# Pitocin-how bad?



## lula (Feb 26, 2003)

Ok, this is a little premature as I am not even pregnant yet but I have some questions as to my first birthing experience and since we are going to be trying for a second soon...

I was induced for dd. My body never dilated, began any sort of labor etc and she was 42 weeks (ok, I am pretty sure on this but not 100% because her due date was a little off IMO so I didn't mind waiting longer into week 42 than I normally would have) with no sign of anything, I tried tons of stuff, sex, castor oil as a last resort, exercise, etc etc. My mother only went into labor with 1 out of the 4 of us, never dilated past 3 and had 4 c-sections. Several of her sisters also have this. I felt like somewhat of a success because I managed a vaginal birth. (my goal was also drug free which did not happen obviously)

I had a combination of things but my question revolves around pitocin. how bad is it? How bad could it be etc? What are the best ways to avoid it? If I am induced again is there a better option that I am just not aware of?

I had no side-effects (that I am aware of) to pitocin. However, it seemed like I had no lead-up to the contractions they were just really steady in intensity the whole time. I also ended up feeling completely paralyzed with shocks shooting up my legs, neck etc. (however I have back issues and it felt like this when dd moved down, ceased when she moved down again etc. no amount of position switching helped and 4 hours later I did have an epidural which wore off for the actual pushing but now that's another story) Could this be related?

This next round I would really like some options and would like to avoid inducing completely.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum and just way too long!

Thanks! lula


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## onlyboys (Feb 12, 2004)

Hum. Was your body preparing for labor with your first child? I mean, was your cervix moving forward, effacing and dialating? It sounds to me that perhaps you just weren't *quite* ready for labor yet, and perhaps even a couple of days could have made a difference.

What was your body telling you? It's so hard to believe in your body and really listen to it when you're hearing from every angle that it's "faulty," but if you can remember, what was it telling you?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Okay- first thing- 42 weeks is TERM, not overdue. Sounds like women in your family just cook babies longer. That's fine.

Find a midwife who's comfortable with 42 week pregnancies and plan a homebirth. Hospitals and Drs. want everything and everyone to be the same, but guess what? We're not.

-Angela


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## lula (Feb 26, 2003)

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to be better prepared for this birth experience. I am attempting to get up the nerve for a homebirth but I just can't wrap my mind around it...yet.

Honestly my body was telling me nothing about impending birth. No dilation, cervix doing nothing new etc. Now this I actually believe, I had a midwife checking me and I honestly never felt any change. (this is part of the reason I am starting my questions now.) DD was doing ok, moving less but she was a little cramped, so I wasn't concerned. My mind really wanted the baby out but I think that is pretty normal, right? I admit, I was a little nervous my mother went into week 44 with 2 of us and nothing ever happened.

Four of my aunts also have done this, 1 tried to wait for a home birth for each child and all of her kids were induced due to low fetal heartbeats. I think I may have psyched myself out because I kept waiting for something but nothing happened. Argh.

Thanks for the replies, the questions are really helping me focus on this. I don't want to get pregnant until I have some direction to go for the birth. (I was really sick last time)

thanks. lula


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## LoveChild421 (Sep 10, 2004)

It's great you're being so proactive in planning the birth of your next child. My suggestion would also be homebirth but another alternative is if you do end up in a situation like your aunts where you need to be induced for low fetal heartrate or other complication is to refuse the pitocin and instead have cervadil (NOT cytotec- that's really dangerous stuff) inserted (or have sex lots to try and induce labor







) they tend to have the same effect. you can use nipple stimulation to get your body's own oxytocin going.

I think pitocin is pretty bad stuff- produces horribly painful contractions (most women end up needing an epidural to cope), they can deprive the baby of oxygen (apoxia I believe?), lead to fetal distress, and interferes with the body's own oxytocin production.


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## db1 (Oct 3, 2005)

Hi ....Everyone....

In response to what I have read in this forum...I have had two kids and used pitocin on one and the other natural...I can tell you from my own personal experience. I found that the pitocin made the birthing process easier...because..it made the contractions more regular by doing so I found it easier. With no fetal distress or side affects after. My first son my labor was a 1/2 hour long. My second son it was an hour long both of them were full term. I had with both of my kids a midwife. Found the experience wonderful. The pain was about the same...So as far as how much you feel it is really up to you. I found doing the breathing (lamaze classes) to help alot..and I found the whole birthing experience to be wonderful. This really depends on your pain tolerence. I want to wish you all a happy birthing expereince. Not everyone needs and epidural...when you have pitocin....I delivered both of my children in a hospital...in birthing rooms...and found that experience to be really wonderful as well.......


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## Unreal (Dec 15, 2002)

I'm not sure, but I think they use different dosages of pitocin to regulate contractions and to induce labor.

I know with my first, they kept increasing the amount of pitocin--over the course of 7 hours (I would think that would be much more pitocin than they could administer in 60 or 90 minutes.), which would logically lead to more side-effects....


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Talk to any L&D nurse who spends her days watching the tracings of contractions on the graph paper strip, and she'll describe the steep mountain-like tracing of a Pit contration, decaying slowly, agonizingly, and contrast it with a natural contraction, and its gradual slope up to peak and quick decay looks like a hill.

Talk to me, and I can describe the experience of my firstborn's labor, a Pit-induced labor (an elective induction for convience at 39 weeks) and contrast it with my second's natural homebirth.

When I hear you describe your contractions, lula, I'm reminded of my Pit-labor, and no, it's not fun to have no respite from the intensity of contractoins. That is why a Pit-induced labor must be monitored by a L&D nurse and why fetal distress is the main side-effect of Pitocin--it's A LOT of work for the body to squeeze, squeeze a muscle that tight, for unnatural durations. No duh that babies stress out when they're getting squeezed beyond what is natural.

