On the Clock

[Herausgeber]

I am 41w5d.

My family history is long pregnancies, easy labors, big babies. (I was a 43 week babe myself.) By all accounts, my girlie is doing quite well in there. She just isn't ready to come out. I've been using EPO since 38 weeks, but my cervix just ain't there yet. My MWs put in a transcervical Foley catheter yesterday, which had the effect of making me completely miserable all afternoon and evening, but the ctx seem to have stalled out completely overnight. I'm staying on my feet all day today to try to get things going again. After my AFI this afternoon, I'm trying castor oil.

I risk out of the birth center on Saturday, when I hit 42 weeks. On Monday, the plan is to induce me at the hospital. I hear great things about my OB, but my instinct is that this induction is going to fail because my body clearly isn't ready for this and I am going to wind up with a C-section.

I'm not comfortable with UC, but I hate feeling trapped by all this, knowing that all I really need is another week.

I'm not sure what I am asking for with this post. Encouragement, I guess. Maybe a BTDT about the Foley actually working for someone. Other ideas on how to get my labor going. Strategies for stalling this induction (I'm considering just refusing to schedule it before midweek. I suppose I could just not show up, but that seems really unfair to my care providers, who are actually quite wonderful.)

[tinyshoes]

time to be unsure about your LMP!

see if there's any way you can dig up any wiggle-room about your dates, your due date, your date of conception, anything...any uncertainty you suddenly remember now could give you another few days.

Are your cycles longer or shorter than 28 days? do you ovulate on day 14 like the Medical Model's Woman? maybe YOUR egg was fertilized on day 18...that's 4 days "extra" for you right there.....

when did you feel the baby move? if you felt the baby move at Medical Model's 22 week mark, and most women feel baby move at 20 weeks, well then......MAYBE your dates are off....

Was your mestrual cycle irregular before this conception?

42 weeks 5 days was a loooooooooooong time ago............but I'm sure you remember SOOOOOME things, about how NOT AVERAGE your body's cycles are, which would explain that probably you're really more like 41 weeks pg......

Further, if the women in your family bake babies for 43 weeks, your care provider should take that into account and not penalize you for it....do you have a midwife that could help you fudge or expand your dates?

I hope HOPE hope you can weasle another week.....what a frustrating situation. I say it's time for some SERIOUS date-doubt, because of your certainty that your 'babe's not ready' and you don't feel ready and you don't want an induction and your family's history of "overcooked" (properly baked!!!) 43 wk babies.....

[velcromom]

"Wonderful care providers who I don't want to be unfair to" is not a reason to go against your instinct and risk a c/s!!

How about calling the answering service after hours and rescheduling? They aren't going to know who you are.

Or how about getting a flat tire, or a plumbing emergency, or both on different days if you need to?? LOL

Go with your gut, if you know your body is not ready and that in your family the mamas are slow-cookers, then as long as you and baby are doing well they can take their induction and even their castor oil, and reschedule over and over til the cows come home. It isn't going to be something they remember the rest of their lives the way you are going to remember the birth the rest of yours.

There's nothing wrong with showing up pushing. Lots of moms use that strategy!

As a c/s mom I can look back with hindsight and tell you it is not worth the risk of going thru a c/s just to keep your providers from dropping you or to be "fair" to them.

[NYCVeg]

Just wanted to offer some hugs. I was wondering if you'd had your little one.

Any chance you can "fudge" your dates? Dd actually surprised us by coming a few days before 40 weeks, but I got the impression from the mws that they would definitely allow a little creative math if it came down to it (particularly with your family history).

I guess my one piece of advice is this: you may risk out of the birth center, but that does NOT mean you have to agree to an induction. Even if you have to give birth in the hospital (b/c you don't want a UC, which I completely understand), that doesn't mean you need your babe to come before she's ready. If it were me, I would take the chance of risking out of the bc birth, but I would not agree to the induction--if your body isn't ready, your odds of more unwanted interventions and/or a c/s are much higher (which you already know, of course).

Don't worry about being "unfair" to the mws, no matter how good they are--this is your body and your baby. You have absolutely no obligation to do things with which you are not comfortable and which might not be best for your babe. At the end of the day, they are CNMs and I think they tend to run a little more medical than some other mws might (just based on my experience).

I've also heard really good things about their back-up doc BTW (I assume we're talking about the same person).

