This is part of my Wondering About Series. Feel free to e-mail any questions you are wondering about to sheridan AT enjoybirth DOT com.
My question is in regards to Pitocin. I want the truth, preferably from a mom who has experienced both types of labors- induced and spontaneous.
With my first son, I was induced at 41 weeks, 4 days (not by choice, but my midwives threatened they wouldn’t be able to deliver me and I would have to have the random on-call OB, what’s a girl to do?). I was on Pitocin for 5 hours before I got the epidural and it was torture. The pain was so intense, I really did think I was dying. The contractions didn’t build up, they seemed to peak instantly and then hold it for 60 seconds before relaxing, but never all the way.
I tried everything (walking, massage, birth ball, tub) but everytime I relaxed and got comfortable the contractions would slow down, and they would increase the pitocin. I really, really wanted a natural birth and felt so much guilt over getting the epidural, especially after all the midwives in the practice promised me that pitocin labor is the same as spontaneous labor and they have seen plenty of women do it without the epidural.
But other sources I have read promise that it is different. I am pregnant again and would really like a natural birth this time, but I’m worried I won’t be able to handle it and that it will hurt just as bad, even if I am not induced. I really feel like a failure.
What do you think? Is there really a difference between induced labor and spontaneous labor or am I just a huge wimp?
I am sorry your first birth did not go the way you had hoped. I would like to add please do not feel bad that you got an epidural. You made the best choice for you in the situation you were in. So that is ok!
especially after all the midwives in the practice promised me that pitocin labor is the same as spontaneous labor and they have seen plenty of women do it without the epidural.
I would like to say that in the births I have attended as a doula that pitocin induced labor is different than naturally starting birthing times. You can see my doula stats here and see that the moms I have worked with that get pitocin are more likely to choose an epidural than moms without any pitocin.
From my observations it seems like Pitocin Pressure Waves are like Transformation Pressure Waves. Longer, stronger and closer together. So instead of 15-60 minutes of transformations, it can be hours and hours of them. Now, not all moms experience it like this, but many do.
One way to help prevent it to be so strong so quickly is to turn up the pitocin very slowly (2ml every 30 minutes to an hour) and then stop turning it up once they have a good pattern. It isn’t a race to get the baby out. If it takes 12 hours but mom and baby are managing things well, that is preferable then 6 hours and mom not managing well.
So from my experience, yes they can be different! So with your next birth remember this is a new baby and a new birth. Your birthing time will start on it’s own and you can go un-medicated if you want.
If nothing else, with a pitocin birth, you won’t get any of that oxytocin through the mommy’s brain- pitocin goes straight to work at the uterus. Oxytocin (aka the Love Hormone) can help you DEAL with the birth- both mentally and physically, even if the contractions aren’t harder (though I believe they are).
Orgasmic Birth (the book) explains the difference between natural oxytocin & synthetic oxytocin (pitocin) very well.
Natural oxytocin crosses the blood-brain barrier, while synthetic oxytocin does not. So when your body’s own oxytocin works it’s birthing magic, your brain triggers the release of endorphins to help you cope with the increasing intensity of the work your uterus is doing. Synthetic oxytocin just keeps getting turned up and up, and because it doesn’t get into your brain, your brain doesn’t release the feel good endorphins to help cope with the uterine sensations. In effect, this makes a pitocin-induced labour more difficult to deal with for many women, because instead of getting a balanced natural hormone ‘cocktail’, you’re getting a ‘shot’ of a single synthetic hormone.
Another way to look at it, is that birth with pitocin is like running a marathon with your feet locked into a treadmill. External forces are controlling the rate at which your body works, and your body is not ‘free’ to respond to the sensations.
I don’t normally post comments to articles online, but this one is begging me *lol*
My first two babies were a week overdue. While I did go into natural labour on my own, I was not “going fast enough” to keep the doctors happy. (This is much before I was better educated…). I ended up on pit, I ended up with epidurals both times, first time around 6-7 cm, 2nd time around 5 cm. I was in labour for about 25.5 hours with my firstborn, and about 15 hours for my second.
After I had my second, I realized that the reactions I was having were from the epidural! So, I really had no choice but to go medication-free, period, unless I wanted to end up with the same side effects once again. They were pretty intense, so I opted for “natural”. We hired a doula, but still delivered in a hospital (my husband is not yet on board with home births).
When we first went to the hospital – at a full 42 weeks – my contractions felt the *same* as they did when I got the epidurals the first two times. Lo and behold, I was a whopping 2cm, but in a ridiculous amount of pain. (We found out later that Baby was posterior.)
Annoyingly enough, the nurses kept offering an epidural, and the doctor on call wanted me augmented (though my regular ob/gyn was fine with me doing everything ‘my way’); I said “no” to everything. No heplock, no IV fluids, nothing. They finally left my husband, our doula, and me alone.
So, I felt like I started out with the cards stacked against me – posterior baby, barely dilated, but in more discomfort than anything I’d ever experienced… and so I was really discouraged… how much *worse* would it get?
I found out… 🙂
That being said… yes, it was intense. Yes, I was in pain. But my doula was amazing… my husband wanted me to have the epidural (it’s hard for them to see someone they love, hurting!)… but we held on.
And as soon as she was born (I was on all 4’s), I felt amazing. My recovery was soooooo much faster, I was happier… I felt *alive*. Graeme said he’s never seen anything like it.
So, regardless of the type of pain, or the intensity… the results were well worth going “drug-free”.
I don’t usually post comments either, but like Melissa said above, this one is begging for it.
First of all, I feel terrible that you had midwives that would say such things to you AND threaten you. I would’ve fired them on the spot. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that experience.
From everything I’ve heard and read, induced labor and natural labor are extremely different. It’s my understand that pit-contractions are twice as long and strong–no wonder so many need an epi to cope! I’m not sure I’ll ever understand the rush to get the baby out. As long as mom and baby are doing ok, I just don’t see the need for induction. I think a lot of it is due to the fact that we are stuck on “due dates”. We should really be calling it a “guess date”. It’s our best guess as to when baby will come. I read something about how the baby isn’t keeping a day planner in utero, which kind of made me laugh. But it’s true!
Good luck! I hope your next birth is exactly the way you want it to be!
I have had labor with Pit, and labor with nothing. I will take natural labor ANY day over Pit. I had to get an epidural on Pit too because I couldn’t stand it. I could definitely tolerate my natural labor much better. It’s the difference between an outside force causing pain, and your own body going through an enormous process. Plus, with the natural labor, I had the added benefit of the endorphin rush that synethic oxytocin doesn’t provide. As soon as my baby crowned, an explosion of euphoria burst over me. He got stuck, had to be pulled out, and I broke my tailbone in the process…but I felt NOTHING, NO PAIN, because I was riding that wave of endorphins!
I’ve only had natural labor, so I can’t compare from personal experience, but from what I’ve learned from friends, family and reading, there is a difference!
Natural labor is intense and for me (unlike Jill above) there was pain, but that doesn’t mean suffering. Your description of Pitocin labor is similar to what I’ve heard before, but I would definitely not apply it to my natural labor. That said, it’s hard to guess in advance how will your natural labor go, but give it a try. You might be “pleasantly” surprised. And while it’s very useful to have healthy respect, don’t fear – your body knows what to do.
I also hope you will have the birth you want. We all deserve it!
You bring up a great point, that the hormones release in a natural birth are amazing and they are not released in the same amounts in a pitocin induced birth.
I love that, a day planner in utero. 🙂
I like that treadmill example.
An interesting thing I have noticed as a doula, is that I don’t get the oxytocin high at induced births. OK, it isn’t really about me, but interesting none the less.