# Pitocin makes it hurt worse?



## SeekingJoy (Apr 30, 2007)

Really? Why?


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## tayndrewsmama (May 25, 2004)

I believe it makes the contractions more intense and it does so when the body isn't really ready to.


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## *MamaJen* (Apr 24, 2007)

I've heard it's insanely more painful. The contraction are harder, faster, more intense, and interfere with your body's natural pain coping techniques. It can also cause fetal distress and I've seen data suggesting it leads to higher C-section rates (the slippery slope of intervention).
Pitocin is horribly overused in the hospital setting. It has some valid uses but it's become standard with little medical indication.


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## Chloe'sMama (Oct 14, 2008)

I have heard it is like 'transition' the entire time (depending on dose). I unfortunately was scared into being induced and found it very intense from about 20 minutes after they began the pitocin. I was already 4 cm when I checked into the hospital (had not felt any contractions up to that point). I would like to think the next time will not be quite so intense.


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## ctdoula (Dec 26, 2002)

If you have to ask, you've never been on it. Think strapping yourself to the front of a freight train.


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## SeekingJoy (Apr 30, 2007)

Have there been studies about it? Does it increase the risk of certain complications? Why -- physiologically -- does it hurt worse?


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

Part of the reason is that you are getting a continuous dose of the hormone that causes you to contract. When you don't have pitocin, the hormone comes in waves, and you get a break between contractions.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by **MamaJen** 
I've heard it's insanely more painful. The contraction are harder, faster, more intense, and interfere with your body's natural pain coping techniques. It can also cause fetal distress and I've seen data suggesting it leads to higher C-section rates (the slippery slope of intervention).
Pitocin is horribly overused in the hospital setting. It has some valid uses but it's become standard with little medical indication.

yes to all this. I found pitocin induced contractions much much more painful than 'natural' contractions and they had me begging for pain relief even after I had gone over 24 hrs in active labor without even considering drugs.

Pretty sure pitocin is the main reason for my DD's "distress" and thus the resulting c-section. The c-section that I wish more than anything could have been avoided because I've had a total of 4 now, at least 3 of which were likely not truly necessary.

eta: and yeah, it's artificial oxytocin and contractions can be unbearable because they are literally on top of each other, with no time to relax a single muscle in your body.


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## snowmom5 (May 8, 2008)

I only had a little pit to augment one of my labors and I had an epidural, so I can't speak to the pain of pit. But I did have more intense contractions in my most recent labor, without the epi, and it was like one giant contraction (5 cm to delivery in under 90 minutes). It is well known that pit makes the contractions faster, more intense, etc., which is the whole purpose of giving it. More intense contractions hurt more. It really is that simple.

Think of a charlie horse or other cramp. Now imagine a more intense one. More intense = more painful. Just like active labor contractions usually hurt a whole lot more than contractions earlier in the pregnancy.


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SeekingJoy* 
Have there been studies about it? Does it increase the risk of certain complications? Why -- physiologically -- does it hurt worse?

It increases the risk of uterine rupture, over stimulated uterus, fetal distress, hemorrhage, etc. No drug is without side effects. Yes, there have been studies done and the package insert lists those complications.

It hurts worse because it creates stronger contractions. Mine were off the chart on the TOCO. Which just before they were registering in the 40s. It increased it 3xs what they were.


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## syd'smom (Sep 23, 2008)

And when oxytocin is naturally created, it crosses your blood brain barrier, releasing the good endorphins in your brain (again naturally). Pitocin is artificial and doesn't release the endorphins. And as mentioned, your body is no longer in control of the contraction, breaks, or effects on baby. I'm having a homebirth in late August, so I'll be able to give my own anecdote - but my experience with and subsequent research into pitocin is one of my main reasons for a homebirth.


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## ani'smommy (Nov 29, 2005)

Yes yes yes times 10.

I was induced with DD -- I wasn't dilated at all. It was hellish.
I had DS at home and it was a breeze in comparison. Transition at home was totally like the whole time on pit. I won't even go into what transition on pit was like. shudder.


