Being induced (opinion and experience?)

EMunion777 · August 2011

So DH and I were really against being induced early unless absolutely necessary... but now we're not so sure. I'm 39 weeks and my doctor has given us the option. I am 3cm, 70% effaced, and -1 station. Nothing is wrong at all with baby nor I and they are estimating her to be a little over 7 pounds. 2 great things about being induced: I have had so many bad contractions and pains lately and DH is starting college on the 18th as well as working a full time and a part time job. This coming week is the easiest time and i'll know for sure he'll be there for the birth and that he'll be home more the first days she's here. We're thinking about seeing if I can be induced this coming monday (only a few days from her due date). I'm afraid i'd already be a "bad mom" if I do it though. What do you think???

Also, what exactly happens with being induced? I tried looking it up but I figured different doctors and hospitals do things differently annnnd everything was so hard to understand. I thought you ladies may be able to explain it better. Thankyou.

Lotzodotz · August 2011

I was induced with DD1 and it went very well, that being said I want to avoid an induction this time. You are further along with dilation then I was when I was induced so I am sure your experience will be different. I was given cervadil the night before and the pitocin the next morning. Ten hours later my dd was born after 15 minutes of pushing.

What I didn't like was laboring the whole time at the hospital and I was totally unprepared for the pain and I ended up with an epidural at 3cm and on my back from noon until after she was born at 7. With my induction I had 2 different monitors and a catheter in my vagina, lovely. I would like to avoid that this time. I also had a lot of anxiety that I would end up with a c-section and I constantly worried that the baby wouldn't tolerate the pitocin. It all ended up fine.

I don't want to be induced this time because I want to labor at home for as long as possible. I feel like as long as my baby is ok, she will come when she is ready. I also want a low medical intervention birth if possible. I want that excitement of going in to labor at home, I really feel like I missed out on that last time. This will be my last baby and I want a different experience this time. My DH loved me being induced because he is naturally a nervous person, so he thought I was in the best place.

Good luck with what ever you decide. I don't think deciding on being induced makes you a bad mom, believe me there will be plenty of times you (for no valid reason) will feel like a bad mom in the very near future!

forensicmama · August 2011

Do yourself a favor and go into natural labor. You're almost there! Induction is a medical procedure, thus it comes with risks. I'd do some Googling if I were you. It isn't what it's cracked up to be. I had a bad induction experience with DD and if I were where you were, I'd just be patient. You're almost there! Considering how close you are, try walking and sex. You'll probably have your baby this week anyway!

lildevil968 · August 2011

I was induced with DS because I was severe pain. I must say the induction was much easier than my labor with DD. I checked into the hospital at 0830, induction was underway by 0900. I was able to get up and walk around the room as long as the pole didn't unplug. I had my DS without pain meds at 144pm. Labor progressed pretty fast because I was already a 4.5cm when I arrived for my induction. The pain is intense, but manageable with breathing, moving around, etc.

clg283 · August 2011

My doctor has recomeded that we not induce until my body is between 3-4 cm dialated and 70 % effaced on it's own. he said that research has shown a significant reduction in c-section risks from this point on. Sooooo that being said i would think that you are in a pretty good spot if you want to be induced. it would not make you a bad mom do what is best for your family and only you and dh can make that determination! Hugs and gl!

RubyRed80 · August 2011

This is my first baby so i don't know alot about induction. From what I've seen on A Baby's Story and heard women at my job talk, most of them have gotten induced because of GD, preeclampsia, or something else. I've been reading alot about it and I rather have a natural birth but I don't see how it would make a woman less than a mother to be induced when it could actually be a need. My mother was telling me the other day about induction, the easiest part is having the baby. She said i don't care how they get here C-Section, vaginally or however, the hardest part is raising the child. She was like we think about so much of how they are going to get here but don't really focus on the future. Just her thoughts. My take is induction is up to the woman, if she wants to be induced or has to then that's her take, but if she doesn't need to be induced why bother.

