Overdue? Inductions- What do you wish someone told you?

[Happiestever]

So I just came from another forum where a mom is I think 9 days overdue. There is a thread about which induction methods she should try. It is just so disheartening to read it through. I feel so sad about it and wanted everyone here to help me put into perspective inductions of any kind. I had little faith in my body by the time I reached the 41 week mark with my first, I ended up with a typical intervention laden labor ending in a cesarean. I just wish I had someone who really TRULY believed in me.

I want you to share your story of going overdue and any inductions you tried-be it for better or worse. I want to hear about the faith we have in our bodies and babies to bring about life into this world. I need a little inspiration here. Did your induction go smoothly? Did it end in cesarean? I wanted to point out that I don't think all induction methods are bad, just want some stories to share and to help other mamas as we journey to meeting out babes.

So have you tried EPO, castor oil, acupuncture, cervadil, pitocin, AROM, etc?

And I wanted to point out as well that I understand not all interventions are unnecessary, and there is such a thing as medical need.


ETA: This is a thread to help other mamas make an educated decision.

[rainashine]

I, too, had a miserable induction ending in c-section at 8 days past my "due" date. My ob started asking when I wanted to be induced when I was 37 weeks but I really didn't have even a fraction of the info I do now. I knew I wanted natural and didn't want to be induced but I finally let her schedule for the following week on my due date never imagining in a million years I'd actually make it that far. Both my brother and I came early; I never thought I'd be late and had never heard that 1st time moms average 41w 1d.

We were new to the area and didn't know anyone. I hadn't discovered message boards. The hospital seemed so birth "friendly." It seemed reasonable to see an ob and deliver at the closest hospital. My ob flat out lied to me about stuff. But I had no way of knowing that. I didn't even know the questions to ask and I had no way of getting that information. I was flat out ignorant and no one bothered to educate me.

This will NOT happen to me again. But I don't know that my story will help anyone in a similar situation because I wouldn't have known to look for it.

[MegBoz]

Well, I knew that 1st time Moms went to 41W1D on average (which means that going to 42W is well within a healthy, "normal" range.) But I was convinced I'd go sooner - studies show like 75% of Moms who exercise thruogh their pregnancy go before their "due date" (40W) and my sister went very early, my Mom & Gmom right around due dates.

So I was NOT a happy camper when I made it to 40W and I wasn't even having any BH ctrx! I was starting to think my uterus didn't even work!

Then I made it to 41W & I was beyond miserable.

I was planning a natural birth in a hospital with CNMs. Their standard hospital policy is to induce at 42W, although 1 MW said, indirectly, that she think it's no biggie to wait longer. They didn't give me a hard time when I hit 41W, but I did need to go for twice-weekly NST + AFI. Results were fine & I was ready, intellectually to wait even past 42W because I knew the risks of induction leading to a cascade of interventions were MUCH higher than the miniscule risks of going past 42W (such as increased risk of stillbirth.)

I was ready intellectually, to wait longer. But emotionally, I was a complete WRECK and feeling betrayed by my body. Terrified I'd never go into labor naturally, terrified of induction, terrified I'd never be able to handle pit ctrx without an epi (Not to mention the emotional stress of doing all my laboring in the hospital, which I also dreaded - had been planning to labor at home as long as possible.) Frustrated and angry every morning I woke up not having gone into labor AGAIN!

I decided at 41W4D to have my membranes stripped. Turns out I was already 3CM, went to 4CM as she stripped and she said it was a "perfect cervix." I'm not sure what % effaced that translates to, she didn't say, but she was convinced it would work & I had nothing to worry about. She was convinced I wouldn't even need to come back & have it redone (some studies show having it done more than once can help.)

Sure enough, ctrx started 2 hours later, DS was born less than 7 hours after that!

I guess my advice would be to be prepared to wait so you can be pleasantly surprised if you don't have to wait well past 40W. Be informed, as always, have a great support system (I had an awesome doula who was so supportive in my crazy state! & great friends & an awesome DH).

[Sk8ermaiden]

After about 41 weeks I tried almost everything (everything but castor oil). We were having sex every day from 40.5 on, I was eating pineapple, going to local malls to walk, using extra basil and oregano in meals, injecting and swallowing EPO, using a breastpump. I am sure there is more, but I have forgotten.

