inductions

[2CheekyMonkeys]

just want some opinions about inductions. i have been monitored for high blood pressure the last month or so. i went in today and it is quite high again so they have booked me in to have the baby monitored and my blood pressure monitored over and hour period to get a more accurate reading. they said that if it is still high tomorrow they will look at inducing me. i am due in 3 days and i have a bishop score (from internal examination) of 3, and have heard that inductions can hurt a whole lot more than natural births!! if they tell me they want to induce me, should i agree or should i try to hold off a couple more days to see if things progress naturally? what are your induction experiences in regards to pain and complications?

[Fi]

You will get many different opinions on this matter.
I was induced at term + 11days, and it all went pretty quickly, so I was very lucky.
But if your body isn't ready for an induction, it may result in extra intervention for you, which isn't great. BUT at the end of the day your aim should be healthy mum and healthy bub.

If you have any issues with the baby and your blood pressure, and your medical providers are suggesting a induction for this reason, I suggest that you listen to their advice - not ours! Sorry, that sounds really rough, but at the end of the day we are talking through an internet connection that really has no backup for you.

So my opinion - if the blood pressure is bad enough for them to be concerned - go for it. If you ask their honest opinion, and say you would like to hang on a little longer under monitoring, and they are OK with that, do that. They may be perfectly happy to monitor you for 2-3 hrs a day and keep you going a little longer. Its all suggestions that you can put to them and hopefully they will work something out with you.

Dont be scared of an induction - they aren't great, but its a whole lot better than any potential complications due to your blood pressure.
I hope thats OK advice and good luck

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

You are allowed to say "no" to an induction, the doctors cannot force you to have it! In the birth and gentle birth forums there's quite a few statistics on how inductions are less natural and more painful; DH and I will be refusing inductions for reasons of "lateness" (though not refusing for a genuine medical need).

Can you take your blood pressure at home? The Office Effect is well known, and if your BP is fine at home then they have to accept that. Also, if you can't force your body to relax, fewer fluids cause a lower BP, so you could try not drinking for the 4-5 hours before your appointment. Not that I would advocate cheating on tests, of course... but if you drink a lot just before your appointment that could sway your test upwards a bit.

Sorry, I have no experiences of induction, just wanted to let you know that you can say "no" to any procedure! Despite saying that, I do agree with Fi - if it is a medical problem, the doctors should know what they're doing!

[Lucy]

Hollo......

Just my experience, but I will be honest and tell you that I will be doing anything to avoid an induction after my previous birth.

With Olivia I delivered vaginally without intervention or drugs, and whilst Olivia got a bit stuck (shoulder distocia) I still managed to deliver her OK, and the whole birth experience (7 hour labour) was tough but wonderful.

Because of the of the shoulder distocia, and a guestimate on the size on my 2nd baby (Charlie), and a change of OB (I moved interstate mid pregnancy), I was persuaded to be induced.

Whilst I still had a vaginal delivery, without any pain relief, with Charlie, the speed of the labour and the crazy intensity of the contractions and the whole process was just freaky.....and so scary.....I didn't feel like I had any control at all. Charlie's labour was only 2 hours........fast and furious, and I went from nothing to constant contractions in minutes, and it was just TOO MUCH! And whilst I am still proud that I delievered him OK without any subsequent drugs or intervention, I feel really robbed of the overall birthing rythym that I had with Olivia. Especially as Charlie was only 6lb13 and came out like a bar of soap and no issues with the shoulder distocia.

I am now pregnant again, and I am INSISTENT that this time round I will let nature take its course.........no induction for me.....

Not sure if any of that helps at all? I am no medical expert in relation to blood pressure issues though, that may shed a different light on the need for an induction for you.......

[christy]

Hollo, have you read the articles on the main site about inductions? I would have a read of those just to get a clearer picture, there is even one on natural induction methods which may help things along at home

Like Lucy, I had an awful time of it. I was induced 16 days post EDD and wound up with every intervention eventuating in a c/s. This time I am not allowed to be induced as I am trying for a VBAC and to be honest I love not having that pressure to worry about it.

