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Don't despair yet! I was 40 weeks and about 2 cm dilated, as I had been for like 3 weeks. Had a membrane sweep at 40 plus 1 and had my baby girl the next day. And it took like 24 ish hours for anything to happen after the sweep. I also was sure I was going to end up getting induced.

I waited till about 7 cm to get my epi. The last little bit was pretty painful but my memory of the pain isn't so bad. It was way worse on my hubby, he said it felt like forever til I got it.

Either way, good luck! You will rock it. Meeting your baby is an amazing experience!

I labored for about 45 minutes with pitocin before I couldn't breathe the pain was so excruciating. I remember the nurse looking terrified when we called her into the room because at that point I was really struggling and scared. Everyone responds differently to pit, for me the contractions went from a 4-5 to the worst pain i'd ever had, and I dilated super quickly. I've also heard of people hardly being affected by it. I had been planning on going natural but ended up being induced due to PROM. I had the epidural placed within a few minutes of asking (thank the good lord) and it was smooth sailing after that.

This time I'm with midwives, keeping pitocin away at all costs, and giving it another go. If I have to be induced again I'll get the epidural as soon as pit is started because I know how strongly I react to it.

ETA: I was put on pit after 5 hours of laboring on cytotec, during which I went from completely closed to 3-4 cm. That part wasn't bad at all.

I was about 15 hours into a pit drip and was still only 3cm dilated. I had been up for over 30 hours and was exhausted, so they offered the epi so I could sleep. I got it and slept for about 3 hours. When I woke up, I was still only 3-4cm dilated, so they broke my water. I progressed pretty quickly at that point. Somewhere along the line my epi fell out. Anesthesia replaced it but it never took, so I felt all 3 hours of pushing. It took so long because he couldn't get through the birth canal on his own - he had to be pulled down with vacuum assist and then I was able to push him out.

Pitocin actually wasn't that bad to me, but I wasn't a first time mom. (Not sure if you are?) it's best to wait as long as you can to get an epidural! I got mine at 9cm and was pushing about 10 minutes later. If anything I wish I hadn't gotten it because it went so fast I didn't really really need it - but it sure was nice! I would probably get one at 7-8 in the future just to be able to enjoy it more. But definitely would wait until in transition!

I was induced at 42 weeks with pitocin and had my water broken. I only heard after delivery that pitocin contractions are worse. I don't know if I was just lucky or something, but I felt they weren't that bad. (I did ask for drugs somewhere around 6 cm, but got talked out of them) I have nothing to compare my pitocin contractions to though. I didn't get an epidural, but ended up with a spinal for my csection done after two hours of pushing.

I didn't have any cramps or Braxton hicks or anything leading up to the induction. Hopefully you just start on your own. Good luck!

With DS1 I didn't have any pitocin before the epidural as I went into labor spontaneously at 40+3. I got the epidural at 3.5cm but was having excruciating 2 minute apart contractions. It took forever to get the anesthesiologist, and I wish I could've had it sooner. I progressed slowly until they broke my water and then I went from 4-10cm in less than 2 hours.

DS2, as you know was an induction. The pitocin was fine at low doses until it got to level 14. (Not sure what that level means, just what I remember she upped it to), and then it was unbearable. I was 100%effaced and a loose 4cm with baby's head engaged. The anesthesiologist was thrilled with my progress and said, oh that's great! It'll go quick now! And it did. 1/2 hour later they checked me and I was 7cm. They broke my water then and I progressed steadily snd quickly to 10. I felt like because it was an induction, I was able to get an epidural at exactly the right moment, when it was most beneficial. (If only it hadn't failed during pushing!!)

@DesertDreams88: I never had any cramps or contractions before my water broke! I went into labor at 41+4... I would try to hold out as long as you can, but trust me, I do know how miserable it is!!

I got pitocin to help DS turn from posterior to anterior because he was having a tough time coming out posterior. When they asked to give me pitocin, I opted to get an epidural as well because I'd been in labor for 26 hours & I was exhausted. I was 9cm dilated. I was trying for. A natural birth so I'm happy with how far I got without intervention.

Yeah pit was no joke for me. My ob was really transparent about asking for the epi. He was like " don't get caught up in numbers, just ask for it when the pain is too much or starting to get to be too much, the research shows it only prolongs your labor on avg of 10 min". That gave me a lot of reassurance. They had removed the cervadil, broken my water and then started pit. So then (pretty soon after) I had three big contractions while up trying to get to the bathroom that rendered me immobile and I was like "yep that's it I'm done". Anesthesiologist was there in 5 min and I was happy as a clam right after. I had been induced. I think I had the baby 6 or 7 hours later? I just didn't waver; the pain was intense and I was like, yep it's time!! I'd didn't go into the experience trying to be a hero; I wanted a safe (and enjoyable? Is that weird?) experience and getting pain relief early on 100% accomplished that for me!!

I was induced with pitocin, started at 3cm and 80% effaced. They were gradually increasing the pitocin and I labored for 5-6 hours fairly easily - obviously contractions and pain but not too bad. Then all of a sudden my contractions went from a 4 to a 10 on the pain scale, and they were so frequent - 30 seconds long, but coming every 45 seconds, so only a 15 second break. It was at that point that I requested the epidural because I could NOT handle and received it about 30 minutes later. They didn't check me often, but based on timing of the whole labor I'd guess I was about 6-7cm when I got the epidural.

I was induced and started the Pitocin right away. DS started having heart decels so they turned it off after awhile. They made me get an epidural then because they thought they'd have to do an emergency c-section due to the decels. Fortunately, we figured out the problem was that DS didn't like me lying a certain way. Started the pitocin again and all was well.

While I got the epidural earlier than I would have liked, it did make my L&D super easy and comfortable. No regrets. However, getting the epidural in when I wasn't contracting hurt like mofo! I could feel the needle creeping up each cm in my spine.

I was induced. Got epidural at 3cm, and then maybe got pitocin like 2-3 hours after? From the time I got epidural till I started pushing was probably another 6+ hours. I think I could've waited a little bit to get epidural since I was still just having bad cramps at that point.

@Kbee: They told me I could make suggestions and take the lead from the beginning since I was pretty upset about the induction. I told my nurse it was too much so she monitored me and adjusted it. That was a reason they chose pitocin over cytotec, because it could be turned down or stopped.