On the day I went into labor i had eaten a whole fresh pineapple, and very cautiously played around with black and blue cohoshes. But in all honesty, I doubt those had anything to do with anything. I was 41 and 6!! It was bound to happen.

I am sure I will go past the EDD (I refuse to say overdue, because technically it's not) in future pregnancies too, and that's OK!

My baby, when she came out (42 weeks exactly), was absolutely perfect! No vernix AT ALL, and long fingernails, but still plump as a little baby should be and with the placenta in awesome shape.

[Happiestever]

These are great stories, keep em coming!

[buttercups.nest]

I have two kids, my first a little girl is 2years, and my second a boy, 3months. My DD's labor started on its own (I think there was sex involved....my DH says anyways, I don't remember :s) at 12:30am and by 5:35am I was holding my girl! I had trouble pushing though so I ended up with an epiosotomy. I also had morphine for pain. Afterwards they took her right away and measured her etc. I don't remember how long after she was born I was able to hold her. They then took her to regulate her temperature. Breastfeeding wasn't attempted until almost 9am.

So I was incredibly unhappy with the way my DD birth went. I was determined things would be better! I had my own due date, doctor had his etc. So my due date passed...then the doctors. I was getting a little nervous but was OK. My doc stripped my membranes when I was just a few days passed the due date. Then the next week when I came in and the week after that. I had to go in for non-stress tests every couple of days. My doctor wanted me to get induced at 41 weeks (Monday)...I had said OK but when the morning of came, I just wasn't ready. My gut said no. I phoned in and said I wasn't coming. The nurse thought I was looney...tried to convince me to still come in.

I went and saw my doctor again...he said Friday was it though (can't remember what he said exactly), he wasn't comfortable with me going any longer. I was OK with that. I was already dilated 4cm, and 75% effaced so I was definitely ready to give birth, I just needed some help I guess. I went in Friday morning...I got breakfast, I was able to shower Then was given the gel. Contractions started within minutes and were soon doubling up. At 12:30 my doc checked me...I still hadn't progressed. He suggested breaking my water...that was an intense 1/2 hr contraction! Felt like it was never going to end. At 1pm I was ready to push...at 2pm I had my baby boy!

One of the things I remember was demanding skin to skin....my doula still laughs every time she tells this story. I wanted the cord to not be cut but was told I couldn't have skin to skin as well....I got to cuddle my baby boy for a whole hour after he was born. I was SOOO happy!

So even though my kids' births are different, and my second labor wasn't 'natural' I was drug free, I had a doula, I stayed off the bed as much as I could, I did skin to skin right away and breastfed soon after the birth! I think part of what helped me was that I was mentally prepared for being induced....I didn't like it but had come to terms with it. And I thought about what was really important to me (skin to skin and BF)

Sorry babe is hungry!

[kreyno4]

With my dd1, I went into natural labor at 41w5d (the day before a scheduled induction). But it was a very slowly progressing labor, we went to the hospital too early, and I was basically unprepared for natural childbirth. So I had an epidural and a baby 24 hours later vaginally.

With my dd2, I worked hard to prepare for natural childbirth. I did Hypnobabies and it was great. I chose awesome midwives instead of an OB. I figured I would go past my due date and I did. I did RRL tea, EPO, and everything else. At 42 weeks, I had to sign a paper saying I would not sue them because of my birth outcomes--but it was mostly a formality and the midwives were still super-supportive. I tried castor oil twice. I was sure that if I just kept waiting, the baby would come. But she didn't and didn't and didn't. I chose to get induced at 42w3d. It was such a hard decision. I did a lot of research. And I personally know someone who lost a post-dates baby--I am sure that colored my decision.

I was able to be induced with cervadil (gel)--in fact I had to be because I was only dilated 1 cm. After laying down for 2 hours, I had the cervadil in for 12 hours total. I had to be on the monitors the whole time, but I sat on the birth ball, walked around a bit, did Hypnobabies, and watched movies with dh. When the midwife checked after 12 hours, I was still only 1 cm dilated.

I started to think the baby would never come. I felt like I had tried everything. I was desparate not to get pitocin. The mw said I could have another dose of cervadil but in the morning I would probably need pitocin. She suggested taking a sleeping pill--at first I resisted, thinking I would just do hypnobabies, but I wasn't able to turn my mind off, so I took the pill.

