Ultrasound today, they are talking induction UPDATE: NOW THEY WANT TO DO A C-SECTION

[turtlewomyn]

I was due this past Saturday (so, 40w3d), I had my appointment with my midwife on Monday, No dilation, but cervix soft and about 60% effaced. I had the ultrasound today to look at fluid levels. My fluid level was a little high, but what concerned them was that my baby was measuring 9lbs11oz according to the ultrasound. I am only 5ft2, I was 7lbs and DH was 8lbs7oz at birth (although now he is 6ft3 and 225lbs!) I don't know how I could have grown such a large baby. I do know that the measurements can be quite off, and in my gut I feel that my baby is around eight and a half pounds.

My midwife wasn't around, so they talked to one of the doctors in the practice, and they said to go home tonight, and they would talk to the midwife and we would get a call tonight or tomorrow morning, and they might have us go in tomorrow night for an induction, if we haven't gone into labor by then.

So, in the meantime we just got back from a two mile walk, and of course there is sex (which we have been trying since are appointment last week, but come on, how many times a week can you have sex when you are 40 weeks pregnant!?). I called my doula (also my hypnobirthing teacher) for a pep talk and an update, and she suggested that tomorrow I might want to pull out the big guns and try castor oil. I also talked to a friend who was induced last year (cervadil, then cytotec, then pitocin) due to pre-E and she hypnobirthed just fine. So, I got some pep talks, but I could use some more. I plan to refuse cytotec if possible, that stuff just scares the crap out of me.

Any words of encouragement, anyone???

[Trishy]

Unless there is some medical indication for an induction I would not even consider it before 42 weeks. Those end of pg ultrasounds are notoriously inaccurate. When I was pg with ds2, my 3rd child, I stopped going to visits after 38 weeks so I didn't even have to deal with the pressure. I delivered at 41w4d, just barely on the 4th day though he was born just before 2am.

[stafl]

I'd strongly suggest you not worry about it. Find something to do to keep your mind off it. Whatever it takes, gardening, reading a good mystery, scrubbing the ceilings, whatever.

Forget what the u/s said. They estimated my DD1 at 8.5 lbs the day before she was born weighing less than 5.5 lbs!! That was an entire THREE pounds off! Plus, i was measuring ahead my entire pregnancy. Refuse induction, forget the castor oil, it's nasty and do you really want to crap your brains out? Nothing will get labor started if your body is not ready, not sex, not castor oil, not even pitocin, and especially not cytotec. That stuff nearly killed my baby FWIW, and there is an FDA alert warning women against its use to induce labor! I would just not show up for their suggested induction appointment. Enjoy this last bit of time as a beautiful pregnant woman, and don't let their fears intimidate you or talk you into anything you do not feel is in your own best interest.


ETA - the only way I would ever consider induction would be if I were beyond 42 weeks, and nonstress/stress tests were showing that there was something wrong with the placenta or that baby was having difficulties, AND/or if I just had one of those gut feelings there was something terribly wrong (but then, I'd imagine it would be too late to attempt to induce). See, that's what I don't understand. If it were truly an emergency, then baby would need to be born ASAP, not go through all the stress and time it takes to induce labor, so why not just wait until your body does it on its own?

[rozzie'sma]

Unless the babe is in trouble don't induce. My ultrasound placed DD at 9 1/2 pounds and she was 8 lbs 2 oz. i kept telling them she was an 8 pounder. Trust yourself not them.

[turtlewomyn]

Thanks! DH and I have been talking, and we are wondering if our midwife will even want an induction, because from talking to her it seems like she is pretty hands off on that unless there is a problem. We are hoping that this is why the doctor said to go home tonight, and someone will call us in the AM to talk about induction. The techs were pretty sure I was going to be induced, but they are used to working with doctors.

