Let's talk about Pitocin

I'm curious about how many of you got Pitocin during your labor and why. Was it because that was typical procedure for your doctor or hospital? Or was it usually for induction or failure to progress? Do you think it made your L&D easier? Did any of you refuse Pitocin?

I don't have a fully formed opinion, but if I go into labor without induction, I think I'd rather not have Pitocin unless the doctor specifically indicates that I'm not progressing. If things are moving along without it, then I don't understand the benefits to adding Pitocin to the mix. Did anyone else do this?

 

I went to a sched. appt. with my OB after being on bedrest for 4 weeks and it was discovered that I was 4cm dialated (at 35.5)and my doctor sent me to L&D, met me there and broke baby A's water, proceeded to hook me up to pitocin and an epideral (not sure in which order) and things moved right along at a good pace.
By the time I was at a 9 I was wheeled to the OR and pushed a little and baby A was delivered with no complications and then they broke baby B's water and 8 minutes later she was born.
I didnt ask why they gave pitocin-I think it was sort of a planned/induction sort of thing so my doctor was trying to make it happen in a timely fashion-and it worked.

 

I had pitocin with my oldest DS, but a c-section with my twins.

With my oldest DS my water broke at 2:00 a.m., got to the hospital around 5:00 a.m. and I was a fingertip. Progressed to 1cm and pretty much stayed around 2cm until 10:00 a.m., the doctor started talking about pitocin since my water had broken and they like to have the baby(ies) born within 24 hours of your water breaking due to an increased risk of infection. She gave me until noon, I was around 3cm, and they started the pitocin. I progressed from 3cm - 9cm from noon - 7:00 pm and then it took me another 3 hrs to go from 9 to 10 cm. However, my oldest DS did not particularly care for the pitocin contractions so they had to frequently decrease it to make his heartrate chill out and then increase it when my contractions started slowing down. I did get an epidural shortly after the pitocin contrax started.

All in all, the pitocin labor was fine - but I wouldn't want it just as a standard procedure.

Good luck!

 

I had pitocin with my oldest DD. My water broke and I was not having any contractions and I was not dilated. They seemed like really strong contractions but I don't really know if it was because of the pitocin or not. With the twins, my water broke and I was having some constractions but they were not as bad as the ones with first DD. I was also dilated to 4 when they checked me. Unfortunately the girls were transverse, so I had a c-section.

 

I think I had pitocin with my twins. I went into spontaneous labor, and was in labor for a total of only 8 hours with a fairly easy delivery and recovery. So, if I had pitocin then I would like it again this time, please!

I think my mom mentioned that they gave me pitocin when they gave me the epidural. I didn't get the epidural until I'd been in labor for several hours, and I only got to rest for about an hour between getting the epidural and being told it was time to push. Both girls were born within a couple of pushes.

 

I have had three kids already and each I had pitocin. The first two were inductions. The third time I went into labor on my own. I got the epidural around 4-5cms. By the time I got to 6cms my contractions were slowing down so they gave me a little pitocin and then broke my water to help get things back on track. It worked because I delivered about an hour or two later.

 

I have two secenarios. With my 2nd child I went into labor at home, went and taught a dance class, and after that went on the hospital. I got there at about 1:45pm and when checked, I was 5cm so they kept me. 2 hours later, the on-call doc comes in my room and announces that they are gonna give me a little pitocin to which I responded :diablo:"no the hell you are not, you wanna check me first?" I guess they wanted to move things along but seeing that they didn't even check, how did they even know how along I was...So before giving me drugs they checked me and I was 8cm. this was at 4:00 So I kindly asked them to step off and let me do this and my son was born at 5:11pm. Needless to say I didn't need the pitocin and I am glad I didn't get it. I honestly don't know why they were trying to move me along I mean it had only been a couple hours, not days. My hubs thinks it's because it was during the OSU/Michigan game and folks wanted me to get done before the end(we were at OSU Hospital)
With my twins, I had a little and that was because I went into labor at 33w 3d and when I first arrived at the hospital, they gave me meds to try and stop the labor. When they saw that I was still moving forward, they gave me pitocin to basically kick start what they had tried to stop and that was fine, it was a low dose. I say all tis to say that we as Mommies need to remember that we do have a say in what happens to us. If you don't want pitocin, tell them that unless its a necessity don't give it to you.

 

I had it with my son because I developed HELLP syndrome (acute preecampsia) late in the pregnancy. One night, I had severe pain radiating across my right shoulder which apparently is a sign of liver problems. So I went into the hospital where they immediately induced. Obviously no regrets here- they helped my labor progress very quickly because the only cure for HELLP is delivery. I'll be open to it again with the twins.