[RachelS]

Hello ~

I know that there are a lot of induction questions. I am so sorry if I am doubling another post. I do not have plans to induce, but I really want the information about it so I can be completely prepared if my doctor suggests it again. He did suggest it at one point since my little one has SUA or 2 vessel cord.

PLEASE FILL ME IN!!!!! THANK YOU!

 

[alegna]

It's a bad idea. Babies come when ready. Inducing GREATLY increases your chance of c-section.

-Angela

 

[AuntG]

I guess I would find out all I can about the two vessel cord thing and determine whether it's really a risk factor. Even if it is, I can't see how inducing labor would benefit either of you, but you would be informed about it and know for sure that it would not be a reason to induce.

If you want strictly information on induction, loads of people can tell you:
It's more painful -- causes more intense contractions that are more closely spaced, so you don't get rest in between.
You and the baby have to be constantly monitored because of the potential for causing serious sudden problems with either of you.

Of all the cases I know of (but that's just the limited cases in my small orbit!

) the waters have to be artificially ruptured so they can push a metal screw into your baby's scalp for the monitoring. If I had known that beforehand, THAT would have been reason enough for me to refuse!!

Best wishes! I hope everything turns out all right!

 

[mclisa]

I've been induced with all 4 of mine.
#1: 41w 4 days - cytotec, srom, pit, epidural
#2: 39 6 - srom with no contractions for 12 hours then pit and epidural that didn't work

#3: 41 1 - baby was having a low heart rate (100's - low 110's) and I was induced with cytotec and arom

#4: 41 2 - arom, pit, epidural

yes, the contractions are more intense with pit, but that is what I end up with because I do not contract on my own.

To me, an induction isn't scary. It doesn't have to lead to a c/s. You need a doctor who doesn't panic at the first sign of one blip in the heart rate.

 

[lyttlewon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna It's a bad idea. Babies come when ready. Inducing GREATLY increases your chance of c-section. -Angela

I had a miscommunication with my OB on what day I was supposed to be induced and I was induced on a day she wasn't on call. I was very fortunate I gave birth during office hours. Even though I was in labor for 5 hours and progressed perfectly she still talked about giving me pitocin. I still wonder how things would have turned out as it got closer to 5:00. She was really chomping at the bit with the whole thing.

 

[umsami]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuntG Of all the cases I know of (but that's just the limited cases in my small orbit! ) the waters have to be artificially ruptured so they can push a metal screw into your baby's scalp for the monitoring. If I had known that beforehand, THAT would have been reason enough for me to refuse!

I was induced with my first and they did not do internal monitoring. I really don't think that's standard.

You have an advantage that this is not your first pregnancy. Inductions are much harder on Moms who have not given birth before.

One thing to talk to your doctor about is your Bishop's score. It looks at a variety of factors (cervical dilation, effacement, etc.) to sort of tell if an induction would be successful.

One thing I did before my induction was to undergo an acupuncture treatment... that helped my cervix begin to dilate. There are other "natural" induction methods you could use as your induction approached... either to help your induction be easier or to encourage labor to begin on your own.

 

[melissakc]

I've never been induced, but I learned in my Bradley class last time that Cytotec is very dangerous and is actually not supposed to be used for induction of pregnant women (doctors use it off-label), so I wouldn't let them use that for cervical ripening. If you do a search online you can read more about it. They use it bc it's cheap. Cervidil is better bc it's a prostaglandin that's supposed to be used for cervical ripening, but also bc it's removable. That would be my choice if I were in a situation where my cervix wasn't opening.

There are a ton of things you can do naturally--sex, acupuncture, all kinds of foods (I've heard fresh pineapple, like from an actual pineapple, works), castor oil, evening primrose oil.... If it were me, I'd try a bunch before anything the doctor wanted to do.

You should also take into account your Bishop's score:

http://mother-care.ca/bishop.htm

HTH!

 

[RachelS]

YES!!! This does help!!!Thank you so much! I am going to look at the link right now melissakc!!! Thank you.... do you know of any other natural ways to induce yourself? Also, knowing the name of a preferred med is so much better as well.... that is if I just have to be induced.

With my last pregnancy, we had intercourse and my water broke seconds later... I wonder if my water was just ready to break or if it was the sex.