In contrast, a natural labor has an important, oft-forgotton quality: a laboring woman's body is NOT contracting more than it _is_ contracting. In a given hour of labor, the number of minutes that the womb is contracting is way less than the number of minutes that the body is at rest, relaxing, awaiting the next contraction.

Yes, a natural labor will take longer that way. What did we learn from Aesops the Tortis and the Hare?

Another element you may wish to think about as you contemplate your birth experience is your bag of waters--for sure your caregiver snagged your bag and broke your water, "to speed things along." This eliminates a cushion of amniotic fluid buffering your baby's head during the labor process, and will make any contraction (Pit or regular) more intense (now a SKULL is pressing against your cervix, instead of a fetal head with a bit of fluid cushioning things.) As I read your descriptions about your back discomforts during labor, I'm sure many things could factor into that, incl. an artificially-ruptured bag.

To avoid being induced next time, choose a doc or mw that isn't hell-bent on inducing every woman with a file-folder in their office. Homebirth is of course a great option, and I think it is wise to keep that choice in mind as you think things over--you need to get what you want. This is BIRTH. You MUST do it your way, and I hear you saying your way is to labor naturally, and not be induced.

Your not asking for something amazing, here--you're simply asking to experience one of the most mundane yet magical parts of womanhood: starting labor. But you are asking for something _VERY_ unusual in this obnoxious drive-thru culture....you're not going to get an organic apple at McDonald's, and you'll have a tough time getting an organic labor at McOB's.


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## LavenderMae (Sep 20, 2002)

I had a pitocin induced labor with my son, it was hell. I must mention I have a very high tolerance for pain. I didn't end up getting an epidural but I did say yes to one when the OB said he would get me one. I would have taken being shot as well, I am not trying to be dramatic , all I could do was scream and cry (I am not usually vocal with pain). Luck would have it I had my son too quickly for the epi.
I had my daughter (first birth) natural and it was not very painful. My two labors were night and day. I know for me I'll never have pitocin again and I am still (after 4 yrs.) getting over my sons birthing.


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## atozmama (May 2, 2005)

My first born was an induced labor with 26 hrs of pit. my next two full term births were drug free, but quick (3.5 and 2.5 hrs). My first was by far more painful. Because my son's birth was so painful and drawn out, and then I had two losses, I tried hard to avoid pit with my next full term birth.

I have not researched to much into studies and all about pit. I do feel though that it is a synthetic hormone and not the same as the real thing, hence the harder longer contractions mentioned by PPs. DES was a synthetic hormone and given for years and years before it was found to cause problems. I also read an article about 5 years ago about autism. A dr who works with autistic kids noticed that more of his patients were induced labors than the general public. I don't think any studies have been done, but it stregrhens my conviction to avoid pit unless it was absolutely needed. Also my son, the induced labor, does have an autistic spectrum disorder. he was induced at 41 weeks because of a failed NST so itr could be something else was going on too. I don't think autism can be blamed on one thing such as pit.

If you are concerned about what OB community calls post date pregnancies, given your family history too mabey you could negotiate for NSTs and another week or something. http://www.birthlove.com/free/ten_month_mama.html has lots of info and stories of mothers with long pregnancies.


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## bird_verde (May 31, 2005)

I do not know much about pitocin but, at 42-weeks my relatively "hands-off" doctor (no really, he was hands-off - I only saw him at the beginning for the cervadil, once in the middle of labor and at the end to give me a couple stiches) suggested cervadil. Since it is topical and it works to soften the cervix, it can lead to labor (sometimes it may require more than one application). For me, it worked wonderfully (labor built up slowly, it seemed natural) and I do not think that my labor was as bad as the pitocin mama's across the hall from me (who was in agony for most of the day and then ended up with a c/s). Cervadil may not be the answer for everyone but, it is an option (and I think a better one than pit







)


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## dukeswalker (Feb 1, 2003)

OK - another pit story....When describing my birth where I was induced with pit: I literally felt like I was being ripped apart just above my pelvic bone. Honestly - the best way to describe it, for me, was as though there was a knife being plunged into my lower abdomen with every single contraction. The BEST I could do was hold my breath - because if I breathed I KNEW the most godawful sound was going to come out. Did I have an epidural? YOU BET! By the time I hit 4 cm.

Now....In contrast - with my all natural birth. For each contraction I was able to breathe, moan, concentrate...We met my midwife at the hospital when I was 8cm - never once felt like I needed any sort of pain relief - as my contractions felt intense and consuming but not really "painful" - I ended up pushing that sweet baby out with her face shining up to the stars!

I also met a woman who had given birth to 4 kids - her first 3 were all natural...her 4th (for whatever reason her new DR had) was induced - she said she had NEVER felt pain like that in all of her life and ended up with an epidural - and that baby wasn't even her biggest.....


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## boobybunny (Jun 28, 2005)

both of my boys were pitc induced. with Epi. My daughter (the middle child) was natural, i knew my body was working, but I was never in pain.


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## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

I personally think pitocin is a nasty drug. In my L&D they gave it to me at 8cm and it really increased the pain... and my contractions had no breaks - it made them like one big long never-ending contraction.

Also, pitocin places you are risk for a placental abruption and a ruptured uterus. I also read in a few different places that mothers who get pitocin have a higher rate of C-Sections (not sure if this is the cause or if the women were headed down that route anyhow - which would be why they were given pit in the first place.) Also... pit is linked to pp hemorrhaging. Several years ago, even the FDA issued warnings about the overuse of pit, stating to only use when medically neccessary - because according the the FDA - it was used WAY too often to induce labors.