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

Pit made me feel out of my mind. I couldn't bear...it came too hard, too fast without the benefit of any natural hormones to help me bear it.
Natural birth is intense too...but it's different.
I described it this way to a friend right after my 2nd birth (natural, at home)....
Being on Pit felt like being in the teeth of a dragon....natural birth was like being on the back of a dragon : ) It was intense but I was still in control.


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## txgal (Jul 16, 2003)

One of the most riduculous things I have ever heard was "We just broke her water, and hooked up the Pitocin now we just wait for nature to takes it's course" (guess which TLC show that was). There is a huge difference in Pit. contraction and the natural ones. Part of the problem I see as a doula is that mom's induced with pit have alot less mobility since they are hooked up to monitor continously. In the end there is nothing that mimics the body perfectly.


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## LokiPuck (Jan 11, 2003)

ITA with what PP have said. My contractions felt like they were overlaping when I was induced. There was no "rest period" between them. I went from almost nothing to transition in just under three hours. Way too fast for my body and very intense.


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## barefootpoetry (Jul 19, 2007)

I've had a Pitocin-augmented labor and an all-natural one. I will take ten more all-natural labors before I would ever have Pitocin again! It was horrible! Like one big contraction that I couldn't escape from.

Another bad side effect of Pitocin is that it can cement a poorly aligned baby into the wrong position so it can't shift out of it for birth. It makes the uterus clamp down so tightly that there is no room for the baby to maneuver. I bet there have been a lot of C-sections done because baby was in a bad position and couldn't get out of it due to Pit.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *barefootpoetry* 
Another bad side effect of Pitocin is that it can cement a poorly aligned baby into the wrong position so it can't shift out of it for birth. It makes the uterus clamp down so tightly that there is no room for the baby to maneuver. I bet there have been a lot of C-sections done because baby was in a bad position and couldn't get out of it due to Pit.


yes to this, too. I also think this contributed to my "failure to progress", definitely. To me, Pitocin = awful, awful, awful.


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## MegBoz (Jul 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *syd'smom* 
And when oxytocin is naturally created, it crosses your blood brain barrier, releasing the good endorphins in your brain (again naturally). Pitocin is artificial and doesn't release the endorphins.









:
Exactly! Endorphins are a natural opiate - they both help relieve pain and elevate your mood. (Exercise releases them too - think "runner's high") But since pit doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, it doesn't help release endorphins.

So it makes ctrx more powerful & painful simultaneously depriving you of your natural pain relief.

I don't think anyone yet mentioned that it makes the uterus contract in a different way. Pretty sure I read this in "Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth." It normally contracts in a wave from the top down, whereas pit makes it just squeeze in all at once - so the ctrx are more powerful & squeeze the fetus more - contributing to the fetal distress. That, in addition to the fact that the ctrx are often longer & closer together.

One analogy I read is that the squeezing can deprive the fetus of oxygen. So the pit contractions - being longer, stronger & closer together, contributes to fetal distress because it is like holding a baby underwater and just bringing him up out of the water briefly for a gasp of air before dunking him under again.







: I know, a horrible thought!


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## amandaleigh37 (Jul 13, 2006)

I was given pitocin to induce my labor, even though I was already 5cm upon arrival (hadn't felt anything though). About 20 minutes after they started the pitocin, the contractions came out of nowhere and were INTENSE. I didn't have any drugs, but like others described above - it was like transition the whole time. Luckily my whole labor was 2 hours - 45 min. of that was pushing, but the whole time was one horrible contraction on top of another. I'd never have pitocin again, it was not fun at all! I wish I had just waited & let my body continue what it was doing.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

I had one pit birth, one drug-free. The pain was the SAME surprisingly. However, with my homebirth, I had more breaks, and my body actually stopped contractions for a while and they were 4 min apart allowing me to rest, whereas the pit ones just come one on top of the other. Thats what made it unbearable.