Ohhh... If the metal attachment is normal at my Hospital... I think I would walk out... I am going to ask my doctor that question if he tells me that he would like to be induced.... b/c he has said it more than once so far.

mclisa ~ I appreciate your post! It is very encouraging if I actually have to go through with it!

umsami ~ Great info! Thank you!

 

[melissakc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RachelS YES!!! This does help!!!Thank you so much! I am going to look at the link right now melissakc!!! Thank you.... do you know of any other natural ways to induce yourself? Also, knowing the name of a preferred med is so much better as well.... that is if I just have to be induced.

I have seen threads on here about all the natural methods of induction. That's where I learned about the pineapple juice, which kept coming up over and over again, so it sounded like it was beneficial to lots of people. I bet if you did a search, you'd find some good info from people who know more than I do and have actually tried these things!

Personally, if it were me, I would do sex first (prostaglandins in sperm are the trick, and BTW, that's what Cervidil is--prostaglandins--so no condoms

) and then acupuncture and then I'd eat a bunch of foods that are supposed to work, then go for a long walk and do some visualization work, like flowers blooming and me being very relaxed and opening up, etc.

My challenge is going to be keeping this baby IN for longer than 35 weeks!

It would be hilarious to me if I end up at 42 weeks with the induction dilemma!

 

[Brilliantmama]

Here is my plan IF I go way overdue:

1. Natural/Non-invasive methods (sex, food, etc.)
2. Cervadil alone
3. Discussion of a small dose of pitocin (a one time bolus if possible)
4. Discussion of AROM
5. Discussion of continual pitocin
6. Discussion of C-Section

I am NOT ok with internal monitoring UNLESS my baby is in severe danger.

 

[mom3b1?]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RachelS Hello ~ I know that there are a lot of induction questions. I am so sorry if I am doubling another post. I do not have plans to induce, but I really want the information about it so I can be completely prepared if my doctor suggests it again. He did suggest it at one point since my little one has SUA or 2 vessel cord. PLEASE FILL ME IN!!!!! THANK YOU!

There are a whole lot of biological things that happen as our bodies prepare for labor. Hormones loosen up our ligaments so we can open up optimally, we also begin to open and stretch. Natural labor will begin when your body has fully prepared itself. Induction always bypasses some or all of this process, depending on how far you've gotten.

Also, induction creates very strong contractions that are not as productive. This means your uterus works much harder to do less. This burns oxygen, which decreases the oxygen available to your baby. Inducing a baby because of reduced blood flow, seems counter-intuitive to me. It is stressing the baby in exactly the way they are already worried about.

It's already mentioned that this increases c/s rates. This is for all of the reasons above. Your body is not completely ready for labor, or your natural labor would have started. Your baby is at greater risk of going into distress.

There is a good Gloria Lemay article about this.

Kiley

 

[cherubess]

I was induced with DS due to pre-E.

I did not have a C/S as my OB listened to my wishes. He did not even suggest a C/S. I was monitored but my DS was not monitored internally. The birth went smoothly.

I was also taken care of by a OB internalist/physician who I saw 6 weeks after I had DS and he was surprised that my OB didn't do a C/S on me

:

Prior to choosing an OB I asked my doctor friends about recommended OBs. My OB was suggested by a midwife because in her words he wasn't a butcher.

 

[my kidlets and me]

Excuse my ignorance...being Canadian, our healthcare system is probably much different than the American one. But is induction by IV oxytocin not an option? I was induced with both of mine (#1 at 41w1d b/c of high blood pressure - AROM, 6 hour labour but very, very intense; #2 at 41w3d, waters had broken and labour had stalled, by oxytocin drip, labour was 2 h 10 m and much more manageable), but the oxytocin induction was FAR more manageable (plus I had an idea of what was going to happen).

In fact, I was told that they wouldn't give 2nd time moms Cervadil, because it could speed up labour so much that there would be a risk of placental abruption (!?). Plus, with the Cervadil "tampon", you aren't able to control the amount of drug as finely as you could with an IV.

ETA: I just scanned the other posts again, and I see pitocin is an option - this is oxytocin, correct?

 

[melissakc]

Yes, pitocin is synthetic oxytocin delivered by IV. It starts or strengthens uterine contractions. Cervidil is for cervical ripening. Sometimes they use one or the other, sometimes both.

