To induce or not induce, that is the question.
The Boy was induced. He was 10 days late and nothing was happening. NOTHING WAS HAPPENING! I was huge, and kinda bored (I know, I know, bored…heh), and desperate for him to be born, so I bugged my doctor from a week before my due date until the day he was born for an induction. I was so thankful when they finally decided to induce me, even though it took 23 hours for him to make his appearance.
This time, I’m not so sure I’ll be as quick to ask for an induction. Yes, I’m not 9 months yet, so I may change my mind when I’m a massive cow waddling around my house, cursing evil crotch pain and my husband and the doctors and anything else that crosses my path. But for now, I’m really looking forward to not being induced.
You see, I’m assuming that this is my last pregnancy. I’d really like to know what it’s like to go into labour spontaneously. I’d like to experience what it feels like, counting contractions, even having my water break on its own. I want to be able to walk around the hallways because I’m not attached to an IV. I’d like to help labour move along on its own, even. Perhaps a sick part of me even wants to have a TV moment where I’m on the phone with my husband, screaming at him that it’s time, to hurry up and make it to the hospital, all while using that breathing technique that I totally didn’t use last time.
All that being said, being overdue was totally AWFUL. I’m sure I’ll cave at some point- both for my sanity and the sake of my overdue baby. But, for now, I’m stocking up on Raspberry Leaf tea, Spicy Foods, scrub brushes (I read that scrubbing your floor helps labour along?), and a whole lot of hope that I don’t have to play that long waiting game again!
How do you feel about induction? Did you go into labour on your own or did you get some medical help to get things moving?
After reading Jen’s comment, I just have to add that I was already 5cm’s dilated and 90+% effaced before I arrived at the hospital to have my membranes ruptured. With my daughter, I began dilating at 32 weeks, and with my son it was at 28 weeks, and both of my kids dropped in the 32nd week, so there was a very real risk that they would be born wherever I happened to be when my water broke. I had nightmares about delivering on my desk at work with my staff looking on! Though after reading about so many 30+ hour labours ending with medical intervention, chemical induction sounds pretty scary, too!
I was induced with Sarah a day before her due date, only because my midwife freaked out that the one blood pressure measurement she had taken was high. My BP had been fine otherwise. This reading was a blip. My body wasn’t ready for her to be born, but being it was my first pregnancy and I was anxious to meet my new baby, I was all for it!
Little did I know it would be the worst 30 hours of my life. They induced me at 10 pm, I laboured all night and by 8 am, I hadn’t even hit 4 cm. By that point I asked for the epidural and from 9 am to the time she was born (16 hours later) I was stuck in bed. I developed a back spasm, had the catheter inserted incorrectly which caused me excruciating pain when I tried to push, I barfed on the nurse. It was awful.
During Marcus’ pregnancy, I read up on lamaze techniques as I as determined NOT to go through that again. I didn’t want the epidural. I wanted my body to do what it was made to do – give birth naturally. I was 5 days late with him, went into labour around midnight and he was born by 7 am, drug free. I would do it again in a heartbeat IF I was having another baby.
So ya, I’m kinda anti-induction unless you are 2 weeks over your due date and/or medical issues have arisen.
I was induced with my first. I was 39w5d… It ended up as a crash c-section while I was 9.5cm (baby’d HR dropped below 50 and stayed down there). Babe spend some time in the step down after being checked out by the nicu team. We went home after 4 days.
My second was a midwife attended vbac. My water broke on my own at 38w3d (in wee hours of the morning while I slept), I completely wasn’t ready. Had to install car seats and back bags before heading to the hospital that morning. I showed up at 5cm, opt’d for antibiotics since I was GBS+. Labour was pretty easy, no pain meds were needed and I was in a great mood right until transition. I pushed that baby out, got stitched up and showered before heading home that evening.
I was induced with my first son (overdue by 7 days) and had not a bad labour all things considered – it was long and excruciating at times but I still got to walk around and go in the shower (I had a wireless baby monitor strapped to me) (awesome nurses)
So with my second child I really really really hoped I would go into labour on my own, exactly like you said. All that textbook stuff that you really want to do. My doc did a membrane sweep at my 39 week visit and two days later I went into labour all by myself, laboured for -let’s see…12 hours all together, but only the last two hours were really painful. Seriously. It was awesome (and then incredibly painful at the end.) (and then awesome again.) I recommend a good membrane sweep when you’re full term. 🙂
I was induced at 37 weeks 2 days because of the risk of Twin to Twin Transfusion and Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction. I made the decision knowing those risks. If I a normal pregnancy I would have waited for natural labour and had a drug free delivery with a midwife (I think – can’t say until you’re in the position, really).
