Help!! They want to INDUCE!

[MaryMarg]

My sister is 39 weeks pregnant and has had an unremarkable pregnancy. However, she hasn't gained much weight and gained NOTHING in the last month. Her belly measurements have grown steadily until last week. The docs keep doing u/s and stress tests with her. The stress tests are normal, but u/s today showed baby's head is disproportionate to rest of body. They stated head measures 50th percentile while abdomen and limbs measure closer to 15th. Has any had similar measurements/experiences?

They aren't so concerned that they'll induce today, but will induce Monday. Actually they are going to put some type of balloon device (CTB I think?) in her cervix sunday night to try and stretch it to 2. Then start the pitocin monday. She doesn't want a section. I don't want her to have a section either as she is willing to try breastfeeding, but not set on it. A section might decrease her effort here.

I work with children with special needs and support induction of labor for the health of baby and mother when warranted, of course. However, I'm wondering if there are any ways to help get her labor going in the next few days without intervention. Sex and raspberry leaf tea were the only ideas that popped in my head during our conversation. Please, mamas, help me find ideas for her! TIA!

[secondimpression]

First off, ultrasound measurements are notoriously inaccurate, especially in late pregnancy when baby is cramped up and it's more difficult to get good images to measure. Babies also come in different proportions. Anecdotally, my perfectly healthy DS was in the 17th percentile for weight, 25th for length and 50th for head circumference at birth.

In my very personal opinion based solely off what you've said, it sounds like they just want to get that baby delivered and open up space in their practice and if they can do it on a timeline convenient to them, all the better (for them). She's signing up for a cascade of interventions if this induction doesn't go perfectly well. If the bulb catheter doesn't work, will she be immediately sectioned? If the pitocin doesn't produce the textbook contractions will they let her body rest and try again in a few days or immediately section? What "harm" could come to her baby by putting off an induction another week (in reference to the ultrasound findings) versus doing it sooner? These are questions she may want to ask her provider, at the very least to know what to expect.

As for natural induction methods (which only work when the body is ready), I would very highly recommend a warm bath, walking, eating pineapple or spicy foods, sex and nipple stimulation. Of course there are more aggressive methods like castor oil but these aren't entirely without risk and discomfort. If you do a quick thread search, you should be able to find them quite easily.

Best of luck to your sister, and lots of luck to you as well with encouraging breastfeeding and being a great support person (which it sounds like you already are!)