Is natural labour easier or harder than induced labour?

I was induced with my first baby, my labour went for 4.5 hours but was so intense for the entire duration. I remember begging for an epi (Missed the timing for it) and a c-section (I must have been desperate!) but ended up only getting a bit of gas for it and just somehow making it through. By far the most painful experience of my life and hardest thing i've ever had to do.

Now that was only 11 months ago and i'm due again in January with our 2nd baby. Needless to say it's all still a bit fresh in my mind and i'm petrified! I know women who have nothing but great things to say about epidurals but have also heard horror stories so have not made up my mind about them as yet.

I guess what I want to know is, does natural labour hurt less than induced? Does it go for longer (much longer?)

Is there anyone that has done both, how did you find the experience comparatively between them?

I haven't done a natural birth yet, but I'm sure hoping it will be different. As I understand it, the intensity of contractions is much greater on syntocin, and the absence of endorphins (released with natural oxytocins) and absence of a build-up in labour compound this effect. The other complicating factor with a lot of inductions is that because of the greater risk to you and baby, they have to monitor you a lot more carefully, which reduces your mobility and ability to cope.
Every birth experience is different though, so there's really no telling what it will be like this time round. I feel sure it will be better, if only because I will have more freedom to do what I need to through labour.

Have to do the school run but quickly:

Have done both. natural is better, not "easier". During natural labour i got proper rests in between contractions.... with my worst induced labour there was no break... it was just one long exruciating contraction. My third labour had to be induced but my doula helped me argue to keep the syncotin dose as LOW as possible... it helped but if i had the choice i'd go natural natrual natural!

I've only had natural, but in my (inexperienced!) opinion, a natural labour is "easier" than an induced one. With an induction your body might not be quite ready to start the labour process so things might not be as loosened up and it all happens so much faster with syntocin being fed into you, rather than your own hormones producing it and making things happen.

Having said that, every birth is different, so it's probably a bit hard to say!

I've only had 3 natural births - although the first they came in every few hours and muttered "ifthisdoesn'thappenfasterwe'llhavetoinduceyou " and the second I was supposed to get induced the day I had her, so I've had close calls :) Had gas for pain relief, so could move around and whatnot, which helps apparently.

I didn't find any of them *that* bad. Bloody painful yes, but not impossible to deal with. And it just magically stops hurting the instant you get given the baby at the end, which is fantastic. Endorphins rock! If you are allowed to move you end up finding a position or rocking or pointing a shower at you or being rubbed or just ANYTHING that hurts less, and being able to choose your own position is nice. I guess that is the 'empowering' bit the natural birth activists keep harping on about. I may have been young and utterly uneducated at my first birth but I got the birthing ball, bath, beanbag etc despite not knowing they were even options and walked out of there with the baby afterwards so it can't have been *that* bad.

Goes to show education helps but hospital policy helps more :)

Maybe "easier" was the wrong word to use.... I don't mean easy in general, I think what I mean is kinder on your body than induced? ( If that makes sense). Going from 0 - 10cm in 4 hours was almost unbearable, and i'm not suggesting that natural labour is "easy" but perhaps hopefully just a bit kinder on the body making it easier to cope?

I think the real reason I want to know about this is because if it's significantly more bearable than last time I might give the epidural a miss and just go the gas again, if it's the same as last time though i'm considering having it despite the associated risks because I honestly don't think I can do it again.

People always say that once you've done it once you know what you're in for and are more prepared, is it normal to be this petrified 2nd time round if the 1st birth wasn't "traumatic"???

I have done both too. My first labour was induced with Syntocinon and took 9 1/2 hrs. I went into labour naturally second time and it took 15 1/2 hrs. I agree with Bathsheba that natural was better even though it was longer I managed to sleep through the first half of my second labour and stay home until the final 3 hours where as I was awake for the whole first labour in hospital so it seemed longer.

