Getting Induced?

[*The_Mrs.*]

So I am having some extreme mixed feelings right now and would gladly appreciate any advice.

My Dr. informed me that if for any reason I wanted to be induced early she could induce me at 39 weeks. The thought of having my baby hear sooner is exciting and desperatly wanted. Yet, on the other hand I know that there are risks and I don't want to put my baby in danger for my own selfish wishes.

Has anyone ever been induced?
If you have how did it go, and would you do it again?
Would you recomend it?

[Indadhanu]

I wasn't necessarily induced but they used syntocin to augment when it didn't go 'fast enough' for them and if anyone ever offered it to me again (not that they would since it ended in a c/s) I would run a mile... I would RUN while in LABOUR. LOL!

Honestly, it HURTS. It brings contractions on hard and fast, you get tied to the bed by monitors, which puts an active labour out the window, and even if they only use gels or ARM, they put you on a time limit that is almost impossible to beat if your body just isn't ready for labour yet.

Unless theres a medical reason I would REALY advise against induction, especially before due date! Your body and your baby just might not be ready for it yet.
I personally would wonder about an Ob. who offers that... ?

[*The_Mrs.*]

Yeah, the more and more i read up on it, the more and more i DONT want to do it.
I sounded good at the moment, but now it makes me nervous just thinking about it. i think I will continue to take EPO and RLt though, as it is all natural. That way if i do go into labour I will know it was naturally and not with Pitocin or gels. And the thought of an emergency c-section sounds awful!

[berrme]

I had an induction at 38 weeks due to preeclampsia. My ob told me at the time that there was in increased risk of c/s at the time, but we didn't really have a choice, except elective c/s. It did end in a c/s but due to my bp etc, not the induction itself.

I agree with Leasha; it is painful quickly. Also, because my cervix was not ripe, I required the prostoglandin gel to make me dilate. This meant more cervical assessment and things/hands being stuck up there more than if you go into labour spontaneously. I would imagine that at 39 weeks with your first there is a good chance your cervix would not be favourable, and that makes your chances of success lower. I was allowed to walk around while it was just the gel, but once you are hooked up to the drip monitoring is required.

Besides the risks and discomfort for you during labour, there are risks for the baby. It is quite possible that your baby won't really want to be out until about 42 weeks, so you would be taking them out weeks early. It is much better for them to be born when they are ready, not when mum has had enough.
Not having gone into labour myself the first time made the second time around more stressful too, as I didn't know what to expect; how many weeks would I have gone to? would it have been a long labour? Would I lose my plug/ have my waters break early? Basically all the stresses of a first time mum were mine again the second time round when I felt like I should know what I was doing.


I would recommend waiting to go into labour yourself unless there is a problem with the pregnancy going any further. My second pregnancy I went into spontaneous labour and it was a much better experience. We all get impatient, just hang in there. It will be worth it in the end.

[BellyBelly]

Who cares about it hurting, unnecessary inductions put the mother and baby at risk... did you know you can have a uterine rupture from induction? Its not just a VBAC issue!!!! I'd be getting myself seriously informed if I were you...

To induce or not induce
Natural induction methods

I think your care provider is being very negligent by putting this option on the table to make their life easier. It certainly doesnt mean a safe option when you could have a safe, healthy birth without one.

[Fleur]

I'm surprised your Ob offered this to you?

Personally, I would be saying no. Like berrme said, we all get impatient. I think that's part of the experience... when you do go into labour you are much less concerned with how much it's going to hurt... at least it's happening!

I was induced with DS2 and that ended in a CS... most likely due to issues that were there prior to induction, but still the whole experience overall was not too pleasant.

With DS1 I went into spontaneous labour at 40+12. By that stage I was just about ready to rip him out woth my bare hands!
But clearly he was ready & so was my body... we had a great labour & birth experience.

For myself, I'm trying not to get too hung up on when bub gets here (I know, sooo much easier said than done) - they come when they are ready, usually sometime after WE are ready - these are likely to be the longest few weeks of your pregnancy (for me atm!) Just relax & enjoy cookin bub to perfection

Good luck

[SugarDust]

I was induced with my 3rd due to him being small for dates!

I would not recommend it because when they out the drip on the contractions come thick and fast and really irregular.

I say let nature take its course and see how you go!!

[Nelle]

I know it can be difficult in late pregnancy. Honestly though, my first labour was 11 hours, and my second was much shorter (neither were inductions though) and I can highly recommend the labour where your body gets more time to warm up and get going. In labour I will take the marathon over the sprint any day.

Perhaps it will help you to think how special it will be if your bub gets to choose their own birthday? That helped me be patient, to hang in there and wonder which day they would choose. I also just imagined myself going a week past my EDD, so I wouldn't get impatient too soon.

In the meantime, keep putting your feet up as all good pregnant ladies should () and arm yourself with knowledge on good ways to labour, positions you might find comfy (though a lot of that is instinctive), breathing through contractions, write some birth intentions/wishes down, make sure your partner knows how to support you.
Here are the BellyBelly birth articles, I know I found some really helpful when I was pregnant for the first time.

[AnnaChas]

I was induced at 38 weeks and 3 days due to blood pressure issues and issues associated with my diabetes. While my obs and I were aiming for a natural, non-induced labour, it was something that needed to be done. I was very apprehensive about it, however my obs was fantastic. The whole experience was a lot better than I had expected - but I am sure that was due to my obs trying to make the labour as 'natural' as it could possibly be given the circumstances.

I had the prostoglandin gel initially on Thursday night, then they let me sleep. I got checked on Friday morning, more gel was applied and another check on Friday afternoon, then again on Friday night - no more gel was applied at the afternoon or evening checks. On Saturday morning, at 6.15am, I got my waters broken and then we waited. The drip was inserted, but from what I could tell, the dosage was kept fairly low the whole time. My dilation went along nicely, my contractions did come in hard and fast, however it was not anymore painful than I was expecting. This being said, I do have a fairly high pain tolerance, so I don't know if that made any difference. DS was born at 4.31pm.

Although I was initially apprehensive about the induction, I was happy that it was done and was pleased with the way it went. I do think, however, that it was a better experience than I expected because my obs was fantastic. She didn't rush the whole process more than necessary.

[Nelle]

Anna That's probably the most laid back induction I've ever heard about. I'm glad your ob tried to imitate a natural pace a bit.

[Lulu]

Hang in there - the last few weeks of preg can be uncomfortable, we've all been there.

Let bubs come on it's own, if there is no reason to induce don't do it!


gl xoxoxoxo

[AnnaChas]

Anna That's probably the most laid back induction I've ever heard about. I'm glad your ob tried to imitate a natural pace a bit.

Nelle, I know - I was expecting a completely different experience, and almost had myself in quite a state when we first went into the hospital. The whole process was so laid back that I was even reading a book for a while during the morning, laughing with DH and suggesting what he should be twittering (we were trying to keep family and friends here in Oz and overseas up to date with the progress of the birth).

[AnnaChas]

Oh, and I also had a sleep for a couple of hours!