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## Hayes (Nov 20, 2001)

contractions should build, like a hill. Imagine the monitor tape. Your contx shuld look like a hil, up and down. When the contx are at their peak, your babe is pretty squished. She gets less oxygen then, because it is simply harder to breathe when you are squished.

Pitocin contractions don't look like hills. They look just like you said they felt. They come on at a high intensity and saty there. They look like a plateau. Big spike that stays high, then drops off. Instead of only a few seconds of baby being squeezed tightly and getting less oxygen, with pit contx, baby gets less oxygen through the whole contraction.

Some folks cook babes longer than 42 weeks. My friend Sandra grows babies for 43 weeks. My pregnancies are 41 weeks. I suggest you ignore the calender and wait until your baby and your body say they are ready!


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## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

I had a pit induced labor. The contractions were awful at at 4cm dilated the doc said the contractions were so stroong that I should be pushing- but I was only 4cm, so they pushed me into a c-section. Granted, I was not prepared for that or educated about it, so I consented. I tried to fight it, but my baby was also swimming in merconium, so I was told that it was best for the baby. Also I should add that my body was not preparing me for labor at all though before I was induced.

My 2nd child things will be different.


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## Wugmama (Feb 10, 2005)

I could have written the first part of your post. I was induced at 42 weeks 0 days after having been in labor for already 2+ days and making no progress. They couldn't even REACH my membranes to try to strip them at 41.5 weeks. Even after pit, higher dose of pit, higher yet dose of pit, breaking my water, and many, many hours of one minute on, one minute off intense contractions I was barely a 4. Finally I agreed to nubain and my whole body relaxed. In less than 2 hours I was at a 10.

This time have a homebirth planned with two midwives in January. I am hoping it will be different.

They believe based on what I told them about my 1st pg that the baby was posterior and that caused all of these problems (including pushing for 2 hours 20 minutes). They can tell the position of the baby and have exercises I can do near the end to ensure the baby is in the optimal position which they say can help.

A cousin didn't progress in labor and ended up with 3 C-sections and the belief that her body wouldn't do what it should. The nurse-midwives at the hospital told me my body wouldn't organize into productive labor. I lost faith in my body. My homebirth midwives are restoring that faith.

Best wishes on your next pg!
~Tracy


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

Pitocin can cause an amniotic embolism, which means the amniotic fluid can back into the mother's blood supply and catch in the lungs ad the mother can become very sick from this.

It is rare and mostly associated with pitocin support for labor.


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

having my first with a pitocin augmented labor, i say that my two subsequent homebirths were one million times more manageable and enjoyable than my birth w/pit. i was initially terrified to birth again after my first birth, and i feel angry and sad that any woman has to endure those feelings regarding what can, and should, be the most amazing experience of her life. pitocin is NOT our friend.

keep everyone's hands and drugs out of our bodies, especially during labor!

there is a fantastic mothering article about ecstatic birth that i highly recommend reading. i'll try and find the link here in a minute


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hayes*
They look like a plateau. Big spike that stays high, then drops off. Instead of only a few seconds of baby being squeezed tightly and getting less oxygen, with pit contx, baby gets less oxygen through the whole contraction.

These are called tetonic contractions. They can kill the baby and rupture the uterus.

Why women are subjected to this and why women consent to them is beyond me.


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## fugeeo (Apr 23, 2005)

Learn from a chinese medical doctor the best places for acupressure on your body. There are cases where acupuncture can even invert the baby if not positioned correctly. The acupressure can help with pain, increasing contractions, dilating, descending ...

I am not an expert, but in the learning process and fairly intuitive.
These are in case you are sure you want to induce.

But also I feel a chinese medical doctor will have greater intuition and can bring preventative measures, that strengthen what is weak in your body from the beginning, which is probably the cause for the "late" labors.

In that way, you will know that you have done everything. And then when things get to be "too much" for you not to worry any longer, then go ahead and use the western medical approaches.

First thing is first, take your own intuition into your hands, find out what you need. Chinese medicine is first about prevention, and is never a last minute, "ok, let's give her the drugs, type of thing". Chinese medicine also incorporates diet if you are willing to learn about it.

I agree also that waiting longer is good. One thing in prevention is also to know your bodies best times for conception, if you are able to plan your birth. These times may be closest to the timing of your own birth moon or conception moon. Look into it, look into knowing your fertility cycles.


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## Selena (Dec 26, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *db1*
Hi ....Everyone....

In response to what I have read in this forum...I have had two kids and used pitocin on one and the other natural...I can tell you from my own personal experience. I found that the pitocin made the birthing process easier...because..it made the contractions more regular by doing so I found it easier. With no fetal distress or side affects after. My first son my labor was a 1/2 hour long. My second son it was an hour long both of them were full term. I

This really depends on your pain tolerence. I want to wish you all a happy birthing expereince. Not everyone needs and epidural...when you have pitocin....I delivered both of my children in a hospital...in birthing rooms...and found that experience to be really wonderful as well.......

is this a typo? I can understand saying that drug free birth is easy without drugs when you only labor for an hour or a half an hour... but pitocin for 12-16+ hours is much different than 30 minutes...

Could you explain why your midwife gave you pitocin? Were you overdue?


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## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Selena*
is this a typo? I can understand saying that drug free birth is easy without drugs when you only labor for an hour or a half an hour... but pitocin for 12-16+ hours is much different than 30 minutes...

Could you explain why your midwife gave you pitocin? Were you overdue?


