I was induced with both babies. The first time my dr pushed an epidural on me and I regretted it. I did not like not feeling in control. The second time I did it without. The nurses were in shock that I went through with it. Yes, pitocin makes it more intense I will not sugar coat it. Tbh, I thought the stomach massage after birth hurt worse than labor and delivery (I had a lot of clotting). With the right mindset and breathing technique, you can totally get through it. Like the pp said, an epidural can slow things down because it relaxes your muscles. Plus without an epidural, you tend to bounce back more quickly. Whatever you decide to do, remember there is no right or wrong way to have a baby. Best of luck!

I've now had two inductions both with epidural. The first labor was long and epi totally stopped working once it was time to push. My dad said he could hear me screaming from the waiting room I was in so much pain. My daughter did come out with her elbow out so it wasn't the ideal position which may have caused me much more pain but who knows. The second time was MUCH better. I went in for the induction being 3cm dilated and 60% effaced, after breaking my water and being on pitocin drop for nearly 4 hours I only dilated another 1cm. I asked for the epidural at that point, and an hour later I was fully dilated and ready to push. Three contractions and less than 15 minutes baby boy was out! No pain with pushing the second time and felt perfect amount of pressure to feel in control and push him out. I totally feel the epidural slowed labor for me the first time but sped it up the second. I also felt much better after labor the second time. I lost about a liter of blood with both deliveries but because the second was quicker and more relaxed my body didn't feel quite as "beat up" as it did the first time. You'll make the choice that's right for you when the time comes but please don't be completely scared out of an epidural from yours or others bad experiences.

I've been induced 3 times without epidural it's mind over matter !!! If you really want best birth you can get just use gas and air and try and mobilise throughout and yes I was on labor ward with words stuck all over me and still manged to Potter from bed stand up etc chew on gas and air it works I was 32 hours labor then 24 hours and then 4 hours

I had an induction, no drugs at all.

With my first I was induced at just over 41wks, epidural only worked one side and stopped working after about 4hrs, went on to have a 51hr labour, baby was back to back and I couldn't get her out, ended in forceps and episiotomy and I still 5yrs later can feel sensitive in thst area. After birth I couldn't empty bladder so I was kept in for 5 days being taken off catheter every morning and put back on if I couldn't pee properly. In the end I signed myself out but went back in 2 days later to be told all I had was a bladder infection caught off the catheter and if someone had tested my urine the first day after the birth I could have gone home straight away. So the second time I told my husband no matter how much I scream or ask for epidural do not let me have one. Unfortunately I was induced again and the pain was so intense and constant I asked for epidural, I was only 4cm dilated so I knew I had hours to go, they put the needle in my back but before the epidural went in i started pushing, mw told me to stop as I was only 4cm but I couldnt, I wasn't actually pushing my body did it on its own, within 5 secs I heard mw scream to other mw get ready to catch and all of a sudden he actually flew out of me and was in my arms. Good job he was small, no stitches at all and I was home an hour later, yes it was painful without epidural but sooo much better being able to get up have a shower and pee straight after I had him. If I ever had another I'd never have an epidural again.

Sounds a bit like the experience i had with my epidural (only worked on one side) and then the labour just went on and on ending up with forceps. After the forceps i literally had no pelvic floor and i went for ages without going to the toilet when they took the catheter out. Weirdly, ever since ive had charlie ive had a few urinary problems that have lingered on. Every time my pee is checked at the docs i have blood in it so ive had to have a camera in my bladder and an ultrasound (both normal) and after drinking alcohol the next day i feel like i need the toilet constantly like im getting a UTI I wonder if i have some damage caused by the catheter. Anyway, im hoping to get through without an epidural this time and hoping it goes like your last one ...amazing

