Induction without pain meds?

[StonesWife]

I'm scheduled for an induction with pitocin tomorrow morning. My plan for my pregnancy has been to avoid and induction and to do labor and delivery pain meds free... So my question now that an induction can't be avoided is-

Has anyone been induced and succeeded in doing it without and epidural or other pain meds?

(Also have this posted in third tri but thought this would be a good place to put it too)

 

[babycatcher]

It's your body, and your baby. I would rethink whether or not induction is unavoidable. There is a special dance that occurs between mother and baby, and a main factor in whether labor begins on it's own is the baby's lung maturity.

With induction the contractions will be longer, stronger and closer together. I have seen it done, but it is a very difficult road...and one that quite often ends in c-section unnecessarily.

 

[Deli]

Hi. Sorry to hijack your thread!

I have six children - they have all been 2 weeks overdue and the first one was the only one I went in to labour with myself. The last five were inductions - all natural and drug-free. I have only ever needed one dose of prostin gel to get me going apart from the last one when I needed 3ml of Syntocinon (put me in to very fast and furious labour but as it was my sixth my body and I coped well). Good luck. Inductions have been positive experiences for me but I do know of other people that haven't been quite so lucky.

 

[Deli]

^Forgot to add that I have only ever needed a few puffs of gas and air for transition to get me through my inductions.

 

[SwissMiss]

I was induced with Lindsey and had an 8hr labour with no pain meds I only needed 1/4 pessary to get me going and some kinda drip to help the placenta deliver at the end. otherwise was v natural and a really great experience! Inductions don't have to be horrible I was 40+13...
oo i've just seen the timing on this: I hope you are having an ok time of it!!!!!!!!

 

[ablacketer]

I had the pitocin drip throughout both deliveries of my previous babies. both drug free. you can do it

 

[Jenniflower]

I didn't know if it was possible not to get an epi after the Pitocin but I know my sister had Pitocin with all three and never progressed to a c-section. She was just fine with her Epi. But after reading these few women get on without drugs after I completely think you can do it! Just don't be afraid that you'll have to have the drugs, and don't be coerced into anything by the midwives. Good Luck though! Let us know how it goes.

 

[bump_wanted]

i was induced and ended up only using gas and air for the last hour xx

 

[aw1990]

I hope everything went as you planned for your labour hun

With my first DD i went into labour on my own but progressed slowly, so MW decided to interviene by breaking my waters and putting me on the syntocinon drip, I had gas and air after i was on the drip as the contractions where quite intence,
DD2 i was induced 5days over with 2 prostin tabs (12 hours apart) and went from 3cm-10cm in an hour, i took 2 co-cocodamol about 5 mins before she was born so doubt they had even kicked in but probs were handy for after lol as it was so fast i delivered on the induction ward lol (which was full! lol) so G&A wasnt available or i would have probs had some tbh
anyway that was a long way to say that yes you can be induced without major pain relief and im a wuss but im more scared of needles than i am of pain lol

this time i am hoping for a homebirth but still have to discuss it with a MW x

 

[aliss]

I was induced. The induction did not go well (long story, probably not applicable to you) but I did manage to get through the first 2 days without pain relief. I *did* get an epidural starting on day 3 but very few women would be in labour that long so yes, it can be done. I think I was about 6-7cm (2 days) by the time I got the epidural.

***Oh wait, this is an old post!!?? How did it go?!????

 

[Jenniflower]

I was wondering the same thing. I wonder how she got on. I would love to know.

 

[StonesWife]

Well girls my labor went as follows...

I went in for an induction and did 24 hours of labor with no pain medicine. At 24 hours I was checked and was 3cm (went in as a 2 and was 3 at about 12 hours in when my water broke). At that point I could no longer continue without pain meds and got an epidural. Within an hour I jumped to 5cm but never progressed any further... After 30+ hours of labor my LO's heart began to level and show signs of stress so it was decided that I'd have to have an emergency c-section...

 

[aliss]

Well girls my labor went as follows...

I went in for an induction and did 24 hours of labor with no pain medicine. At 24 hours I was checked and was 3cm (went in as a 2 and was 3 at about 12 hours in when my water broke). At that point I could no longer continue without pain meds and got an epidural. Within an hour I jumped to 5cm but never progressed any further... After 30+ hours of labor my LO's heart began to level and show signs of stress so it was decided that I'd have to have an emergency c-section...

Thank for the update.

24 hours induced without meds is pretty amazing - as you know! The contractions are outrageous. Sorry it didn't go as well as planned but when LO has signs of stress, you do what's best As much as we'd all love a no-med vaginal birth, we put LO first, even if it means going for a C section!