question for those induced with pitocin...

I've seen a lot of moms comment that pitocin was really awful. The pain was unbearable.

I was induced with pitocin and while I don't think I have a high tolerance for pain, I definitely wouldn't say it was the worst thing in the world.

I'm wondering if a non drug induced labor doesn't hurt as bad as a drug induced? Or are you comparing it to another labor experience?

I'm genuinely curious...cause if a non drug induced labor is easier than the pitocin, then sign me up for #2!

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I think that a non-drug induced labor is less painful, and I am not saying it isn't painful at ALL, but it is the way that nature planned it.

Pitocin throws your body into major contracting mode from nothing, so that si why it hurts so badly, your body doesn't really have time to adjust to it.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

oh dear....they're starting the cervidil on me on june 3rd and then on the 4th - the pitocin starts....

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I have no clue. Since it was my first baby, and I did have Pitocin, I thought it was just what painful contractions felt like, that it was "normal" to feel that uncomfortable...but I really have/had no clue

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I had pitocin, but I can't really say because I had an epidural. So by the time the pitocin went in, I wasn't feeling any pain.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I don't know... I went into labor on my own but after a couple of hours of pushing they gave me pitocin to speed things up.

I really don't recall it being more painful then before they gave me the pitocin, but maybe that's because I was already in active labor.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

Posted by davenjess



oh dear....they're starting the cervidil on me on june 3rd and then on the 4th - the pitocin starts....

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I was in early labor at 3cm dilated and 80% effaced when they gave me pitocin to speed things up. I didn't have an epidural.

For me, the pitocin threw me all out of whack. I would have start having contractions every 2-3 minutes, then they'd check me and I'd still be at 3cm, so they'd slow the pitocin drip and I'd go back to 5 min apart. It was a lot of work for no progress. My body wasn't ready for it.

I am vehemently against it for my future births. I can't see any reason for it and I'll let my body do what it needs to do naturally. I was naive before and really wanted DD to come before Christmas so when my OB said I was having regular contractions at my appt and I could go in, I jumped at the chance to go to the hospital. Next time, I'll stay at home until I need to go in.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I had pitocin and it didn't make much of a difference to me pain wise

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I had pitocin for both births. With #1, they turned it off after just 30 minutes.

The pain from both labors were about equal. I was able to breathe through my contractions easily.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I think it depends on if your body is ready for labor or not. I was induced at 38 weeks due to health issues. My body was no ready. My cervix was closed. But we had to get my ds out.
I had the Cervidel (12 hours) no biggie. Little cramping, nothing major. I progressed to 1cm after 12 hours. Instead of doing another round they just started the Pitocin and kept jacking it up. I had no break between contractions. They were constant and painful. There was no rest. I got my epi and was in heaven. They kept turning up the Pitocin. Then the epi ran out. I begged for more and by the time someone listened it was too late. I started pushing and felt so much better. After a few pushes and some snipping ds finally came out. He almost didn't fit out and he was only 6lbs6oz. Again I think my body didn't stretch as it should have since it wasn't ready.
I hope and pray I go into labor on my own with this one or at least my cervix be ready. I really think it will make a world of difference if my body is ready.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I had a serial induction (two rounds of cervadil and pitocin). It seems (at least to me) that my pitocin "induced" contractions didn't really do anything...even after 2 days. They dilated me JUST enough for the dr to break my water - and that is when the fun started. I flew into mind-numbingly painful contractions - basically felt like i was being ripped in half. I went from 1 cm to 10 and pushing in little under 4 hours. I attribute the excruciating pain to my fast dilation after the water was broken, not to the pitocin.
I only have 1 DS though, so I have no basis for comparison.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I went into labor naturally but when I arrived at the hospital they gave me pictocin to speed things things up. My contractions were tolerable then they intensified while I waited for my epidural. Overall I didnt think it was that bad but then again I have nothing else to compare it to. I wish it goes just as smooth for #2.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I didn't think it was horrible - - -I mean I dilated quickly and then got the epidural

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

Pitocin was weird for me. I wasn't ready for it, cervically. So it just gave me strong contractions that didn't do anything. Eventually they got too close too soon and they had to turn it down and then up and on an on..

I think the issue is that without it you build up to levels of pain and adjust to each level before moving on. Pitocin puts you from zero to 10 all at once.

Once they shut of my Pitocin and hours later decided to give me Cytotec (not cervidil) and then did the foley balloon and the membrane rupture, it went very quickly. But, like a pp stated, it was really painful from the super fast dialtion for me.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

Posted by davenjess



oh dear....they're starting the cervidil on me on june 3rd and then on the 4th - the pitocin starts....

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I think the thing with inductions is that the labors can last longer at times, so the whole thing may seem more painful or exhausting. It also depends on how your doctor administers pitocin. Mine gave me small amounts and slowly increased it, but I've heard other doctors give larger amounts all at once.

My labor was too long--I couldn't say the pain was unusually bad, but I desperately needed some rest so I got an epidural.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

I was induced with pitocin and felt nothing.........even at the highest doseage. The doctors couldn't believe it....I was in no pain at all no contractions. I ended up getting a c-section.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

My first delivery was not induced and I think it was much more painful than my second. I had a really long labor about 22 hrs. The contractions were sometimes unbearable before I got the epidural.

With #2, I got cervadil overnight and then pitocin in the morning. I was in labor for 6.5 hours from the point when I got the pitocin. I got the epidural 2 hours after the pitocin started so maybe it was before the really hard contractions started so I didn't really get to feel them.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

For me, I wouldn't say the pitocin was painful (I have NO tolerance for pain... heck, I passed out getting my ears pierced!), It was the immediate MAJOR contractions once the pitocin was administered and they broke my water. I went from 2cm dialated and NO contractions, to my contractions being every minute and a half and INTENSE. I thought I'd be able to hold out for the epi, but was getting it adminstered less than an hour after the pitocin was started.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

i wasn't induced-- but augmented. my water broke at 7 30 in the morning, but i was not contracting. i got the pitocin at 11 30-- and got my epi at 5, but the contractions weren;t too bad. i just felt like i didn;t need to be a hero, and i knew i was getting one-- so why wait. the most annoying part was having the drip still attached about 16 or so hours after i delivered.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

Pitocin SUXXXXXXXX

I was completely fine for HOURS with my contractions. Once they gave me the pitocin I wanted to die.

I was also almost maxed out on the dosage too.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

i dont know from personal experience, but my friend's first labor was no pitocin and second labor had pitocin. She said there was a difference, and that her contractions at 4 cm with the pitocin-induced labor were like the contractions at 7 cm or so with the non-pitocin labor.

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

Re: question for those induced with pitocin...

Well for me I went in on a Sunday night and they started the cervidil on me at 9pm - that didn't "take"- so they did it again Monday morning and that didn't take- finally they started the pitocin Monday night but not much was happening and then they gave me something to sleep ....and resumed the pitocin early Tuesday morning and It was painful but an hour after they cave it to me my water broke and then that's when real pain started and I got my epi but even with all that I was not dilating and with every contraction I had the baby's heart rate would drop- so they did c-section and baby was born by noon on Tuesday. I just think my body went through too much ups and downs and was exhausted for anything to work. But to answer the Q - Yes was painful for me.