I wonder this also. The pit made my labor very... difficult.


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## BelCanto (Oct 29, 2002)

Hi Lula,

I haven't read thru all the posts, but wanted to share my experience. My dd (3 yrs) was induced w/ pitocin. Being my first birth, it was long and hard, especially b/c of the pitocin. Once my water broke the contractions were all incredibly intense, with no wax or wane. I did not have an epi.

I had hoped to avoid an induction with my 2nd, born 6 days ago, but was unable to do so and again, ended up with the pit drip. My experience was completely different, however. My l&d nurse was awesome. I asked her before we started if it was possible that my body would kick into labor on its own and if so, if we could lower the drip. She said "absolutely! It does happen. That's why I will be easing you into it and once you become steady, we will turn it down to see how things progress." Well, my body did get started on its own and my pit drip was at a minimal level. I even had ctx that weren't as intense. Now, some of this could be related to the fact that it was my second birth, I'm sure.

Anyway, although it was not what I had hoped for, it was done for good reason. I had, again, another big baby, and he had mild shoulder distocia. It could have been worse if I would have waited.

I hope things turn out for you the way you plan! I know how it is to hope for a natural vs. pit induced labor.

Best of luck!

--Jennifer


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

I'm going to chime in with the person that said pitocin wasn't bad.

I had 2 pitocin induced labors, and I didn't have those wicked, nasty contractions that everyone says pitocin causes.

The contractions that I had with my first labor, no pitocin involved, was MUCH worse.


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Selena*
is this a typo? I can understand saying that drug free birth is easy without drugs when you only labor for an hour or a half an hour... but pitocin for 12-16+ hours is much different than 30 minutes...

Could you explain why your midwife gave you pitocin? Were you overdue?

uh, the poster is new member and this was her first post at mothering.com

Everyone has to start somewhere, but troll-y troll-y...you never know! There's nothing that would rile everyone at mdc like a pro-Pit post, methinks!

proceed with caution....


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## Ammaarah (May 21, 2005)

I think Pit sucks, but I didn't have awful pain from it. I stalled out and got scared into a c-sec, though.


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WC_hapamama*
....and I didn't have those wicked, nasty contractions that everyone says pitocin causes...

You are so fortunate to have had a positive experience with Pit. Itseems the exception is proving the rule









I am reminded, again, how different, every birth is, every woman's body responds to labor, the circumstances surrounding it, the interventions, etc and how important it is to gather information and experiences for ourselves rather than blindly accepting what the medical model might be pushing.


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## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *georgia*
I am reminded, again, how different, every birth is, every woman's body responds to labor, the circumstances surrounding it, the interventions, etc and how important it is to gather information and experiences for ourselves rather than blindly accepting what the medical model might be pushing.










Amen!


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## be11ydancer (Dec 2, 2003)

Yep. Pitocin sucks. I'm longing for my next birth when I can actually go into labor when I'm supposed to and feel a real, honest contraction. No Pitocin, no epidural, no c/s. Just a real contraction. That's what I'm after. I read somewhere that induced labors will almost always lead to latch troubles with the baby, and thus, decreased rates of breastfeeding. I think this was in "Husband Coached Childbirth" by Dr. Bradley. Also, check out "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin. Her info about induction, Pitocin, cyctotec, cervadil, and other induction meds is priceless.


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## Selena (Dec 26, 2001)

Pitocin doesn't always causea bad latch. Both of my previous births were pitocin induced, but I only had nursing problems with my first because they gave him formula because he had lowblood sugar (idiots. of course he did, they didn't let me eat for 2 days... ) But when he first was born, my Dr gave him to me and I puthim to the breast and he latched on like a champ. It wasn't until he had had a couple bottles that he no longer wanted to nurse.... 3 weeks of hell, there. Anna, she nursed perfectly from the beginning.

I am not neccessarily disagreeing with you, I still think pitocin is evil







but it doesn't always cause a bad latch.


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## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

My ds had a GREAT latch. I can't imagine that a latch is tied to Pit. I think it's just depends on the baby and the mom being relaxed.


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## AndiG (Mar 3, 2005)

just jumping in here with , no pit may not cause bad latching BUT the epis so many people end up with as a complication CAN cause suckling and latching problems.


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## bluets (Mar 15, 2005)

i had a pit-induced labor. my water broke at 4am and i went back to sleep (my childbirth instructor got a big kick out of that!)... called the doc's office around 8:30am and casually sauntered in for an exam around 10am. my OB insisted on inducing.

this was my first birth, so i have no baseline for comparison. i had an awesome doula and my dh was superb as well. i seem to recall that the contractions were quite manageable for the first 3 hours or so. by the time they had me hooked up to IV, i think it was 11:30am. i was getting uncomfortable and wanting a cerv exam late in the afternoon. i think they turned down the pit after the exam.

the monitors were really useful for dh - he knew when a contraction was coming and would apply my hot pad to my tailbone. the contractions radiated from my upper right side, around my belly, and then drove into my SI joint. owie. we used a number of positions and between position changes, breathing and the hot pad, the pain was quite manageable.

i will admit that labor (luckily) progresses fast in our family. when i had reached my pain threshold, and i was thinking about asking for pain meds (which would have meant signing the consent forms between contractions), i learned it was time to push. yay. ds came out in 3 or 4 pushes (10 minutes in all).

while it wasn't my dream birth, it wasn't a nightmare either. the nurses respected and supported my decision to not have an epi. in a hospital with 80% medication rate, they were elated that i was prepared to try to not have an epi.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *georgia*
You are so fortunate to have had a positive experience with Pit. Itseems the exception is proving the rule









I am reminded, again, how different, every birth is, every woman's body responds to labor, the circumstances surrounding it, the interventions, etc and how important it is to gather information and experiences for ourselves rather than blindly accepting what the medical model might be pushing.










