How do you make a hormone??

(photo from https://www.facebook.com/NaturalMumOnTheCheap)


This is something I wish I had learned in nursing school. They taught us that Pitocin was just synthetic oxytocin. I didn't know it had totally different effects until I became pregnant and started doing my own research.

Pitocin causes contractions to be stronger and longer, making it much more painful for the mother, and decreasing oxygen supply to the baby. It can also wear out the uterus much faster because its forcing it to contract at a different pace than it would otherwise. All this combined makes the mother more likely to want pain relief measures, since contractions are so much more painful than they would be otherwise. If she gets an epidural, it can slow down her labor, causing them to up the dose of the Pitocin. The contractions can become so intense that the baby begins to go into distress, causing everyone to have major concern (for obvious reasons) and leading to a possible c-section.

And on top of all that, Pitocin blocks the release of natural oxytocin.

Now, plenty of women use Pitocin for numerous reasons and haven't had these complications. I have nothing against women who chose to use Pitocin, I don't think they're "weak" or "stupid" or "ill informed." I just prefer to not use it if i don't have to.

Anyways, that's my rant about hormones. As Ina May Gaskin said "The same hormones that get the baby in, get the baby out!"

To answer the question in the subject line: Don't pay her. ;)