Good luck! I hope you get to meet your little one soon!

[Herausgeber]

Unfortunately, I am absolutely sure about my dates thanks to charting and a weeklong French vacation away from DP in which I definitely didn't get pregnant! My EDD also already accounts for my long cycles, which bought me 3 extra days. I could prolly make the case for a few more.

My AFI is this afternoon. If that shows babe is still in good shape, I think I will be able to make a case for stalling the medical induction plan, even if it doesn't help me with risking out of the birth center. The MWs know about my family history, and we even talked about how this wouldn't even have been an issue 20-30 years ago.

The good news: I have a doula, so at least I'll have some help getting through pitocin ctx if it comes to that. And she will also help me protect the little one from some hospital procedures I want to avoid.

It's so weird. I've had the easiest pregnancy ever. And yet, here I am, closing in on 42 weeks, with a baby who is hovering at -2 station and an extremely reluctant cervix.

[tinyshoes]

Originally Posted by Herausgeber

Unfortunately, I am absolutely sure about my dates thanks to charting...

hmmmm......

I hear you.

I understand you had a chart.

I know you are probably a very smart person who knows when she is having a period and when she is not, and how to use a thermometer.

however, in this case, when you're almost risking out of the birth center, I can't help but wonder...maybe...

...ARE YOU SURE?!?!??!?!??!?!??! about your dates?

because SO OFTEN, so many women are not sure of their dates....and so then their due date gets pushed LATER into the FUTURE, nudge nudge wink wink

you know?

They can measure your cervix but they can't measure your memory or the magical moment of conception----exploit that reality.

[NYCVeg]

Originally Posted by tinyshoes

...ARE YOU SURE?!?!??!?!??!?!??! about your dates?

because SO OFTEN, so many women are not sure of their dates....and so then their due date gets pushed LATER into the FUTURE, nudge nudge wink wink

you know?
.

Yeah...it definitely sounds to me like you got the dates of that vacation in France wrong. Don't you just hate it when you make silly mistakes like that?

[BelgianSheepDog]

Since the baby is so high, maybe try squatting. A lot. IME it works, and once the head is on your cervix, that can really speed up dilation and effacement. If you have a birth ball, sit on it and roll around, use it as a desk chair.

What are the midwifery laws like where you are? I know here they are supposed to hand you over for a medical induction after the end of 42 weeks, but I personally know of at least a couple people whose hb/bc midwives "let" them go longer because they were comfortable with the situation and our state is very relaxed about midwifery. If you think you can "negotiate" with your midwives, give it a try.

Otherwise, I like the stealth rescheduling tactics mentioned above, especially the answering service one.

Castor oil got me to 4 cms weeks before I was really ready (LONG story) so I'd guess you might have more luck with it, but it's no fun. Good luck, I'm thinking optimistic thoughts for you!

[sapphire_chan]

It's also a darned shame about that family emergency that's going to keep you from making that induction appointment. Isn't it lucky that it'll all get resolved just in time for you to go into labor on your own?

[BelgianSheepDog]

Oh and if you're taking cal/mag...stop! I stopped taking mine 24 hours before labor started, I've heard the same anecdotally from several others!

[Contented73]

Hi there,

I too have been wondering about you and your little one! I have lots of thoughts and limited time.....so sorry in advance if I seem jumbled....

Anyway, I think I told you my story about going to the birth center and then transfering. Do you know where you would transfer to, and who the doc would be? I transferred to Dr. Tchabo, who I think is their primary backup. He was really great and I would trust him above any other OB to support the natural process, even in the case of an induction. Did the birth center mention that they can try cervidil with you there? That might be another option. In addition they have homeopathic drugs which specifically target a rigid cervix. Also, I agree that you could simply not show up for the induction. You could wait until you go into labor, and as someone else said, show up at the hospital pushing.

It seems that the biggest thing here is that you feel safe and confident waiting for your baby to be ready -- which is sounds like is completely the case. Do not be afraid of upsetting ANYONE - as long as you are confident, you do what is necessary to get the birth YOU want!! Please contact me if you have any specific questions about Dr. Tchabo or the hospital.

Oh, and just as a matter of support, yes, I have seen a foley catheter work. Also wanted to mention that I have seen plenty of moms starting labor not dilated at all, with a really high baby (uh, like me!) and they wound up with vaginal deliveries. If you do choose the induction route, it is absolutely essential (as I'm sure you already know) that you can be upright, sqatting, birth ball, etc. to make sure babe comes down!