To be honest, when i had my first the hospital i felt just wasn't good enough, i felt alot of mistakes were made, the epidural took 3 goes to get it in and when i told them it was only working one side i was ignored, i told them about 2 hours in to labour that i thought my baby was back to back but they told me i was being silly and you always feel contractions in the back. It was only about 20 hrs later they said they thought my baby was back to back and epidural won't help and I'll just have to ride out the pain as there was nothing they could do. Even after i had my daughter i was just pushed up to the ward and left, they wouldn't remove catheter till the following morning as they only take out catheters in the morning and I'd missed the time slot. I was left from 9 am till midnight in the gown i had given birth in, and the following morning my husband came in and found me in tears as no one helped me to put the gown on the previous night and i was still in the sheets and sat on the big pad that i had also given birth in over 24hrs before. My hubby went and complained and they gave him the sheets and pad and told him to change the bed as they were to busy. I was being re torn every time they re catheterised me cause no one thought to test my urine. I just found it a totally different and relaxing experience with my second child. I still get upset thinking of my first labour but i just smile thinking of my second. Being able to get up and walk to the shower and have a good wash 10 mins after i had him was amazing

I was induced at 37.5 weeks and managed with just a little gas n air.

Is there a reason they are going straight in with the pitocin drip? I had the pessary inserted then 24 hrs later my waters were broken, contractions started immediately and I was holding my little girl 4.5 hrs later.

We don't have gas and air available here.

My first was (unnecessarily) induced. Days of labor. Eventually got an epidural. Ended up doing 4 hours of pushing, which resulted in a 4th degree tear and paralysis of my lower legs (knee down) for a few weeks after delivery.

I was terrified to even enter a hospital with my second daughter. The whole idea would send me into panic attacks. I ended up delivering at a free-standing birth center with no medication whatsoever. It was a healing experience.

I just recently had my third, though, 8 years after my second daughter's birth. I'd hoped for another birth center delivery, but unfortunately I risked out of their care and ended up needing to deliver at a hospital. My condition further deteriorated (or rather, my baby's did) so it came down to me needing an induction RIGHT away. I really didn't want to be in the hospital in the first place, but more than that-- I desperately didn't want an induction. I was convinced (and still am) that bit was the cause of every single issues I had the first time. The whole idea of "cascading interventions" and all that. But it couldn't be helped. I was nervous because I'd had so many issues with the epidural the first time around. I did NOT want one, but I also knew from comparing my experience the second time, that an induced delivery was much more intense than a natural one. I spoke with the staff at great length about my options should pain relief become necessary. Without gas and air, not much seemed like a good choice.

In the end, I may have been able to tough it out (I'd already had one natural delivery, so I know I'm not a total wimp) but unfortunately my body doesn't respond well to inductions. There had been hope that since this was my third, the induction would go smoothly... But nope. They started the induction process on Friday afternoon and I didn't end up having my daughter until Sunday morning. At some point on Saturday, I ended up agreeing to the epidural. My anesthesiologist was amazing, though. He was so patient and checked on me constantly before and after I agreed to have the epidural in place. He really took the time to reassure me and explain what may have went wrong the first time. I was worried about tears and issues for the baby, but it all turned out okay. Even with the epidural in place, I only pushed for a short while and she arrived without so much a single tear. My only regret in the end was not having the epidural put in sooner. I'd suffered needlessly for hours. All it did was rob me of much-needed rest.

All that to say, if I ever have another baby and I'm able to deliver without an induction-- I will definitely go med-free. But if I were ever to go through an induction delivery again, I'm not going to bother trying to tough it out. All I got for my efforts this last time was extreme exhaustion. Inductions really suck for some people. If done correctly and monitored appropriately, epidurals don't have to cause terrible complications, so there is no need to skip it if necessary. I will admit that even with the epidural, the process wasn't pain free. I have some issue that causes the epidural to wear off unevenly and need adjustment. But I'm almost certain that without the epidural this last time, I would have ended up with a cesarean. I had some serious issues and if I hadn't eventually been able to get a strong enough dose of meds to allow me to sleep for a couple hours before delivery, then I wouldn't have been able to push on through. My daughter was in danger so it wasn't a process that could have been allowed to continue on forever. :-/

ETA: I did talk to the hospital about gas and air, though, and they said they were working on getting it approved for use there. If I were to have another baby, and the had that available, I'd give it a shot before jumping right to an epidural. However, if it was not an option, or it didn't help-- then I would feel no guilt or shame in accepting another epidural. Every situation is different and you have to do what's right for you and your baby. Nobody else (or their opinion) matters.

Im just going by what happened last time; i had 2 or 3 pessaries then they broke my waters and put me on the drip. Never thought that this time i might not even need the drip ....fingers crossed.