40 weeks is an average. As Laura says, different moms and babies cook for different lengths of time. When they’re cooked, they’re cooked. Really, I think inductions should only be when they are necessary. Natural is best. That’s just my opinion though and you need to do what works for you.
Hopefully all will happen on its own before you are desperate to have baby out.
I was induced for my son even though I was only 2 days late. (OB kept saying that the baby was going to be REALLY big…) Fortunately he was an average 7 pounds 6 ounces. The induction was 24 hours for me. A few hours after my first cervical gel, my water broke and I had to wait for almost 12 hours for the epidural and oxytocin to get things moving faster.
I like the idea of waiting for labour to begin on its own, but…if a second labour were to take me longer than 24 hours…I’m all for some help.
Ultimately the baby decides!
Good luck : )
I think that going into labour naturally is best, because it hurts less and the contractions are much more manageable. That being said, I begged to be induced at 7 days overdue with my second daughter…it hurt like the dickens but it was fast and I’m glad I did it. You just never know how your body will react this time…here’s to a healthy delivery at 39 weeks. 🙂
My first was four days late, and I was so OVER PREGNANCY by then, I was begging for someone/something/somehow get him out. It started on it’s own, but stalled, and I ended up having a c-section.
Hang in there, lady… there’s a good chance things will happen as you want them to, not overdue, and easily. Anyway, everyone healthy, happy and whole is the goal, right? Sooooooo sooooooon!! xox
I wish I had had the chance to go into labour and yell bad bad words at my husband. Sigh…alas…stupid breach made this not possible. Can I still yell at him? Maybe for putting my clothes in the dryer?
I was induced with both of my baby girls so I guess I’ll never know what going into labour on my own is like. The labours were 5 hrs. each and fairly intense!
I agree with Jen that “letting nature do it’s thing is probably best for you and the baby”.
But in the end….baby makes most of the choices or tries to anyway:)
After labour started but stalled a bit they did the cervical sweep (VERY painful but effective) and broke my water (it was already “leaking”). This catapulted me into full-blown labour! Although it was great to get it moving it was really intense. I think letting nature do its thing is probably best for both you and the baby. Can’t wait to hear about it!
all natural here, baby. for me it was a pretty quick trip. but the uncontrollable “gushing” as my water broke and broke and broke (you get the picture) was starting to get irritating…cuz, y’know, labour is not? 🙂
I was induced with my first, it was a painful experience which was futile as I ended up needing a c-section. If I could do it all over again I would leave things up to nature as long as my baby was still healthy. Best of luck Sarah!
I know exactly how you feel. I was induced with my first 2, and I desperately wanted to go into labour naturally. With my third I ended up at 42weeks and 3 days. (still happy and comfortable though!) but my midwives were getting nervous. I had an ultrasound at 42 weeks that showed the baby was fine. Because I didn’t want to risk losing my homebirth and the midwives said they would have to transfer me to an OB I took castor oil. I drank the nasty at noon, mild contractions started at 3, labour began at 6pm and my 10lb 4oz baby girl was born in a pool in my bedroom. It was perfect!
I am currently trying for our 4th baby, and now I know that I just cook babies longer than most moms. I’m okay with that. I will go as long as I can, and have those ultrasounds after 41 or 42 weeks to make sure everything is okay and wait it out. I would do ANYTHING (castor oil, sex, nipple stimulation, herbs, etc) before having a medical induction. Each intervention leads to more intervention.
Start now thinking about your due date being a week later. You won’t feel so crazy then!
I was induced both times via broken membranes. My daughter was 10 days overdue and ENORMOUS. My son was 2.5 weeks early. Both labours were crazy fast, and I was grateful not to have experienced them on the bus or at the grocery store. I love the idea of a slow and steady textbook labour – it just wasn’t in the books for me!
I was scheduled for an induction, started off on my own the night before, but when it really wasn’t progressing, was given a pitocin drip to help move it along, anyhow. because of a heart rate wobble that did not go away after the drip was turned off and giving it a bit of time, that delivery turned into an emergency c in the end. so really? I’ve kind of had a bit of regular labour, a bit of induction, and a c, all in the same delivery!
I had the cervical rub…it got things going very quickly. I was early though but he wasn’t growing so they wanted him out – and without a c-section, given my singleness. It was excruciating. I started counting contractions but after 2 hours it was just one giant contraction. They broke my water for me so I never felt that either but frankly that and seeing the placenta were two things I had no interest in doing. I can’t WAIT to see and hear about your new guy!!!