Not quite a success yet...

carrieharry79

Hi All - I'm visiting from the Pregnant after Infertility board and was hoping some of you mommies can help answer my question. My due date is on Tuesday and I went in yesterday and still have zero effacement and dilation. They are talking about induction and I'm nervous. Has anyone had a similar situation and then spontaneously gone into labor without intervention? I'd love to hear your experiences.

Thanks in advance!

mnj05

With my first, I was induced a week early and had a good experience despite needing a c-section in the end. My water was broken for me and I had pitocin as well. My contractions were not crazy strong and slowly built up. I need the c/s because my son's head got stuck.

This second time around, I went a week late and had a VBAC. Again my water was broken for me as I was contracting regularly but not feeling it. I was not given anything else other than an epi and labored for about 4 hours, pushed for one.

Would your OB let you go to 41 or even 42 weeks before inducing?

BabyKsMommy

Yes at my 40w appointment I wasn't dilated and had no signs of labor. I ended up going into labor on my due date and had my son 2 days later. It was a long labor process but completely worth it.

Don't worry it will happen eventually and if you need to be induced a lot of moms have had good experiences. Good luck!

carrieharry79

Thank you both for answering! 

mnj05 My doctor will let me go up to 10 days past my due date. I'm 36 so they don't let you go quite as long after 35. I believe after 40 they induce you on your due date. 

Fingers crossed something happens soon. Due tomorrow!

amandaleigh1

At 38 yo, I had an agreement to o as for as 42 weeks before induction so long as I was passin all the monitoring test. I failed the fluid level test at 41w2d. I wanted an intervention free birth so this was hugely disappointing.

I had a plan in place ahea of time for a "gentle" induction. I wanted to start with foley bulb but I couldn't because I wasn't dilated enough for it.

We had to do cervical ripening overnight in the hospital. That worked to fully efface me, but didn't do any dilation. We started pitocin and then once I was having regular contractions we turned it off. I got o full dilation all on my own after that.

I needed more pitocin during pushing because my contractions started spacing apart, but that was welcome at that point.

I also had my kiddo come down the birth canal sunny side up, so my on had to turn him around and then help deliver him by vacuum. No much for my intervention-free birth! But I have no regrets and did it without an epidural.

SharonB222

If I had conceived naturally when I started TTC (I'm a late O'er and started TTC at 31) and married a Caucasian, I am sure 42w would have been just fine for me. But 38w-39w was "correct" given my circumstances (FET, age 39 and Native American DH).

My LO#1 arrived spontaneously 38w2d LGA (large for gestational age) even though she measured normal. My OB hadn't talked induction and wouldn't have until 41w (based on my "elderly" age). So based on LO#1 LGA, for LO#2 (who also measured normally), m/w scheduled to talk induction with me 39w2d, I went into spontaneous labor that morning and he was born even larger than LO#1. I do not have GD and the dates were FET, so I figure it has to do with my DH's genetics (earlier fetal maturation = shorter gestation; and size estimates not correlating to the ethnic type of our children - small heads, long femurs). There are general guidelines (e.g. young Caucasian couple, typical or late O - wait up to 42w all good, but it's not true for everyone (e.g. early O, AMA and/or varied ethnicity - even 40w could be sign of a problem).

Congrats on your pg!! Wishing you a healthy delivery for you and babe!

1983Lindsey2

No advice as I had to have a scheduled c section, but I wanted to say good luck!!!

carrieharry79

1983Lindsey2 Thank you! Due date is here.... no signs of coming out! Working on my patience.

CarrieB.

I don't really go into labor. With my first, my water broke, but labor never started, so I was put on pitocin.

With my second, I was induced 5 days after my due date. Being induced isn't super fun, but it's fine. I'll warn you about going too late though, my second daughter was big when she came out- 8lbs, 11oz and she got stuck on her shoulder coming out. Shoulder distocia. The doctor somehow pulled her out, but I thought if I had gone much longer, I would have ended up with a c-section. I'm a pretty small person and if she had gotten much bigger, I don't think I could have pushed her out.

I know everyone wants a natural, easy birth, but just try to be open minded. Being induced isn't the worst thing ever. Good luck!

carrieharry79

CarrieB. Thanks for the info. I have a scheduled induction on Tuesday. They did an ultrasound yesterday and estimated that the baby is currently 8lbs 14oz.... so bigger than your giant baby I'm definitely concerned about the possibility of this being a day of induction, followed by c section. She has 5 more days to grow too. My husband was almost 10 lbs when born so I blame him. I'm 5'6" and was 130lbs before all of this.... so I guess kind of average. I hope that's big enough to take on a 9lb baby!!

CarrieB.

Good luck! The estimated sizes aren't always accurate. So I'll hope you have a normal sized baby. Do lots of walking and maybe you can speed things up. My induction didn't take too long. They started me on pitocin at 6am, broke my water at noon, I got the epidural soon after and she was born around 3pm.

carrieharry79

CarrieB.  I hope my situation is similar! That doesn't sound too bad at all. Thanks for the info and response