Planning
If you have a labor induction, you will have to discuss this with your physician first. Likely reasons for inducing labor include going past your due date, a health condition that could endanger you or the baby or your water breaking without labor ensuing afterward. Once the decision is made, you may or may not have time to preregister with the hospital in which you will be delivering. Preregistering will save you time once the actual day of induction arrives.
Pre-Labor
Once you are admitted, a nurse will place an IV in your arm or hand. If your cervix is ready, the nurse will administer Pitocin through your IV. If your cervix isn't ready yet, you will be given a vaginally administered medicine to ripen it before Pitocin is administered. Common drugs for ripening the cervix include prostaglandins, misoprostol, mifepristone and relaxint. If you think you may want an epidural, you also will receive preparatory fluids through your IV. You also will have two belts placed around your belly. These belts hold small monitoring devices in place. These devices measure the baby's heart rate as well as the frequency and intensity of your contractions.
Labor and Delivery
Once the Pitocin enters your body, you probably will experience mildly to moderately painful contractions. Your bag of waters may or may not burst on its own. The nurse or doctor will periodically examine your cervix to see how far you've dilated and effaced. If you have been in labor for a considerable amount of time, the doctor may insert a small instrument called a cervical hook through your vagina in order to rupture the membrane that contains the amniotic fluid. Usually after the bag of waters breaks, your contractions will intensify in frequency and intensity. Once your contractions are frequent (about three to four minutes apart) and strong (lasting for about one minute), your Pitocin dosage will be increased. During this whole process, you may or may not opt to receive IV drugs for pain or an epidural. The administering of pain medication as well as the process of actually delivering the baby are the same as that of a non-induced labor.
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