should i have been induced?

[Mumaof2Angels20]

so as the question stands in the title.... Should i have been induced at my last appt which was 38 wks.... The doc said that baby was measuring at 40 wks and also have Gestational Diebeates.. I have been getting really swallon feet so bad that i cant even walk on them cause it hurts too much and my slip on shoes dont fit me..... My next appt isnt till my due date which is the 3rd jan but i feel like i should have been seen this week and that they should have done something about this... I had a c-section with my DD and she was only little so im stressing that this baby is going to HUGE and even bigger when i try to give by VBAC that it wont happen as it will be too big too pass through....

[Trillian]

I think that if your Dr was concerned, that he wouldn't have let you go any further and would have arranged another c/s for you. Induction when wanting a VBAC can be risky as it places undue stress on the uterus, and this increases the risk of uterine rupture. So that is why I would say that you weren't offered to be induced. Good for you though for wanting a VBAC - it's not easy to get a Dr to support you in having one.

As for the GD, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that having GD can produce a macrosomic (large baby over 4kg) baby. Plenty of women on this site have had GD and only had average size babies. Can I ask what the reason for your first c/s was? Unless you truly have a small pelvis, then there is no reason why you can't have a larger baby via VBAC. Trust your body to open up to allow bubs to be born and use gravity to help the baby descend by labouring upright - it can make the job so much harder to give birth flat on your back.

Good luck!

[BellyBelly]

The whole measuring thing is completely inaccurate - the height of your fundus changes with fluid levels, baby's position and also size - so most Obs don't even measure. I know mine never bothered. 40 weeks measurement for one baby will be 6lbs and for others it will be 8lbs - there is no perfect measurement as our bodies are different shapes and grow babies to accommodate based on our genes.

Induction increases the risk of uterine rupture as Sherie said. So he wont induce you.

You really need to get reading the articles on the main site to allay your fears:

The Truth About CPD (Small Pelvis)
Pelvises I Have Known and Loved
Birth As A Bowel Movement
VBAC - On Whose Terms?
VBAC - What to Expect

[Mumaof2Angels20]

Sheire: my birth plans in the beginning was to go into spontaneous labour and then if not it was for a c-section instead of induction as i had been told about uterine rupture..... But my doc has told me that it still quite safe... and i have been offered the induction but was told i had to have made my mind up at my last appt at 38 wks... Which i dont think is right..... If i want an induction i should be able to get one...

[Trillian]

Ok, that's fine, but if you want an induction you need to understand that with a VBAC, you really need to be careful. I think your Ob may have meant induction via ARM (Artificial Rupture of Membranes) and not synctocinon (drip) or prostoglandin gel, to have a drip/gel induction would be almost tempting fate with a VBAC, as the contractions are so much harder on your entire body. If that's what his plan was then he possibly can't break your waters yet if your cervix isn't favourable. If you only have you waters broken to start labour, it is still safe for a VBAC to be induced that way as you body still does it all on it's own. he may of needed you to know by 38wks so it could be booked in.

Ask him on your next appointment if you can be examined and go from there.

[RhiChiChi]

As for the GD, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that having GD can produce a macrosomic (large baby over 4kg) baby. Plenty of women on this site have had GD and only had average size babies.

I just want to second this. I had GD (diet & exercise controlled) though my pg and my DD was born at 40+9 and was 7ld 5oz.

[Mumaof2Angels20]

I was told that i would be induced be induced by the gel.... I was told that it was still safe and not as hard as being induced by the drip...

[Tobily]

I was told that i would be induced be induced by the gel.... I was told that it was still safe and not as hard as being induced by the drip...

It's doesn't really matter how they want to do the induction, the best chance for your VBAC is to go into labour on your own. Any sort of induction (even ARM, which doesn't always start labour within the "timeframes" they allow you for a vbac) carries a higher risk of you ending up in theatre again than you would have if labour starts when body and baby are ready.

I know that it really sucks to hear that, and it's probably not what you want to hear...I also know how you feel freaking out about the GD/Big baby issue because I had GD twice myself. As kelly already pointed out fundal height measurements are so useless many ob's and midwives don't even do them - I never had it done once in either of my GD pregnancies. So try not to put too much weight (bad pun!) on them saying the baby measures 40 weeks because it's more than possible that it doesn't.

Ultimately it's your decision, and it's soooo hard to think clearly and objectively when you just so miserable and uncomfortable and over it. But you're nearly there, see if you can hang in there just a bit longer...one day at a time