PGALer with Induction questions

klbowie

Hi Ladies, 

Tomorrow I will be 41 weeks and I have a doctor's appointment.  At the appointment, I am told we will discuss induction and probably schedule a date.  My doctor previously stated that they would not let me go more than 10 days past due.  At the time, I was ok with that because I really didn't think I would go that late.  I really wanted to avoid induction and wanted to have a med free birth.  My appointment is with my doctor's nurse and not the doctor so that makes me nervous too since she won't be the one performing the induction.  

Since last week I have tried the following things to start labor naturally: acupuncture, acupressure, walking 45 min a day, bouncing for hours on my exercise ball daily, dancing, eating spicy food, pineapple, and eggplant, having sex with DH and nipple stimulation, and going up and down stairs (45 flights just today).  So far none of these have worked.  The stairs seemed to be doing the most work but not labor yet.  Just increased cramping.  

My questions are: Can I still have a med free labor with induction?  How would I go about it?  What questions should I ask the nurse tomorrow?  Any items I should be concerned about?  Are there any natural and safe induction methods I am over looking?  I should add that at my last appointment I was only 30% effaced and 0 dilated so stripping the membranes was not an option at that time.  

Any help would be great.  The longer my baby girl is in me the more worried I get.  I was OK a few days ago but her movements aren't as strong and I know that is normal but I'm scared something will go wrong.  I feel like I am broken!! I am trying really hard to stay up beat but each day it gets harder and harder.  TIA

poohbear033

I was induced but did not go med free. The induction took over a day and I had to ask for meds in my IV and then an epidural. I have heard that some inductions result in a c-section because you might have trouble progressing but I went from a 2 to a 10 in just two hours. I needed forceps to help with the birth. I had a 3rd degree tear and they turned my epidural back on to fix me up. I'm sorry that I can't be more helpful but that was my induction experience. I hope some other ladies have experiences to share.

Junebug060609

The others have kind of covered it.  I was induced with DS.  Pitocin (most inductions seem to involve pitocin), I never had Cervadil.  By definition, your birth won't be med-free when induction drugs are used.  It can still be pain med free though.  

Pitocin, in my experience anyways, makes contractions pretty intense.  I did end up getting an epidural around 5cm.  I held out as long as I could, but the contractions were really strong and on top of one another then.  I do know of others (ahem, RachaelA) that didn't get an epi with Pit though.      

Not sure if this is true at all hospitals, but where i was induced, when i had pitocin i had to have a monitor on the baby...making it hard to move around.  It took me forever to think to ask them if they had a portable monitor so i could walk the halls.  If walking is something you'd like to do, be sure to ask that question up front.  Kind of stunk to not be able to leave the wing (monitor would be out of range for the nurses station), but at least i could waddle around a little...with the IV tree in tow of course.    

GL!  Very excited for you!!!

klbowie

Thank you ladies! I meant to say pain med free. I am going to try and push the induction back until at least ten days. I'm hoping they will let me go over to 42 weeks but I don't think they will. I'm very confident in my conception date. I was temping and use opks. All the information is very helpful. Thank you

katharine25

I had a pitocin induction and hoped to go pain med free. After 10 hours of really hard labor with a broken water, walking/being mobile/hanging out in the tub as much as possible, I finally opted for stadol which is a narcotic pain Reliever but still would enable me to feel and be mobile. Baby was out about an hour later after 20
Minutes of pushing. I was a little (ok a lot) high, but very aware and am really happy with my birth experience even though it wasn't what I had hoped for. I also feel a huge part of what made it a successful induction was taking everything I had learned for a natural birth and not letting the induction "take over" so to say. My hospital was very open to letting me off the monitors and walking around with my iv and generally letting me do what I wanted as lThey would also
Basically what I'm saying is don't let induction divert you from your goal - apply the same techniques and principles of a natural labor and see where it takes you.

FmrAFBrat

I was induced 9 hours after my water broke with DS1. I was given pitocin and I didn't have a choice...I was told to have an epi. I had to lay on my side & was monitored. I had a very bad experience with pain meds with my loss, so I wasn't thrilled about the epi but it didn't make me sick and actually worked so I guess that was good.

OSUWifey09

I've been induced with all three of my kids but went epi-free with DD [not by choice, ha]. I had Cervadil overnight with DD, got a dose of stadol right before my water was broken, then got one dose of pitocin. From my water breaking to DD being born was less than 2.5 hours, so even though I wanted the epi, there was no time. It wasn't that bad, but she was also born quickly [two pushes]...so I didn't hang out in pain for very long.

I would ask the nurse what options you have to help alleviate the pain. I made it clear from the jump that I wanted meds, but my hospital had some other ways to help with the pain if I had wanted it [and had the time] - if you don't already know what your hospital will offer for pain help that isn't meds, like a tub or birthing ball, I'd ask. And do be sure they know your intentions; I know a lot of women who wanted a pain med-free birth while being induced, but the epi was pushed so much on them that they caved and got it. Good luck!!

4legsRbest

I went to 41w2d with my DS and had to be induced due to low fluid, he really wasn't in the best shape by then, honestly.

I started with a foley bulb, which was awesome becuase it got labor stated but my contractions wouldn't get any faster than 5 minutes apart

I had a pitocin induction without any pain meds and made it to 7cm before the pain got too bad - I took a hypnobirthing course (cds only) and I think that helped a lot. I am not trying to scare you, but take advantage of every monitoring device you can. I didn't want him probed and really wanted to move during labor but the monitors wouldn't stay in place as I moved so I was really uncomfortable just laying there. I will spare you all of the details, but it ended up that we had was has been labeled as an "old placenta" so I had an acute abruption at 7cm and needed an emergency c-section. I really don't know if I would have made it to a 10 without any meds but by that point it is too late for an epi so I had kind of sealed the deal - those pitocin contractions are no joke, seriously. I would not suggest it if you and your DH haven't done any kind of pain management birthing classes. You need him to be 100% there too.

Go in with your plan in place, but don't be afraid to change your mind. It isn't the end of the world - the only thing that matters is that your baby arrives without issue.

Ladiebug710

I was induced with a foley bulb.  They had plans to use cervidil with it, but just the balloon was enough to make me contract frequently.  That stayed in overnight and in the morning I was 4 cm and they broke my water.  For some people that may be enough to really get things going.  For me they did pitocin after membrane rupture.  I had a baby 5 hours later and was never on very much pit.

So basically I would ask about mechanical induction techniques with either a foley bulb or cervical ripening balloon.  You may be able to use nipple stim in the hospital to aid with contractions.  Whatever you and your practitioner decide, good luck, and I hope you have a happy healthy safe delivery!