It probably helped that I was already somewhat dialated and effaced when they started the pitocin both times. Most of the people I've talked to that had an awful time with the pitocin weren't dialated or effaced as much as I was both times.


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## KittyKat (Nov 17, 2002)

Pit is horrid evil stuff. I had it with my first (unecessary induction pushed on me by lying EVIL doctor. Yes, he incarnates everything awful about OBs and no, sadly, I am not exaggerating, ask any of the LLL leaders around here and they'll tell you there are dozens of horror stories about this doc) and I needed an epi at 3 cm because of the extreme pain. My son was sleepy for several days, and we had trouble getting started nursing from all of that.

By contrast, I got to that point where I couldn't take it anymore after 5 hours of labor with my second child. I was so upset that I wanted drugs, and I couldn't do it anymore... then the nurse did a check and I was fully dilated. Next contraction the pushing urge set in and she was born a few minutes later. All of my labor except the last 30 minutes was so mild I'd hardly even describe it as "pain." As soon as the nurse said I was fully dilated the rational part of my brain said "Oh, then the reason I felt I couldn't take anymore was transition." and I didn't feel hopeless anymore, but powerful and strong!

Some things you may or may not have tried before for labor prep:

Evening Primrose oil, started at 35-36 weeks. Take it orally, starting once a day and working up to one at each meal, and one applied vaginally at bedtime. No need to poke it, the gelatin dissolves.

Red Raspberry Leaf. I like to take it all through pregnancy, but some recommend starting in the second or third trimester. If you start in the first trimester, what works for me is one cup/day first tri, 2 cups/day second. 3 cups/day third, and a quart or so per day starting around 36-37 weeks. I make it from bulk herbs, just toss a handful into a quart jar and let it sit covered overnight.

Some people swear by the 5w herbal blend you take during the last 5 weeks of pregnancy. I've never tried it yet, but it sounds like it has helped people.

You can find lots of good info at the midwife archives.
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives

Hope this helps!

Kathryn


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## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KittyKat*
Pit is horrid evil stuff. I had it with my first (unecessary induction pushed on me by lying EVIL doctor. Yes, he incarnates everything awful about OBs and no, sadly, I am not exaggerating, ask any of the LLL leaders around here and they'll tell you there are dozens of horror stories about this doc)

If you weren't in GA I'd swear we had the same doc. UGH.


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## Koloe (Aug 20, 2005)

I was induced 9 weeks ago due to low amniotic Fluid at 39 weeks 2 days with my first child. I was already 3 cm dilated and 90% effaced when I got to the hospital. The midwife wanted to break the water. But then they put you on a clock - even though they said they really don't and if it doesn't work you get the pit anyway. So talking through my options - they wouldn't do the stuff applied directly to the cervix because of how far dilated I was - said it wouldn't help. So after asking about Pitocin and finding out she would start it out low and slowly increase it (most places I guess just hook you up and pump you full of it to get things moving quickly) and that if labor was progressing well (the textbook 1 cm an hour)







that I could be disconnected from the pitocin and the continuos fetal monitoring that goes with it and attempt the water birth I wanted. So I choose the Pitocin over breaking the water (after much discussion, the only options they gave me) so that my baby could keep her cushion for as long as possible. After 4+ hours on pit and only dilating 1 cm and becoming fully effaced (I was having contractions that I needed to breath through, but nothing I'd call L&D for LOL) the midwife wanted to break the water and I pushed for the telemetry unit instead (mobile continuous monitoring) - so I could get up and move around - what I'd been wanting to do all along. One stroll around that level of the hospital is finally what got my contractions going. What a concept - moving gets labor progressing. The contractions were pretty intense at times, especially towards the end when I no longer got the breaks between contractions. I was waiting for the rest between hard labor and pushing I had read about, but it never happened. I wondered at the time if it was because of the Pit. Every thing I'd read about natural child birth said that things got better at the pushing stage, but it didn't. After I pushed as much as I could and felt like, I still had horrible cramping/contractions I needed to breath through. And the L&D people were wondering WHY I was doing heavy breathing and not relaxing between pushes - I couldn't. I know they turned the Pitocin down at some point, but they never offered to shut it off so I could labor or birth in water and I discovered it gets very difficult to advocate for yourself when your that far into labor. Which I'm still very disappointed about.

But I never got any pain meds during labor (took them when they sewed me up though - 3rd degree tear, ouch!). I didn't think I really needed them, though when the contractions were not letting up I could understand why women would want them, it was not what I would call fun. But I was on Pitocin for about 11 hours, with about 8 hours of contractions that demanded my attention. Over all I didn't think it was that bad. But definitely not what I had wanted for my birth experience. I had planned a home birth, but got risked out of it because of Gestional Diabetes







and then I got induced and didn't get to try for a waterbirth or even try laboring in water. But I did manage to do it without any pain killers - part of me wasn't sure if I would be able too, especially with being induced. And I felt great after the baby was born. So I was happy about that. The birth I had envisioned got flushed down the toilet for reasons I disagreed with.

I have the feeling that my labor would have been less painful had they just left me alone and let my body do it's own thing. And the baby would probably have been just fine too.

The thing that galled me the most was the next day the midwife told me I had gotten my "natural childbirth". LOL What's "natural" about induction and having to fight for the right to walk around????? Evidently if you don't get pain meds - regardless of what else they do to you - it's a "natural" childbirth.









Sorry for the long rambling post.