[Mrs Dimples]

Ultrasounds are NOTORIOUSLY inaccurate for determining the baby's weight. I absolutely cannot believe that doctors are still pulling this crap! They're always wrong. Almost always. And even if your baby is ten pounds, what difference is another few days going to make? You can deliver a 9 lb 11 oz baby but not a 10 lb 1 oz baby? Bullcrap. You grew it, and unless you have been in some kind of bone-crushing accident or severaly deformed through illness it will fit through your pelvis, almost guaranteed. Deliver in a squat or some similar position to maximize the pelvic opening, and I would believe the 10-pound-baby line when I saw it with my own two eyes.

Don't worry, you'll be just fine! Hang in there!

[MamaChel]

My DS1 was "expected" to weigh over 10 pounds, he was born 3 weeks later weighing a whopping 7 pounds, 6 ounces. I would not induce based on a u/s alone.

[JanetF]

Just say no

You're not even postdates! Unless I was 43 weeks and unsure of my baby's health I wouldn't even discuss induction with anyone. The size of a baby cannot be accurately determined by u/s and is no reason to induce anyway! Your body will only grow a baby perfect for you to push out. I say go home, ignore everyone until you're in strong labour and then call whoever you have to, if you really want to...

Try these for more info.
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/biophysical.asp - why biophysical profiling is a crock.
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/pelvis.asp - why the idea of the large baby is a crock.
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregna...,,8nbq,00.html - the ludicrous notion of inducing because of a large baby... (perceived large baby!)

[jeanine123]

Personally I wouldn't induce because baby might be big. There needs to be a more compelling reason than that for me. Especially, like you already know, ultrasounds that guesstimate weights are usually way off. They did one the day before son was born that said he was 9lbs, he was 8lbs 2oz. So much for that. I know it's hard to trust your instincts when the "professionals" start trying the scare tactics. Do you have diabetes or some other condition that would lead you to grow an unusually large baby? Because other than that your body is capable of birthing a large baby, as long as you're allowed to keep moving and changing positions and all that other good stuff. I'm sure you already know this but being induced does increase your risk of c-sect quite a bit. And you're right, there is no way in heck I'd touch Cytotec with a 20 foot pole. Especially considering that the FDA and the drug's manufacturer have both issued warnings about it's use in labor. Have you read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin? I know a lot of people that really gained a lot of confidence and strength from it, me included. I wish you all the best luck in the world!!!!!

[Artisan]

I agree with everything everyone else has said. Just say no. I will repeat my mantra to you like I have to many women here before: FAT IS SQUISHY. Babies are not heavy because they enormous skeletons, newborns weigh more or less based on bodyfat. And fat is squishy. You will not have a hard time delivering a baby because they are chubby. You can have a giant head and broad shoulders on a six pound baby, or you can have an average-sized head on a ten pound baby. (In fact, my sister recently had a 9lb 9oz boy with a 13.25" head -- that slightly below average.)

Also, your height has nothing to do with your pelvic outlet. And there is no way of predicting how much room your body can make if you are relaxed, have an unaugmented labor where your tissues and ligaments have the chance to move apart, and if you birth in the position of your choice without directed pushing.

You CAN do this. You can be strong enough to refuse induction. You know in your heart it's not what's best for you or the baby. And keep telling yourself: FAT IS SQUISHY.

[BensMom]

Originally Posted by Mrs Dimples

And even if your baby is ten pounds, what difference is another few days going to make? You can deliver a 9 lb 11 oz baby but not a 10 lb 1 oz baby? Bullcrap.

I agree with this! Your baby will only gain a few ounces a week this late in the game. So why try to force your body to do something it is not ready for (and seriously risk a Csection that they will blame on a "big baby") when you can wait for your body to start doing what it needs to do on its own?

Don't induce for this reason alone.

[CarrieMF]

Just say no. I will repeat my mantra to you like I have to many women here before: FAT IS SQUISHY

I agree with the others and this is an excellent way to put it.