That was 11 PM. I woke up at 2:30 AM in labor. I was sure that I was in early labor. But then started to have weird feelings, like a ball bouncing inside of me. Throwing up, grunting. The nurse called the midwife. I was complete. I quickly pushed the baby out. She was born at 4 AM. She weighed 9 lbs 4 oz and had her hand up by her face. I didn't tear at all (had a horrible episiotomy with dd1). It was the most incredible experience in my life. It was 1 year ago today

The end of pregnancy, esp. past 40 weeks, is an emotional roller coaster. And I say that even though I felt completely comfortable, could sleep, etc. Everyone has their own tolerance and needs to make their own decisions--hopefully based on research and not fear. You can drive yourself crazy doing things to get the baby out--but usually they come in their own time. If I went into labor very early in pregnancy, I would accept medical interventions to try to stop it. That was part of my calculation as well.

[zinemama]

Nothing worked for me, unfortunately, and my baby was in distress. So I was induced, a couple of weeks late.

I wish I'd known that pitocin contractions hurt way more than the regular kind. I would have gotten the epidural instead of enduring what I mistakenly thought was the sort of thing "women have done for centuries."

[cileag]

Originally Posted by MegBoz

Well, I knew that 1st time Moms went to 41W1D on average (which means that going to 42W is well within a healthy, "normal" range.) But I was convinced I'd go sooner - studies show like 75% of Moms who exercise thruogh their pregnancy go before their "due date" (40W) and my sister went very early, my Mom & Gmom right around due dates.

So I was NOT a happy camper when I made it to 40W and I wasn't even having any BH ctrx! I was starting to think my uterus didn't even work!
...

I was ready intellectually, to wait longer. But emotionally, I was a complete WRECK and feeling betrayed by my body. Terrified I'd never go into labor naturally, terrified of induction, terrified I'd never be able to handle pit ctrx without an epi (Not to mention the emotional stress of doing all my laboring in the hospital, which I also dreaded - had been planning to labor at home as long as possible.) Frustrated and angry every morning I woke up not having gone into labor AGAIN!

This was completely me too! I knew in my head what all the statistics were, and outwardly I told everyone I wasn't getting my hopes up until Halloween (that would be 41 and 4 for me), but inwardly I thought I'd go around my due date. I have very textbook cycles, had a textbook pregnancy, and my mom and grandma all went around that time.

Well, I didn't. I did everything except the cohashes and CO to try to get things going, but she came at October 30--41 and 3.

I did have the flu right at 40 weeks and so I still wonder if I might have gone into labor earlier if not for that, but it all worked out beautifully.

As an OB nurse, what I wish people knew more was that a typical hospital induction on an unripe cervix takes DAYS. Not one, but often 2-3. First it's cervical ripening, than it's Pit, then AROM etc. I gently have to tell my patients that and so many of them are expecting a baby by dinner.

[fwlady]

I have had most of my babies overdue. My first was on his due date for high BP issues, and failed induction to Csection. I wasn't going to let that happen again. I had read all kinds of things about how overdue babies do just fine, and since my mother always went way overdue, then I probably would too. So, I guess I was already prepared.

I did the NSTs at the drs office after 42 wks, and waited patiently for her. I used EPO internally and orally. I took baths to relax. I think I did have the dr strip my membranes, but I don't remember. She was born a perfect VBAC with a wonderful family dr and no interventions. I also had a doula that stayed with me all night though.

The next one, we wanted a New Years Baby. So, on NYE, the MW stripped my membranes, which only put me into false labor. She was born 2 days after that, and was the 2nd baby of the year LOL. A very quick labor once it kicked in. She was dated by U/S, so I think she came at a more accurate time. So, she was 10 days late.

The next one, was on her due date, because I felt like she had to come out, since my house was just cleaned. I had been using the EPO, stripped my own membranes, and did nip stim for 4 nights. She came after my ROM of 19.5 hrs. It was the hardest most painful labor ever. She was born right after something told me to push her out quick, with a limp cord, but she pinked up right away. She is a little different than the rest, but there are a couple reasons that could be true. She was also UC with OB back up.