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## candiland (Jan 27, 2002)

This really stuck out to me:

Quote:

My mother only went into labor with 1 out of the 4 of us, never dilated past 3 and had 4 c-sections. Several of her sisters also have this. I felt like somewhat of a success because I managed a vaginal birth. (my goal was also drug free which did not happen obviously)
When our moms were giving birth, they were directly experiencing this country's medical birth nightmare. What is your grandmother's birth history? Your great-grandmother's? Your great-great-grandmothers? And her mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's? Do you see what I'm getting at here? Your family lineage has survived since the dawn of mankind. And suddenly, when medical birth management is at its height, the bodies of the women in your family suddenly begin to malfunction and must be "saved" by "modern medicine".

Something to ponder on there.


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## klouise55 (Oct 1, 2005)

i had a midwife assisted birth, but was still given pitocine because my water broke but had no contractions for 12 hrs. It was awful once it got started, but she kept the level low by watching the internal monitoring - i really wanted to avoid an epidural. The pain was bad - i remember being in a zone, screaming in pain, for most of it. My son did have lowering heartrate, oxygen problems etc. but i don't know if that could be from the pitocin alone since when he was born the cord was wrapped around his neck... Luckily, everything worked out fine and he was healthy but i will definitely try to avoid the pitocine next time around!


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## Perrygirl (Oct 25, 2005)

I did not have a Pitocin induced birth - I was fortunate to be able to give birth naturally. However, I did end up with back pain similar to what you described. Mine was an intense throbbing from my lower back to my neck. My doctor said it was just muscle spasms from pushing so hard. Motrin took the edge off. So, yours may not have been caused by the Pitocin.


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## MommyofPunkiePie (Mar 24, 2005)

I was doing some reading on unassisted childbirth, and I read that Pitocin helps in only 5% of the cases in which it is used. Now if I could only remember where I read it...







:

I had Pitocin. I had a traumatic birth. Some of the trauma can be attributed to the fact that I was very depressed during my pregnancy(baby's father left me when I told him I was pregnant) and didn't do the "right" research, but the rest is due to the hospital and the practitioners there.
I went to the hospital at 11pm and delivered the next day at 3:36pm. I thought my water had broken, but it hadn't. They admitted me anyway because I was having contractions I couldn't feel. I laid on my left side for 15-16 hours because they told me I *had* to do that. I was only allowed up to go to the bathroom. Around 4-5am, the contractions were so bad--every hour or so-- that the nurse talked me into a shot to help me sleep and relieve the pain. Not even 10 seconds after she injected this(I didn't even ask what they were giving me, because, after all, this is a maternity ward of a hospital, so they should know what they're doing







), I was able to fall asleep. I woke for every contraction and then fell back to sleep. It wasn't until the morning came, and a new shift of nurses, that I got the Pitocin. A lot of what happened next is blurry. I know I got another shot(of the mystery drug), but I am not sure when. I know that it made me drowsy as heck. I chose to be alone during DD's birth, so there's no one to tell me what happened.








I was out of state(not expected to deliver for a few more days), so I had one doctor examine me, but when I went into hard labor, he was doing an emergency c-section, so there was another doctor coming in to deliver DD. He came in, told me to push, and then screamed at the nurses as he threw off his gown, gloves, and mask, "She's nowhere NEAR being ready, why did you bother me?"
I was in so much pain, even with the shot they gave me, and it was all in my back. I had no pain anywhere else. The doctor came back, he broke my water, and sometime after that, after I was told I was endangering my child's life by not pushing when I was told, after an episiotomy, after I tore to the 4th degree, I did push out my daughter. Then he wouldn't let me hold her till he sewed me up--for an hour!
They kept me hooked up to the Pitocin for a long time *after* the birth, too. I was so out of it, I didn't even ask why.
So, after this novel, I had Pitocin for over 8 hours, horrible back contractions, and no problems with breastfeeding at all.


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## clavicula (Apr 10, 2005)

i had pitocin, when i started pushing. it was soo hard, but 5 pushes was enough...doc said it would have been longer without pitocin. who knows?


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## whadido (Oct 25, 2005)

I STRONGLY support homebirth in most cases...this is not one of them. I also did not go into labor by week 42 due to hormone problems. The last thing you want is to have to transport to a hospital because the birth is not progressing or the baby is in trouble. Since you know this problem is in your family I think it would be best to find a midwife who will support you and find a birthing center. My cervix was ripe and dialated at two cm when I was induced. Two treatments of cervadil in 10 hours produced nothing so pitocin was started. After 14 hours of slow labor I was at 4 cm and the baby's heartrate had skyrocketed. The baby was born via c-section. What a let down...but he and I are alive and well. I don't know how dangerous pitocin is but I do believe that it caused my baby's high heartrate which resulted in the c-section. My midwife offered me two homeopathics to take a week before the birth to see if my body would go into labor naturally. Maybe your midwife can do the same. Maybe they'll work for you! Our bodies are all different! Good luck and great planning!!!!


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *clavicula*
i had pitocin, when i started pushing. it was soo hard, but 5 pushes was enough...doc said it would have been longer without pitocin. who knows?









Interesting...with my first Pit-induced birth, when I was about to push, the Dr. said, "let's crank that [the Pit drip] up so she doesn't have to work so hard." That comment stuck in my mind; at the time I was so grateful to have a benevolent MD who would do all he could to help me.


