Pitocin Question

Hi Ladies,

due to high blood pressure my doctor wants to have me induced at the hospital on June 17th (about a week before my due date).  I'm not sure what method(s) they will be using at this point but assume a pitocin drip may come into play.  Anyways, my question is this: when connected to a pitocin drip, are you allowed to get up and walk around or are you pretty much restricted to the hospital bed?  I know that with most drips you can still walk around but is the use of pitocin more restricting (because there are some risks associated with it)?  Does anyone have any advice/experience with this?  Like everything pregnancy related, I'm sure this will vary from person-to-person but I'm curious if there is a general rule of thumb.

[alikat1205]

i was restricted to bed.  

[AndiJ78]

I was as well. What they did for me was gave my cervadil (but most use cytotec because it is cheaper) I was stuck in bed for that and allowed to get up an walk around between that and the pitocin.

[spade22]

Thats what I thought.  I was hoping I would get to walk around a little as I tend to get a little "antsy" when in a confining/restricting situation.  I still dont know the method of induction at this point (or I may go into labor on my own before that) so I will have find that out at my next appointment.  Im also guessing that because I have had an issue w/ my BP I will be hooked up to monitors etc. too to make sure Jazmine isnt under any stress.

[DML100607]

I was restricted to bed, but not because of the pitocin but because of the fetal monitor around my belly.  

[peekawho]

As long as you are on Pitocin, you will be monitored.  And for the most part, unless you have a hospital that has ambulatory monitoring (the vast majority do not), you will be restricted to bed, up to urinate only.

The risks associated with Pitocin are mainly the risk of fetal intolerance of the stronger contractions that can be produced with it.  The baby must be monitored during its administration.  

And with hypertension, you will probably be furthur restricted to laying on your side.

[spade22]

Thanks for the information guys.

Well, at least it sounds like its possible to get up to use the restroom (unless I have the epidural) so its not 100% absolute bed restriction.  I was hoping to use some of the birthing aids such as a birthing ball along w/ a little walking and maybe shower/bath to help with the labor but it sounds like that wont be the case if this is the route I end up having to take.

Another Q:  once contractions are nice and regular w/ the pitocin is the drug typically stopped (i.e. does the body start producing oxytocin at that point) or is it administered until the time of delivery?

[ma2isiah]

Wow- peek- I didn't know most hospitals don't have telemetry units!
I assumed all hospitals had ambulatory (telemetry) monitoring. I work in L&D and our patients can be in the tub, walking the halls, using the birth ball. It is sometimes hard for us to keep the baby on the monitor, but it is SO much better for the patients to be up moving around. I can't imagine being stuck in the bed. When I had my baby I was only in the bed for the actual delivery. And I was high risk on pitocin. I don't think I could have had an unmedicated delivery if I had been stuck in the bed.
Spade22- ask your doc and see if they have telemtry.
Sometimes we stop the pitocin once in active labor, usually we turn it down, but most of the time I would say it stays on at least at a low dose until delivery!

[spade22]

thanks for the info - I will definitely check with my doctor next week.