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## meganmarie (Jan 29, 2005)

I get the sense that you are looking for evidence vs. anecdotes so here's some quickly (should be working):

Here is the best description I've read in lay terms of the downsides and physiological workings of pitocin:
http://www.pushedbirth.com/

click on "why not schedule it" at the top to see the section that describes how pitocin works. An excerpt:
"Pitocin replicates oxytocin's muscle, producing strong uterine contractions, but it does not pass to the brain. You don't get the warm and fuzzies with the pharmaceutical version. Furthermore, it shuts down your body's own oxytocin production. That means that when you get Pitocin in your IV - whether you're being induced or just "augmented" - you're missing out on the natural oxy-rush."

There's also some scientific-research-based discussion of pitocin induction here in the Millbank Report on Evidence Based maternity care:
http://www.milbank.org/reports/0809M...rnityCare.html

An excerpt, with citations of studies:
"Synthetic oxytocin, which is widely used to induce labor, interferes with the functioning of a woman's own oxytocin receptors (Phaneuf et al. 2000). This may adversely affect other important functions of a mother's natural oxytocin release, such as reducing postpartum hemorrhage and contributing to attachment and the establishment of breastfeeding (Buckley 2004)"

And there is Childbirth Connection's "Guide to Effective Maternity Care" - you can download the pdf here, but you will have to register (well worth it, if you have an interest in facts and research on childbirth)
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/...oad=gecpc3ch40

Here is an excerpt:
"Any agent that causes uterine contractions, whether it be a drug such as oxytocin or a prostaglandin...may also cause excessive uterine contractility. Excessively frequent or prolonged uterine contractions may affect blood flow from and to the placenta, which will in turn reduce fetal oxygenation. Uterine rupture is a further, though much rarer, consequence of excessive stimulation of uterine activity. The balance of evidence suggests that induction of labor with oxytocin increases the incidence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia."


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## SeekingJoy (Apr 30, 2007)

Megan, YES! I am looking for evidence, too.


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## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

I had 2 births, one with pit, one without. Pitocin is beyond evil when it comes to the pain. Pitocin contractions are way worse than the transition contractions I had laboring without pit.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ctdoula* 
If you have to ask, you've never been on it.

...or never _not_ been on it. I knew a woman who had three kids. Her third was the only one where she went into labour naturally. She told me afterwards that she had no idea labour didn't _have_ to hurt that much, because she had no idea the pain she'd felt with her first two was augmented.


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## Kim Allen (Jun 28, 2008)

i was induced with DS and i never want that agian. I am going as far as i can with this one. I was not anywere near ready i dont think. I was only dialated 1 cm and had been that way for only a week so i think i wasnt ready even though i was 9 days "overdue". As soon as they broke my water the pitocin gave me horrible contractions and i went ahead with the epidural







which i felt bad about and i was in labor for 15 hours with pitocin. I just wished i could have been more informed. I was young and now i know i want to try natural for the next. Most of my friends did theres all natural and they all have 4 to 5 kids so i know it cannot be bad. I think if i had been better informed i would have decided agiants it but i felt as though it was a have to thing.I hated the fact of spending my whole labor experience in a bed at a hospital not able to enjoy any of it.


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## columbusmomma (Oct 31, 2006)

I noticed a HUGE difference in natural labor vs. pit-induced labor. I'm echoing many of the PP's thoughts on the differences. I hate to think that anyone having an induction would have to feel the ctx I had with my first labor which was the induction. Such a difference between the 2...having breaks between contractions and the normal crossing of the bloodbrain barrier, oxyrush,etc. made a huge difference! I was just so excited that my body went into labor on its own







: It works!!! On a sad note I don't really know anyone who went into labor on their own, just lots of inductions







just too bad....


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## mamabearsoblessed (Jan 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
...or never _not_ been on it. I knew a woman who had three kids. Her third was the only one where she went into labour naturally. She told me afterwards that she had no idea labour didn't _have_ to hurt that much, because she had no idea the pain she'd felt with her first two was augmented.









All 3 of my babes have been pit induced labors.
w/ my first I had about an hour and 1/2 with an epi (about 17 hours in), then whamo! epi gone~ transition and pushing, i was thankful for the 1.5 hours at the time but even more thankful it was gone and I felt my birth. that labor was 21 hours, incredibly hard, I had no experience w/ labor before, didn't know, just went with the contractions.

w/ my second, full throttle pit, 14 hours of HARD INTENSE labor, no breaks in contracts., it was bad, I was out of my mind with the pain. took no pain meds at all. It made me fear my next birth it was so unbearable but my son was perfect. It was by far my hardest labor. Absolute torture. I truly thought I was dying. It was a 14 hour contraction w/back labor. My saving grace was moving and singing him down. My dh had an unbel. hard time with this labor.

my 3rd was again an induction w/pitocin~ again no pain meds~ the only necessary 1 of the 3 in my hindsight. My m/w was gentle with the pit (she wasn't there w/ ds), it was a whole other exper. than that w/ my ds. It was not the torture it was with him. It was my healing birth by far. For many reasons I won't go into here. It was intense, but bearable. In fact breathing her down, the highest part of my mind was asking me~ could I be this far? where is the pain I had w/Sam? It was excruciating for sure but I had breaks, I could breathe, I was focused, I was on top of the wave not under it like my second birth.

I'm sorry I don't have a pitocin free birth to compare. Maybe someday.


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## notjustmamie (Mar 7, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LokiPuck* 
ITA with what PP have said. My contractions felt like they were overlaping when I was induced. There was no "rest period" between them. I went from almost nothing to transition in just under three hours. Way too fast for my body and very intense.

Wait, were you there for DD's birth? I don't remember seeing you ...









Yes, this was exactly it. I had heard contractions described as curves, like a bell curve, gently sloping up and down. For me, I described it as plateaus: straight up from the beginning of the contraction to the peak, but then it stayed there for a REALLY LONG time--I had time to take two deep breaths and "sound" them out during each peak--then it slowly started down. Just as it was getting back to flat, another straight up leap began. YOWCH!


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## sweetpeppers (Dec 19, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LokiPuck* 
ITA with what PP have said. My contractions felt like they were overlaping when I was induced. There was no "rest period" between them. I went from almost nothing to transition in just under three hours. Way too fast for my body and very intense.

oh yeah, same here. horrible. I'm so mad at myself for being bullied into by my midwives. I will never do it again. horrible labor


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## April422 (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Full Heart* 
It increases the risk of uterine rupture, over stimulated uterus, fetal distress, hemorrhage, etc. No drug is without side effects. Yes, there have been studies done and the package insert lists those complications.

It hurts worse because it creates stronger contractions. Mine were off the chart on the TOCO. Which just before they were registering in the 40s. It increased it 3xs what they were.

TOCO (as in external monitoring) doesn't gauge strength of contractions, only that you're having them. To see the strength of contractions an IUPC is needed.


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## April422 (Nov 28, 2007)

I've given birth three times, each time induced with pit, the last time being a true necessity.

The last birth is the only birth I didn't have any form of pain medicaiton with, and to be frank it really wasn't that bad at all.

Did it hurt, sure. Was it unbearable, not by far, in fact i'd do it again tomorrow without hesitation.

I think pit is way over used, I agree with all the research on risk, etc.

But I think that pit can be used and used with compassion and mimic a more natural flowing labor. It's just that not many hospitals/providers WANT to use it that way. Blasting the baby out is by far the preferred method.

All that said I think we do a dis-service to women to tell them it's just flat out unbearable, etc. We should be teaching women that when pit is needed, key word there, TRULY NEEDED, that it can be done in a way that is easier on the body and thus the woman. Let's face it, once you start pit you've left the intervention station and we need to be helping women minimize further interventions not tell them to go for more (epidural) because it'll be unbearable.