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## orangefoot (Oct 8, 2004)

I had a pitocin augmented labour with my third child. Her head had not been engaged at all but I had been dilated about 2cm for a week. I had started out at my local birth centre expecting a quick labour but ended up being transferred after dd turned transverse and my waters broke - and I mean everything went - the midwives were soaked as her head didn't move down over my cervix to stem the flow. This was after 2 hours of no change in her position despite walking, stepping up stairs sideways, squatting changing positions, in and out of the pool..... The midwives waited for an hour or so and in this time my contractions went wacky spacing out, then doubling up and still nosign of dd moving anywhere. Her head was stuck on my hip and between us we couldn't move it. My cervix was about 5 and also not dilating.

They arranged a transfer which was not pleasant (winding country roads) and we arrived at the hospital at 4am. The new midwives called a sleepy registrar who sited the venflon with me crying my eyes out. Then about an hour later after still no change they started the Pitocin.

At the time no one really told me why I need it, but now after talking to friends who are midwives they think it was probably the least worst option and the first way to try to force dd's head down and stop her slipping breech.
If it hadn't worked I would have ended up with a cs which I sort of imagined and is the only reason I refused an epidural. I kept saying to dh 'don't let them cut me open' and I thought that if I accepted the epi I would end up on a table before I could blink.

As it turned out dd did start to move down and after me saying I needed to pee and forcing them to let me off the bed for a while everything got moving and she was born at 8.02am. She had apgars of 10 and 10 and had not shown any signs of distress at any point during the labour.

The midwifes were astonished that I had done it without the epi or anything else and that it had been so 'quick' but it was the moooost painful experience of my life. I had experienced 2 ordinary labours and this was nothing like them at all. I was vocalising my pain and pushing it over into the corner of the room without respite for what seemed like a lifetime. Dh had no idea how to help me and neither did I because I didn't know what was happening to me.

I was totally in shock after she was born and we walked out of the hospital at 11am that same morning in a daze. I honestly cannot imagine dealing with how I felt as wellas a drug induced haze at that time. I spent days mourning her birth and thinking that this hadn't been how I wanted to bring a child into the world and I knowing that it didn't have to be so hard or horrible. I have made an appointment to meet a midwife to go through my notes from that labour and process it a bit more before ttc at the end of the year.

If a new baby also decides not to engage I will be doing all I can to encourage it to do so!


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## karinasusy (Jul 12, 2005)

Pitocin is not used here in Alberta, Canada (I don't know about the rest of Canada), anymore because it is a dangerous drug. Inducing labour might have its place in rare instances, but it is done way too often. The medical community and society have taught us (and the sad part is that many of us believe it) that womens bodies don't work. They use some type of balloon instrument in the cervix to induce labour here, less nasty than a toxic chemical, but still invasive.

The best reference I can give you about birth and to trust in nature is Ina May Gaskin, pioneer midwife. She has a book. Check out her website: http://www.inamay.com/


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## lula (Feb 26, 2003)

You guys rock, thank you so much for the responses, stories etc. I do not have it all sorted out in my head yet but at least I feel more comfortable about not being induced etc etc. Now I am off researching...this has been wonderful! Thank you! Any and all comments etc people have feel free! I am quickly joining the no=pitocin camp.

lula


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## FancyD (Apr 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *karinasusy*
Pitocin is not used here in Alberta, Canada (I don't know about the rest of Canada), anymore because it is a dangerous drug. Inducing labour might have its place in rare instances, but it is done way too often. The medical community and society have taught us (and the sad part is that many of us believe it) that womens bodies don't work. They use some type of balloon instrument in the cervix to induce labour here, less nasty than a toxic chemical, but still invasive.http://www.inamay.com/

Um, I was given pitocin, like, 9 months ago. When did they stop giving it in AB?


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## karinasusy (Jul 12, 2005)

Within the last year, I can't be too sure. But, it is what I heard from a mother that was induced in Calgary. Obviously, my source might not be accurate.


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## helari (Apr 9, 2005)

My advice is to trust your body, as long as the baby is ok and responding well to tests past your due date. I never progressed well with pitocin. Did you ever use pressure points/accupressure to help induce labor? There are areas on your hand, foot, and ankle that can help begin contractions. If you live in Orange County, there is a massage place that offers a special "induction" massage that has a 95% success rate!

Another suggestion is that if you do have the pitocin, try to reduce it or elimiinate it once contractions start happening on their own. It does take a few hours for the effects to wear off, however, so contractions may still be intense for a while. Good luck!


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## donannedean (Jul 8, 2005)

This next round I would really like some options and would like to avoid inducing completely.

If I needed to be induced I would try accupuncture or accupressure(reflexology) It brought on my labor and a friends quite easily.


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## karinasusy (Jul 12, 2005)

My apologies to this list. I was incorrect in my last statement about pitocin not being used here anymore. It is something that I heard, but didn't confirm before my posting. A lesson learned for me (sorry!). As far as the effects and safety of pitocin, I'm sure a Google search will give you plenty of information. Below is a message I received about Pitocin:

Yes, they still do use syntocinon (pitocin) for induction/augmentation
here in Calgary at times.

The balloon instrument that you are talking about is a Folly Catheter.
They inflate it inside the uterus to cause a release of prostaglandins
(much like a cervical sweep I think) and sometime it will spur labour
on. I've only seen this used at the Peter Lougheed for induction, but
they might be using it at the other hospitals too.

In my experience, Syntocinon is normally used as the "next step" in
induction (after a ripening agent such as prostaglandin gel, cervidil or
the folly) or if the cervix is already thin and effaced and has started
to dilate but labour has not commenced.


