Pictocin for placenta?

Question

Im planning an all natural birth in a hospital. We will be doing hep lock as required by my hospital, but no medications. 
I just found out today that it's standard practice at my hospital to give pictocin for delivering the placenta and helping the uterus contract back. This doesn't bother me a great deal, as it won't be affecting baby, but I still was caught off guard by this news. What are your thoughts on this? I kind of would prefer not to, but need to discuss with my dr as well.

Answer

In my opinion, routinely giving a drug as a preventative measure when chances are your body will naturally know what to do is a bad idea. Unless you have signs of any problems, I'd definitely refuse!!

Answer

I wouldn't take it just because. Pitocin is still a powerful artificial hormone and can still affect your oxytocin production post birth. Plus thimerasol, a preservative in Pitocin, is not fully understood and nay have some sketchy side effects. On top of that, thimerosal has a half-life of 10 days! Pitocin is a great medical advancement and a great thing to have if you need it, but I would do more research before just accepting is as standard procedure.

Answer

It's really important to do so that you don't hemorrhage or have excessive bleeding.

Answer

Recent studies have shown that any dose of Pitocin before or after labor increases PPD by 32%. My hospital also does this but I have it specifically written that Pitocin is not to be given unless I am actively hemorrhaging which is what the drug is supposed to be used for. Alot of hospitals won't tell you this but this is done routinely because it can take up to an hour, sometimes longer, for the placenta to deliver itself naturally and typically there is 1 possibly 2 MW's on staff with many laboring women and the MW must stay present until the placenta is delivered. They are needed at every birth so if your taking to long to deliver, they need to speed you up to keep rolling through patients and make more money. Honest truth.

Answer

My bestie just had her little 3 months ago and she found out after the fact that she was given pitocin to help deliver the placenta. They gave it to her with out telling her and she was pissed. Id definitely make sure you're clear that you don't want it.

Answer

Just giving it out routinely is not ideal. However, I had a home birth and was in labor for over 34 hours so my midwife recommended it to me and I did it. No regrets, there was a concern that my uterus would be exhausted after that and have a hard time expelling the placenta. Sometimes interventions are needed and necessary.

Answer

I talked to my OB about it last time (3rd birth) and requested he not do it as standard protocol and rather wait and see if it was needed. He agreed, even though I was at risk due to a previous hemorrhage after my 1st birth, and guess what? I didn't need it! I'm *SO* glad we didn't too, bc I had it after my 2nd birth and it was awful - those contractions were the worst. After my 3rd I felt so much better and recovered so much faster. Will be doing the same this time - if it's needed then fine, but hoping it isn't!

Answer

I was going to sign the waiver to not be given pitocin for the afterbirth. However, my iron came back low and I didn't want to bleed out. My mom has experienced major blood loss during surgery. I didn't even notice the pitocin while delivering the placenta. I did have strong cramping during recovery and first week or so of breastfeeding. Who knows what the cramps would have been like without pitocin. It worked in the fact that I didn't have heavy bleeding.

Answer

Just realized I've been spelling it wrong, oops, pitocin!

Pictocin for placenta?

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey