OB "made me" sched. induction for Wednesday- help!

[NaturallyPeachey]

I'm at zero everything - this babe doesn't even feel like she's dropped. I'll only be 41 weeks and 2 days on Wednesday but the OB has sched. my induction. I need this baby out. Any advice? I was induced last time and it was such a miserable experience. I was really hoping to go into labor on my own this time. If nothing is happening by monday I'm thinking castor oil but that freaks me out. We went out tonight for spicy food and a bumpy car ride and I can feel the babe lower/more pressure on my cervix. Hoping DH will be up for hanky panky tonight even though my mom is staying in the next room.......

[CookAMH]

First of all, Wednesday is still several days away and you can go from "Zero" to "in labor" lickity-split.

Second, no induction will happen if you don't show up. Seriously. They can't force you to come in and will not deny you when you do show up in labor.

Keep doing that hanky panky

[b_light]

I agree with Alicia.

Good luck mama!

[Sproutsmama]

Oh Amy! Yikes! Let's see, do you have access to black and blue cohosh tincture? My MW recommends a dose of the tincture every 1/2 hr throughout the day, with longer breaks for a nap/eating and then stopping in the evening and sleeping with the hopes that things start up in the night. Castor oil is an option, but my MW recommends giving any of the natural induction methods a day or two to start working so maybe start tomorrow if you can? I'm thinking really strong labor and contraction thoughts for you, best of luck!

[JayJay]

Ah, I was scheduled for an induction at 5am on Tuesday 12th. I showed up having been in active labor for a day! She was born without any other "help" than breaking my waters at 4cm - so there! They did start pit and I got to a level of 4 (and half an hour on the drip) which was so negligible and would have had no time to take effect, so they did not blame the birth on the pit for one second!

What we did to get things going was a LOT of walking (malls, Target, couple of Wal Marts, International Airport, wrestling match and finally a half hour swift jaunt around the hospital, up and down stairs with squats and lunges in between!) and a membrane sweep on the Monday. I'd been in early labor since the previous Friday but clearly, my body was ready.

You could ask for a sweep - it shouldn't really do much unless your body is ready anyway. And if it is, you can then, like me avoid the more serious induction methods! But hey, it's up to you, naturally and what works for one might not work as well for another

*HUGE hugs* - here's hoping you go into labor all by yourself! XxXxX

[ACsMom]

I agree with others - you don't have to be induced. Like you, I was induced with my first and it was a VERY unpleasant experience that for me led to a c-section. It was awful having that outside pressure to "make" it happen - being on someone else's clock. You could take yourself off that clock. I so wish I had done that with my first. Having said that, I am in complete empathy with you on needing the baby to come out - I am sitting here myself at 41wks 1day, twiddling my thumbs. On this day of my first pregnancy, I was in the hospital hooked up to a pitocin drip, having no idea how horrible the next 48 hours were going to be. Even with the trauma of that experience pretty fresh in my memory, I think if someone was pressuring me to induce right now I would feel awfully tempted.

Other people have given some good suggestions for natural "help." Although waiting and finding a way to relax is probably the best. Getting rid of that Wednesday deadline would be a big help. Or....you could just take it day by day. Leave the induction on the books, as long as it doesn't stress you out to much to have it there, and see how you feel on Tuesday. That's still 2.5 days from now - you might go into labor on your own by then. Castor oil....I don't know. My midwife said she uses it to induce people sometimes, but people I know who have tried it say it just made them sick.

Good luck, keep us posted, and I'll be sending happy easy labor vibes to you!

[JayJay]

Also just to mention, when my OB stripped my membranes I was expecting it to be super uncomfortable - it actually wasn't really any more uncomfortable than a regular cervical exam - it was really no problem, and since my body did seem to be ready it immediately kicked the little contractions I'd been having that morning into a much higher gear!

[mntnmom]

(DDC crashing) I hate the time crunch feeling too! My midwife couldn't attend me at home after 42wks, so we tried everything! Cohosh, moxa sticks, castor oil(miserable BTW), nothing worked. Then I went all on my own at 42 wks exactly!
Good luck with starting on your own. I've heard evening primrose can soften the cervix too, because of the prostaglandins.
Just remember, they can schedule whatever they want. They can't make you show up!

[Gray's Mommy]

Take a deep breath and let it out. I agree that you can always schedule & forget about the induction. Your baby will come out when it is ready.
There are many different ways to prep your body for birth, but nothing will actually work unless your baby says so.