Why do women choose inductions when they are healthy and the baby's not near 42 weeks?!!! - Page 2

[Birdie B.]

Originally Posted by mediumcrunch

Emma and my mom when em was about 3 days old. I *love* this picture. the juxtaposition of the expression in my mom's eyes and emma's awesome smile is amazing.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/kmomto6/smile.jpg

OT, but this picture of your daughter and your mother brought tears to my eyes - it's so lovely!

As for the OP, I try not to worry about what other people are doing. They have the right to make their choice, however dangerous it may be.

[Gladiolus]

I just talked to a friend last week (she's about 12 weeks pregnant) who has already scheduled her c-section for 38 weeks. I did the smile and nod thing but inside I was seriously wondering "but WHY?!?" I can't wrap my head around it sometimes.

[sienna]

Because we are living in the twilight zone where the professionals can't be relied upon to give good advice or complete advice or even true advice. And that is so wrong and counter-intuitive that it is simply very difficult for many people to believe.

[emmalizz]

Originally Posted by Birdie B.

As for the OP, I try not to worry about what other people are doing. They have the right to make their choice, however dangerous it may be.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by Birdie B.

As for the OP, I try not to worry about what other people are doing. They have the right to make their choice, however dangerous it may be.

M'hmm. (BTW I have a Birdie B! )

Though induction isn't ideal it is hardly Russian roulette. So why get so worked up over it? Live and let live.

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by magstphil

M'hmm. (BTW I have a Birdie B! )

Though induction isn't ideal it is hardly Russian roulette. So why get so worked up over it? Live and let live.

B/c this is MDC and not a mainstream board. If this is not a safe place to discuss less-than-ideal birthing choices, then where is?

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by Galatea

B/c this is MDC and not a mainstream board. If this is not a safe place to discuss less-than-ideal birthing choices, then where is?

But we can discuss them without talking about other people's choices. We can discusses our own choices or the procedures themselves e don't need to talk about what other people are doing in order to talk about birth, right?

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by magstphil

But we can discuss them without talking about other people's choices. We can discusses our own choices or the procedures themselves e don't need to talk about what other people are doing in order to talk about birth, right?

What do you mean?

People can discuss the growing trend of people "demanding" inductions at 37 weeks. It is irresponsible to have an induction at 37 weeks for no other reason than one is "tired of being pregnant" It also affects the rest of us.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by abimommy

What do you mean?

People can discuss the growing trend of people "demanding" inductions at 37 weeks. It is irresponsible to have an induction at 37 weeks for no other reason than one is "tired of being pregnant" It also affects the rest of us.

No I mean we can discuss it without being "my co-worker/SIL/friend/etc is having an induction and ____" as in why do we need to bring people into it? We can talk about it generally, can't we? This is why I quoted Birdie B-

As for the OP, I try not to worry about what other people are doing. They have the right to make their choice, however dangerous it may be.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by magstphil

No I mean we can discuss it without being "my co-worker/SIL/friend/etc is having an induction and ____" as in why do we need to bring people into it? We can talk about it generally, can't we? This is why I quoted Birdie B-

Oh I see.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by staceychev

Honestly, I don't think it's all just "tired of being pregnant," although I do think that contributes to it. But, there's a lot of talk among docs about the placenta starting to die off, and there's a lot of fear that, if you let it go too long, your baby will suffer for it. My SIL, whose first daughter was born on time but was only about 6 pounds (as opposed to her later 8 and 9 pound babies), is totally convinced that her EDD was miscalculated, and that niece was so small because her placenta was starting to die off.

I think that "placenta dying off" thing is just the newest excuse. It seems like there is always some sort of "reason" for inductions that are not necessary. The Dr with dd1 at least said the truth, that he was going on vacation. I told him his vacation didn't affect my medical decisions

[caned & able]

Calcification on the placenta is the usual indication of a failing placenta.

Poor nutrition can also compromise the condition of the placenta at birth.

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by Birdie B.

As for the OP, I try not to worry about what other people are doing. They have the right to make their choice, however dangerous it may be.

I wouldn't worry except I don't think women are getting enough facts to give truly informed consent.
Let's say a first-time mom asks for an elective induction at 37 weeks. Do most doctors tell her about the risks near-term babies can face? Does he tell her it increase her chance of being sectioned, which carries the risks of a difficult recovery, infection and secondary infertility?
I doubt it.
An ethical doctor allows a patient to make her own choice after making sure she understands ALL the risks and benefits.

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by magstphil

No I mean we can discuss it without being "my co-worker/SIL/friend/etc is having an induction and ____" as in why do we need to bring people into it? We can talk about it generally, can't we? This is why I quoted Birdie B-

B/c it is always sparked by someone in real life.

None of us know the person being referred to. We are not finding her to shame her.

If we phrased it as, "There is a woman who...," I suspect that many people would still say that we should not question people's birth choices, even when we are not calling out that person in specific.