My goal with my last birth was to avoid a cesarean at ALL costs. No AROM, minimal exams, pit started at 2 and upped very slowly and by small increments over a longer period of time than usual. And you know what, it worked. No AROM, no meds other than the pitocin, a nice, otherwise normal, easy vaginal birth was achieved.

I'm no hero, I'm no superwoman, and in fact I'm a whimp that jumps for the motrin and takes 800mg at a time for headaches, period cramps, etc. I HATE PAIN. But the discomfort I had with my last birth was totally bearable, and I felt a great sense of achievement and accomplishment by negotiating my way throgh labor with minimal intervention.


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## onelilguysmommy (May 11, 2005)

i was induced with my first. the only thing bad about it waas that they wouldnt leave me alone. that made whatever contractions worse when i was arguing but that happened with my completely natural birth as well, arguing with my little brother about yanking on my son and atuff (he was ummm..9. yeah not wanting to listen lol)
i was induced from no contractions at all, but almost 2cm dilated at almost 43 weeks.
with my first, i kept telling them to leave me alone (they set up an epi when i was in the bathroom after my repeated sending away everyone.) that my pain wasnt bad, the worst contractions were about a 4 until the last hour or so, and with the contraction monitor in, that hurt, too. felt like it was trying to stab through my uterus, but that has nothing to do with actual contraction pain, kwim?
and i was on the highest dose for over 8 hours....ive said it before, but id much rather be in labor, even induced if its just like that for me, than have bad tooth pain. really.








:


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## purplemoon (Sep 24, 2008)

The pitocin was harder (had both without pain relief) than the regular birth.

For me, it was because the contractions were consistently strong, and on top of each other.

In fact, I became so sad in my second birth when I was feeling like it was starting to hurt really bad but thought I had many hours to go because I actually got breaks (about 2 minutes apart compared to no breaks with pitocin). Suprise when the baby was born about 20 minutes later.

I vowed to never touch that stuff again with a ten foot pole. Ick.


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## purplemoon (Sep 24, 2008)

April- I think you are right. However, most Ob's are trying to shoot the baby out. My pit was turned up VERY high with AROM. Anyway, the baby needed to come out but it was done in a way that was cruel IMO.

I am going to take that knowledge with me.

If I had known of a better way and been adament, I would have been.

I mistakenly thought my OB wasn't into hurting his patients (trust me, I think he hates women and I ran far away with my second, used a midwife).


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

I think it's just doing to depend on the person. It hurt no more to be on pit w/ my last 2 babies than it did the last few hours of Evan's labor. The only difference was I labored for 12 hrs total w/ Evan and only 3.5 hrs w/ Ilana (only the last 1.5 hrs hurt) and then 2 hrs this time w/ Olivia. It hurt no matter what IMO and the natural ctxs I had w/ Evan were right on top of each other too, there was little to no break till I got my epidural. It actually worked w/ him, not so much the other times. Yes, if you're labor is taking a long time on the pit, it's probably going to be worse b/c you're not going to get that build up of labor you genearlly get when going spontaneously. Thankfully I went in at 4 and almost 5 cm and it took no time to get them out.


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## dylan1984 (Feb 18, 2009)

I am encouraged hearing that pit births can be so much different than natural. My first/only was inuced with pit. I had spent 9 long months reading and planning for a natural birth at the hospital. Ha! Boy was I wrong. I was only a week overdue and stupidly let the OB talk me into induction. I went in at 6am and by 10am was in the worst pain of my life.

I have a conspiracy theory that they wanted to put any thought of natural birth out of my head b/c my husband swears he saw them double the rate of the IV drip shortly after they started it and as I was beginning to contract. Maybe that is routine...whatever. I just know that by 10am I was in a fog of complete misery. No sooner would a contraction end than I would collapse and another one would start right back up. Definitely no "wave" like pattern - unless we are talking hurricane. The nurses were in my ear saying how I was not even 2cm dilated and how the pain was going to keep me from dilating and this could go on forever - they were like mean little discouraging devils on my shoulder.

