Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end of your pregnancy.  Now, perhaps, you are facing an induction.  Whether because your due date has come and gone, you or baby are facing a medical issue, or even for scheduling purposes. 

Being induced doesn’t have to be scary.  There is a lot of research out there which states inducing a pregnancy can up the chances of an emergency c-section.  I do not doubt that this is true, but what you do need to consider are the actual statistics.  The cesarean rate for an unfavorable candidate is just barely over ten percent.  When you sit and think about that, it’s not so scary because that means nearly ninety percent still end in a happy vaginal delivery.  The other fear I constantly hear is that the drug pitocin (which is often used to induce labors) creates absolutely unbearable contractions that will completely shatter any hope you had of having a natural unmedicated childbirth.  Personally, I have labored both with pitocin and without, and don’t really recall a difference pain wise.  You won’t really know how your body will react until it’s time. 

Going into the situation assuming that pitocin is going to ruin you ability to have a med free delivery probably will, but if you go in fully aware that not only have people done it, but some prefer to do it, you might have a greater chance at success.  Of course, in my opinion it doesn’t matter one way or another if you get an epidural.  I don’t plan to get them during my deliveries, simply because it takes a bit longer to recover.  However, I am well aware that you don’t receive a medal for delivering without pain medicines.  You get a baby, and you get one of those regardless.

-Stephanie Wright