The next one was 26 days overdue in the end. I think it was because I was constipated. I did the EPO and stripping, but nothing too drastic as I didn't want to end up with what I had before. But, maybe there was a reason she needed to come out sooner. He was fine. Waterbirth UC. The BIGGEST baby ever that I have had before or since. No problems whatsoever. I did have a high leak for 5 days that I thought I was wetting myself, but I discovered that wasn't the case the morning of the night my ctx started. He was UP after 32 wks. I am so glad, because the MW seemed very induction happy, and it would have been so hard to go that far overdue.

The next one had 98 hr PROM, and meconium with a great birth. She was 23 days late in the end. I didn't do anything internally, because of the PROM. She was going to be UC, but we did transfer for the mec. Healthiest child so far. She was UP.

The next baby was UP/UC. He had a lost twin and was 15 days overdue. I had a day of labor that never took off, and then the next day, although I was still in denial, labor took off after I told DH to get the children. I then said don't, and he was born 1.25 hrs after that.

This last baby was UP after 38 wks. I had another lost twin, so I really thought we would have a baby between 10-15 days late, especially since she was dated by U/S. The 2 U/S did have a 5 day difference. So, she was 16 days overdue according to the drs, and the 1st U/S, but it could have been 11 by the 2nd. I had the high BP and PROM at 19w5d. It resealed, or so I thought. But, since she grew really well, it must have. I was going to go ahead with the UC, or just walk into a VBAC friendly hospital in labor (like we had never done that before). My BP got crazy at the end, and had I been pushing some kind of induction methods, I may not have ended up with a csection. I was hesitant to try a home induction without monitoring. If my body and the baby's hormones weren't making labor happen, then maybe there was a reason. I was in and out of the hospital, on and off bedrest some of the pregnancy. They were all about induction at 9-12 days late. But, let me go home. Then, at 16 days late, again, they were really wanting to induce. But, by this time, although her placenta looked fine on the level 3 U/S, it was smallish and the cord not plump when they took her. She had practically no fluid, and stopped moving like they wanted. Although she had been passing ALL of her many NSTs. Two before hand had HUGE variability. They said some babies do that, but in her case, she was wanting out. I wasn't pushing induction, like I said. And, when we found out her state, we went straight to the OR as soon as my Dh got there. Had she gotten worse, we would have been going without him. She looks good now, but I wonder if the reason I didn't want to induce, nor was getting tired of being PG, was because she couldn't have handled labor. The dr even said that I have had many healthy overdue babies, so there was no reason to think she was any different. Afterwards, he said that because of the high BP, my age (haha!! I am 34yo), and the crazy PG, that was what caused her problems.

Had we induced earlier, she may have tolerated it. I don't know. But, I didn't think there was any reason to push her out, since the NSTs were good. Now I know that the HBP really is an issue when the mother goes overdue.

Oh, and BTW, she was the first baby of the year in our district. Isn't that great? Kymberli

[etsdtm99]

I was induced with my 2nd at 41 weeks (with my first, my water broke at 39 weeks, labor didn't start fast enough, pit, epidural, vaginal delivery 19 hour labor, not ideal..) with my 2nd, i thought i would have a similar experience, early maybe? or at least my water breaking first and time to wait for labor to start at home.. i tried walking, i walked miles, i worked in my garden, we tried sex, i had a couple acupuncture treatments - i was FINE, not even terribly uncomfortable and i wanted to wait another week for the induction, but DH didn't because of issues with ihs work schedule, so i gave in (never again.) i was 2cm and 50-60% when i went in for the induction, we started with pit and walking with the wireless monitors.. then once contx were going they broke my water, 3cm.. stalled at 3 cm for a few hours despite regular HARD ctx. got an epidural, which did not work except to numb my legs and made my BP drop so low that i almost ended up with an ECS (the table was in the hall and there were at least 10 people in the room..).. anyway, the scare or whatever worked and i started dilating again. DS was born, vaginally, 12 hours after they started pit. all and all, not too bad.. but not what i wanted..

i'm not even sure what i wish i'd known.. probably how much i'd regret not giving it another week.. i was ok with it at the time, but i'm not now.. it could have been so different.

[emaye_to_2]

I would tell an overdue first-time mother that the average time to birth for first-timers is actually 42 weeks!

[Happiestever]

These are great. I hardly ever hear about vaginal births involving inductions anymore. It is nice to see that things don't always end in cesarean.

