[Asher]

I may have to be induced for medical reasons. I have never been induced before. I honestly do not have a clue about it. Is it possible to have an induction and still have some of the natural things that I want about labor/birth? Natural induction sounds like such an oxymoron to me, just typing it.

Also, does anyone know of birth plans, etc. specifically for inductions? Again, never having had an induction before, I do not know the slightest thing about them so I don't know what my options would be during it, if any. I have this hope that I'll go in mostly dilated and they won't have to do much to get labor going and then will take it off and let me water birth, but I know I'm likely just in denial.

(All of this is kind of hypothetical at this point since he'll have to go heads down for it to be an induction rather than a c-section.)

 

[bemommy]

I have had pitocin for both of my births. . but ended up with as close to natural births as possible (after the pit).

My first birth was the best "model" for a natural birth after pitocin. My bishop's score wasn't all that favorable, there was some dilation and effeacement but the big problem was that dd was still floating.

Anyhow, pitocin was turned on and increased very slightly over a period of time. I was on constant monitoring but got up frequently to use the bathroom and move around as much as possible. Once labor had been "established", steady contractions, completely effaced and dilated to 6cm, then the pitcoin was turned off. . .my IV heplocked. . and I was free of the monitors. From that point I was able to walk the halls (where I hit transition at the furthest point from my room) and even came back to the room and had a quick shower before feeling the need to push. Moved to the bed and dd was born 10 mintues later.

My second birth I had this same scenario written in my birth plan for possible induction. It ended up a little differently. . .the pitocin wasn't working wasn't working and then kicked in very quickly. I went from 3-4 cm to complete before I had a chance to be checked and have the pit turned off. Thankfully as I was feeling the urge to push I told the nurse that I *NEEDED* to take my shirt off so she quickly heplocked off my IV. I was able to move around more during this labor. It was at a differnet hospital with much better monitors (with telemetry so I was even able to walk the halls).

 

[kcparker]

Asher,
some things you could ask about, depending on how far along you are in gestation and how favorable your cervix is:
- using the lamina sticks (seaweed that they insert into your cervix to dilate it) rather than a prostaglandin (cervadil, prepadil, or cytotec) if your cervix needs to dilate from being closed. You can also use foley balloons to do a mechanical dilation.
- If you are close to going, they might offer cytotec as it can often kick you into labor without pit, but read up on its safety and really ask them about the risks/benefits because its use is NOT FDA or manufacturer approved for cervical ripening. Cervadil is inserted on a string like a tampon, so it can be pulled out, and the prepadil is a gel, so it can be douched out, but cytotec is a pill that you can either ingest or use as a suppository, so it's a harder to "turn off".
- using acupressure points and nipple stimulation to get contractions going and keep them going. Nipple stim. can be pretty powerful (not very fun or sexy though!), and they might let you try that before moving to pitocin.
- if you do end up hooked up to pit, ask if YOU can be the one in charge of saying when to turn it up, rather than them just stepping it up in X minute increments.
- You can ask for intermittent monitoring, but if you are doing pit., they will probably want continuous. Ask for a telemetry unit so you won't be tied to the bed, just to the pit. stand (which you could wheel around with you if you want to be upright or walk).
- Ask to be allowed to move as much as possible, sit on a birth ball, slow dance with your partner, hula hoop those hips.
- Do some reading about this so that if you go into the induction, you'll be well informed about any proposed interventions.
- Maybe most important, get yourself geared up mentally. If you want to have an unanaesthetized birth, it IS possible with an induction, but you will really have to do mind-over-matter and get a GOOD support team together. Make sure your partner/mom/whoever is with you can be on board with supporting your desire for not using analgesia or anaesthetics. Get a doula, maybe especially one who can do hypnobirthing or who can really help you get focused and in the zone, and one who is good at physical support measures.

I have two friends who have done births with pitocin and no pain relief, so it can be done. Good luck, this sounds a bit complicated!

Books you could check out:
Henci Goer's Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin both have discussions of induction.

 

[Asher]

Well, things still not going well in utero and now I am beginning to have signs of pre-eclampsia, too. I've tried everything I can think of and that they've suggested to get my fluid up and it's going down instead. ANYWAY, everything combined and it looks like we'll likely be induced at 37 weeks. I have an appointment Thursday where we will discuss this so I want to go in armed and with a birth plan. The only thing is...I am totally clueless about inductions and what I can expect and request. Cervadil overnight and then breaking my water sounds good compared to pitocin, but other than that, I don't know what to request or ask for. Once baby is actually being born, I can take it from there, but until then, I don't know what I can reasonably expect or ask for.

This is all, of course, if he goes heads down. If not, I'll be doing a c-section birth plan, though will try to buy even more time if he's not heads down b/c I'd rather have an induction than a c/s any day.

(And no, breech birth is not an option, especially when he's transverse.