SailorGray · August 2011

Eh, I'd wait. I was induced with DS and, while everything went perfectly fine, I would have loved to experience going into labor naturally. If you do reach the point when an induction would normally happen, then I'd go for it, but seeing as how you haven't reached that point, I'd wait a little longer. It's really not that much longer.

I am really hoping that I will go into labor on my own this time. With DS, I was induced on a Monday and he wasn't born until Wednesday. That's a whole lot of laying around a hospital room. My H and I have both said that we really wish we could have experienced the whole water breaking at home and rushing to the hospital thing, just like in the movies. Maybe this time : )

babes12 · August 2011

i was basically the same as you at 39wks and was induced @ 39w4d due to increasing BP and GD. I was really anti-induction and didn't want it at all but it went really well and worked out b/c DH was in a wedding on our due date so it was nice we actually had the baby 3 days before etc...

Basically i went into the hospital, answered a ton of questions, they administered an IV and started pitocin all around 8am. Around noon they broke my water. Got my epi about 45min later, labored down for an hour and pushed for an hour and 15min. DS was born around 3pm.

TigerLily084 · August 2011

I was induced with both of my kids and had excellent experiences with both. This time around, I have to be induced because of GD, and I'm 100% okay with that because my past experiences were so smooth and really were ideal labor and birth experiences. It's really up to you if your doc feels an induction is safe at this point. Good luck with whatever you decide!

PreggoMeg31 · August 2011

I was induced with DD and I was 0 cm dialated so I had to go in the night before for cervidil to ripen my cervix. I ended up laboring for a very long time over the next 2 days but I did deliver vaginally and my DD was almost 9 pounds. I would say if you are to be induced everything would go smoothly because you are already 3 cm dialated; however, since your baby isn't that big, according to your dr's estimates, why not wait a few days after your due date? But I wouldn't judge you either way! If it is more convenient to be induced then go ahead....your chances of continuing to dialate are good and can I just say, 3 cm! I am jealous!! :-)

TashaLee · August 2011

I was induced with DD#1, and I'm actually scheduled for another induction with this one on Tuesday if I don't have her before then!

I had a good experience with my induction. I was all ready 3cm dilated when I it happened so that might've helped. I was induced because I was overdue, 41wks exactly. They started the Pitocin at around 6pm, and my contractions got really intense about 9pm and I went from 4cm to 10cm in about an hour so it happened really fast!! I started pushing at 10pm and DD was born at 10:44pm so all in all it was almost 5 hours from start to finish. And I did it without any pain meds because when the contractions did get intense and I asked for something, I was all ready 10cm so it was too late!

I think if you're all ready dilated when you get induced it helps, from what I've heard it can help things to quicker. I just had a check up on Tuesday and I was 3cm and got my membranes swept. And today when I went for an u/s to check the placenta and amniotic fluid, he checked me again and I'm 4cm now and he swept my membranes again. So hopefully I'll go into labor on my own and I won't need the induction appointment on Tuesday... but if I do I'm ok with being induced again. Everyone is different and everyone has a different experience, so just do what is best for you. It doesn't make you a bad Mom if you opt to get induced. It has to be your decision.

6-21-08Bride · August 2011

First, it is a very personal decision and something you and your DH should consider fully both ways. You are not a bad mom for deciding to have one now. Like a PP said, you will have plenty of those moments where you feel like a bad mom in the future anyway! Having said that I was induced with DS 1 due to being over 41 weeks. It went smoothly with a vaginal delivery 16 hours after induction started. I only had cervadel and that kicked me into laboring on my own. With this pregnancy i really, really wanted to avoid induction but last week was sent straight to an induction from my ob appointment due to low fluid. The induction went well and again ended in a vaginal delivery. This time I had all pitocin and he was born 6 hours after the induction started. With both I was 2 Cm at the start of induction. My advice is to really think it through before deciding. Like another post said, I am a bit bummed this may be my last baby and i never experienced going into labor on my own. Good luck with your decision!