https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 02:03:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1813585 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 10:10:50 +0000 jetsa 1813585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: my midwife told me once they start it, it's highly unlikely they'll stop it because they don't want you to stall. They did turn mine down at one point early in labor because I wasn't getting a break between contractions but during transition I begged for them to turn it down and they wouldn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1813524 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 09:49:40 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1813524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Yes, I have an apt with the doctor today and want to talk to him thoroughly about what the process will entail. And I want to know what my "rights" are and what I can ask for! </p> <p>@cheert16: Yes I don't want to stall either! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1813516 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 09:47:30 +0000 cheert16 1813516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an induction at 42 weeks- and they stopped the Pitocin so I could go in the birthing tub for a bit to relax- although at the time I didn't know it would stop all contractions and I would have to start over again (knowing that now- I wouldn't of stopped!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1813503 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 09:44:30 +0000 Anagram 1813503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I think asking about doses as you just said is a great idea. I feel like so much of this depends on your doctor and the nurses you happen to get at the time.</p> <p>My doctor was great--I didn't have an induction but my natural labor stalled--I said I didn't want Pitocin at first and wanted to see if I would dilate on my own (I was contracting like crazy and 100% effaced but not dilating past 5) and he left for hours and didn't come back! So no Pitocin for a loooooong time. By the time he came back I was begging for it to speed up the labor (by then I'd been in labor for 20 hours or so).</p> <p>But the labor nurse I had was a total B who kept telling me I couldn't do all sorts of things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1813453 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 09:31:08 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1813453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to bump this to see if anyone else had suggestions? </p> <p>I've read to make sure they are starting with the lowest does (2mu) and to try to wait as long as possible before turning it up (30-60 minutes between adjustments). </p> <p>Any other suggestions for using Pit? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451863 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:50:07 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1451863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My midwife and doula told me that it NEVER hurts to ask/advocate for yourself. So if you need a pitocin break, I'd ask for it - the worst they can say is no! Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451765 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:25:11 +0000 LomaLinda 1451765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My doctors orders for my induction were for the pitocin to be at the lowest level possible for the first 8 hours (I was there overnight) and then for the pitocin to be bumped up gradually from there. She called it a "gentle induction." I was in full blown transition by the time the nurse came in to bump up the pitocin, and I begged her not to turn it up, but she did anyway and didn't believe me when I said I didn't need any more pitocin!! I felt so powerless, but was too busy having a baby to fight with her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451712 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:07:10 +0000 jetsa 1451712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: My dr told me that it was highly unlikely that they would turn it off once it was started because they wouldn't want your contractions to stop and labor to stall. That said at one point during my labor my pitocin was too high and I wasn't getting a break in-between contractions and they did turn it down, I felt the same way at the end of my labor but they wouldn't turn it down then because I was in transition.</p> <p>ETA: Mine was always below 6 units, the only time it was that high was when it was unbearable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451691 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:59:49 +0000 bushelandapeck 1451691@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I ended up needing a small dose 6 then 8, before my body kicked into labor on my own (water had broken 18 hrs before). I never needed a higher dose and was able to manage without an epi. I'm not sure I would have been able to if they had turned it up much more and I was clear with the team that I wanted as little as possible. They were great about respecting that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451688 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:58:52 +0000 junebugmama 1451688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: that's too bad. I would have asked to speak to a doc/midwife . Sometimes nurses are just following orders </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451683 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:58:00 +0000 heartonastring 1451683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Yep, you can definitely ask/tell them to turn it down.</p> <p>In my experience, they had to jack it WAY above the normal maximum (normal max was 20, they had me at 28/29....not sure what units they were using) for my contractions to fall into a regular pattern. That led to contractions that were double-peaking, lasting 90 seconds, with only a 30 second break. It also led to fetal distress, but when they tried to turn it down, my contractions slowed and spaced out to the point that they were no longer effective...hence, csection (well, it was also due to maternal fever).</p> <p>Mine was a classic case of the 'cascade of interventions,' but, I wasn't comfortable going past 42 weeks without inducing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451677 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:56:34 +0000 ShootingStar 1451677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They wouldn't turn it down for me, just for the sake of turning it down. I had an induction and that started with a foley catheter at 6pm, by 2am I was contracting on my own. They still did pitocin and when we had an issue with the baby's heart rate they turned it down and my contractions continued. But later the issue resolved and the pit was back on and I was interested in continuing without it so I wouldn't need the constant monitoring (baby kept moving and causing problems) and the nurse shot me down. At the time it didn't occur to me to ask a doctor because she seemed pretty adamant that they wouldn't want to just turn it off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451676 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:55:17 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1451676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@junebugmama: Yea. But I guess I would consider that natural labor kinda tapers on and off as your body progresses and you would think they would be ok with letting you have a pit break if needed. I just wonder if I could have avoided my epi (not that it was a bad thing) if I could have asked for a short break </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451664 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:52:36 +0000 blackbird 1451664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes you can always request this! My nurse was really awesome about asking if it was ok to turn it up. I said yes until it got to 14, and then i was like, "hey, let's leave it". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451659 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:51:09 +0000 junebugmama 1451659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I think it's always good to remember that it's your birth and your body. You can always ask for anything and something like that, they should be willing to do. </p> <p>The issue with pit is that it usually puts the contractions off of the charts and for most woman it's not a gradual intensity like when your body goes into labor on it's own. It feels like going from 0-60 in minutes, so it's harder to deal with. At one point they had me on the highest dose. I remember telling my husband that I wanted to die. However, the contractions were coming at a normal pace, just destroying my pain threshold </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451632 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:44:04 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1451632@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@junebugmama: Thanks! I just wondered especially because you hear mommas getting epidurals during pitocin just so they can get a break or get some rest. I was curious if they would let you have a break from pitocin! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451612 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:40:28 +0000 junebugmama 1451612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Everyone's body will react different to pitocin. I have attended births where the lowest dose (I think it's 6 units) will put a mama into active labor in a very short time, and others where a full dose gets almost no reaction. Most care providers will start with the lowest dose and increase as needed. </p> <p>During my own induction I did ask at one point to have the pit turned down. When they did the contractions ceased. They also stopped it twice to let me eat dinner, and they stopped then too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451579 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:31:48 +0000 artsyfartsy 1451579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They turned it off at one point because his heart rate dropped.</p> <p>I thought about asking them to start me off on a smaller dose than normal, but knew I probably needed the extra to get going. I wasn't at a good progress level for an induction to begin with so I didn't ask. But they did end up starting me off small and building it up so it seemed okay. Still ended up with a c section though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451561 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:28:00 +0000 lilyann 1451561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>During my induction, they definitely turned the pit off/down to help with my son's heart rate. But I would think you could make that call on your own as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-you-ask-them-to-turn-down-pitocin#post-1451542 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:25:21 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1451542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just curious, can you ask them to turn down pitocin during an induction? </p> <p>I hear about how the drug increases contractions much faster and stronger. I get the need in an induction to get contractions going, but is there a reason for increasing the amount of pitocin just to meet the "timeline" of a hospital? </p> <p>Has anyone successfully asked them to turn down the pit to let you contract but let your body either rest for a bit or take its time? </p>