[Girlprof]

Our first baby was late, I think I was 41w2d or thereabouts. I expected to go late all along and even planned for it. No one actually knew our "real" due date except our parents. That helped with people at work, friends, etc., not asking so much "What, are you still pregnant" Our MWs asked for biweekly NSTs after 40w and we agreed. At 41w1d I had my membranes stripped and while I think I was already in labor, that might have helped things along. True labor started that night and our son was born the next morning.

With DD, everything was different. We'd had a couple of losses in between and I'd been diagnosed with a potential clotting disorder so I was taking an anticoagulant. I fully expected to have to negotiate induction because of that, but my care providers were willing to work with me on it. However, then my BP went way up at 39w. We did NSTs and thought and deliberated for a week and I was finally induced on my due date. By then I was already 3cm dilated and 80% effaced. We started pitocin around 11am and my baby girl was born at 4:44 exactly 2 years and one day ago! It was a fantastic birth.

I knew an awful lot going into that second birth that helped. I had a doula who knew me well and had seen me labor before. She really believed I could handle pitocin contractions w/o an epidural and she was right. I had my wonderful DH, great MWs, and a hospital-provided massage therapist who helped with the back labor.

Some things that really helped me were the following.

No need to be induced at 6am on an empty stomach. I had a lovely breakfast with my family and arrived at the hospital at 10am. Our doula recommended starting the induction well-rested and well-fed! I also ate and drank according to my own desires during the induction.

Sometimes induction can be helpful. Our MW thought that by waiting any longer, we might be losing options because of the blood pressure issue and I think she was probably right. Waiting longer for us might have meant: no mobility, no possibility for my son to be at the birth, possibly even a c-section. Giving up a spontaneous labor was a huge deal for me, but giving up those other things would have been a much huger deal.

It's true that pitocin contractions are worse than regular contractions. If you want to do pitocin contractions without an epidural, I recommend increasing your comfort measures to help out. I always had 2 people with me (DH plus doula) and often 3.

An induction can still be a fantastic birth. I can still remember pushing my baby girl out. My son got to witness his sister's entrance to the world. My DH and I did this amazing thing together. For quite awhile I felt like the induction tarnished all of this, but I don't feel that way anymore.

[noobmom]

With #1, I allowed my doctor to schedule an induction for me at 41 weeks at my 39 week appt. The hospital tends to be a little busy, which is why my OB wanted to go ahead and schedule it, even though it was over a week and a half into the future. A couple days later, my OB called again telling me they could move up the date if I wanted (to 40+5 days) and at that point I told him I had reconsidered and didn't want to be induced at 41 weeks at all. The OB was fine with it and we rescheduled my induction for 42 weeks.

I went into labor naturally at almost the exact time my first induction (41 weeks) was scheduled. Same day in the same hour I was supposed to arrive at the hospital. I had almost a picture perfect hospital birth--no IV, no epidural, got to use the laboring tub, walk around, etc. The nurse was perfect, with a doula-like, calm demeanor. When I was in transition and having a moment of weakness, she was the one who encouraged me (yes! the hospital nurse!). My only disappointment was that I did tear a little bit and needed stitches--but really that was so minor in the scheme of things.

The only natural induction method I tried while waiting was sex--which did give me contractions for an hour or two the next morning. But it was still another week before I really went into labor.

I'll be watching this thread since my due date is coming up fast and I don't feel like anything is happening yet...

[Thalia]

I had an induction at 42 weeks. The midwife practice I went with felt that the benefits of waiting were outweighed by the risks after that point.

I tried prayer, sex, long walks, membrane sweeps, acupuncture, and EPO. After my third acupuncture treatment, just two days before my induction, I did start to have some contractions, but they were light and very irregular.

My cervix was, according to my midwife, 100% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and very stretchy. She thought I was a very good candidate for induction.

They used Pitocin for the induction, started it very gradually, and just kept slowly increasing it until my contractions were regular. I had a portable unit for delivery of the pitocin, and they kept having problems with the battery. Every time the pit level dropped, my contractions would slow down. I needed it all the way through.

Despite the induction, I had would I would call a great labor. It lasted 12 hours, and while the contractions were very intense, I got through them without needing any pain meds. I much preferred the pain of contractions, which felt normal and predictable to me, than the thought of getting an epidural. I had a ton of support, though: my DH, my midwife, my doula plus another doula who was doing an observation for her licensing but also participated, a friend who is a naprapath and did some massage, and another friend for moral support. And the hospital nurses. And a labor tub. DD was born after 15 minutes of pushing.

