A friend who is birthing in hospital....

[forest~mama]

She went in to her OB visit, and he said she was 3cm dilated. This is her second baby, and she is due Nov. 28th. He said he would like to admit her and break her water. She <good girl> refused, and so he said he wanted her to go to hospital the next day to be induced. She also declined this<good girl again>, but he kept pressuring her to do so. She still said no thanks. This woman has had an uncomplicated pg, baby is growing right on track. I can't believe that they won't just leave her alone!! What is the deal with such an early induction?!

[anniegirl]

What a jerk! I bet it's because he doesn't want to have to deliver a baby over Thanksgiving weekend. Good for your friend for refusing.

ETA: tell her to watch out. He'll probably pressure he even more when she goes in next week.

[MamaChel]

Oh the Ob is probably figuring that he'd "help things along a bit" by trying to rush the baby out. After all it's "no big deal" when a woman has a c-sec due to physician inpatience. We should all be grateful that these Drs are here to help rush things along.

Sounds like she's a strong mama. Remind her to continue to decline the interference b/c it's only gonna continue and get worse from here on out. She's paying the Dr so he needs to act in her best interest not for his own convenience.

[BensMom]

Also, tell her to keep her pants on at the next visit. Something tells me this is the kind of guy who might sweeep membranes or "accidentally" break her waters in a routine exam. There's no real value in routine VE's at the end of pregnancy anyway.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by BensMom

There's no real value in routine VE's at the end of pregnancy anyway.

I must disagree with you. Vaginal exams are *very* important, especially at the last stages of pregnancy. How else are all the little microbes going to get into the uterus and cause infections? Really, you sound like a pro-homebirther or something.

To the OP, your friend should call up the dr's office and reschedule the appointment for December.

[hunnybumm]

And my DH wonders why I refused to see an OB and deliver at a hospital this time around.

With DS my dates were a little off. I went in at my 40 week appointment and told the doctor I could possibly be 41 weeks 2 days, and the u/s comfirmed I could possibly be that far. So he set up an induction date for 2 days later. Luckily DS went into labor the next day. I had heard about a million times "Don't worry we won't get you go over 41 weeks".

[danav]

At least your friend has enough sense and courage to stand up for herself and refuse the OB's pressure to induce.

With my second pg I was 3-4 cm dilated at 34/35 weeks, and didn't give birth until just under 38 weeks. I would tend to agree with the other's suggestions if your friend is willing...either conveniently "miss" next week's appointment if she's not in active labor already, or refuse a vaginal exam and continue to refuse induction. I'm sure it must be hard to have to be on the defensive with your provider like that!

[Past_VNE]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

I must disagree with you. Vaginal exams are *very* important, especially at the last stages of pregnancy. How else are all the little microbes going to get into the uterus and cause infections? Really, you sound like a pro-homebirther or something.

Oh man....you had me so scared for a moment there!

What a good woman your friend is. I second the opinion to be wary that he doesn't accidentally-on-purpose do something. He sounds like a real asshat.

[guestmama9924]

wow. sounds so familiar. You could be a good friend and go ahead and make some foods and freeze them and get her some VBAC literature for when she is home, healing and wanting to know more about what went wrong.

[lilyka]

I agree, I would definitely encourage her to keep her pants on the next time she is there. dialation is not an indicator of labor. My friend got all excited when her dr. told her she was 1cm. thought she would go int o labor any day. heck, it was her third child. chance were she had been 1 cm since she peed on a stick. I know a would of people who have walked around 6-7 cm for weeks. (that had to have really sucked ).

but woohoo - 3cm. sounds like the wheel are in motion and when the time comes it should be fast and easy. good for her. and good for her to refuse induction. things seem to be going along quite well on thier own. since it isn't preterm labor they are concerned about here why exactly do they feel the need to rush thing ? ? ? Dr. can be such idiots.

[USAmma]

Wow! Many women walk around 3-4 cm dilated without being in active labor. What's wrong with that doctor? :

[MrsMoe]

Originally Posted by BensMom

Something tells me this is the kind of guy who might sweeep membranes or "accidentally" break her waters in a routine exam.

Yup.

[tinyshoes]

Originally Posted by ~lioneyes~

I can't believe that they won't just leave her alone!! What is the deal with such an early induction?!

Dude, this is how it's done. Why give chicks "due dates"? That's soooooooo old fashioned. Seriously, from the data I am gathering, the current fashion is to assign a woman an induction date.

For real, I'm not kidding.

So sad.

Good luck to your friend; I hope she has an empowered birth expereince!

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by tinyshoes

Dude, this is how it's done. the current fashion is to assign a woman an induction date.

The OB practice in our area that serves the Keys women schedules the induction date at the first prenatal visit. no exceptions. :Puke

[tinyshoes]

Originally Posted by KeysMama

The OB practice in our area that serves the Keys women schedules the induction date at the first prenatal visit. no exceptions. :Puke

Even I am horrified, shocked, and amazed. Wow. At the first prenatal.

[MrsMoe]

Originally Posted by KeysMama

The OB practice in our area that serves the Keys women schedules the induction date at the first prenatal visit. no exceptions. :Puke

He is going directly against the FDA then. The FDA withdrew use of oxytocin for inducing labor unless there was a serious medical need.

Also, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is now also upset with this trend and has issued guidelines stating not to induce unless benefits outweigh the risks.

Maybe based on this he could be reported.

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by MrsMoe

Also, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is now also upset with this trend and has issued guidelines stating not to induce unless benefits outweigh the risks.

Maybe based on this he could be reported.

thing is that it is the whole hospital system down here which operates about 4 big maternity units. The c/section rate is about 60% based on last data. They justify induction by using the "distance" factor of us islanders. It is sick, I agree. They don't allow doulas either (gee wonder why) and I do tell women that when they call me ( I am a doula and cbe)

[sarahlynne]

Originally Posted by MrsMoe

He is going directly against the FDA then. The FDA withdrew use of oxytocin for inducing labor unless there was a serious medical need.

The problem is "serious medical need" is a very vague description. If something is typical of medical practice in an area, it can be hard to get anyone (in the system) to take a complaint seriously. I think some doc's approach the "benefits outweigh the risk" issue in the realm of " the benefits for me out weigh the risks for her".

[forest~mama]

Some very good points here ladies. I didn't even think about the Thanksgiving thing. Darn her for being due so close to that!!! As far as I know, she is still holding out-her DH works with my DH, so I keep waiting for updates everyday when he gets home. I am very proud of her because she is one of those women who doesn't really know anything but hospital type birth. She is goin' against the odds!!

[MrsMoe]

Originally Posted by KeysMama

thing is that it is the whole hospital system down here which operates about 4 big maternity units. The c/section rate is about 60% based on last data. They justify induction by using the "distance" factor of us islanders. It is sick, I agree. They don't allow doulas either (gee wonder why) and I do tell women that when they call me ( I am a doula and cbe)

60%