Not inducing, Natural or otherwise? - Page 2

[curvyred]

I'm planning a birth center birth and they can only deliver up to 42 weeks. Past that, and I have to transfer to a hospital/OB and will most likely be looking at a chemical induction or at LEAST having to evade more interventions.

So . . . I won't mess with anything until 41 weeks, but at that point, I would probably try some homeopathic ways to start labor because my alternative would be hospital induction.

[Tulafina]

Me

I had a "failed sweep" at 41+3 days with DS1...(I call it that because the OB couldn't get into my cervix to do a sweep and instead jammed his fingers in to the point where I was screaming hysterically on the table begging for him to stop- and yes I reported him....) and the result was me going into labour the next day with a baby that had a nuchal arm. NOT FUN. I know he wasn't ready to come at that point. So I did nothing to induce with my second and he came at 40+5 days. I plan on doing nothing again. If it came down to me being close to 42w I know I would just refuse to go to the hospital (and I know my MW's well enough to know that they wouldn't abandon me).

PS....I'm secretly hoping this little stinker surprises me and comes before my EDD

[treeoflife3]

due date crashing

I didn't do anything to try to induce... my daughter was born at 40+5 and my midwives didn't even bring up natural options yet. I wasn't concerned.. I knew she'd be past EDD

[prone_to_wander]

when you guys say natural induction...what do you mean...like cobash? I am 4 days from my due date and went in for a wee bit of reflexology today to encourage him and had sex...what are your thoughts on these?

[aslyn]

prone_to_wander I've never heard of reflexology to stimulate labor, but we learn something new everyday

Personaly I see way to many people getting induction happy at 37+ weeks, my idea of natural inductions is anything that is tried to evict the baby..I have heard that most things wont work unless its ready anyway, but I still have no desire to put myself through needless experiments. I wont even take castor oil when I AM constipated..YUCK! I did do nipple stim the night before a scheduled induction with the last one, my last ditch effort..which I will not hesitate to do again since it did send me in labor without pit..but I am not trying it unless I am all out of options other than pit..

We arent even doing the sex thing around here, My DH will not have any part in anything that may cause dramatic consequences even for fun..he's been like this since baby #1, once the 3rd trimester hits he wont even think about it til im post-partum..The only thing I do, which I ALWAYS do is walk a lot..but we are car-free so walking is essential if I plan on ever leaving the house lol..I do eat pineapple, but its my favorite fruit so I have been eating it all along.

[BetsyS]

This time, I have had 2 previous c-sections, and I don't feel really confident about my body going into labor. My repeat c-section is planned for 3 days after my due date, so I'm not going to have a lot of time to worry about it.

But, with #2, once I got to about 9 days overdue, my brain just wouldn't shut off about all the what-ifs. It got really bad, and I was constantly thinking about the fact that I was overdue. Waking at night, couldn't sleep for thinking about it, sort of thing. I finally scheduled my c-section (cause I didn't want to induce, and I was waiting on spontaeous labor) for the evening of 12 days overdue.

Honestly? I don't know if it was a freak intuition thing about that pregnancy in particular or if I just get crazy after 8-9 days over.

Of course, I'm not thinking about induction, natural or not, at 38-39 weeks. But, something in my brain just made me a little crazy after 41 weeks.

[RainbowEarthFaerie]

I'm thinking about doing cohosh this time. I never tried it before, except with my miscarriage. Normally I would just wait it out but I don't have a whole lot of choice this time.

I have had 3 c/s and don't have a "proven pelvis" (I hate that term, it shouldn't have to PROVE anything!!). My dr apparently used to be VBAC friendly, but now he just doesn't see to care. He wants to schedule a c/s for sometime between the 8th and 11th. I keep pushing it out. I even told him that I'd rather wait until my kids were out of school (last day is the 14th), just so he wouldn't push it any earlier. I'm determined to do this without a c/s this time.
My last baby went to 41w1d before he failed a BPP and we went in for c/s.

[prone_to_wander]

I guess I'm trying to push it a bit because my midwife is actually gone June 1-8 (my due date is June 1) and I'd really prefer for her to be there. I do have a back up and she is nice and I have no issues with her, I would jusy prefer my midwife to be there, you know.

Also...technically I'm supposed to go to the hospital and admit myself once I'm 41 weeks and I really don't want to do that. Weird rules here where I live. So I'm hoping I don't run too late.

