Help! Approaching 42 weeks, unfavorable cervix, posterior baby, MW wants to use... - Page 2

[terrabella]

My second was a cytotec baby after three days of labor (MW as well). Five years later I read about the uterine ruptures. :

I decided with my third that if it happened again, I wanted pitocin because it can be turned off, and when I mentioned it to my doc, she said sure we could do that. She never said anything negative about an unripe cervix being a problem (which mine was and always is until labor starts). Perhaps ask another doctor their opinion?

Oh, and be prepared in case that baby doesn't turn, Ouch!!! I had to deliver mine upright on my knees because it hurt so much to move. I couodn't even get into a cat/cow position. Make sure you have a birthing ball, it will really help.

[pamamidwife]

you're more likely to not start good labor with a posterior baby. first time moms are especially at risk for gonig way over and having a "failure to progress" because of posterior babies.

Look at www.spinningbabies.com and think about making an appt with a chiropractor to get your baby better aligned.

Once your baby is in a better position, the good application of the head to the cervix is likely to get labor going.

However, just because your cervix is posterior, that doesn't mean your baby is posterior. In labor, especially with a first time mom, your cervix has to move forward before dilation can really get going. It's all part of the process.

I'd say blow the induction and wait for your body to work. Otherwise, you're just in for a mess of a labor.

[courtenay_e]

Please, please, please, find that homebirth midwife, or another one in the area. Don't go near a practice that would use Cytotek to induce. Chiropractic and accupunture are good, as is Evening PRimrose oil. You could try homeopathics, too. But frankly, nothing's going to put you over the edge until baby's ready to go.

I had an ectopic pregnancy and they used cytotek to "save my tube" (this was several years ago). It was a nightmare. My husband and my mother were both afraid that I was going to die. I bled so much... The ctx were scary, they immediately started one after another without a break (maybe 15 sec. between?). Three years later, I read about the dangers of Cytotek being used off lable, and found out that they used almost ten times the "recommended" "safe" dose for my "induction." To think about what could have happened just gives me shivers and nightmares. Please, please don't go anywhere near a practice that would so blatently disregard the information available about the horrible dangers of cytotek. The OB you'd be transferred to agrees with the midwife using cytotek, or wouldn't be her "transfer of care" doc. Please, run and run fast and far.

I'm sorry that this is even an issue for you, it's a stress you don't need during pregnancy, especially at the end!

[mwherbs]

insist on pushing your dates back--



many folks have addressed the cytotec issue-- stay clear of it when the company writes it's own warning to protect themselves from being sued you know there is something going on--
and I want to mention that there is one small study on the use of castor oil that had greater success for vaginal birth with or without pitocin --- than controls who did not use castor oil--

[ariahsmum]

There have been some good ideas thrown your way- staying home and cancelling appointments, changing providers, and spinning babies, etc.

I have some things to add, some may be repeats, others you may choose to ignore. I am going to put it all out there, and let you sort through it. I do not have the energy to try to be nice or PC. I am sorry if anything offends. I do not mean to.

Cytotec should NEVER EVER EVER be offfered for induction. If you have done your research at this point, you will have seen that for yourself. So, while I know you are saying you will refuse this route, it also begs a different question: what kind of care provider is this to be recommending something that can/has killed mothers and babies at a higher rate than acceptable? What are her other practices that you haven't found out about yet? She is not putting your or your baby's safety at the foremost. Do you trust her then as a care provider?

It is NEVER TOO LATE TO CHANGE CARE PROVIDERS until the baby's head is out. It takes gumption and resolution, and strength. But is better at times than the other option.

You also say that you are sure your dates are off. Your care provider is refusing to listen? That is not a good midwife. Period. A good midwife is guided by the mother's wisdom. You are the expert on your body and your baby, not someone else. They are there to serve you, and help provide you with accurate information, and also to listen to you. Regardless of whether you buy time with the date issue, you may very well still be in this situation 10 days from now if your baby is not yet ready to be born. So do not think that dealing with this date thing alone is the solution. You may still have more ahead of you. Do you want a care provider that does not listen to you? I had a freind who knew something was wrong with her baby... her care provider refused to listen. The baby died. Not meant to scare you, just that I think our primary reponsibility in birth is to listen to the mother.

