https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:00:35 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-321675 Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:47:46 +0000 London Mama 321675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on how your induction goes, if the gel/ balloon gets your labour going and it progresses well so you don't need the pitocin to move the process along, you may not need an epi. I also think it depends on how long the labour takes, as others have mentioned you may be so exhausted you need it.</p> <p>I was induced and opted for the epi after 30 hours, just couldn't deal with the increasing pain due to exhaustion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-321663 Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:34:57 +0000 rachiecakes 321663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of my close friends did. She's actually on here (@Candi), gonna nudge her onto this thread. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-321588 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:53:13 +0000 sarac 321588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was first induced with cervadil. I labored on that for 12 hours with no pain meds, and it was tough but doable. Sadly, I didn't progress, and the next step was a foley catheter induction. Which worked and saved me a csection, but there is no way in hell I'd suggest that without pain meds.</p> <p>My policy was - natural birth, no meds. Women are built to give birth. When my birth became unnatural, I wasn't interested in suffering that. I got a 'king sized' epidural. That didn't work very well, but still. Better than nothing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-154114 Thu, 10 May 2012 12:57:36 +0000 prettylizy 154114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had pinto in and no epi..... Just remember, one contraction at a time, and you can totally do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-153934 Thu, 10 May 2012 10:56:52 +0000 kml636 153934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a friend that did it. She was on pitocin for hours and pushed for four hours without an epidural. She had taken the Bradley method classes and she said she barely got through it but she did it! So it can be done. </p> <p>For me, I am going to try to have a natural birth without pitocin, but if I have to be induced I might go with an epidural because from what I'm reading it is so much harder once they start the pitocin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-153931 Thu, 10 May 2012 10:54:50 +0000 autumnlove 153931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced and tried to go without meds but caved in when I was 7cm dilated! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-153927 Thu, 10 May 2012 10:52:02 +0000 erinpye 153927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a very high pain tolerance (for example, I broke my arm as a kid in a nearly compound fracture and wasn't sure it was broken), and with the pitocin, I needed an epidural for the last two hours of labor. Pitocin makes contractions unnaturally close together, longer and stronger and many women who have birthed both with and without it say it's much more painful with. My contractions were a minute long and 2-3 mins apart for hours-- it wears you down. My advice is to have an exercise ball to bounce and move in circles on. I also had back labor (which the epidural didn't end up touching) and so while on the ball, I had DH rub the base of my spine as hard as possible through every contraction. I kept telling myself, "ok get through 5 more contractions," and then once I did, I'd tell myself I could do 5 more. For some reason counting helped a lot. Even with all of the pain, it was the coolest experience of my life and I'd be happy to do it the same way next time, pitocin and all. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143486 Tue, 01 May 2012 11:02:38 +0000 LuLu Mom 143486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No experience but good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143466 Tue, 01 May 2012 10:54:14 +0000 WiLLoWtReE 143466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure what I meant to say but spanked was not it Haha ... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143438 Tue, 01 May 2012 10:25:22 +0000 WiLLoWtReE 143438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced per say on 4-20. My situation was a little different bc I was already dilated to 5 and 90% effaced. I was hooked up to pitocin though and had a drip throughout my labor. It was difficult because you don't get much of a break between contractions but it was spanked for me. My advice is to stay upright and walk and use different positions... Just being on my back for cervical checks was nearly unbearable for me :) Don't beat yourself up if you aren't able to do it though, I tried to keep an open mind. The important thing is a happy healthy baby :) good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143198 Tue, 01 May 2012 08:33:55 +0000 T.H.O.U. 143198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced and ended up with an epidural but I was open to having one. </p> <p>I had cervidil placed in the evening and by morning my water broke naturally. I was able to labor naturally until late afternoon when they started some pitocin and I got my epidural. If I had pushed them I probably would have been able to go without. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143175 Tue, 01 May 2012 08:22:04 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 143175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I heard that induction is more painful than going into labor naturally. I was induced but ended up getting an Epi 4 hours after my induction started. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143139 Tue, 01 May 2012 07:58:05 +0000 loveisstrange 143139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced and did it naturally after my epidural failed.... I can't say I recommend it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143119 Tue, 01 May 2012 07:41:56 +0000 heffalump 143119@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No experience with that, but good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/induction-without-epidural#post-143117 Tue, 01 May 2012 07:41:03 +0000 bpcmarj 143117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since I am a full week+ "overdue" at this point, and wasn't dilated as of yesterday, I am thinking ahead to a possible induction. My midwife does not offer epidural, and it's not something that I have planned on having during birth. Has anyone been induced and then still had the natural childbirth they originally wanted? Stories on what to expect would be great! :) </p>