? re: going into labor earlier after induction

papagena

One of my concerns is not going into labor on my own - I was a failed induction at 41 1/2 weeks and even with the pit for a couple hours, didn't get any painful contractions.  My body just wasn't going there.

My doula said that 2nd time moms, even of c/s or induction, tend to go into labor earlier.  I'm just curious if anyone else had heard that specifically for failed inductions.  I'm going to push for 42 weeks this time, but as I'm very certain my EDD isn't early, I'm wary of going beyond that.

spark&echo

I don't know.  My MW said that because I was induced before my body was ready the first time around, I can expect my labor to be very much like a first time mom's.  Also, I'm of the opinion that some women just have longer pregnancy cycles.  (Is pregnancy cycles a real term?  I don't know.)

There are other ways of inducing labor besides Pitocin, like acupuncture.  My MW swears by it, but the kicker is it won't work unless your body is ready for it.  If you get close to 42 weeks, I'd try that before agreeing to a Pitocin induction. 

Jb&Jb

my doc said pretty much that there was a good chance i'd go to the same point as with DD (41w0d).  i did go into labor naturally, but ended CS obviously. 

personally i think that unless the baby came all the way out of you, your odds of going earlier aren't increased (your body hasn't been "practiced" or stretched to that point).  IMO it's like being a first timer again.  again, this is just my opinion, but it seems backed by what my doctor has told me. 

ShansBride

My son was a scheduled section at 38 weeks one day I went into labor on my own with my daugther at 39 weeks one day.  There is a girl in my VBAC group who had a scheduled section at 41 weeks for a suspected big baby and had a scheduled section at 39 weeks with her second, but then went into labor on her own at 38 weeks 6 days with her VBA2C baby.

Really, I think every woman, every pregnancy, and every baby are different.  I was really scared that I wouldn't go into labor too, but at 38 weeks I started talking to DD and telling her that I was ready when she was.  I think it really helped put me a good place mentally.

Sam78

Jb&Jb:

my doc said pretty much that there was a good chance i'd go to the same point as with DD (41w0d).  i did go into labor naturally, but ended CS obviously. 

personally i think that unless the baby came all the way out of you, your odds of going earlier aren't increased (your body hasn't been "practiced" or stretched to that point).  IMO it's like being a first timer again.  again, this is just my opinion, but it seems backed by what my doctor has told me. 

Don't know that I'd agree with any of this.  Not only did I go into labor a week earlier with #2 but my labor was completely different and much faster.  With #1, my water broke but I never had contrax on my own (so I liken it to a half induction), got to 10 and pushed before the c/s.  With #2, my water was broken at 9 cm after I had only had contrax for around 4 hours.  I've always heard that once you dilate even if you don't have a vaginal birth, things go quicker (although don't know if that has anything to do with the time that labor does start).

Jb&Jb

I agree that all pregnancies are different, and you could be late or early.  My thought on it is that if you haven't delivered vaginally, you don't have "edge" that some second time mom's may.  It's all a crapshoot really.

chicsub

Sam78:

Jb&Jb:

my doc said pretty much that there was a good chance i'd go to the same point as with DD (41w0d).  i did go into labor naturally, but ended CS obviously. 

personally i think that unless the baby came all the way out of you, your odds of going earlier aren't increased (your body hasn't been "practiced" or stretched to that point).  IMO it's like being a first timer again.  again, this is just my opinion, but it seems backed by what my doctor has told me. 

Don't know that I'd agree with any of this.  Not only did I go into labor a week earlier with #2 but my labor was completely different and much faster.  With #1, my water broke but I never had contrax on my own (so I liken it to a half induction), got to 10 and pushed before the c/s.  With #2, my water was broken at 9 cm after I had only had contrax for around 4 hours.  I've always heard that once you dilate even if you don't have a vaginal birth, things go quicker (although don't know if that has anything to do with the time that labor does start).

My doulas and midwives believe this too, that since I got to 9 1/2 cm on my own and labor started on its own that it will be very similar to a second vaginal birth even though I never pushed.  We shall see    At the very least it puts me in a good place mentally, so I'll take it! 

hollywoodgirl311

Both of my babies were similar in some ways and very different in others with the labor. 

 DS I was 5 days late, water broke at home, contractions right away, got an epi and DS went into distress 15 hours in and I had a C/S.  I only got to 6cm by this point

DD I was 4 days early, water broke at home, contractions started an hour before water broke, went natural, labor was 15 hours total from contractions starting to DD being born. 

It took me 14 hours to get to 7cm though, so I think my body is slow to efface and dilate.  I was only at 50% for most of my labor until the end.  Out of nowhere I was 100% effaced, went from 4-10 very quickly from there.

Try not to stress in the end if you can.  I was panicked that I would not go into labor on my own and reach that dreaded 42 week mark and bugged the docs like crazy about it. Trust in your body and remember that you can still be successful even if your body doesn't follow traditional patterns or old wives tales.