedule to be induced? You are just taking up a L & D bed as you would if you went into labor naturally. I don't get why the OB has to schedule you for that.

Because I'm a first time mother, I trust the doctors more than most I suppose to do what's right. And my doctor told me when I hit around 36 wks that she would induce me if nothing happened by a week after my 'official' due date. I had originally planned to do it naturally, but my body doesn't seem to be wanting to cooperate..much. I haven't had any contractions at all (or at least I don';t THINK I have..could be wrong)in the last 2 or 3 days and I'm afraid that this baby will NEVER come out unless I get induced.

TOV

 

[Lewski709]

Lots of Dr's schedule induction. Most of them, from my knowledge, wait until the due date or after....unless there are other issues.

I never felt the ctrx until they were really strong. Felt more like false ones, slight tummy ache, mentrual cramps.

I was always afraid I wouldn't know either. You'll know. I waited a bit long, but..........

My second DS....I made it to the hospital at 7.5cm at 6:05am and had him at 7:16am. IDEAL.

 

[dizneenut]

You'll be fine. Believe me, I have ZERO tolerance for pain, and I had 4 boys all born naturally.

I was induced with my 4th. My water broke, I was 2 cms. when I went to the hospital, and I just got stuck there. No contractions, nothing. I was stuck in bed all day on the fetal monitor and finally around 11:30 PM they gave me the pit. Contractions hit hard about 30 minutes later, and DS was born 2 hours later.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

See up until now I"ve only had little bitty Braxton-Hicks contractions that (from what I understand) do absolutely nothing and I haven't had ANY of those in the last couple three days. That worries me a little bit as it does DH. So...we're doing the inducement on Thurs morning at 5 am.

I'm guessing that by now DH has called the ILs as well as my parents to let them know what's going on so they can show up at the hospital at a good time (though probably not at 5!). My mother called last night and said her patience was wearing thin with me because I hadn't yet had the baby and she was waiting! I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle her. Thankfully, MIL (who is just as anxious as my not so DM) is not being as pushy about this as Mom.

TOV

 

[MosMom]

Yes, I know they schedule them but the post made it sound like there was a "slot" open, as in an OR slot. Aren't they mainly scheduling it with the patient? I don't see why the week after the due date can't be passed to see if labor comes naturally. I mean, 3 centimeters *IS* progressing. I don't know, just seems odd to me to induce on the due date considering due dates are just a general time period to go by. Why risk all the nonsense that goes along with an induction and do it on the exact due date (when no other health risks are there). I, personally, would not be induced on my due date if I was having a healthy pregnancy...especially if I was 3 centimeters.

However, whatever you do, I wish you luck and a healthy delivery.

 

[mickeyboat]

DD#1 - induced with pitocin at 8AM. My water broke at 31 1/2 weeks, I was induced at 34 weeks. Contractions didn't get really bad until 2PM and weren't doing anything. It seemed like there was no break between contractions, no time to collect myself before another one came. Endured them until 5PM when I hit 4 CM. Got and epidural (thank God for small favors). They turned up the pitocin, then more pain meds because the epidural wore off. Pushed for 2 2/1 hours, DD was born at 11:18PM - 4 lbs. 12 oz.

DD#2 (one year later) - felt crampy, like I had to go to the bathroom all day long. Did not have regular, contraction-like contractions until 7:30PM. Got to the hospital at 9PM after my midwife told me to stay home. I was fully dialated. DD was born at 9:40. The tough part of my labor was more intense, but shorter.

I much prefer the second time. I am a baby-birthing machine - switched to the "off" position.

Denae

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Well, the last time I went to the doc (last Weds), I was told that without question I would be induced sometime during the week after the due date. The doc's office would call and tell me when it would be and I had no choice in the matter. I thought about asking my doc to hold off for a f ull week to see if labor started naturally, but like I said earlier, she seemed so hellbent on this induction that I was kind of nervous to say anything to her.

Now all I have to do is try and hold out till 12:01 am on April 2 to have the Squirt so that MIL won't be upset that his birthday is on April 1.

TOV

 

[Lewski709]

mosmom,
just had to say I like your new pics.

 

[Blondie]

Originally posted by MosMom
What I don't understand is why they are having to schedule you in to be induced. I know they schedule people in to have c-sections but why schedule to be induced? You are just taking up a L & D bed as you would if you went into labor naturally. I don't get why the OB has to schedule you for that.

Because that's the way it's done! Most often the OB will schedule on their day on-call, this way they will deliver the baby. It's almost like making a reservation, although lately at my hospital, we've had to delay the inductions because we are so full and are out of beds.

We have seen more of what we call "social inductions" recently than ever before. People just want their baby born on a certain date, or their relatives will be visiting on a certain day and they went them to be there for when the baby arrives. Sooner or later though I can see the insurance companies putting their foot down and saying if it isn't medically necessary, they won't pay for it.

Our induction/c-section schedule book has dates reserved as far as 2 months in advace, which I think is totally ridiculous.

 

[Serena]

I don't get it either. The due date is a guess for anyone. Why would she be so hell bent on you delivering exactly on your due date?
They had to induce me because of my blood pressure and they were afraid of Oh, I forgot the name, but they were worried about the baby.
Now my story is different. They started the pit and for some reason the belts weren't registering the contractions. They stopped the pit for overnight so I could sleep and started it again the next morning.
Again, maybe because my stomach was fat, but the contractions didn't register on the belts hardly at all. I felt them, but the nurse thought I was whining. After increasing the pit several times my contractions were never ending. Finally I made them get the doctor and after he saw me, he stopped the pit. He very carefully and nicely explained to the nurse that sometimes you have to watch the patient and not the machinery.
Then my baby's heartrate started dropping fast. The residents were taking a test by then so the head doc came to see me and I felt so much better. He knew what he was doing.
I ended up with an emergency c-section. There was no choice. My baby was not getting oxygen. The cord was wrapped across the top of her head and the farther she went down the worse it got.
I was terrified through out most of this. My first baby was so easy and I was prepared for it to be easy again.