Is it true that being induced initiates more pain during labor than a spontaneous labor?
Honestly, my induced labor was the best one I had. My first two pregnancies took forever. My first one was 24 hours long, stuck in a bed because my water had broken, and ended in a c-section. My second took 18 hours and when it came time to push, I was pretty darn tired and hurting pretty bad because it was back labor. The first two weren’t very painful in the beginning, but there was plenty of pain later on, especially the second one. There was also a bit of panic as I was exhausted from lack of sleep, the pain kept me awake, and unsure about my ability to go the distance once it was time to push. With my induced labor, well, I don’t remember it being any more painful than either of the times before, but I do know it only took 6 hours from start to finish and I was much more alert and in better spirits by the end of it.
A labor that is induced with Pitocin, the synthetic hormone commonly used for induction when the cervix is already ripe, is generally more painful than a natural labor for several reasons. First off, Pitocin is the synthetic form of the natural hormone oxytocin. Your body produces oxytocin in order to start labor when it is ready, and oxytocin induces uterine contractions, but it is also a powerful endorphin. Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as “the love hormone,” because it is produced during times when people are forming strong bonds. Falling in love produces oxytocin, nursing a baby, nipple and clitoral stimulation, all of those are among the body’s oxytocin triggers. It is a natural painkiller and mood booster. Pitocin can replicate the contraction-inducing effect of oxytocin, but not only can it not produce the painkilling or mood-lifting effect, it actually shuts down your body’s own production of oxytocin during labor. Besides the absence of your body’s natural pain relief resp
