Pit to Distress

While I feel very lucky that all the births I've attended thus far have been induction and pitocin free, I know there will come a day when a client faces pitocin.

With all the birthy information that I read about or talk about on a daily basis, I have not heard of this. Honestly (and unfortunately), I am NOT surprised. The fact that there is even a need to inform women of this, disgusts me.

"Pit to Distress": Your Ticket to an "Emergency" Cesarean?

“Pit to distress.” How have I not heard about this? Apparently it’s quite en vogue in many hospitals these days. Googling the term brings up a number of pages discussing the practice, which entails administering the highest possible dosage of Pitocin in order to deliberately distress the fetus, so a C-section can be performed.

Yes folks, you read that right. All that Pit is not to coerce mom’s body into birthing ASAP so they can turn that moneymaking bed over, but to purposefully squeeze all the oxygen out of her baby so they can put on a concerned face and say, “Oh dear, looks like we’re heading to the OR!”

Ok, so here is my advice.

First, read the blog entry from Jill at Unnecesarean (above).

Next, read my blog on Labor Induction.

Next, don't induce unless it is medically necessary.

Finally, do some research on pit protocols and ask your doctor and hospital what their policy is. Do they jive? Does it sound like too much? Will they agree to a lower or slower pit induction?

If not... RUN.

Shame on OB's that practice this way.