So around 11:30 I buckled and took whatever drugs they would give me. Which in the end maybe saved me from a c section, who knows. The epidural took all the pain away and I pleasantly chatted away until 4pm when I started pushing. CONVENIENTLY my OBs office hours ended at 4pm so he came and I delivered at 4:20pm and he was able to go home to a nice dinner with his family. The convenience of it for them is the other element of my conspiracy theory.

In the end I tore horribly b/c I was pushing with all my heart, not feeling anything, waiting for them to tell me to slow down, when my son popped out into the world. I am now pregnant with #2, and am seriously contemplating homebirth, I just don't want to feel like such a victim the next time around.


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## theboodges (Mar 21, 2008)

My understanding is that a big difference is that you are just adding one piece of a complex hormonal process. So you don't have the natural highs produced in non induced labor.

I had pit twice. My experience is not as bad as most. I wouldn't hesitate to use it again if I had a medical reason to do it. With that said, WOW is natural labor and delivery SOOOO much better!

My first time was severe pre-e, I was on mag sulfate, really sick, and only 34wks. My OB encouraged an epidural asap once I felt contractions, because we needed labor to go quickly. My body wasn't ready, although they had given me prostaglandins on my cervix the night before to help. Contractions hit hard and fast, I was panicked by 3cm and got the epidural, I puked, couldn't breathe even with the epidural near the end, and by transition the monitor showed a flat line across the top with occaisional points down a bit - so one giant contraction basically! DS was born in 2.5hrs.

My second time I was full term, but PIH. I had been having increasing contractions, and was already at 4cm for the week prior to inducing. My OB just barely gave me pit to get things going, labor took off and DD was born 1.5hrs later. However, the contractions were not bad at all! I had breaks between them, and was shocked when I reached 8cm and they were still not painful. I think they were actually gentler contactions than my last labor, which was natural.

My third labor was intervention free, 3.25hrs from when we realized it was labor to birth. But it was a lot nicer! I felt more of a high in between contractions too, which I remember noticing at the time and enjoying! It seemed to help me get through contractions, because I knew in a few moments I would feel great again. I definitely did not have that with my pit induced labors at all!

HTH!


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## mikayla's mama (May 22, 2005)

My baby was wedged incorrectly in the birth canal because of the horribly strong contractions, which obviously caused a cascading effect of problems for both of us.


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## texasnurse3 (Feb 19, 2009)

When you're laboring naturally, there is a gradual build-up, peak, and gradual taper to each contraction. A pitocin labor doesn't allow for that. The contractions are just peak, so you're pretty much slammed with each contraction without any chance to get ready for it.


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## Hesperia (Sep 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ahappymel* 
Being on Pit felt like being in the teeth of a dragon....natural birth was like being on the back of a dragon : ) It was intense but I was still in control.

You are rad!


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

My first was Pitocin induced. It was extrmely intense from start to finish, and very very fast. No breaks between intense contractions, i went from walking arounf at 100% and 4 cms without ever feeling a contraction to essentially transition for over an hour then pushing for 30 minutes with no urge to push. It was hell, but it was over quickly, baby was born 1 hour and 48 minutes after the "test dose" or pitocin drip was started.

With my second, natural, unmedicated birth, it was even faster. Went from walking around 100% and 4-5 cms without ever feeling a cx, not even a BH, to baby in 1 hour and 8 minutes. My water broke, contrax started and baby was here just as quickly the second time.

I describe both as violent on my body. No time to do any natural, normal building of intensity in cx and stretching. But apparently that's just how I birth, it wasn't all the fault of the Pitocin the first time around. Though my second birth was different, the cx were just as intense and there was still no breaks in between. 2nd time around was 2 pushes to get baby out.

Apparently I'm very sensitive to the hormone Oxytocin, whether synthetic (Pitocin) or natural.


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## ALLY1981 (Mar 12, 2011)

Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?


