Oxytocin to speed up labour

[Twinmumof2]

I wanted to know about other people's experience of the drip to speed up labour. I had it during my labour when I had my twin boys - I don't really know how it affected my experience - it was my first pregnancy (and last). It was a traumatic experience, I had a severe hemorage and my boys have an undiagnosed developmental disorder. Anyway just wanted to hear about what other people experienced - both good and bad
thanks
Vicky

I only have one child too but my experience of the induction drip (is it called syntocin?) is that neither I or the baby tolerated it well. It caused his heartbeat to drop so badly I then had an emergency delivery. Never again for me.

But I do feel that a lot of the issue was that when I couldn't tolerate the syntocin, the hospital kept trying for another 18 hours. Rather than going straight to c-section which is later what all the doctors agree they should have done. So there were lots of issues, not just the syntocin drip.

However, other people I know have had a perfectly good experience resulting in a natural birth with no trauma.

Since you wanted experiences, there is mine but like I say, many people I know have had a different one. Good luck with everything.

I also had a bad experience I'm afraid as I ended up with EMCS

I was induced on Wednesday evening. Waters went on Friday. Contractions over night Saturday/Sunday. I was 3cm dilated by 11am Sunday morning, but contractions had disappeared.

So I was put on the syntocin drip at about noon. I refused an epidural at that stage. However the contractions came fast and furious and were very painful. I had every form on pain relief up to and including epidural. Baby had to have a clip on her head to monitor her blood oxygen levels.

Baby was delivered vaginally at 8pm, both she and I were fine and healthy.

Despite being a roller coaster ride and finding the pain frightening, it was fine and neither of us suffered any ill effects. I don't regret any of it.

I had the drip and had no issues. Ds was born 6 hours after the drip started, contractions where bareable on gas and air. The only issues I had where that he was back to back making the pushing stage harder.

I had it & mine was a very traumatic experience too, ending up in an EMCS. This time I'll be going for natural VBAC or ELCS - no drip for me! Well as long as my consultant says so

Sorry to hear about your bad experience :(

I had it to induce me after ARM. I had preeclampsia so it was that or a section and having had one section already I didn't want another.

Labour was fast for a first, less than 6 hours, and I used G&A and diamorphine to get through it. Overall I felt it was really positive though, no intervention, just poor DD was doped at birth because she arrived only 2 hours after the diamorphine was administered. It was very, very fast - I really felt like the pain was manageable and fine because I was getting breaks but with the drip speeding everything up all the time it becomes like one big contraction with no time to get yourself together for the next one and that was frustrating and made me panic.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat though.

Just for balance - I had a great experience with it. Got to 8cm at home after 2 days labour, then everything slowed down, I
stopped dilating and contractions were getting further apart. Transferred to hospital, had drip for 1 and a half hours, the last 38 minutes were spent pushing - baby completely fine all the way through, I only had small grazes and only needed gas & air throughout.

I was apprehensive about the drip because of all the horror stories but when it started it was actually really great - contractions were stronger but productive, I still had time in-between them and I immediately knew I could do it! I wouldn't say it was more painful, i never felt like I needed any more pain relief, it was actually really intense & satisfying and I enjoyed the whole experience. Don't think I would have given birth vaginally and so quickly and easily without the drip,

I had a good experience too. My waters broke the day before, labour slowly started but wasn't progressing, so I had first an epidural put in and then the syntocin drip. I went from 3cm to 10cm in 2 hrs, took a little nap, then DS born after 20 minutes of pushing (no intervention), very quickly and easily. Was very glad I had it as avoided complications and baby in distress from being in unproductive labour too long.