Breaking water vs. Pitocin???

[A21Lee]

Originally Posted by mysticmomma1879 Pitocin is a drug

Pitocin is a synthetic drug of oxytocin (that your body naturally produces during labor). Pitocin jump starts the labor and then your own oxytocin takes over as a positive feedback mechanism. I'm sure PP said "drug-free" to mean that she received no pain medicine and that's still accurate. Labor is often initiated or (because she had already been in labor for 24 hours) propagated/enhanced by the pitocin, but the labor period itself was drug-free. I would think of getting the pitocin a little like getting a blood transfusion. You already have blood in your body, you're just adding to what you already have. Pitocin is just boosting your own oxytocin levels.

I had 2 deliveries with an epidural. I had a painful epidural headache after my first and a postpartum hemorrhage after my second. I had low dose pitocin during both deliveries, but didn't feel the effects during either because of the epidural. Because of the hemorrhage due to my uterine atony (my muscles didn't contract back down in size), they had to give me pitocin after they stopped the epidural to get the bleeding to stop and it was THE most painful experience, so I would not recommend jumping in with that (especially without pain management).

Several other mamas have given you very good reasons to weigh your options from ROM leading to infection if you don't deliver within 24 hrs, but if it occurs too early it may prolapse the cord to very painful contractions with pitocin. I would just like to say don't be in a hurry to induce. Concerns of induction leading to increased chance of c-section are valid (however, not supported in research). Due dates based on your LMP can be inaccurate (which is why they even let you go 42 weeks before they intervene). Have you had ultrasound dating that cooincides with your LMP? Babies come when they are ready. In the opinion of science, babies come when their lungs are mature. It's not in our hands in either case. Just listen to your body and keep reading and asking lots of questions. You may be surprised and baby will make all the decisions for you! Best of Luck!

[Nerissa]

I was induced with DD. I had walked around at 4cm, 80% effaced and -1station for amweek. I went in at 7 :30am. They started pitocin at 8:30 and broke my water at 9am. Contractions started getting noticable at 10:30am, really painful at 11am and she was born at 1130am after about 5 pushes. No epidural. The last 20 min were definatly more painful than my non pitocin delivery.

[mkrisel]

I was induced last night with pictocin due to being over due and having low fluid levels. Went from "I am starting to regularly feel contractions" to non stop, no true break between contractions in a matter if minutes. They were painful (more painful than I remember with my first, but it could be that these involved my back and didn't let up). It took longer and way more drugs for the epidural to work. And during the point that they became super painful, I was hot, sweaty, and nauseous. But once the epidural was working (1.5 hours later) life was good. 6 hours after delivery, one leg was still to numb to walk on and I passed out after getting up to go to the bathroom. I don't know that this is related to the epidural or pictocin at all, but it happened. In the end, I have a healthy baby and that's what matters. But right now I would not chose this route again if it wasn't necessary.

[Michelle_M]

I had to be induced with DS1. They gave me pitocin at 7am, and my water broke on it's own about 9:35.

God bless!

[cdeweese]

Not sure if this was already mentioned, but a lot of hospitals give you X number of hours to deliver once your water has broken.

[InBloomDoula]

Consent is really important so as this mama has shared, you have to be careful what you are consenting to. If you consent to some pitocin and you want to have the option to stop it after the onset of active labor, make that known beforehand. You may even need to use the words "I refuse consent to pitocin over X amount" or "I do not want more pitocin and do not consent" those words are powerful. Both to you as a woman and to them in a legal sense.

[InBloomDoula]

Originally Posted by dancingingrace I've tried different at home things..no herbs or anything b/c I just don't have them, but we'v DTD lots (TMI), long walks, squats, up and down stairs, carrying my 2yo around, nipple stimulation (some, not a ton), but I just don't seem to be going anywhere.... So...I'm not trying to be in a hurry just because I want to be done being pregnant, but I just have a few fears...

Not to add to your fears but Artificial Rupture of Membranes or AROM is the leading cause of cord prolapse which is the cord being born before the baby which gets pinched under the pressure of the baby decending and prevents good blood/oxygen flow in the umbilical cord. Prolapsed cord is resolved by c-section in nearly every case. So realize that by choosing to procede with an amniotomy you are at an increased risk for c-section. That doesn't mean you will have one. In fact lots of women (many of them who posted here) have had great experiences with amniotomy to kick-start labor. But a safer alternative is to try some of the other herbal/non-traditional labor starters first.

[karlitacat]

Well, my situation isn't identical, but I've had pitocin and my water broken. With my first pregnancy, my water broke (it was trickling out all night and into the morning, when I finally went to the hospital) but labor didn't progress, and since I'm high-risk, they induced me. They kept giving me pitocin since I wasn't giving them a satisfactory "on a scale of 1-10 where's your pain level" answer. I HATED it - it was extremely painful with contraction on top of contraction with no real rest in-between. I would never opt for induction again, especially with all the research that they can lead to c-sections.

My second delivery was a walk in the park in comparison - the hardest part was pushing! I actually had excess amniotic fluid, and though I was having contractions, my midwife suggested that breaking the water would speed things up. It worked like a charm (I was at least 5cm dilated by then)! Shortly after breaking the water my contractions picked up; I don't know how long it took, but I feel like it wasn't too long till I was ready to push.

[mrsbesky]

I had to be induced with DD1 due to pre-eclampsia. They wanted to break my water and give poticin at the same time. They agreed to break my water first, give it one hour then start poticin. It all happend fast, but I had no contractions on my own. Poticin made my contractions 2 mins apart immediatly. I personally didn't think they were very "painful", just "intense" if that makes since. 7 hours later I was only 4cm and no where near delivery so I got an epi. Not so much for the pain, but they said it was that or a csection. The epi worked and I stared progressing. At shift change the new midwife had to rebreak my water AGAIN, and that when things really started to progress. All in all it took about 13 hours.

Poticin isn't what I fear its the other drugs they give for pre-eclampsia. Im on the edge of having it again this pregnancy. If I get to the "baby must be born now" phase again. I will have a csection. I will not go through the other stuff again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigmamakelsey]

This is an older thread, but personally I would do this: Try to start labor naturally, if that doesn't work I'd do a foley bulb (assuming I was over 42 weeks, or however long they think it's safe to go) then I'd do pit if that failed, breaking my water would be last resort. Breaking your bag before 4cm has a 75% c-section rate. Besides, in a hospital setting I feel like they'd be REALLY watching the clock if my water was broken.