I am very anti-routine induction for reasons other than the mother's or baby's health. Just my own opinion though, no offence intended. I think it's important and healthy for the baby to choose it's own birth date where there are no problems, as the medicines used in induction effect the baby. The contractions are harder and more frequent, sometimes on top of each other in an induction. Just hypothetically, imagine being dunked underwater where there is no oxygen. It would be okay for a short time. Imagine being continually dunked under there and for longer with no or little breaks. The contractions of the uterus reduce the blood supply hence the oxygen to the baby. For some this will result in fetal distress. This will often result in medical carers suggesting an emergency caesar or other things like that. Once you are on the drip, they will tell you you can't get off it because there is the chance the labour will stop. That's what they will say.

Yes, many inductions go on without an apparent hitch, but like Shannon, I was augmented and would NEVER go through that again not on the basis of the knoweldge I have now, but I vowed that as soon as I had birthed Marisa. The pain was constant, intense and I don't want to go there again. There are natural things you can do to help, I think these should be the only port of call unless something happens which requires intervention. Every labour is also different and pain can be from all sorts of things, baby's position, mum's position... my convenience will always come second to my baby's needs - I would just hope for my baby's entrance into the world to be as gentle and welcoming as possible.

Just my 2c - but we are all entitled to our own choices and decisions of course.