[*Rae*]

Hollo - i've recently read an induction article found on the bottom of Kelly's (bellybelly) posts. It really made me have a good think about inductions. But if u've got BP concerns u need to do what is best for u and bub whether that is ir isn't about going through with an induction. Good luck

[Tigergirl1980]

As the other girls have said you have every right to decline an induction. But if it's for your health and baby's health then you really need to consider it. My BP was ridiculously high at the end of my pregnancy and I developed pre eclampsia at 37 weeks 2 days and was induced 3 days later as my blood pressure couldn't be controlled even with medication.

If it really is medically necessary then you need to have it done but if it can wait then I would definitely decline. If I don't develop PE next time even if I am overdue I will not consider being induced, I am more than happy to wait.

[BellyBelly]

If your blood pressure doesn't settle or respond to medication, an induction can be done but a few things.

If your cervix is even slightly open they can break the waters instead of an artificial oxytocin drip (syntocinon) straight up. It gives your labour more of a chance to let the hormones work more naturally and has less chance of increasing the risk of fetal distress and other effects for you and your baby. If they use a drip, they can start the drip really low, around 20, and go up in increments until you are labouring at what they want you to. At any time, you can ask for the drip to be turned down or off, I have done this several times in births and the labours have continued normally without it, right until birth. Ideally you wont need synto, it's not nice, but at least know your rights and options with it should it get to that. They may entice you to have an epidural to help with your blood pressure, yes this will lower blood pressure but in effect, oxygen for your baby. This, especially combined with syntocinon, can increase fetal distress especially when pushing leading to assisted delivery. Epidurals also lead to ineffective pushing so you can see how one little thing can mean many in the bigger picture. So aim for the least, if you need more, then you at least know that there are things you can say no to or negotiate.

[kristi14]

Hi,

If they want to induce you, do it.

Many people have very different stories to tell from having inductions, some say its heaps more painful, others were fine, i have had both.

My first baby was induced due to high BP. They put the first lot of gel in and i was contracting within 5 mins (i have since been told i am allergic to the stuff so they will never use it again), i progressed to 3cm over 8 hrs when they broke my waters. Once they broke my waters my body went into overdrive and went too quickly for everyone. It was extremely painful and despite all the drugs i got pumped full of (epidural, gas, pethidine), none of it took effect until my baby was out.

Now that sounds awful i know BUT, i had an emergency induction 18 mths ago as my baby was in distress and it was the best labour i have ever had. They broke my waters and put on the cyntocin drip. I had her in 1 hr and 4 mins with no drugs what so ever. Not even gas, no epidural, no pethidine. It was intense but i would not say it was painful at all. I had a really good experience and i recovered so quickly.

So there is 2 very different stories of induction in one person. If they want to induce you just let them, they wont suggest it unless its necessary and every womans experience with induction is so very different.

Good luck with the birth

[taz]

If they are suggesting you are induced for the good of yourself and your baby then you shouldn't even have to think twice about it. I had a friend with BP problems, she ended upwith pre eclampsia at 34 weeks and was eventually given an emergency section, her bub was in picu and she was very touch and go for 3 days, she had stalled for as long as they would allow her to and it nearly had a very sad ending, with her second she had pre eclampsia at 36 weeks and opted of a section straight off to avoid the problems of the time before.

As for those of you refusing induction for going over your date, whilst i can understand your reasons it's not something i would ever do now, again after a friends experience, she was allowed to run 17 days late due to confusion in her due date, she had begged to be induced at 10 days over but was refused as her scan date only made her 4 days over, she was given an appointment for 17 days over, she wasn't happy about it but was told she had no option, when her watrs broke it was obvious that her little boy had poo'd in the waters, he died 3 days later due to what he'd ingested. They sued the hospital and at the enquiry were told that had he been born 2 days earlier he would have been fine.

Taz

[2CheekyMonkeys]

thanks everyone. of course i would go ahead with an induction if the docotors recommended it for the safety of the baby!! i was just asking about experiences because i had a feeling that the blood pressure would be down again and it was. it seems to go up, and down, up and down. i was more worried that they would say well you blood pressure is fine now but since you are so close to your due date we will induce anyway and in that instance i dont think i would have wanted to. luckily that didnt happen. i just have to go back again and again for check ups. thanks again everyone for your advice and opinions.