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## HappyMommy2 (Jan 27, 2007)

I have had one pit labor (ending in unnecessary c-section), and then two homebirths. The pitocin labor was horribly painful, and far, FAR worse than my intense 5 hour labors. Let me give you an example, at 11:15 I was at 5 cm, at 12:20 I had my homebirth water baby in my arms. That was a pretty painful hour, and it still wasn't ANYTHING like pit contractions. On pitocin, I felt like the exorcist, and now I call it Devil Juice.


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## member234098 (Aug 3, 2002)

.


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## mmaramba (May 17, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ALLY1981*
> 
> Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?


First things first-- why are you being induced?


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## MsFortune (Dec 5, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ALLY1981*
> 
> Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?


Not sure what you are asking. I had an induction with pitocin and it was not bad - everything went smoothly.

I really don't advise doing it without an epidural though. The pain is mind-boggling.


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## katelove (Apr 28, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ALLY1981*
> 
> Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?


Two different drugs with two different uses. Synthetic oxytocin (trade name Pitocin in the US) is used to stimulate contractions which, in turn, help to dilate the cervix and move the baby down as with natural contractions (theoretically).

Prostaglandins are used to ripen the cervix and make it more receptive to the actions of the oxytocin. While prostaglandins are enough to put some women into labour this is not their function and it certainly shouldn't be counted on. The general course of an induction is preparation of the cervix in some way (prostaglandins, foley catheter etc) followed by oxytocin.

If you do go into labour with just prostaglandins the progress of your labour will probably be more like a completely natural labour as you will have your own oxytocin and other hormones doing the work and you will have the benefit of endorphins and a slower build up etc etc.

As an aside, I found the rest of this thread very alarming. If people on synto are having no break between contractions then the dose is too high. I have managed many synto inductions. The goal is to have regular contractions 3 in 10 minutes, of moderate intensity (by palpation). When you achieve that you stop increasing the dose. If it exceeds that at any time you reduce the dose.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

I had a prostoglandin induction at term (they also broke my waters). It certainly wasn't fun, but it doesn't sound like what the PPs are describing. There were breaks between contractions, they built up gradually, and transition was definitely worse than earlier labour.  So I assume it's a somewhat gentler, more natural form of induction. It might not work if you're not already pretty close to giving birth, though, and I was threatened with Pitocin throughout labour if I didn't progress quickly enough - I had pre-eclampsia, so they wanted to get the baby out fairly quickly. I really wanted to avoid the drugs, though, and I'm glad I did!


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Kate has laid it out well.

And I have to add that I didn't find the "insanely painful" part true for me. I've had a spontaneous vaginal birth and one induced with pitocin after my cervix was ripened with prostaglandins. Maybe it was because the pitocin was correctly administered, but I didn't find induced labor more painful - in both cases I found it manageable until transition.

That said, I absolutely agree spontaneous labor should be the norm and non-medically necessary inductions strongly discouraged, particularly for first timers.

There's good info about induction on Henci Goer's site, BTW, for example avoiding ARM, etc.


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## mrsberman (May 7, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *katelove*
> 
> Two different drugs with two different uses. Synthetic oxytocin (trade name Pitocin in the US) is used to stimulate contractions which, in turn, help to dilate the cervix and move the baby down as with natural contractions (theoretically).
> 
> ...


I'm sure there are goals and procedures, but mistakes are made. During my pit induced labor with DD, my contractions were too much, too fast and I finally got an epi. Shortly before pushing, I remember a nurse walking up to the machine saying "Oh, we should probably shut this off now, you're doing fine on your own." I strongly suspect they left the pitocin longer than it was needed to be left on for. Shoot, they forgot to drain my bladder for hours and as the epi was wearing off I complained about that pain over the pain of my contractions


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## Magali (Jun 8, 2007)

My first was induced with pit. My 2nd was natural. My 2nd was a better experience. The contractions would start and stop and I could deal with them. They were incredibly painful, but they were by far easier to deal with On pit they came in very intense constant waves that made me feel out of control and I was unable to withstand the pain and needed...yes needed... an epidural.


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