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Inducing Labor, Ever Been?

2 posts on this thread and the last post was on January 25th, 2008 10:48 PM
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Watergazer - Jan 7th, 2008 11:05 AM
 [Original Post]

(I asked this same question under topic "Lovenox and Pregnancy" if that's ok)

My doctors want to induce me, which I felt ok with until I read about it. The VAST majority of what I read said that the drug they use, Pitocin, leads to the following in MOST cases:
1) Longer labors
2) No dialation of the cervix since it's not ready
3) Far stronger contractions which last longer and don't allow as much down-time for the mother to recoup before the next one begins
4) Increased fetal stress
5) The inability of the body's natural chemical Oxytocin (a feel-good drug), to be released to allow the mother to help cope with pain
6) Sudden intense onset of labor rather than a natural, gradual increase the mother can learn to deal with
7) Increased incidence of epidural use (which may be a problem for me since I might not be able to have one due to my blood issues)
8) Outright failure, where a C-Section needs performing
9) C-Section carries more risk of complications after a long labor was attempted and failed
10) It is possible a labor could last a shorter time if the uterus dialates

I feel why go through all that above and still possibly end up with a C-Section, especially after a family history of every women being born by and requiring a C-Section? Why lay there for hours on end with an unnatural drug giving you extreme pain more so than natural labor only to have it fail and need a C-Section anyway?

My aunt and mother told me to absolutely go C-Section after the tortures they went through, but nobody in the family was actually induced but went into natural labors. Nobody else was high risk like I am. When I look up information about what women have experienced with Pitocin the majority say they wouldn't have used that drug if they had a choice, and that most would have been able to deal with labor pains had it not been for that drug. A couple others said it made no difference, but most say just the opposite and that it's hellish.

***
My questions are: How many of you used Pitocin and how was it for you? Can you compare it with prior normal labors? Also, who was and wasn't able to have epidurals because of the Lovenoxe/Heparin and their blood not being thick enough? And how many of you got C-Sections after long labors or just C-Sections in general and why?

bdantonio - Jan 9th, 2008 8:15 AM

I was induced with my daughter, and did end up having a c-section. Your dr wil ltell you it raises your chances of a c-section a it but not much. However i am 34 weeks now and opted for a c-section. With myfirst i was in labor for 20 hours and still had a c-section i did no want that again. i was induced becasue i was having labor contractions less then 5 minutes apart for over a week and would not progress however i still didnt with the induction.


kohlby - Jan 25th, 2008 10:48 PM

I was induced at 42 weeks with cervidil followed by pitocin. I did everything I could to avoid induction and I would try to avoid an induction again. However, there's a huge difference between the 40 week pg woman tired of being pg and the 38 pg woman with a medical risk. You need to weigh the risks vs. benifits.

I did end up with a c-section but my son wouldn't fit. It was tough to hold out for the epi, but I was glad I waited since it got him into the perfect position, just he needed a smaller head! Labor was awful, complete with throwing up for 6 hours straight. It felt like a dozen knives in me. I don't get the whole "bad cramps" labor analogy!

With my daughter, I tried VBAC, but she also wouldn't fit. Labor lasted 11 hours, so shorter than with my son. It was rough once they broke my water. (I was 41 weeks pg with an 11+ lbs baby trying VBAC so I knew it was either c-section or break my water at that point!) Labor was still rough but the huge difference was no throwing up. I still cried in pain during part of my labor, like the other one, but I recovered enough to try to joke in the minute between - which I couldn't do on pit. I'm actually glad I tried VBAC, even though I ended up with a c-section, I have no what-if's.

*Do note that both of those pregnancies were before my FVL diagnosis. I was not on lovenox/heparin for those pregnancies. I'm more scared of a c-section now due to knowing I have FVL. I'm going to try to beg my drs to let me try VBAC after 2 c-sections, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

**Both of my c-section recoveries were rough. I'd take the extra pain of a vaginal birth during the birth over the post c-section pain anyday!


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