Pitocin to expel placenta?

Hi, gals,

I'm pretty sure I've never been given Pitocin to help my uterus expel the placenta before (two prior births, last one was twins)... But my doc for this pregnancy pretty much told me it's non-negotiable for him. He feels with this being my third pregnancy, and fourth child, that there could be risk of bleeding and he wants to give me the Pitocin.

Is this what you all are hearing also? I'm suspicious that this doctor, who works alone in his practice, is just using the Pitocin as a way to hurry up and get on to the next patient, you know? I plan to nurse the baby and want to be able to rest and relax while we connect after birth, and I'm afraid having the Pitocin will make that time in the first hour painful and stressful. (I've never had Pitocin and only know of horror stories of how painful and hard it makes the contractions.

What do you think?

Thanks

 

I am delivering my 6th child, my 5th pregnancy, and I have never had that mentioned to me. Sounds pretty strange. I needed some pitocin with my 3rd because my labor slowed down, but as soon as I was around 7 cm, they shut it off and I never received anymore. In fact, the placenta delivered so fast after he was born that it took my ob by surprise and slatted on the floor,it looked like a blood bath in the room. I would do a little more research on that.

 

He wants to use pitocin not for your labor but only to expel the placenta? I've never heard of this.

 

My OB/peri used it after the twins were delivered to help the uterus qcontract uickly to try to decrease bleeding - I don't think it was related to the placentas. I nursed them both in the OR (vaginal births) without a problem.

 

I've had pitocin for that reason before (two different births) but I can't imagine deciding to use it before he even knows if it will be necessary. That seems a bit ridiculous. And FWIW, I needed it with my 1st and 3rd births and never again, so I can't imagine that it being your 3rd pregnancy could really be a problem. 3 pregnancies is not a big number :huh:

 

For both of my labors, I was hooked up to pitocin and it was turned up to help expel the placenta at the end of my VBAC (it wasn't used the 1st birth because I ended up with a c-section). I still held the baby during the process and was entirely done and ready to hold the baby again when they finished cleaning him up.

I have never heard of hooking someone up to pitocin just to expel the placenta though. Personally, I would say no to that if I was having a natural birth the rest of the time.

 

I have heard of it used routinely, but if its something that you are uncomfortable with its YOUR choice and YOUR body. You have every right to say no unless it is medically necessary. Its also hard for him to say that now when he has no idea how quickly you pass placentas.