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## DavinaT (Jun 28, 2005)

Posting from Ireland. My friend had a history of hormone dependanyt diabetes and as a result to pushed into 'managed labour' at 40 weeks as she was told 39 weeks + was high risk.
Had her aters broken by amnio-hook (said it as very painful) - nothign happening for 12 hours. Put on pit, contractions spallared out of control. All she remembers was screaming in a black sea agony taking her past her pain threshold, even with drugs (which seemed to have very little effect) and she never dilated past 4cm. 5 hours after her contractions started she almost blacked out at one point from the pain. Was given an epi, on request - which slowed down the labour - so she was put on oxytocin - to speed it up again.
7 hours in, still 4cm. At this stage she as exhausted, hungry, the epi needed topping up and the needle needed repositioning. The telemetry monirot made it difficult for her to move around and the baby's hearbeart was slowing down. 14 HOURS AFTER SHE WAS PUT ON PIT, SHE HAD A C-SECTION.
Now for baby 2, she is insisting on an elective c-section at 39 weeks under epidural and vows to haveher tubes tied 6 weeks after the birth, as she never wants to risk labour again.
I think that's very sad.


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## CAmum (Mar 1, 2005)

After 40 hours of totally natural labor with contractions that remained 4 minutes apart but NO dilation, I consented to en epidural so that I could rest (I wasn't able to work with my contractions anymore due to being exhausted). I was given pitocin with my epidural which I don't remember consenting to (although maybe I did---I was so tired). Anyhow I slept for two hours (which was so needed), and, when I woke, I was fully dilated and ready to go. I had the most wonderful birth---went for one hour (the contractions were still 4 minutes apart). The epidural had partly worn off so I could feel the contractions but they weren't totally debilitating. We had a beautiful, smooth birth.

My mother and sister also had long labors (24+ hours) with trouble dilating. My mom had 3 natural births after the long labors, and my sister took pitocin after 24 hours of labor that wasn't progressing and delivered my nephew 4 hours later with no complications.

With my persoanl experience and my family history, I will try the natural birth again next time (and rest more for the first part of it as it will likely be a long haul), but if my labor doesn't progress after 40 hours (or whenever I get totally exhausted), I would consider doing a epi and pitocin again. Our birth was just so good.


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## JanetF (Oct 31, 2004)

This article explains how our own hormones work and how the use of artificial oxytocin affects us and our babies. It's fantastic and well-referenced too.
http://sarahjbuckley.com/articles/ecstatic-birth.htm

This is a snippet just on the use of Syntocinon - same as pit.

Quote:

Induction and Augmentation
In Australia in 2002, approximately 26 percent of women had an induction of labor, and another 19 percent have an augmentation--stimulation or speeding up of labor-through either artificial rupture of membranes or with synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin, Syntocinon).In the US in 2004, 53 percent of women reported that they had Pitocin administered in labor to strengthen or speed up contractions.36

Synthetic oxytocin administered in labor does not act like the body's own oxytocin. First, Pitocin-induced contractions are different from natural contractions, and these differences can have significant effects on the baby. For example, waves can occur almost on top of each other when too high a dose of Pitocin is given, and it also causes the resting tone of the uterus to increase.37

Such over-stimulation (hyperstimulation) can deprive the baby from the necessary supplies of blood and oxygen, and so produce abnormal FHR patterns, fetal distress (leading to caesarean section), and even uterine rupture.38

Birth activist Doris Haire describes the effects of Pitocin on the baby:

The situation is analogous to holding an infant under the surface of the water, allowing the infant to come to the surface to gasp for air, but not to breathe.39

These effects may be partly due to the high blood levels of oxytocin that are reached when a woman labors with Pitocin. Theobald calculated that, at average levels used for induction or augmentation/acceleration, a woman's oxytocin levels will be 130 to 570 times higher than she would naturally produce in labor.40 Direct measurements do not concur, but blood oxytocin levels are difficult to measure.41 Other researchers have suggested that continuous administration of this drug by iv infusion, which is very different to its natural pulsatile release, may also account for some of these problems.42

Second, oxytocin, synthetic or not, cannot cross from the body to the brain through the blood-brain barrier. This means that Pitocin, introduced into the body by injection or drip, does not act as the hormone of love. However, it can interfere with oxytocin's natural effects. For example, we know that women with Pitocin infusions are at higher risk of major bleeding after the birth43 44 and that, in this situation, the uterus actually loses oxytocin receptors and so becomes unresponsive to the postpartum oxytocin peak that prevents bleeding.45 But we do not know the psychological effects of interference with the natural oxytocin that nature prescribes for all mammalian species.

As for the baby, 'Many experts believe that through participating in this initiation of his own birth, the fetus may be training himself to secrete his own love hormone.'29 Michel Odent speaks passionately about our society's deficits in our capacity to love self and others, and he traces these problems back to the time around birth, particularly to interference with the oxytocin system.
http://kingpharm.com/uploads/pdf_inserts/Pitocin_PI.pdf
That's the drug company's own leaflet on Pit. which makes for bloody scary reading! It is specifically warned against using for induction also for VBAC.


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## Crunchier (Jun 26, 2003)

My OB was itching to give me a c-section. He just preferred them. After 12 hrs of mild, steady labor, I agreed to prostaglandin gel to speed things along. I wasn't dilating fast enough, and I knew that he'd send me to the OR if I didn't hurry it up. He offered to break my water, but we didn't want to start the clock, or to give me pit, which we new we wanted to avoid. The prostaglandin gel was the gentlest option, so that's what we went with. The nurse did warn me that in a small percentage of women, the gel would start hard labor. I was one of them. It was awful and I was stuck flat on my back. Soon after the doctor broke my water, which I didn't feel, and then started pit. I didn't feel any difference in the contractions at any point, though DH said that they looked much worse on the monitor.


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