[dukeswalker]

No No No! My ds "weighed" in at around 6lbs+ via an u/s...induction follwed 2 days later - he was born via C-SECTION at just under 9lbs - They were nearly THREE POUNDS OFF! - plus I ended up with a c--section that could have been 100% prevented. They blamed it on the fact that he was "big" - but my dd#3 was born intervention free and her head was an inch bigger and she weighed more...soooo.... :

As for your size...my aunt gave birth to twin girls - each weighing in at 9 pounds - she is five feet tall - it was a 100% drug free, vaginal birth! whoo-hoo!

[crunchyconmomma]

Originally Posted by turtlewomyn

we are wondering if our midwife will even want an induction, because from talking to her it seems like she is pretty hands off on that unless there is a problem. We are hoping that this is why the doctor said to go home tonight, and someone will call us in the AM to talk about induction. The techs were pretty sure I was going to be induced, but they are used to working with doctors.

okay...whose birth is it? do not turn YOUR birth over...do it yourself in your own (and your baby's own) way and time.

and about the hypnobirthing...try the mind sweep trick (i did hypno classes, read books not associated with the class, found this in one and did this myself and liked it alot)
get into that place you learned about in hypnobirthing and then
imagine the worst scenario, colorful, as if it were a movie scene in your mind. for me this was getting all out of control and letting pain and craziness preside and being mean and ugly to DH and my MW. and get detailed with it. i imagined what my hair and forhead would look like and how i would sound and how i would feel. and i made the lighting in the room seem unpleasant to give more of the feel of "wrong." then in the lower corner (like picture in picture TV) imagine the best scenario, as detailed as you can be. for me this was remaining calm and centered and having a blissful, spiritual birth and keeping focus. i was graceful and the baby slipped out into my arms. the lighting was soft and we all looked like angels from a painting. then you "swish" the bad image and replace it with the good image. you do it over and over, making the good image bright and vivid and large as life. eventually, the bad image is hard to conjure and the good one becomes your reality.

this is a pretty simplistic way, but you can get the idea. it's really just a specific technique for "thinking positively."

it's also pretty important at this point to get centered in your mind with the hypnosis and talk to the baby and tell yourself and baby about how the birth is going to happen - naturally, in it's own time, yadda, yadda.

good luck! can't wait to hear the story!

[alegna]

Just say no. That's exactly why I didn't do ultrasounds at all... you don't get any useful info, just scare tactics.

-Angela

[MrsMoe]

Ultrasounds are usually way way off for body weight - by an average of 2 pounds. 2 pounds is a lot, you know?

[KKmama]

My mom is 5'4", and I was 10 lbs 2 oz.

My VBAC baby was 9 lbs 4 oz.

*Someone* has to give birth to babies who are heavier than average. We shouldn't be penalized for it.

I agree with the "fat is squishy" sentiment. Z had an average sized head, even though he was "heavy" and long.

It sounds like everything else is healthy, and that perhaps (*perhaps*) your baby will be tall.

[HerthElde]

http://www.birthlove.com

It is a paid membership site, but they have a great 10-month mama area, with a few articles. Some very good information on why it's normal to go over 40 weeks, what can be done to minimize the possibility of problems, why you should definitely NOT use castor oil, etc.

[Full Heart]

How big do you think the baby is? Moms have a pretty good guess I think. Not that I think size is a reason to induce.

A great trick I learned from Spiritual Midwifery was to keep telling yourself, "I'm going to get huge." With #5 I was expecting a big baby (he just ended up being really tall with a huge head lol) but I was reapting that mantra in labor. When it came time to push he flew out of me. Pushing took less than a min, all in 1 contraction from zero station to out. He had a 14 1/2 in head too.

Michelle

[Mallory]

I agree that fat is squishy. My boys were 7'12 and 9'9, but their heads were about the same size. My midwife also thought the 9'9 baby was only going to be 5 or 6 pounds

I mean really how much bigger are the head and shoulders going to grow in a week or so?