My advice would be to wait as long as possible before scheduling an induction, and try acupuncture, walking, EPO, and sex. I do think that these helped prepare my cervix, but who knows? My midwife said to avoid castor oil because it can transmit to the baby and the last thing you want a past-dates baby doing is pooping out more meconium. It might not hurt but it doesn't help.

And I would say that it is entirely possible to have a very positive, pain-med free birth even with Pitocin, so don't feel that if you must have an induction that you are guaranteed a c-section or even an epidural.

[soveryblessed]

Induction

Well, I wasn't overdue when I was induced. My story is that I was using a CPM practice under the care of an OB. I wanted a VBAC badly and didn't trust OB's at all. Their policy was to schedule a c-section after 40 weeks. At 39w3d I was getting worried because my son wasn't moving as much, and I already knew he might be a chunker. I was huge and I am a small person (5ft. tall). They scheduled an induction for 39w4d. We went in and broke my water at 9:00am. I was 2cm and 75% effaced. Baby was at -1 station. Nothing really happened, so about 5pm that evening I got low-dose pitocin. Contractions started kicking in and I was hurting by 10pm. I hit transition about 4am and started pushing at 6:30am. I had him two hours later, and he was a chunker (for me) 8lbs. 9oz. 22in. I didn't use any pain medication, and I agree that pitocin is horrible.
Now here I am at almost 39 weeks dealing with SPD and feeling very uncomfortable. I've had prodromal labor most of the last week. I'm at least 2cm dilated but I'm unsure how effaced I am. We're planning a homebirth this time, but I don't have my heart set on it the way I did; now I'm more wanting things to just be over.

[beep]

I had an induction for medical reasons at 38 weeks, and the thing I'm most glad I was supported in was in having patience about letting my cervix ripen. I was given misoprostol instead of Cervidil, but it's pretty much the same thing. Anyway, I spent about 36 hours in the hospital slowly going from 0cm to 3cm, and had no pitocin until I was clearly well on my way. Even then, it was low-dose, and was turned off at one point to see whether I'd continue to contract on my own (I did). I was very happy with my birth experience, and I think a big part of this is that the induction was given time to work and the meds dosed conservatively with time for my body to respond.

[Katwoman]

Originally Posted by zinemama

I wish I'd known that pitocin contractions hurt way more than the regular kind. I would have gotten the epidural instead of enduring what I mistakenly thought was the sort of thing "women have done for centuries."

AMEN! I'm glad I didn't get the epi initially. I think it was good - for me - to do it the way I thought it was supposed to be. It was good to allow my mental/emotional process to catch up with the physical situation I was in. But it sure would have been nice to have way more information about pitocin. I thought I was a loser with low pain tolerance.

With my second we didn't call anyone until I was in transition because I didn't think I was in labor. Natural contractions are so different from pit. contractions.

[wifeandmommy2-4]

With #1 I was seeing an OB group and relied on them to help me through as I had no confidence in my ability to deliver. Not because of low confidence just because the way our thinking is, as a society, about pregnancy and that it is a medical condition that needs treatment. I was scheduled for induction at 40w4d but thank the Lord, I went into labor on my own the night before the induction! I had a "normal" hospital birth as I had an epi and AROM. I delivered my 8lb 9oz daughter vaginally after just 5 hours with 2 of those pushing.
With #2 I was still in the same frame of mind as with #1 and I saw an OB. I ended up going into labor naturally with him at 37w0d. I had an epi and AROM and ended up delivering him 3 hours later with only about 20min of pushing. He was 7lb even.
With #3 I had an amazing OB that wasn't very into interventions. I delivered my second daughter at 37w3d (went into labor on my own). They did rupture my membrane and she was 6lb 12oz. 3 hrs of labor
With #4 I went into labor on my own at 37w0d and had him completely med free. He was 7lb 11oz. I was delivered by a CNM and she was wonderful! 3 hrs of labor.
With this baby I will be delivering at a free standing birth center as long as everything goes well. I am excited that I will be more in charge of my own delivery! I have alrealy had all the say in my prenatal care and it has been great!
So far all my babies have been perfectly healthy thank the Lord!