...so couldn't they rupture membranes as an induction method?

[Marco Esquandolas]

I'm just sitting here wondering this. For those who've had to go thru inductions or induction methods, couldn't the ripeners and contraction forcers (I'm thinking cervadil and pitocin) be skipped and the membranes just be artificially ruptured? What happens to mamas whose water breaks w/no contractions? Do contractions leading to labor eventually happen after that? I'm just wondering what my options are b/c I'll be having a hosp delivery and I'm at the time now when they want to schedule an induction. To them, that means jacking me up on pitocin. BTDT- :shake don't wanna do it again. I already told them I didn't want one and haven't even scheduled another prenatal appt b/c that's the one when they'll want to set up the induction date. I feel like if I know what else is out there, then maybe I'll have a leg to stand on to argue my side of things. FWIW-1st edd was 17th and 2nd was 22nd. They want me in the office on for my exam on Tue (since Mon is/was out due to it being a holiday). Oh-I have had a recent internal and I'm fairly ripe and getting there-lost plug (no bloody show) over a week ago, a little over 2 cm and 80% effaced, baby has been engaged for many weeks....

[fourlittlebirds]

AROM (artificial rupture of membranes) doesn't necessarily lead to contractions. The problem is that AROM means putting hands/instruments up you, introducing possibility of infection, which means you're on the clock. So if contractions don't start after a certain amount of time (may vary depending on care provider) they'll want to use pitocin to start contractions, and antibiotics to combat possible infection.

Are you worried about the baby? If so, have you had a non-stress test and/or U/S to assess well-being? If all looks well there's no medical reason to induce, and you can just tell them 'no' (or just not answer the phone.)

[Marco Esquandolas]

LOL...I always wondered what AROM stood for *blushes*. Ah bugger, well there goes that idea then.

No, I'm not worried about the baby at all. I don't even have pre-e with this one or anything else that I'm aware of that would necessitate it being forced out. I think my practice does the 42 wk deadline for malpractice insurance purposes, but I'm not even entirely sure about that or what exactly their rationale is for doing it that way. Regardless, they do put the clock on and it is their practice to induce at 42 wks. I haven't had a nst yet but know that is coming too-just so they can "be sure" everything is ok.

It is times like now that I wish my insurance did cover homebirths. Then this wouldn't even be an issue. Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky and the baby will come by or on Mon and all this won't be an issue anyway.

Thanks for your info!!

[Foobar]

I had a regular old ROM and I didn't start any contractions on my own. I ended up have pitocin to get things going, which didn't work followed by a second day of pitocin at a higher level that finally got things going.

Goo was born right on her due date...

[Chanley]

Ok...

list of things you can do to help it along..

have sex...lots of sex lots of semen

walk LOTS

castor oil (this is debatable and good lord it will clean out your bowels, the good part was I did not have to shat for a few days after labor which was welcomed with my sore crotch) if you do this....it tastes best like this: 4 ounces castor oil in glass with the syrup from a can of peaches. Get the heavy syrup kind. Add pinch of salt and drink up. It is not bad and will do the trick.

I did some cohosh enemas but I had a midwife soo that is not advisable...

GOt a breastpump?? Nursing toddler??? A husband who is willing to suck on nipples. Did that too...

[Kabes]

You could have your membranes stripped. Essentially they pull out your mucous plug. I had this done with my first daughter and it started my labor. It isn't a sure thing though. My midwife said give it 24 hrs. and I would start contractions if it worked. It apparently doesn't put you at risk for infection the way rupturing your membranes would. On the down side I've never heard of an OB doing this. All those other things Chanley posted help too! Good Luck, hope you have a great birth! :D

[clewal]

I believe my midwife stripped my membranes. We were under the wire, I was a vbac, 40 weeks, the c-section was scheduled for 41 weeks on the dot (the dr that they practiced under did that because large hospital, etc), so she decided she was going to check me. It was the most painful check I'd ever had, and I also believe she tried to stretch my cervix, I don't know, I couldn't see what she was doing. Within an hour, I had lost my appetite, contractions started the next day, and I had my baby that weekend.

[4under6]

With my third, I was set to be induced at 39 weeks (long story), but really didn't want the pitocin. I had already been at 3cm and 90% effaced for a month.
So at 7:30 am, the doc came to start things, and the first thing she did was break my bag. I asked if we could just leave it at that for awhile to see what happens. She said fine, get up, walk, take a shower, I'll be back in a couple hours. Instant hard labor and contractions, 10 minutes later, I felt like pushing.
The baby was born at 8:00 an on the dot!
It was crazy-fast, and I hope for this one not to be that fast, it was frightening. I'll take an hour this time! LOL!

[Bearsmama]

Phismama-I don't know much medically, really, about all of the induction methods-but from my own personal experience, try very hard NOT to have Pitocin. It's a horrible thing, IMHO. As you mentioned, I was one of those mamas whose water broke with no contractions. And b/c many OBs and hospitals really want to deliver babies within 24 hours of the water breaking (due to infection risk and b/c they are just so impatient!), they push the Pitocin.

From what I've heard, rupturing the membranes is not always a surefire way of starting labor. That's why you might be encouraged to get the Pitocin. My experience with this was just miserable. Everything just became one GIANT OUT OF BODY CONTRACTION. It was not manageable pain. It was death-is-the-only-option-pain.

I'm sorry if I'm scaring you. Just wanted to share my personal experience. I am due with #2 in August and I am really hoping to stay FAR away from Pit.

[mirthfulmum]

Here's what I tried when I was 1 week and 5 days past my due date and facing a possible induction.