Also as Bathsheba said there were more breaks in the natural labour and a slower build up hence the ability to sleep between contractions. I managed both on gas. Both had a similar level of pain towards the end but with the induction I remember the contractions being on top of each other at the end where as there was still some spacing in the natural labour right up until the pushing phase. Interestingly I never got the urge to push when I was induced but I did with the natural so I wonder if that was also affected by it being driven by artificial hormones and my body not quite being as ready.

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I haven't done a natural birth yet, but I'm sure hoping it will be different. As I understand it, the intensity of contractions is much greater on syntocin, and the absence of endorphins (released with natural oxytocins) and absence of a build-up in labour compound this effect. The other complicating factor with a lot of inductions is that because of the greater risk to you and baby, they have to monitor you a lot more carefully, which reduces your mobility and ability to cope.
Every birth experience is different though, so there's really no telling what it will be like this time round. I feel sure it will be better, if only because I will have more freedom to do what I need to through labour.

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I've only had 3 natural births - although the first they came in every few hours and muttered
If you are allowed to move you end up finding a position or rocking or pointing a shower at you or being rubbed or just ANYTHING that hurts less, and being able to choose your own position is nice. I guess that is the 'empowering' bit the natural birth activists keep harping on about. I may have been young and utterly uneducated at my first birth but I got the birthing ball, bath, beanbag etc despite not knowing they were even options and walked out of there with the baby afterwards so it can't have been *that* bad.

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It's funny you both say that because besides the odd "check" of my cervix, I was encouraged to labour in the shower, bath, however and wherever I thought might help. I was in the bath for awhile but the last hour or so all I wanted to do was half lie down on the bed and thought there's no way I can possibly move!!!

I think you just pointed out one of the possible downsides of inductions right there, TTC2!

I have only had natural labours. But I don't think you can say that one is easier or harder then the other - because it depends on the person and the labour. I have had 3 very quick labours. Quick does NOT mean easy. The intensity of contractions went from 0 - 10 in about 2 mintues. Nothing made it easier. It was full on the whole time. I couldn't move for most of it, without extreme agony and was constantly uncomfortable even in the very breif moments between contractions.

I have had people who have been induced tell me that that is much harder. Maybe for them it is (although how these people can make that call when they have been induced everytime is beyond me, they haven't experienced anything else). For me, the only way it could be harder would be for the intensity to be the same but the time to be drawn out longer (and then maybe not because I might then have an oppertunity to try some drugs :lol: ).

It is no use trying to compare your labour to anyone elses - they will be different, as are own individual pain thresholds. It isn't even that possible to compare your own labours to each other, because these vary depending on a lot of different factors two.

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I think you just pointed out one of the possible downsides of inductions right there, TTC2!

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Yeah I think so!!! I am assuming this time I'll go naturally, not induced. I'll cry if they tell me they need to induce me again!!

My sis has had both she told me if I can help it not to be induced because she hated it. Her body pretty much went from zero to one hundred contraction wise in no time whereas with natural your body gradually works it's way up In intencity giving you time to get your head around it.

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I have only had natural labours. But I don't think you can say that one is easier or harder then the other - because it depends on the person and the labour. I have had 3 very quick labours. Quick does NOT mean easy. The intensity of contractions went from 0 - 10 in about 2 mintues. Nothing made it easier. It was full on the whole time. I couldn't move for most of it, without extreme agony and was constantly uncomfortable even in the very breif moments between contractions.

I have had people who have been induced tell me that that is much harder. Maybe for them it is (although how these people can make that call when they have been induced everytime is beyond me, they haven't experienced anything else). For me, the only way it could be harder would be for the intensity to be the same but the time to be drawn out longer (and then maybe not because I might then have an oppertunity to try some drugs :lol: ).

It is no use trying to compare your labour to anyone elses - they will be different, as are own individual pain thresholds. It isn't even that possible to compare your own labours to each other, because these vary depending on a lot of different factors two.