As far as induction: Right now I will be honest. You have NO MEDICAL REASON to warrant induction with any thing- not pitocin, not cervidil, not even herbs or castor oil. There is nothing wrong. NOTHING WRONG! Your body is not late, your baby is not late. In fact, your baby cannot at all read calendars. Do you have fruit trees? Some fruit is ripe before the others. Some will be the last to fall. On the same tree! What you are dealing with quite frankly, and I am sure you are smart enough to know, is an issue of politics and policy. That is the reason for induction. If you have researched induction of any kind, you will know there are very real risks. I hope you have your copy of Goer's Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth.. Labor happens when it is time. It has for eons. No one ever walked around pregnant forever. I hope you can protect yourself enough to avoid a non-medically indicated intervention.

Moreover, if indeed your baby is posterior: Do you KNOW THIS? If s/he is posterior then you DO NOT WANT TO INDUCE LABOR BY ANY MEANS! You know this by now, right? You need to get the baby into an anterior position, and then the bbay will be able to do the work of birth. Of course posteriors are born if left alone, but why ever should a woman knowingly induce one? Go get in the water. Don't sit on anything other than a birth ball- scrub your florrs, spend time all day on hands and knees... if your care provider is not good at palpating- maybe you are, or is there a HB mw around? Perhaps she could verify position?

AND PLEASE LISTEN UP: DO NOT DO ANY SQUATS until you can confirm that baby has rotated anterior. You do not want to have a posterior baby drop (which squatting will encourage) and be locked into a non-optimal postion for birth. In fact, if the baby is low right now, and posterior, part of what you may need to do ifs knee-chest in order to get the head unengaged before it can freely rotate. BUT PLEASE DO NOT SQUAT until you know it is not OP.

I do not mean to yell, just this is so long winded I want you to be able to see the really important things.

I am furious. Not just for you, but for all women, and our babies. I am so tired of women thinking their bodies are broken, incapable of going into labor.

You are a mother, a woman. You are designed perfectly for birth. You are to be honored, and listened to, and empowered. You still have options. Rise up, woman, rise up!

I know you are tired, and want to see your baby. You will. In time. I wish for you something different than all those posters who hope you go into labor soon. I hope for you that you claim your power. I hope for you that you have attendants that honor you and listen to you. I hope for you that your baby is born gently and easily- in his/her own perfect time. And I hope you share that gift of unfoldment with others... whatever that means.

[nonconformnmom]

Eloquently said, Jaya.

[faeriewisp]

You've gotten some great advice, and I also want to add that an herbal/castor oil induction can be a very gentle way to attempt induction.

A synthetic induction is just setting yourself up for needing an epidural.

[Kirsten]

My dd3 was posterior (we didn't know it until she started to come out... well, not exactly true - I knew during transition that something was wrong and said it over and over but it was a little late in the game to make anything different at that point). She was 11 days late. I really think that those posterior babies don't hit the right spot to signal our bodies that it is time for labor.

I wish I had known my baby was posterior so I could have done some things to get her to turn. If I was you, I'd spend all my time and energy trying to get that baby to turn. Once you have a good anterior position, I think you will go into labor. I'd just avoid the midwife til then myself... They can't make you come in for a NST. They can ask and threaten but if you "forget" an appointment here or there, no one takes away your birthday.

[erin_brycesmom]

Because my cervix is unfavorable (unreachable, really), and she said without a cervix that's even remotely ripe, pitocin wouldn't work anyway. She also hates pitocin.

I had an induction at 18 days past EDD with a completely unfavorable cervix. Dilated zero and thick. I had ONLY Pitocin and it worked. Granted it was an awful experience but I didn't need cytotec or cervidil. I don't like it when health care providers say that something definitely won't work. Every woman, every body is different.

