Is natural labour easier or harder than induced labour?

[jlk]

I've had natural & induced labours neither was easier or harder than the other.

[Visitor7]

My first was an induction with the drip. Contractions started 2 minutes after the drip went in, and they were coming every 2 minutes for the entire labour (9 hours). It was a full on labour and I felt I had no control at all at any time.
DD2 was natural. Contractions started pretty much the same as DD1. 2 minutes apart for the entire labour (6 hours). But I felt in control. It was a really nice labour/birth.
DD3 was nautral as well, but contractions were much more intense than the previous 2. I didn't feel in control at all. That was 3 hours.

So for me, my easiest labour was with DD2, my hardest labour was with DD3.

[BellyBelly]

When you say induced labour it's a bit misleading. There are a variety of methods, variety of drugs used (all with different side effects and potencies) and also the dosage used on the woman. A synthetic oxytocin drip (syntocinon) can be much worse than just having your waters broken. First births are generally longer and second births shorter and your body has had a chance to experience birth, so I think it's easier.

There is loads of info, and clips in the induction forum: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...n-information/

[BellyBelly]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fPauJEy7fc (the references to Pitocin in this clip is just the US name for Syntocinon) Highly recommended viewing.

Induction of Labour - To Induce or Not Induce? (long article but contains women's experiences in it too).

You have to remember, when you're being induced, even if you have an epi (which is highly likely with an induction with synto), your baby still feels it and gets compressed blood and oxygen supply as the uterus works harder than it would naturally, so more likely to go into distress and have a c/s. While you may not feel it, your baby does.

[Indadhanu]

I laboured naturally and also after being augmented with syntocin, and I don't know about the 'easier vs harder' comparison, but the 'natural' contractions were definitely more... natural. They felt different, started-peaked-finished and I had a defined rest (however short it was, it was still a rest!). With the syntocin it was not unusual for me to have three contractions in a row without a break or rest, and a few times through my labour (once the syntocin had been started) the contraction hadn't even actually finished before another one started. It was all very unnatural, and really hard to deal with.
BUT that might not me normal, that's just the way my body reacted to syntocin. Might be because of the stage of labour I was in with the natural contractions vs the augmented ones.

It's really hard to compare, but I think the main thing is that it's not natural, it's not your body, it's something external telling your body what to do when your body (and your mind as well!) may not be ready for it, which can make it harder to deal with. I think that's why the intervetnion rate of induced and augmented labours are so high...?

[MaggiePie]

My first labour contractions started at five minutes apart and quickly came to two minutes apart and lasting for a minute. I did all the 'right' things, eg walked, stayed upright etc and then 15 hours later was still only 3cm and absolutely exhausted. They gave me an epidural and the drip to speed things up and 3 hours later when they came to check the baby had started crowning (ie my body was delivering the baby by itself as I lay on my side resting, numb from the waist down). When I started to push she went into distress and I ended up having ventousse and an episiotomy.

My second time around my waters broke at 38 weeks. After having contractions 20 minutes apart for 36 hours they decided to give me the drip to bring on 'proper' labour to deliver baby and prevent infection. As soon as the drip went in the contractions were very strong, but no stronger than with my first. My son was born 3 hours after the drip started and I recovered so much quicker having a shorter labour. I was never exhausted and managed with the gas for the last 30 minutes.

Given the same circumstances I would do this again (the drip) as I felt that my long intense labour with my first was so exhausting I took ages to recover, and I feel it also stressed the baby. The quick labour was intense but not more so than the first. Hopefully though this time my body can do it all by itself!