)

 

[chi_mama]

hmm, well I was induced w/ ds (I think of it as at the last minute but really I was at my 41 week visit and I finally folded). I don't think much of it adhered to my birth plan. I had to be on IV and fetal monitor (per hospital rules) and the nurse insisted I remain on my left side. So those things kinda sucked. The thing I didn't know about pit then is that it can make contractions go from nothing to full-blown w/o a warm-up. Which is what happened to me, I had nothing and then 5 minutes later I was having 1 min long ctx every 3 minutes... but from there it went quickly and I was pushing 45 minutes later.
I was able to do it w/o pain relief... but if I were to be induced again I would remain open-minded about it. Pitocin contractions are different, and from what I understand pit also blocks the effects of natural oxytocin and so the emotional aspects of labor can also be different. I'm not saying you have to have an epi for induced labor... but you do need to prepared if there is no "warm-up" labor.

things that did work out for me... the nurse gave us as much privacy as possible, I had the lights off, windows open (ds was born during a huge lightening storm

) Dh was allowed to catch baby (didn't end up happening) and cut the cord. Once I was pushing I was allowed whatever positions I wanted. ds went immediately to me and didn't leave for several hours. The nurse and mw were very respectful of my disappointment about not having a natural birth and were very helpful in suggesting ideas of compromise.

I think no matter how someone has a baby it's necessary to be flexible w/ a birth plan during the real thing anyways. I also believe that following your instincts and having the people you love w/ you during birthing contribute most to your percieved successfulness.
good luck!
btw, ds didn't get into position until the last possible second.

 

[Asher]

I definitely know I'm going to have to "give" on a ton. My last birth was totally no interventions at all, one VE, water birth, caught babe myself, completely and totally peaceful, natural (to me), etc. So this is a whole new thing to me.

I DID have pit with my first when his water broke and labor did not progress and I was young and scared and didn't really know...it was a horrid experience and I did take pain meds, but all it did was make me loopy and I ended up with a bad birth and recpvery. I have already told DH that as much as I want to do it unmedicated, I *may* indeed end up with an epidural depending on how labor goes if I end up on pitocin. I don't even want to think like that b/ I've not given myself that "out" in past labors/births, but induction is a whole `nother ball game for me. I am hoping and praying that if we have to do this, I can at least do it on the day when the midwife that I am most in tune with is on call. She's like my lifeline to natural birthing and was more of a doula than a midwife in my last birth, followed my birth plan to a T, even during transition when I was having self doubts and tell her maybe she should check to see if I even in labor.

My births ranged from 2hrs-14 1/2 hours (the last being the shortest, the pit due to ROM being the longest) so I hope it won't be too horrificly long, but I truly have nothing to compare it to really.

*sigh* He needs to just decide to go ahead and come out on his own.

 

[MommyNicoleTX]

absolutely. with some of my clients they reach their ob's "deadline" and the mothers begin to try induction methods at home so they can avoid the hospital interventions. i agree with the ones mentioned above. what i have seen that works really well: 1. using a breast pump to do nipple stimulation (google it or read about it in the books mentioned above!) 2. sex-with sperm, its a natural prostaglandin. id love to talk to you more...i was in your situation 6.5 yrs ago and wish i had someone to talk to. ill give you my phone # or AIM if interested. Take care!

 

[Asher]

I always always always go overdue (even though we had a very, very active sex life with my others, it didn't help induce things, unfortunately) so I honestly don't think my body will be ready for a medical induction. I've tried home things plenty of times to try to get out of a medical induction and the only thing that worked was time. (My last was 2 weeks over to the day and I was due to be induced the next day. Another was 13 weeks over and, again, was due to be induced the next day.) So being induced at 37 weeks for medical reasons, although valid reasons...I just don't see it going well.

Though if everything continues the way it is, he will be better off out than in, regardless of how he gets out, I suppose. Saying that out loud to encourage someone and believing it for myself are two different matters, though.

If it weren't for the medical issues, I wouldn't even consider being induced until after 42 weeks.

I flipping hate that this is even something that anyone has to do/decide.

 

[purplemoon]

Ok. Let's see if I could go back in time and make my induction better what would I have done?

a. I didn't know they don't have to turn up the pit full blast from moment one.

b. I didn't know that some people lower or stop the pit once labor has started and work from there

c. I didn't know that I would have every monitor on earth and would need different ways to handle the pain while in bed.

So, I would discuss with the OB your desires to have it started slowly, no AROM unless it seems needed (my OB started the pit and ruptured me all at the same time) and to see if they can try to turn it off at 5cm or so and see if it progresses from there.

I would also get warm pads for the back, a tennis ball for side massages, keep it dark and light music. Enjoy the moments you get up to pee and are somewhat untethered. Use the movements to help the baby get in position, squat, lean against the wall, take your time peeing.

 

[umbrella]

I had a pitocin induction with dd1, and at that time and place, pitocin meant strapped to the monitors the whole time. The only way the heartbeat could be picked up, was if I was on my back or mostly back, partially on my side. So it was really really uncomfortable. I kept extending my pee breaks because it felt so much better to be upright. I had no other drugs. It was doable, but I really wanted to avoid pitocin in the future unless it was quite necessary.

With my second birth, we induced by breaking my water. The nurse at that time went to automatically keep me strapped to the monitors the whole time then too, and I was so not cool with that, and my doctor knew I was not cool with that. I went into that expecting that it would only be intermittent monitoring, not constant. I asked her to please speak with my doctor about that, and she didn't mention it again, only came back for intermittent monitoring.

I have heard that some docs/hospitals are okay with intermittent monitoring even with a pit induction, so find out about that. Being able to move around makes a HUGE difference.