On the day I went into labour my midwife stripped my membranes, I took a very long walk (about 3 hours) and had spicy nachos with with fresh jalapenos for lunch. By 3 pm I began to experience my first contractions.

Hope you find something that works for you, phishmama. I was not looking forward to a hospital induction when I was in your shoes.

[Jenelle]

My OB stripped my membranes with #1 and didn't tell me that's what she was doing. It did not start labor at all. It made me bleed, which I hadn't had a drop of my entire pregnancy - so that scared that @#$% out of me. And it pissed me off that she didn't discuss it with me first or at least warn me. Anyway, I ended up being induced a week later.

[Apricot]

Anytime the cervical and membrane cells are damaged, it starts off some hormonal changes to release progesterone, which MAY cause contractions.
AROM (or natural ROM) both damage these cells, along with the dialation of the cervix or stripping the membranes. It ends up being a pathway to labor, with increasing dialation causing more contractions and more dialation.

If you are ready to respond to progestrone, I'd still try to do it in a way that didn't put me on a 24 hour countdown to c-section. Sex is good, nipple stimulation, progesterone suppositories, membrane stripping; all of those could help.

I personally think that cohoshes and castor oil should only be attempted if you have a practicioner who is familiar with them AND knows you are doing it.

[tboroson]

We had luck with castor oil. I know it's a bit controversial, but I'd take it over Pitocin *any* day.

My water broke and labor did not start on it's own. I was under the clock - the midwife gave me 48 hours to go into labor before they'd transfer me to the hospital and induce. That terrified me - I did *not* want a hospital birth. The day after my water broke, I went to the Birth Center for a checkup and the mw gave me two little bottles of castor oil. Took 'em home, made up a chocolate milkshake mixed one bottle into that, and drank it quickly before it could seperate and be all icky. (I highly recommend the chocolate milkshake method of consumption.) An hour later, my bowels did away with every ounce of food in my digestive system, and three hours after that labor started. Actually, the mw said that if it didn't start in four hours, I should take the second bottle. I had just sent dh out to buy more ice cream and the contractions started before he got back. I agree that having a completely empty digestive tract made things more comfortable both for labor and the few days afterward... small silver lining :)

[Liba]

AROM worked well for me with number two. I had been walking around 5-6 cm and 80% effaced for at least two weeks and had a history of fast labor and was group b strep positive. My doctor broke my water, I had one contraction the first hour and thirty minutes after that my dd was born!

Good luck avoiding the pit!!

[pinky]

I just thought I'd mention that a good friend had success using acupuncture for induction. Just another possibility....

[Bearsmama]

Oh, and I DITTO the spicy food thing. There IS something to it, not just an old wives tale. I had very spicy enchiladas the night I went into labor with DS#1. I'm convinced that this spead things up a bit as I was a bit late.

A friend of mine just had her 2nd child. She was two weeks overdue and on the induction list (finally went on her own w/out being induced). But about 5-6 days into being late the doc said that she would strip her membranes and that she would probably go into labor that weekend (this was a Friday afternoon). My friend was in SO MUCH pain after this and bleed quite a bit. She actually had residual pain for about 3 days, too. And STILL NO BABY.

The doc never mentioned that it wasn't failproof. Nor did she mentioned that bleeding and lots of pain could happen.

[Jennifer H]

It apparently doesn't put you at risk for infection the way rupturing your membranes would.
Just an FYI. I've been reading a lot about GBS (trying to decide whether to allow them to screen me or not) and pretty much everyone is agreeing that membranes should not be stripped in GBS+ mommies!

I've been lucky enough to go into labor on my own each time (at 41 weeks) so I have no personal experience with induction, but being overdue have had to think about it a lot.

I see AROM as a no turning back procedure since most practitioners will deliver you one way or another within 24-48 hours of rupture. I've known people who have had the cervadil and when there was absolutely no change to the cervix were declared "not yet ready" and sent home for a couple of more days. So, at least there is the option.

Our local pizza parlor makes a "preggo pizza" (Very spicy) and it did nothing for me at all except give me garlic breath for two days!

[Pynki]

We did the AROM with ds3.. I was at the hospital.. We walked for a couple of hours... I dialated to about 6.. Then my OB wouldn't let me keep moving because I had had a previous c/s and wanted to keep me monitored until I was at 10.. Iwell I couldn't just take the contractions lying there.. So I got the epi.. Then the contractions slowed.. So they gave me pit.. The baby got out, but I hadn't really wanted pit.. So.. I guess it depends on your OB and why the are AROM-ing you ...

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan
:hippie

[kimberlylibby]

I really hope you don't let them induce! Doctors just love to stick their hands in the pot and stir things up don't they?

YOUR body rocks. YOUR body knows what it is doing. YOUR body doesn't need medical management to deliver your baby.

If YOU want reassurance, ask for the NST. If not, tell them to go stick a corncob up their rump and wait, cause you want a fully cooked baby who comes in his own time.

JMHO ;)

Kimberly

[mirthfulmum]

I am making a mental note never to mess with kimberlylibby :LOL.

[kimberlylibby]

Heehee, Mirthfulmom.

I'm just sticking up where I can... sadly, I'll be having an undesired repeat c/s, but I'm the biggest advocate for natural birth you'll ever meet. Unfortunately, I don't get to do it, but I will always always advocate for doctors to get their hands off patients and let things go naturally!

Kimberly

[spatulagirl]

I would ask them to strip your membranes first. My OB did this when I was 41 weeks 5 days with DS and I went into labour an hour later. I plan on having it done again this time before I let them talk to me about anything else. I will more than likely say no to AROM either way because I do not like the deadline that puts you on.