Labor Augmentation to Speed up Childbirth

Once your labor starts, it will most likely keep moving forward or progressing through its normal stages. Though every now and then labor will slow or stop. If your labor is stalled, you may require what is known as an augmentation of labor. Speeding labor up, or an augmentation of labor means that medical or natural techniques are used to help labor back on its path. This may restart or speed your labor up.

How Augmentation of Labor Is Done

There are two main approaches to the augmentation of labor: the non-medical way or the medical way. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but it can be done in multiple ways including both medical and non-medical simultaneously. Here are some of the more common ways to try to speed up your labor:

• Breaking your water
• Nipple stimulation
• Other natural techniques
• Pitocin
• Walking

Some labors are simply naturally slower and labor augmentation is not needed as a medical procedure. Your OB provider might suggest helping speed things along for convenience or to help minimize fatigue or your stay in the hospital. Often augmentation is indicated for the health of mother or baby. 

Labor Augmentation for the Health of Mom and Baby

Labor augmentation done for the health of the mother or baby may include reasons like the rupture of membranes before the onset of labor in a mother who is Group B Strep (GBS) positive; or the mother has a fever of unknown origin and the doctor or midwife is trying to minimize the time spent in labor.

Readjusting Our Expectations of Labor

One of the issues is that we are so used to watching birth shows on television where it looks like birth happens really quickly. The truth is that there are studies that have found that labor is actually taking longer today than in previous generations. And even when we have an idea of how long labor should take, it may feel a lot slower (and more painful) than expected while you're experiencing it.

It is important that we talk about the appropriate time to go into the hospital or birth center in labor. Many women are showing up in very early labor, when they may be more comfortable at home, and are admitted prior to 4 centimeters dilation. This increases the likelihood that they will have added interventions and that includes augmentation and potentially a C-section down the line for failure to progress.

Many times, trying to force labor to go more quickly can cause us to create problems that were not previously present in labor. One example might be that there can be a higher risk of fetal distress when medications like Pitocin are used to help speed up labor.

Questions to Ask

If your midwife or doctor is suggesting an augmentation, there are a few things to ask first:

1. Why do you think labor is not progressing quickly enough?
2. What reason do we have to make labor go more quickly?
3. What options are there for augmenting my labor?
4. Are there alternatives?
5. What happens if we wait for a period of time?
6. How would an augmentation change my birth plan? (Would I still be allowed out of bed? Would I require extra monitoring?)

In the end, the decision to augment should be made in an informed way between you, your partner, and your doctor or midwife. If you need more information or time before making a decision, be sure to ask.