WWYD? cervix isn't opening, overdue.. etc

[ithappened]

My cervix is showing NO signs of opening/labor. I am just over 40 weeks going into 41 at the moment. Baby is measuring 95% for everything.

My OB has said a few times now my cervix 'might just not open' (is that even possible? ) This is my first child and probably our only.

The doctor is fine waiting until I am well over 2.5 weeks 'overdue' to try an induction.. if the induction fails, I will have to have a c-section she said.

My placenta is calcifying already. . . but otherwise I have had zero complications during my pregnancy.

I am debating at this point if its less invasive/traumatic to just schedule a c-section for Dec 18th or if I should try an induction on a cervix that has apparently no interest in cooperating anyway.. ?

She said on pit I would be allowed 4 hours and if there were no signs of my cervix opening, she wouldn't continue it because it would just be unnecessary drugs/stress/work for me. (on a side note: the women in my family were all induced at 42 weeks, most failed on gel but not on pit).

I am wondering if its more invasive to try an induction which the Doc feels will fail if my cervix isn't open then it is just having a c-section scheduled for 42.5 weeks?

Has anyone been in this situation before? I could use some personal experience and stories (good or bad)

[jeliphish]

What have you been doing to move things along yourself? I would choose induction over elective abdominal surgery at all costs. There is nothing "less invasive" about a c/s at all... Baby is born with wet lungs, it can take longer for your milk to come in due to the physical stress, it has a high chance of blood clots... The list goes on and on.
Walk, have sex, start taking epo, talk to your baby...
Good luck mama.

[kltroy]

I was in this exact situation with my VBAC baby. Even at 41 weeks and 0 days there was a whole lot of NOTHING. The following morning I woke up with ctx and my baby was born at 41+2 days (around 3:30 AM). Sounds like your doctor is trying to scare you "your cervix might not open" - seriously?? How many women's cervix just doesn't open? Anyway, as long as there's no medical reason your baby needs to get out, just sit tight. You can have your doc try a membrane sweep or repeated sweeps a couple days apart. Otherwise, schedule a non-stress test for 41 weeks and then schedule something FUN for yourself to do each day. Lunch with a friend, a trip to a museum, a prenatal massage, etc. One day you'll wake up and say "ooh i have to cancel my plans!" It's tough waiting, but really the risks are very low if you have had a healthy pregnancy. Sounds like your doc is willing to give you until 42.5 weeks. The good news is that only 5% of babies go beyond 42 weeks, and it's probably just a couple percent that go as long as 42.5 weeks. At that point it's probably time to get the kid out anyway. And I would be really really surprised if you go that far AND you didn't go into labor really easily once the induction started.

For now, just try not to worry about it - and I am serious about scheduling something for each day. It really helps with your mental outlook. Your baby will be here before you know it.

[S.Elise]

I would add to the wonderful list of tips two things - (a) spend some time each day squatting, and (b) spend some more time examining whether you are holding on to this pregnancy for any reason - fear about the birth, concerns about being a mom, issues with the partner, house renovation project still not quite done yet....NOT to suggest you have any of these things, but I really believe that sometimes this can be in our minds and just admitting it and clearing it can remove the impediment.

[Juvysen]

Consider using Evening Primrose Oil - you can get the gel capsules and insert a couple vaginally each night. They soften the cervix (but won't put you into labor). They do this via prostaglandins just like what's in semen that softens the cervix. I recommend wearing a pad or something because it can be a little messy overnight when they're sitting in there all night. Obviously, though, the closer you can get them to the cervix, the better. My midwife actually recommended I start this at 37 weeks last time because I was induced for being overdue the time before. I sort of slacked off but did do it on and off. The night before I went into labor, I did do the EPO, though...

At worst it softens you up to make an induction easier/more likely (or does nothing)...

[ithappened]

What have you been doing to move things along yourself?

sex, RRL infusions a few times a day until I can't drink they anymore, exercise, EPO oral and vaginal, enemas, I'm considering black/blue cohosh at this point..... I am upping my EPO vaginal to 1500 a night and hoping that does something..