I don't like how she told you that your baby will probably do the same thing your dd did either. DOes this woman think she is psychic?

Also, wanted to add that unfortunately being past 42 weeks does increase the risk of fetal death, but thankfully it doesn't sound like you are truly nearing that far along yet. NSTs are good to see if there is a obvious problem with aging placenta or something but someone can get a passing NST one day and still birth the next. Not trying to scare you at all but I would say inform yourself if you are planning to let yourself go far. I am about as anti induction as it gets, but I have done a lot of research on it and there are risks involved and it sucks to have to weigh those risks but I'm a 10 month mama x2 so I have had to.

I did EPO vaginally and orally, sex, chiro 2X a week, accupressure, walking treadmill daily, squatting, etc for last 2 months and I still went 18 days and then 15 days past EDD with my 2 pregnancies and my dates were 100% accurate. Would have gone longer with the first had I not been induced.

~Erin

[clynnr]

Originally Posted by ariahsmum

I know you are tired, and want to see your baby. You will. In time. I wish for you something different than all those posters who hope you go into labor soon. I hope for you that you claim your power. I hope for you that you have attendants that honor you and listen to you. I hope for you that your baby is born gently and easily- in his/her own perfect time. And I hope you share that gift of unfoldment with others... whatever that means.

Thanks Jaya.

I am feeling pretty confident about my appointment tomorrow. I am not going to let this woman dictate what happens to my body. And I am very positive about my dates, the more I think about it.

Thank you to everyone who has posted--I really appreciate it! Hopefully, this won't even be an issue, because I've been having pretty good contractions every 3-5 minutes for over three hours now.

: for it to keep on going!!!

[courtenay_e]

You go mama! Praying for ya, and crossing fingers and toes. You'll do great, whenever you go! Take care.

[Emilie]

when i was pg with a post baby i was told to go down on my hands and knees chest down butt up- for as long as i can. it is suposed to help get the baby to float up and then down onto the cervix to help start labor. i would try that or at least on hands and knees.
i had my baby 41 wks 5 days- healthy baby.
cytotech is bad bad stuff. you can refuse. find a doula.
good luck mama

[mamaverdi]

It's never to late to change providers until the baby is born, the placenta is out, and you are happily nursing.

I know OBs who have more sense than this woman.

Get your "dates" adjusted. All this harping on dates makes my head hurt. Some people seem to think those little date wheels are a magic ball.

mv

[bobandjess99]

keep us posted

[georgia]

Sending you all the strength and support I can muster up!!! Please keep us posted when you can. Here's to those contractions

:

[clynnr]

I'm still here, LOL! This baby is comfortable, apparently. I was ready to leave for the hospital at 11pm last night, with ctx 3-5 mins, lasting 60+ seconds, and getting difficult to talk through... Then I laid down on the couch because I was tired, and FELL ASLEEP.

They jump started with Livi's morning nursing, and are now 6-10 mins apart, but not strong yet. We're going out for breakfast, then a long walk. Keep those labor vibes coming!!!

[Emilie]

thinking of you and sending lots of labor vibes!!! i am so excited for you!!!
: :

[mysticmomma]

I was induced with cervidil at 43 weeks. I was 3cm and 100% at the beginning of the induction. Cervidil was just enough to push me into labor. (We had failed NST's, and I didn't feel "right"). With the cervidil, I could still use the tub, walk around, etc. With pitocin, because it is so strong, you cannot. You are efm'd the whole way. Especially if you have a low bishops score... induction is likely to fail, especially with no ripening agent at all. Good luck. Your uterus doesn't have an expiration date.

[georgia]

Keep trusting your instincts and listening to your body! I went through almost a week and a half of evening ctx that were 3-5 mins. apart only to fizzle out. Each time, I was sure that was it. Not trying to depress you, just want you to not lose hope. You're gonna do great!!!! We're all pulling for you

[eleven]

I know I'm late to the party, but it sounds like good things are happening!! I hope everything goes well for you, Chelsea!