I am so sorry you are going through this. Just want to offer my support and say that if there is anything at all that I can do to help, just drop me a line. I'll be home all weekend.

Suzanne

[Contented73]

ooops one more thing, I agree that if nothing else, definitely schedule the induction for later in the week.

[BusyBeeMom]

I understand not wanting a UC. In your shoes, I would push the induction off. I wouldn't just skip the induction appt (it's just not good manners to stand anyone up if there isn't an emergency), but talk to the midwives and/or OB and say you're not comfortable agreeing to an induction yet IF you get to 42 weeks -you may go earlier!

Personally, I would offer to have a biophysical profile and then to take it one day at a time. I was 11 days post-dates w/DD, and was also under the "risk out of the birth center" gun (ended up transferring for other reasons), so I know how stressful it is!!

GL!!

[koru]

have you tried black cohosh or accupuncture to stimulate labor? sex?

i completely understand your feelings of wanting to let Baby hang out until she's ready. i have a friend who went a month over....she tried all the natural labor stims in the world but he just wasn't ready yet.

maybe your hcp's will be willing to let you wait if you agree to regular u/s or other testing/monitoring? (just drink lots of water beforehand to make sure your amniotic fluid is sufficient!).

[Redifer]

In my case, every doctor I saw wanted to induce me. I simply didn't go. Plain and simple. I went into labor 10 days AFTER the date they wanted to induce, to a perfectly healthy child, and a short, easy labor.

I'm a stubborn fool though. My solution to the problem was to just not go to the induction. I called them 3 days prior and said that I was sorry, but I didn't feel comfortable with this method, and I wouldn't be coming in. They argued with my about it, but there was really nothing they could do... it wasn't like they were going to have the police come to my house, physically force me to the hospital, strap me down and force the procedure...

[wrzos]

I just refused to schedule my induction. They "gave" me the weekend to come to terms with it - I was supposed to call and schedule and didn't. Luckily, I went into labor before they got around to chasing me down!

What did I try??? Nothing that extreme really. LOTS of walking. LOTS of sex. Eggplant Parm (heh - it was yummy if nothing else). Lots o squatting, birth ball, RRL tea, positive thoughts, ya-da, ya-da. Knowing what I know now, I might also add EPO internally to this list, as well as a membrane sweep (although you've covered that base with the Foley, right?).

Good luck - I hope it works out!

[Herausgeber]

I do have Dr. Tchabo. The stuff you told me about him was one reason I don't feel completely despondent, Suzanne. He sounds like pretty much the best OB in the world in this sort of situation.

The AFI was so-so. I'm at 5, which is just barely considered acceptable. The baby looked great though. Lots of movement. Her heart was rocking along perfectly. They've sized her at about 8 pounds, 10 ounces, so she's a good size at least. I was 9 lb, 9 ounces, so looks like she's taking after her mama! (I know those estimates aren't entirely reliable, but it's somewhat reassuring to know that she's growing well.)

The Foley came out, which means I am at 3 cm. The MWs are hoping the castor oil, along with lots of walking and squatting will help keep the ctx rolling ...

[Eman'smom]

Just wanted to send a hug or two your way. I love reading your posts in FF

[NYCVeg]

Originally Posted by Herausgeber

The AFI was so-so. I'm at 5, which is just barely considered acceptable. The baby looked great though. Lots of movement. Her heart was rocking along perfectly. They've sized her at about 8 pounds, 10 ounces, so she's a good size at least. I was 9 lb, 9 ounces, so looks like she's taking after her mama! (I know those estimates aren't entirely reliable, but it's somewhat reassuring to know that she's growing well.)

Just so you know...the AFI is fairly unreliable and almost wholly dependent on how hydrated you are. Drink 2 liters of water before the next test.

Sending you good labor vibes!

[Herausgeber]

Just a quick note. Elise Irene was born Saturday evening, at 4:30. 8 pounds, 5 ounces. 21.5 inches long. Labor was verrrrry long (30-plus hours), and I wound up transfering from sheer exhaustion, but I have no regrets on that front. Turns out she had some respiratory issues that would have had HER transfered anyway, and at least this way I was a patient at the hospital, too, while they had her under observation. She's very happy and healthy now, and we're both settling in at home.

Will post more later ...