The good news is that only 5% of babies go beyond 42 weeks, and it's probably just a couple percent that go as long as 42.5 weeks. At that point it's probably time to get the kid out anyway. And I would be really really surprised if you go that far AND you didn't go into labor really easily once the induction started.

THANK YOU, that is hugely encouraging to hear..

spend some more time examining whether you are holding on to this pregnancy for any reason - fear about the birth, concerns about being a mom,

I know I am fearful of a c-section and I have fears about becoming a mom (because we have no support here and its just me/my DH) . . I need to find a way to let those things go. . I feel like I am on a timer with my OB which just adds to the stress.


My OB did say she is willing to do whatever she can to move things along in my cervix but it has got to open enough for her to at least be able to get her finger in there.. .. . . so she cant sweep anything or break my water unless its open.. .

[Juvysen]

what about if she used a foley (I think?) catheter? My midwife said that's one method of "induction" by stretching the cervix - basically they use a catheter that goes into your cervix and then sort of slowly blow it up like a balloon - it puts pressure on the cervix and causes it to dilate. Surely a catheter would be smaller than a fingertip?

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there...

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/induct...eycatheter.htm

[ithappened]

Juvysen- I did ask her about that but they apparently don't do that in this country

[mamabutterfly]

Just to say, 40 weeks is really far away from 42.5 weeks! What if you hadn't been checked at all and didn't know whether you were dilating? The most likely thing would be that you will go into labor on your own sometime in your 40th or 41st week! That is still absolutely the most likely scenario! Go ahead and think there might be an induction at 42.5, but whatever - you will probably be holding your baby that day.

(Does anyone around you do accupressure? Or could you get a prenatal massage? Does sound like it would help to really let your body relax).

Best wishes for a beautiful birth! Your body knows what it's doing, mama.

[ithappened]

(Does anyone around you do accupressure? Or could you get a prenatal massage? Does sound like it would help to really let your body relax).

I did find someone who does regular massage who can give me a massage pregnant so I am going to try to see her this week..

[flmommy09]

One more thing to think about--I didn't start my labor until 41w3d and then had 48 hrs of prodromal labor. I think the reason we didn't start labor "on time" and then had so long of an early phase may have been positioning. I never had any back labor, but maybe he was just asynclitic or something. Anyway, what ended up working for me (or coincidentally I did about the same time active labor started) was open knee-chest position for 45 min x2. Worth a try anyways!

[annekh23]

Induction isn't ideal, most people say it's worse than natural onset labour, but it's still preferable to a c-section. A straightforward c-section can be great (I know, I've had one!), but if there are other options, in my opinion the risks just aren't worth it, the main one being that you have around 3 times the risk of dying compared to a vaginal birth. Then there are wound infections, blood clots, excessive bleeding etc. some of the risks relate to subsequent children, so if this really is your only one, it removes those, but it still leaves an awful lot of risks!

My induction (I've done induction, natural onset labour and scheduled c-section, the only one I'm missing is an emergency c-section!) was at 37+4 with a fairly unfavourable cervix, it was done due to ruptured membranes and IUGR, I won't say it was easy and I did try to do it without an epidural, though didn't manage it, but even if it had ended in a c-section, I really don't think I'd have regretted trying it, you really can't predict how it will go.

The main thing I would say is that if the doctor isn't keen, it's quite easy for them to not try very hard, like only give one dose of gel, not see any results and say there is no point doing another, yet plenty of women give birth vaginally after multiple doses. Then with a pitocin drip, there are a huge range of doseage protocols they can either turn it up too fast (search for pit to distress), or not enough! Given your doctor is willing to do a c-section anyway, you can also negotiate for parameters on induction, avoiding what you fear of having a tough 48hrs followed by a c-section, but to have a careful induction, such as if multiple doses of gel are needed that you make sure you get a good rest between them, that kind of thing.

[mamaofprincesses]

With my second child, I was checked at 42 weeks and my cervix was high, hard, and totally closed - the doctor was really shocked that I wasn't at least a little dilated, what with it being my second kid. At 42 week 2 days, I was in the hospital for a non-stress test and showing absolutely no contractions while on the monitors.

