Help! They are going to induce me!!

[suprgrl]

I am 41 weeks and I am being threatened with induction by the medical establishment! I REALLY do not want that. I had an ultrasound yesterday, and although I know they are not accurate with estimating weight, they told me 9 pounds! That just ends up scaring me and making me doubt my ability to get this get out.
So, my aunt who is a L+D nurse suggested black + blue cohosh tea. So I bought some of the dried herbs yesterday to make a tea, but am unsure of exactly how to make it, how much to take, and how long it takes to initiate labor. My cervix is very favorable: 90% effaced. From what I have heard, the more favorable, the more effective induction methods will be. I just REALLY DO NOT want the possibility of complications that are associated with pitocin and all that. Thanks for the help!

Ronna

[nataliekat]

Ooh, pitocin, yucky! I would try to avoid that. I don't know anything about those herbs, though.

It's utterly ridiculous for them to try to predict the size of your baby at this stage. It's virtually impossible to tell that on ultrasound. I've heard their "estimate" can be off by as much as 12-16 oz. in either direction!! Stupid!

Wish I had more advice, I would ask about any other options your OB might have besides pitocin. It's nasty.

Good luck!

[PancakeGoddess]

Hey mama, post this in the general pregnancy forum and you'll get more help! You probably know this, but:

have orgasms
walk
stimulate your nipples

[GoldBerry]

These are all great suggestions but I just wanted to say that I had to be induced twice and although it was not what I had hoped for everything turned out wonderful!

[MistyB]

check out the non pharmceutical induction page on gentlebirth archives...lots of good info.

I would walk like crazy, warm compress on chest, pump, ....lots of things listed to try.

[flapjack]

Get hold of a copy of Susun Weed's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year- if there isn't one available to you, PM me and I'll type the info on the cohoshes. You might want to check out www.susunweed.com as well.
IME, bigger babies are easier to birth because they have less room to mess around with poor positioning: this one is probably my smallest, and seems to be a total prima donna. The 14lber literally fell down a toilet whilst I was begging for an enema, waters, membranes and all- so don't worry about that. Your body won't grow a baby that can't leave by the front door...

[MrsMoe]

Get the prostglandin gel before you get the pitocin, it's all it took to induce me.

Also, avoid Blue Cohosh if you have blood pressure issues, it can elevate BP, as well as cause bleeding issues. Black Cohosh is safer.

[crsta33]

I had some worries about having a big baby, but I now really firmly believe that your body really *won't* grow a baby it can't birth.

Seriously, I thought Landon would weigh about 9 lbs. No u/s estimations, but the midwife and backup doc both assessed by hand and estimated about 8 lbs at 37/38 weeks. Well, he was actually quite a bit bigger than that.

My body told me what to do during labor and I did it. Short contractions and lots of moving around...birth ball, hands and knees, upright, semi-reclining...I think I changed position for every contraction. The pool really, really helped, more than I thought possible. And even after he was born I had no idea how *big* he really was.

I would have been induced by an OB, I'm sure of it. But it is possible, and not as difficult as you would think, to get a 10 and 1/2 pounder out with a naturally begun labor. Best of luck to you!

Christa

[beaches1098]

Trust your body that it and the baby will work together. You can birth this baby and keep telling youself this. I would be careful with using herbs because you should really have somebody monitoring your bp while using them.
You can try the homeopathic version of the blue and black cohosh it is
cimicifuga or calophylum homeopathics
borage capsules (worked for me after only a few doses)
red raspberry leaf tea or tincture
orgasm
nipple stimulation
squatting, walking
rest and visualization
spicy food (may work, may not)
accupuncture (has a huge success rate)
massage (have them simulate labor points on ankles and legs)
chiropracor
cranio-sacral

Even if you end up getting pitocin maybe you can get just enough to get you going and then ask them to turn it off and let your body take over.
You can do it and soon you will get to see who's been bumping you in there!