So in general, people who choose inductions for silly reasons (I should know, b/c I was one) - why do they do it? [Is that better phrasing? Does this somehow avoid offending?]

My answer, as a person who chose a silly induction, was that I was tired of being pg, and wanted to meet my baby, and had a half-real excuse ("low fluid"). I didn't think the risks applied to me. I suffered from magical thinking - "bad stuff happens to other people, not me." The ONLY reason I did not end up in a section was that I had a great, patient midwife and luck.

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by Megan73

I wouldn't worry except I don't think women are getting enough facts to give truly informed consent.
Let's say a first-time mom asks for an elective induction at 37 weeks. Do most doctors tell her about the risks near-term babies can face? Does he tell her it increase her chance of being sectioned, which carries the risks of a difficult recovery, infection and secondary infertility?
I doubt it.
An ethical doctor allows a patient to make her own choice after making sure she understands ALL the risks and benefits.

Exactly. We need to know why and how it happens so we can work to prevent it from seriously hurting people.

My DH's cousin was talked into an elective induction at 37 weeks with her 5th ("b/c it would work with a 5th and she was tired.") The baby was premature and in the NICU and only her previous 4 successful nursing experiences salvaged a bfing relationship.

It is one thing to go to this coworker and give her a ration of shit. It is another thing to discuss this one stranger as a symptom of a general trend that does harm women and babies.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Galatea

Exactly. We need to know why and how it happens so we can work to prevent it from seriously hurting people.

My DH's cousin was talked into an elective induction at 37 weeks with her 5th ("b/c it would work with a 5th and she was tired.") The baby was premature and in the NICU and only her previous 4 successful nursing experiences salvaged a bfing relationship.

It is one thing to go to this coworker and give her a ration of shit. It is another thing to discuss this one stranger as a symptom of a general trend that does harm women and babies.

I think you are right. Birth is a really intimate issue but I do think that we should be able to discuss things to a degree without people taking things so personally.

I do want my daughter to have choices so it is important we make the birth climate *better* not just wallow. We can't make things better unless we do call these Drs to task for doing things that are dangerous and irresponsible. No one calls those Drs out but everyone talks about how DANGEROUS homebirth is. It is ridiculous.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Megan73

I wouldn't worry except I don't think women are getting enough facts to give truly informed consent.
Let's say a first-time mom asks for an elective induction at 37 weeks. Do most doctors tell her about the risks near-term babies can face? Does he tell her it increase her chance of being sectioned, which carries the risks of a difficult recovery, infection and secondary infertility?
I doubt it.
An ethical doctor allows a patient to make her own choice after making sure she understands ALL the risks and benefits.

I agree.

[34me]

I was induced at 38 weeks with my dd due to swelling of my legs so bad that they were hard. I was only urinating a couple ozs a day. I was seeing a gp and the OB he consulted thought I might have a clot. I got tested and no clot but left with a dx of phlebitis, lets get the baby out. Oops, it didn't work. We were given a choice of staying on the pitocin and hoping things progressed, c-section or going home. She moved and I started to drain so we went home. She was born exactly 2 weeks later on her due date, natural hospital birth.

[felix23]

Originally Posted by Galatea

B/c it is always sparked by someone in real life.

None of us know the person being referred to. We are not finding her to shame her.
If we phrased it as, "There is a woman who...," I suspect that many people would still say that we should not question people's birth choices, even when we are not calling out that person in specific.

So in general, people who choose inductions for silly reasons (I should know, b/c I was one) - why do they do it? [Is that better phrasing? Does this somehow avoid offending?]

My answer, as a person who chose a silly induction, was that I was tired of being pg, and wanted to meet my baby, and had a half-real excuse ("low fluid"). I didn't think the risks applied to me. I suffered from magical thinking - "bad stuff happens to other people, not me." The ONLY reason I did not end up in a section was that I had a great, patient midwife and luck.

You are right, none of us do know this woman, but MDC isn't private and is very, very easy to find, especially for new mothers. Due to the fact that the OP has her home town name displayed right next to her post, it wouldn't be hard for the person she is speaking about to figure out that the post is all about her if she found this. I say this as someone who once stubbled upon a site where someone I knew was talking about me, and despite not using my real name, it didn't take me long to figure out it was me they were talking about. The person being spoken of most likely won't find this, but she could, and I imagine it would be very hurtful. The conversation may be sparked by something in real life, but it is possible to talk about birth practices in general and not individual ones.

[Adamsmama]

I was induced with my 3rd after my due date because with my oldest he was born late after weeks of prodominal labor and he had the cord around his neck, meconium in the fluid, heartrate started dropping and he was sunny side up. I think I was scarred from this experience and I will always worry about being past my due date, although, this time I'm planning a homebirth -- a part of me fears going past my due date again. I was educated on induction and we used cervidil at night, pitocin in the morning and I knew my bishops score. Other than the pain being much more intense than with the others, her birth was easy and uncomplicated. I'm not pro-induction by any means but it did get me a healthy baby and think there are valid reasons for having one.