BUT I feel guilty trying to rush the little one along. I don't think I'll be trying anything else until I'm actually late...except perhaps sex

[Aka mommy]

Originally Posted by prone_to_wander

when you guys say natural induction...what do you mean...like cobash? I am 4 days from my due date and went in for a wee bit of reflexology today to encourage him and had sex...what are your thoughts on these?

For me it means anything out of the normal day to day living that could stimulate labor. Nipple stimulation, cohosh, accupuncture, reflexology, caster oil, etc . . . are natural methods imo. Things like sex, pedicures, massages, walking, chiro adjustments . . . i don't consider induction. Because they are all normal parts of my everyday life and my body is use to them. Plus none of them have put me into labor in 4 pregnancies lol. They are more like old wives tales, then documented methods of inducing labor. Artificial methods i consider sweeps, pit, and so on.

I figure, ultimately the babe has the final decision. I could drive myself crazy trying all the natural induction methods out there and be miserable in the meantime and get no where, or i can just let nature take it's course and trust that my babe and body know when and how to get labor started. With posterior births, i dont want to rush anything and cause labor to be any more complicated than it has to be.

[Tiffanoodle]

Originally Posted by prone_to_wander

when you guys say natural induction...what do you mean...like cobash? I am 4 days from my due date and went in for a wee bit of reflexology today to encourage him and had sex...what are your thoughts on these?

For me, it ends up being a gradual thing. I have been having contractions for a few weeks. Sex, walking, and stress are the big triggers for them. I had some pink spotting a couple weeks ago. Since then I've quit taking any long walks, stopped sex, and am really trying to cut back on my stress (ha!). I talked to my OB last week at my appointment and she said at this point they won't stop labor if it starts. I asked her not to check me because I didn't want the chance of stimulating labor at that point. I will let her check next week when I go in just to see where I am and I have to get my GBS test done then too.

On June 4, when I will be 36w2d I am planning on taking the kids to the zoo (thankfully dh will be there with us so I shouldn't have to push the stroller this time). It will be a lot of walking. Around that time, I plan on giving dh the "green light."

If I don't go into labor by about 38 weeks (depending on what the ultrasound next Tuesday shows us on size, fluid, etc.) I might drink some RRL tea and/or take/insert some EPO.

I haven't talked to my OB about what happens if I get closer to my edd. With the last 2, we've scheduled a c-section at 39 weeks and thankfully I didn't get to that point. If it came down to a c-section, I would try to have something done to avoid it. Membranes swept, AROM, etc. My ultimate goal is to have another vaginal birth and avoid a repeat c.

[*mama moose*]

I won't unless my blood pressure spikes up, in which case I'd totally try natural/herbal methods under my MWs care before having to go to the hospital.

[Dynomite&Destiny]

I'm working really hard at being patient. Not my strongest attribute. We're 39 weeks now, and I'm trying to do this all as naturally as possible. No cervix checks, no EPO, practicing my HypnoBabies every night, trying to remember he will be born when he's ready.

I did nipple stimulation with DD at 41 weeks, which seems to have gotten the job done, but I firmly believe Teagun will choose the birthday that's right for him. I've been assuming he won't show up until the 15, so I just gotta keep practicing my patience.

[triana1326]

My blood pressure's been creeping up and I'm flirting with the line of pre-e, so DH and I talked about starting natural induction methods. I'm due in 10 days. We've started doing EPO and lots of sex, letting DD nurse to her heart's content, and I'm half-heartedly doing acupressure points. As much as I want to go into labor naturally, I'm sure that if my BP goes much higher, I'll land in the hospital. I'd prefer to try to get the babe out earlier and have a safe and wonderful homebirth and prevent the whole host of hospital interventions that would accompany developing full-blown pre-e. If I didn't have the BP issue, I'd be doing what I did with my DD - all natural, no inductions.

[Jen H.]

Today is my due date (yay me!) and I've never made it this far before. My first two were 7 and 9 days early, so this is new territory for me. I'm not/won't be doing anything to stimulate things (aside from maybe sex and housework ), but since I'm planning a homebirth I only have a certain window. So if I continue with no real signs of labour I will definitely allow my MW to sweep my membranes by 41+ weeks.

Of course, all this could be moot since I've been feeling rather crampy today...

[laneysprout]

Originally Posted by neldabean

I am letting nature take it's course. Baby will come when baby is ready. If there was a medical reason to induce then yeah of course I would do what's best for both of us. With ds2 I went 3 1/2 weeks over my EDD I can hold out again. That is why it is called an estimated due date. Not everyone ovulates on day 14. I wish people would chill and not get all induce happy when there is no need too.