Not that I have experience!

 

[Apryl Srissa]

We've learned that in the past my body for some reason stalls mid labor. I get real contractions, regular, close and progressing. Then at a certain point, they just stall. For weeks. With the last two I was so exhausted from being up 24/7 after about 3 weeks building, and 3 or 4 days of every 3 minutes of strong contractions, I was desperate. We tried all the natural stuff, some repeatedly even.

For my 2nd, we went in to be checked after all this, still only at a 2, so tried the cervidil. No real change, it seemed like, but it seems to click something my body is missing. Nothing looked or felt different to me or the midwife, but in the wee hours of the morning, my water broke and he was born 20 minutes later. And maybe 10 minutes before it broke, I was checked at still at a 2.

For my 3rd, we were prepared, I talked to the midwife and made sure she knew my history. (all my births were really fast, as were my mom and grandma, I just seem to get stuck getting there). So we did the same once we reached the stall. This time my water didn't break and she didn't want to break if if baby wasn't ready, so we tried a one time pitocin drip, 15 minutes. I only made 10, the contractions were really different on that (I don't think I could have done long like many others have, I really was stronger and I'm a wimp

). After the 10 she stopped it, but still hadn't progressed much, then when water broke, 15 minutes of strong labor and done.

So I think induction used sparingly can be better than c-section or other problems. But I'd really only do it if you have to. The difference with the pitocin was huge and I'd go with natural contractions if at all possible.

 

[justmama]

I was induced with pitocin at 34weeks 1day with my second baby and was already 3cm dilated with my water broken for 5 days and on iv antibiotics and steroid shots to mature her lungs. I hated it. You are stuck in the bed with the iv pump, only getting up to pee. Laboring in a bed is horribly painful. The pit cause contrax to be MUCH stronger from very early on and VERY close together. Mine were overlapping for a few hours until they figured out my perfect rate. My cervix was already thinned and dilated to 3 and it still took 11 hours. And I dilated 5-10 and pushed the baby out in 45 minutes. So it took 10 hours to dilate 3-5. It was a hellish 10hours. And an induced labor puts you at risk for so many complications and interventions. Most pit labors end in epidurals or c-sections or both. They increase the chances for fetal distress and forceps delivery and episiotomies. It's not an easy labor and in my opinion should be avoided at all costs. My hope with this last baby is a natural, non-induced labor. I went natural with my pit-induction but I screamed her out basically. It was horrible. I hope to never do it again.

 

[arlecchina]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna It's a bad idea. Babies come when ready. Inducing GREATLY increases your chance of c-section. -Angela

and causes much more pain cause unnatural contractions.

any intervention creates a cascade of intervention.

 

[Brees_Mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brilliantmama Here is my plan IF I go way overdue: 1. Natural/Non-invasive methods (sex, food, etc.) 2. Cervadil alone 3. Discussion of a small dose of pitocin (a one time bolus if possible) 4. Discussion of AROM 5. Discussion of continual pitocin 6. Discussion of C-Section I am NOT ok with internal monitoring UNLESS my baby is in severe danger.

hmmm they keep uping the pitocin if a certain dose doesnt work. thats what they did w/me. so you might have to fight w/them on that one....

I was induced at 40wks, 4 days w/dd and it was ROUGH! But if thats what it takes to get the baby out, then go for it

 

[lyttlewon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RachelS YES!!! This does help!!!Thank you so much! I am going to look at the link right now melissakc!!! Thank you.... do you know of any other natural ways to induce yourself? Also, knowing the name of a preferred med is so much better as well.... that is if I just have to be induced. With my last pregnancy, we had intercourse and my water broke seconds later... I wonder if my water was just ready to break or if it was the sex. Ohhh... If the metal attachment is normal at my Hospital... I think I would walk out... I am going to ask my doctor that question if he tells me that he would like to be induced.... b/c he has said it more than once so far. mclisa ~ I appreciate your post! It is very encouraging if I actually have to go through with it! umsami ~ Great info! Thank you!

I don't think you can really induce if your body isn't ready for it. To answer the sex question DH and I had it twice a day for like 3 weeks and it didn't induce me. By metal attachment do you mean the internal fetal monitor? I didn't have one of those.