I would expect an IM to have at LEAST 5/6 births a month, otherwise how do they make a living? She should have a backup person in case she can't make it to yours. If not, I'd talk to her about how she handles it or find another IM. Most private OBs attend more than that many births a week. It's just that they have backup. IMO, $3500 is quite cheap for the service you get with an IM. Ours cost nearly $4500 and that included all ante-natal & post-natal appts, and birth attendende of 2 IMs. Given our appts were in our home and lasted at least 1 hour I saw that as great value. Where her value really came in was during the birth. It was her expertise and advocacy which ensured we had a low intervention birth when we ended up in hospital at 35weeks with a breech baby. For us, we don't want to have another birth without her, whether that's at home or in the hospital. But we'll now budget for it and might be able to do shared care.

I think your main issue is the pain is overwhelming. I undertand that - I had SPD so bad I was on crutches. I was way over it by 29 weeks. I saw an osteo or physio every week, had acupuncture, moved as little as possible. Sadly, there's nothing you can do until baby comes out. You can treat it, but only birth will reduce the pain. If you're sure you want to be induced, then obviously you want to leave it as long as possible for bub to cook more. I think they say every day in the womb is like a week in the NICU (I cant remember). Saying that it may be that bub decides he/she is over it too and decides to come at 37 weeks.

You can still plan a low-intervention birth in hospital. You can still prepare for as natural a birth as possible. (I'd research ways to minimise damage to your pelvis during birth and have they highlighted in big letters on your birth plan- the last thing you want is forceps for example)

I'm sorry you're in so much pain. It is very difficult to deal with. I wish we had public funded homebirth like NZ or UK so you weren't in this position. It sucks.

Maybe ask in the HB or SPD sections how many ladies had SPD, how severe it was and how long baby stayed inside. I'd be interested to know that myself.