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This is true... I guess I was just hoping that natural labours might be kinder on the body because it's prepared itself for it, rather than being forced to start prematurely making it a bit easier to cope with the pain, even if it is the same intensity.

I'm not trying to compare my labour to others either, just hoping that some women who have had both induced and natural might be able to shed some light onto how they coped with both comparitively. I do understand quick doesn't mean easy as I said earlier, my choice of words when making the title of this thread was wrong.

Ive had two induced labours and one natural labour and for me the natural was oh so much easier and less painful. That said; I didnt find my induced labours ridiculously painful but compared to natural labour they were worse. All my labours were less than 3 hrs and drug free. Odds are your next labour will be a bit easier compared to your first regardless of how it occurs, I think mentally your better prepared. You did a great job having a drug free induction; just remember that youve done it once and are capable of doing it again. Then just take it as it comes :)

I haven't read the other responses. For me, my natural labour was easier by far than my induced labour. I had alot of pre labour with my natural labour and wasn't even convinced I was in labour when I went to hospital. I actually only went in for some panadene and sleeping tablets because I hadn't slept much in days. But when I got there they checked me and I was 8cm dialated and almost ready for my baby to come. With my DD I was induced and went for no contractions or anything to contractions on top of each other in a few hours. I was in the labour room for almost 23 hours in labour it was only that I was sooo determined not to have a c/s that I managed to stay there that long, plus I think it was a pretty busy night for the midwives and ob's so I got away with it! I was threatened with c/s a few times and then after pushing for about 2hours, they threatened me again, and then with a vacuume extraction. It was only that the ob took so long to come to me that I managed to push with ALLLL my might and get her out on my own.

I wasn't having a go at anyone. :)
Just trying to point out that you never know what you are going to get or how it is going to go until it actually happens, and then there is nothing to say that things would have happened the same or differently if you were / weren't induced.

My labours have all gone from nothing to contractions 2mins apart and full on straight away. If I had only had inductions I might think the induction was the reason. But this is just how my body does things (apparently).

So if you had a quick intense labour with an induction. You may have a slower labour without, BUT you may also just have another quick intense labour. You won't know until it happens.

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I wasn't having a go at anyone. :)
Just trying to point out that you never know what you are going to get or how it is going to go until it actually happens, and then there is nothing to say that things would have happened the same or differently if you were / weren't induced.

My labours have all gone from nothing to contractions 2mins apart and full on straight away. If I had only had inductions I might think the induction was the reason. But this is just how my body does things (apparently).

So if you had a quick intense labour with an induction. You may have a slower labour without, BUT you may also just have another quick intense labour. You won't know until it happens.

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Ah but wouldn't it be nice if we knew ahead of time... I think it's a design flaw. I think i'll just tell DH he can birth this one, i've had my turn. :p

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

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.

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/

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.

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Yeah I think so!!! I am assuming this time I'll go naturally, not induced. I'll cry if they tell me they need to induce me again!!

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Maybe rather than cry - fight for the birth you want. Do the research, make the decisions with your DH and go into it with a plan!

You WILL be great. It WILL be different.

Inducement MUST be harder.... The body isnt ready thats why you need the intervention!

I know you have a great bunch of girls in your Belly buddies thread :rofl: Get their support behind you!

I think it depends on how you handle it really. I have had four very different birth experiences. The first being induced and the second augmented. They were my hardest (and most complicated) compared to the 2 natural ones. However #3's natural labour hurt a lot more than the induced ones because the labour went really quick (2 hours) and i never got time to focus. They were pretty much on top of each other from the beginning. My recent one was just under 5 hours and my contractions never went less than 7 minutes apart until transition so it was really quite easy. I had long rests between them so they didnt feel as bad and i was able to concentrate on them a lot easier than with #3.

So yes induced labours are usually harder than natural. But natural can be hard too. Concentrate on your breathing (i recommend a calm birth course) and focus on your body and baby and you will do fine.

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...?

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!