[ckaleo2000]

I am currently at about 38 weeks and I have been in the hospital 4 times so far for my contractions. I have to have a c-section so my water does not need to break at this point. My contractions can last for hours and get pretty painful. I have not dilated past 1 but my cervix is VERY soft. I am wondering what I can do to help things along so I can stop making useless trips to the hospital, I just went last night and the only reason my doc did not do the surgery then was because of scheduling problems for him. (He's obviously a saddist). I've heard blue cohosh is supposed to work, does it?

 

[Godiva]

You might want to post this in birth and beyond, but I'll tell you my experience with blue and black cohosh. Basically it won't do a dang thing if you're not ready. It may start a labor a few hours sooner than it was going to naturally but to get a baby out sooner than it's ready, it won't. Since you're already in labor, it may speed things up. But may I ask (I don't mean to offend) why do you need to get labor going for a c-section? I have no experience with them, so it doesn't make sense to me.

 

[AEZMama]

You can also try Evening Primrose Oil caps orally and/or vaginally. I started a month before my due date and ds came 2 weeks early! I only took it orally (dh wasn't going to insert anything for me).

Good luck.

 

[starbarrett]

Bad news: Blue & Black cohosh, acupuncture, evening primrose oil, copious amounts of sex, latin american tea blends --I tried it all. If your body, and more importantly the baby, isn't ready, then nothing (short of an ingorant OBGYN with a blade) will rush it.

Good news: Your body is preparing for labor. The more it does in preparation, the shorter time you will actually spend in hard labor. I had contractions for 5 weeks prior to the birth of my second. The last week felt like full on early or pre labor. That's probably what you're feeling. Two of those weeks were after the due date-- boy was I getting impatient! And grumpy! I know how you're feeling. But on the night of the 14th day post due date, I woke up at 1am in transition! 2 1/2 hours later baby was born. My first labor was 45 hours long and I wasn't dialated at all to begin with. Given the choice, I would much much much rather have weeks of moderate crampy labor and an intensly fast birth, than 45 hours of hard and exhausting labor.

Seriously, this is *good* news that you're having some pre-labor preparation. Don't let the blade happy OBGYN make all your hard work for nothing. Have some patience, and endure the few hours work that is birth and save yourself the weeks of recovery from surgery and your baby the exposure to pain killers.

 

[lilsishomemade]

You still have two weeks until you're even considered term! The longer the baby stays there, the better. I did try blue cohosh, and it failed three or four times before it actually started. And, I'll tell you what, when your body is ready and that cohosh gets ctx going, they are intense. I started having real ctx at around 36 weeks, and was dilated at a 3 around 38, still went 12 days past my due date.

A lot of mamas around here really believe in letting your baby stay in the womb until the baby is ready, not to deliberately try and birth before you're ready. All these ctx that you're having are really good, it's getting everything ready for the "show" that's about to happen

Just relax and let your body do it's job, kay, mama?

 

[laohaire]

If you're only 38 weeks, I would think you would be trying to prevent labor?

It's still early.

 

[ckaleo2000]

I appreciate all the responses and I feel I must give some background info. I'm sure you are all wondering why I would want to start labor at this time. My reasons for needing a c-section are valid. I live in an extremely rural area and the hospital facilities are not large enough to accomodate a vbac. This came directly from my doctor. If I had a vbac in my current town I would be flown in a chopper to the nearest hosp which is 2 hours away from us by ferry. Also, since I had a cesarean with my first child I am at greater risk for a uteran rupture if I continue to contract in such a way. All this info is from my doctor and I do feel that if he was truly concerned for me or my child he would do the surgery immediately. I guess my reasons for wanting to induce is because, a

am tired of going to hosp and getting no response and b

AM scared that all these contractions are going to cause something very bad.

 

[lilsishomemade]

I'm not sure what a small hospital has to do with you not able to have a vbac? Women have vbacs at home all the time. Did you know they're not really dangerous? Doctors used to be taught that they are, but they're really not. And, uterine rupture is rare, from what I understand. I know he's a doctor and they are SUPPOSED to know everything, but they don't usually. They know all the interventions, but truth be told, they don't understand true birth. Why don't you just do some research? There are a lot of women around here who have had vbacs who are incredibly researched, along with a some very intelligent/highly skilled midwives who can point you in the right direction. Don't let him scare you into a c/section. There are SO MANY doctors who no longer believe what your dr is telling you, and more are changing their mind every day. I know a pretty new ob who told me they don't even teach that knowledge at the school she went to anymore.

Do your research. In the end, the choice is yours, but I suggest really informing yourself. Doctors are wrong all the time...

 

[ckaleo2000]

Well, and keep in mind this is just what my doc told me, the reason a repeat c-section is necessary in my situation is simply because the hospital is not properly staffed for a vbac. Meaning that they do not have an OR and an anesthesiologist available at all times in case something goes wrong. If something were to go wrong during a vbac they would have to fly me out and the chances of the baby and I making it to another hosp would be slim. These are the reasons he gave me. They seem valid and I have opted for the c-section for these reasons. If I went into natural labor in the middle of the night and tried to have her vaginally, well if for some reason there were complications, (like there were with my first child) then there would be no one there able to handle it, as in, someone to prep an OR, someone to assist in surgery, and an anesthesiologist.