Baby number five...Pitocin, never again!

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

Rayan's Birth Story

Clovis, California

March 19, 2003

If I knew then what I know now, I would not have consented to Pitocin (a medication administered intravenously to induce or speed labor).  Dr. Bradley was quoted as saying, "A good obstetrician has been defined as one equipped with a broad rear end and the good sense to sit calmly on it and let nature take its course."  Unfortunately, too many labors are rushed and c-sections performed due to the impatience of doctors.  The only good thing is that as a childbirth class teacher, I can talk about Pitocin from personal experience.

I hope you enjoy reading these birth stories.  Please let me know if you'd like to share yours. Now on to the story...Baby number five...Pitocin, never again!...

As with the other four pregnancies, I worked up until I delivered Rayan. In fact, my water
broke at home at about 4:00 a.m. and I still went to work at 8:30. I worked hard to finish
up all my duties, knowing that I would be quitting forever after delivering this baby.

At 9:00 a.m. I called my doctor and spoke to the nurse. I told her that my water had
broken at four but I really wasn't experiencing any pain. She asked if I could come in at
1:00 to see the doctor. I said sure and continued to work.

At noon I drove home to get my husband. We went together to the doctor. He checked
me and confirmed that I was dilated to "five." He called the hospital to announce my
admittance and said he'd meet me there later.

We walked the short distance to the hospital and checked in. I wore the fetal monitors
without complaint. I was feeling very little pain and the monitors were not bothering me.
The nurse asked me several times to rate my pain on a scale of one to ten. "Zero," I'd
answer, "in fact, I'm not sure if I'm having contractions or not."

"Oh, you're spiking all right," she replied as she watched the monitor. "We have women
screaming for epidurals at these peaks!"

"I don't feel much," I said.

The doctor came to see me after his office shift. He said that I hadn't progressed much
from the time he checked me in his office. He was concerned because my water had
broken over twelve hours earlier.

He used a hook to "finish" off the bag of waters. After an hour there was still no change in
my condition, and I was still not feeling any pain. He was becoming more concerned and
pressing to start a Pitosin drip to "help things along." I refused.

Finally by 11:30 p.m. he told me that if I didn't have this baby soon he'd have to take him
by C-section. I reluctantly agreed to the Pitosin. The nurse set up the IV and
programmed the dosage. The drip started and so did the contractions! They came on
hard and fast. I went from absolutely no pain to unbearable pains, one on top of the other.
Within ten minutes I had delivered the head. I immediately turned to the nurse and yelled,
"Turn it off!"

I was glad the birth was over. Even though the pains didn’t last long, they came on so
unnaturally fast that it was a horrible experience. I was glad to hear, once again, that I
had not torn and there would be no need for stitches.

Both baby and I were released to go home the next afternoon. Rayan nursed for twenty-
six months before weaning himself...and on to the next birth story...