I need induction help please - Page 2

[spanica]

I have no practical advice but wanted to offer you big hugs. I hope you can get to a place where your birth is still an amazing, positive experience.

[joshs_girl]

Thanks mamas - we laughed at ourselves last night - 9:00 p.m. found us out at Target running around to get the last few BFing supplies we needed and a "just in case" paci and such. I also ordered the last of my cloth dipes yesterday and told the seller, please rush as she may be here this weekend! It was quite a comedy - but we needed to laugh.

I'm going to spend today quietly at the house getting things in order and preparing my mind with some meditation and some breathing. Tomorrow I have my first LLL meeting and lunch with my girlfriends then dinner with a group of other expecting mamas, so I'm just going to soak up all those positive vibes and take them with me on Thursday morning.

Watch it - all this preparation and freaking out we're doing, and she still probably won't come until her EDD - silly, stubborn girl we have on our hands

[flapjack]

Hi Kati, I'm so sorry that you're going through this after everything you've already been through to get here.

I would try bathing in epsom salts to allow your blood pressure to drop slightly- if it works, great, if it doesn't then what the heck. That's one of the few things you haven't mentioned trying yet. I'd also get very very in-depth and personal with your doctor- what's the VBAC climate like over there? If it's not great, you really need to get this baby out of your yazoo by whatever means.
Some things you need to know: epidurals lower blood pressure. This is one of those circumstances where I am saying, with total blinding seriousness, take the drugs.
The ladder of interventions put you at greater risk of infection, one way or another, because you may end up with a c-section or episiotomy. Start yourself on vitamin C and zinc now to get your immune system at top-notch now- thinking about it, actually, I'd take probiotics as well.
If your membranes remain intact, the induction can be stopped at any time. Once they have been artificially broken, Poppy really needs to be out of there within 18 hours, one way or another.
On breastfeeding: Poppy is likely to maybe need a little more help to get the hang of it than she would have done if she'd cooked till 42 weeks. Don't take the pacifier, you don't need it and it could set up problems later on. Get her to your chest immediately, don't allow routine separation for observation, and keep her close and feed her lots. No supplements by mouth, especially not formula in a bottle. You ideally need a side-car bassinet for your hospital bed to keep her close whilst letting you get some sleep.
Finally, I'd read Birthing From Within. It helped me a lot this time round, and it helped ease me into a gentler frame of mind. I know people have found it helped them let go and accept that birth is a miracle, regardless of how it unfolds and who you accept intervention from

Oh, on natural inductions: there isn't anything other than acupuncture or homoeopathy that I would consider safe enough for someone whose blood pressure is high enough to require medication, and you need professionals for both of those. I did do ginger compresses that last week with River, though, and it felt good (fresh ginger steeped in boiling water then placed straight on my bump.) Castor oil is horrible and the cohoshes weren't much better, plus didn't actually get the baby out. My vote is take the pitocin and the epidural.

[boobyfeeder]

I agree about the pacifier, ideally the baby should not have anything except your breast before at least 1-2 months old, or you run the risk of nipple confusion. You do start to feel like a human pacifier in the early days, but that helps establish your milk supply.

[xochimama]

First of all, big to you.

Sound like you have some good advice and still some options, AND a good support network.

The one thing I have to add is take time to meditate/pray/walk/yoga...whatever YOU need to do to get centered mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

Fear is not the most effective place from which to make decisions. Trust yourself and trust the universe. Find some peace and KNOW that everything will be just as it is supposed to be...

[joshs_girl]

Thanks again mamas - I spent today doing some nesting and now, I can honestly say all I feel is joy and excitement at the prospect of meeting her. There are moments of some fear - but I have some special songs just for her that I played over and over today as I was around the house and I just wouldn't let myself dwell on the negative.

She was so well behaved today - lots of movement to keep me from worrying and I had some more BH/possible contractions so I'm just trusting that my body is going to do it's thing and it's capable of handling this.

Thanks again and everyone can expect a play by play on Thursday - thank heavens for wireless at the hospital!