I went into labor on the way home from that non-stress test, and DD2 was born 5.5 hours later.

Don't worry, mama. It'll most likely happen on its own, and if you do get to 42.5 weeks, your body may be fine with a little encouragement. Keep doing what you're doing!

[pamamidwife]

it's so sad what linear, black and white thinking has done to us. it has made us doubt our body's natural ability to birth. all because of a calendar.

[mntnmom]

With a first child it's not too uncommon for things to stay pretty well "buttoned up" until early in labor by my understanding. I've never known of a woman who stayed pregnant forever. It is pretty awesome that your OB will "let" you go 2.5 weeks "late". So worry about it then. Even if you DO go that long(not likely), a very small amount of pitocin will probably be enough to push you over the edge and you'll birth your baby just fine. Don't panic, don't doubt your body. Your cervix is doing what it's meant to. Follow some of the good advice here about making sure baby is well positioned and try to get things started on your own!! Good Luck.

[ithappened]

open knee-chest position for 45 min x2

do you have a photo or link to this? I would be willing to try anything to get the position right

[at_the_hip]

All of my babies are born late. Actually my Mom was late and so was my sister and some of my cousins. Some babies just need to cook longer. After 4 babies (and pg with #5) I can safely say that generally they will probably be about a week past my due date. #1 was 9 days past, #2 was 6 days past, #3 was 13 days past, and #4 was 7 days past. My cervix was never favorable and posterior even the day before when checked. That means nothing at all and you need not be discouraged. Hang in there and know that your body indeed knows what it is doing and your baby is just waiting to choose his/her birthday!!!

[Juvysen]

You know... just to add this in, since you're worried about family history... I was terrified I'd go to 44 weeks with my baby. My mom went to 42 weeks and went into labor the night before she was supposed to be induced with me - and her doctor said the baby looked like it was an "on time" baby, so with the second baby he gave her an extra two weeks to "cook". My sister was born at 44 weeks (also the night before they were supposed to induce), but was definitely "overdue" - thick mec, wrinkley skin, long fingernails, etc.

anyway, because of my mom's history (my grandmother had had planned cesareans) I was *terrified* that I was going to be that far overdue. I forgot to take into account my Dad's side - his mother had a premature rupture of membranes with him and he was born at 36 weeks (via cesarean, as well)... not much information there, really, since he was her only child, but I *did* have those other genes, too, kwim?

Anyway, my first child I was induced at 41 weeks + 2 days because I was *sure* I was going to go beyond, anyway. Before that I wasn't really dilated at all... by the day they were willing to schedule the induction, I was dilated to 1 cm or something and they felt that that was enough. They tried sweeping my membranes twice (which was, uh, uncomfortable and the second time my midwife's hand came back out with blood on it, but I lost my mucous plug that night - still didn't go into labor). When I got to the hospital for induction, I was still only one cm dilated... but honestly I had such an "easy" induction (it didn't take them a lot of pit, then ended up turning off the pit half way through, and the whole thing only took 8 hrs, including 2 hrs of pushing), that I really think (now) if I had just waited a few more days my body would have just done it. But my family history had me all freaked out.

The second baby? 2 days past due. I was in total shock and denial at the time because I didn't think my body would really *do* it, let alone that close to my due date. My denial, imo, hindered my labor and made it take a lot longer than it should have (though it still wasn't *bad* for more than 5 hrs). I was certain, though, that I would be in it for the long haul and having to talk my homebirth midwife into waiting (or taking cod liver oil, or blue and black cohosh, or whatEVER).

Funny how our bodies can surprise us sometimes...

[flmommy09]

http://spinningbabies.simplwebsite.c.../the-inversion

Pic of open knee chest about halfway down. I just did this, not the "inversion" explained at the top of the page (though this may work too). Good luck!

[cileag]

I had my baby at 41 and 3 and wasn't dialated before then. Hang in there! It feels like you'll be pregnant forever, but really it's just a few more days!