Scheduled for induction on Sunday!

jasi704

OK, sorry for the rant, but I'm pretty much having an anxiety attack. I was diagnosed with GD at 28 weeks and put on a low dose of insulin around 34 weeks, which apparently means I have to get induced in the 39th week. Sooooo, I had my last OB appt last night and they told me I'll be going to the hospital Sunday night and they're going to give me Cervadil overnight to ripen my cervix. And then they're going to start me on Pitocin Monday morning. According to the doc, based on the condition of my cervix, she's thinking I won't actually deliver until Tuesday! And now I'm kinda freaking out. She also said there's like a 50% chance I could have a c-section, but that really just depends on how my body reacts to the Pitocin. I don't know. This is all just very unexpected. I mean, I've heard of many women getting induced under similar circumstances, and I've posted on this board before. Lots of women responded that they had quick and easy labor, even when induced. But now that my doc is saying my cervix isn't very "favorable" and it looks like it'll be a while before I even start contracting...ugh, I don't know. This just all sounds terrifying to me. Have any of you been told anything like this? Or gone through something similar? I guess I just wasn't expecting induction to possibly last THAT long and for the chance of a c-section to be that great. Worried...

stephl3055

Just because your OB says they are going to induce you doesn't mean you have to accept it.  I understand there are some issues with GD your OB is probably concerned about, but is there something you can do in order to make it to 40 weeks?  An NST or extra visits? 

I had GD (diet controlled) and was "allowed" to go to 40w5d.  When I said "allowed" I mean that my OB scheduled an induction a few days before my due date, but never bothered to OK it with me or have any of his staff call me and alert me.  So I got a call at 5:30 AM on the day of my supposed induction from the hospital asking where I was.  I had no clue.  I'm still pissed about that.  Luckily we scheduled the induction for the next week.  I just wanted to make it past 40 weeks, so I was glad I got to go as long as I did. 

FWIW, my bishops score was horrible.  Like a 2 or 3 maybe?  She was low, but that was the only thing I had going for me.  I wasn't dilated at all.  I went in on a Wednesday night at 10PM and got cervidil, got pitocin the next morning around 7AM, LO was born that 5:38PM that evening. 

I hate to say it, but it kind of seems like your OB is prepping you for the c-section talk already.  She's telling you how it's likely that you won't start contracting right away, how likely you are to need a c-section.  Yeah...not good. 

mrsmullins11

My (former, I have since seen a more experienced/realistic) MFM told me he wanted me to try VBAC, but I would only have a 35% chance of a successful delivery without having a repeat c-section. I know it is easier said than done, but try not to stress. Worry and stress are the last thing us high risk ladies need! I hope you and LO have smooth sailing.

angelsnight

I'm sorry, I know it can be scary.  But perhaps your OB is the type that wants to tell you how it is, even if that may not happen to you so you can be prepared.  I've heard of many women who have been induced who do not have super long labors and do not need C sections.  Hopefully she's just preparing you for the first...but in the end, what will happen will happen, and stressing over it won't change anything.  But I know that's easier said than done.

In regards to PP's advice about not being required to accept it, I would caution strongly against this.  I know it's important to be your own advocate, but sometimes doctors do know what they're doing and we do not.  There is a reason they induce insulin dependents.  Diet controlled is different because clearly watching what you eat is enough to control the diabetes, but for those of us on insulin, watching what we eat all day long isn't enough to keep our diabetes controlled, thus the insulin and thus the more serious our diabetes.

In diabetics, the placenta can start to deteriorate as you get closer to 40 weeks, which is the reason for the induction, and can result in stillbirth.   I will be induced as well and while I am of course nervous, I would never go against what my doctor advises regarding this.  For me there is no reason in the world to risk a stillbirth, even with the smallest of chances.