Hi ladies, looking for advice on induction. I have GD and they want to induce next week between 39-40 weeks. I've heard that induction is more painful and may make the labor process longer...any advice out there?? What would you do? Part of us want to wait till I'm 40 weeks to see if the baby comes on his/her own, and then the other part wants to just do it now...lol. Any opinions welcome!! Thanks!!
Re: Moms who've been induced....??
Yes, induction MAY be longer than normal labor. But, if it's your first, you don't really know that. :P Like the PP said, it depends on how ready your body is for labor.
My labor was 30 hours long. Most of that was sitting around watching TV because max pitocin did NOTHING. However, I wasn't gonna be sent home,so the MW tricked my body into labor. :P
I would find out if it is medically necessary to induce. If not, I would try to let the baby come on his own.
I've had two very pleasurable inductions. Sure there were a lot of complications - but nothing to do with the induction process, just my crappy medical conditions.
First time I was induced at 36 weeks with PIH. 0 cm dilated and 20% effaced. Started with cytotec orally the night before. Started pitocin the next day and DS was born at 2:50.
Second time was 34 weeks ( a few weeks ago) for eclampsia. I was 0 cm dilated and 0 % effaced. Again did cytotec the night before, only this time it wasn't a pill, it was a liquid. Started pitocin the next morning, had DS at 2:43. LOL!
First time it was 20 minutes of pushing, this time it was 2 pushes. If I were to have more children, which we won't be, I would choose nothing but induction. Both times the doctors took it slowly to not rush my body knowing that the outcomes for both myself and my kiddos would be better without the c-section. I almost had a c-section this time, but only because LO's heart rate was dropping and slow to recover. But by the time the doctor showed up, I was 10 cm and LO was crowning, so no sense in having the c-section.
I was induced due to insulin controlled GD at 39 weeks. I was really favorable when I went in. I knew I wanted an epi so I got one before they broke my water. It didn't take.
Timeline was: Epi at 9am. Broke water at 9:30am. Had DS at 11:03am. Yes, 1.5 hours for the induction. My epi got fixed after transition and as I started to push. That was the scary part. It was just DH and I in the room and I was telling him that I had to push and I couldn't help it. It was not fun. He was freaking out a little.
He was my 2nd. DS1 was a preemie due to pPROM and my labor was under 12 hours. I thought that was fast.
I would definitely listen to the advice of your doctors. I have type 1 diabetes, not GD, and they wouldnt have let me go past 38.5 weeks because of it. The placenta breaks down faster in type 1 (i.e. a type 1 placenta of 38 weeks is equivalent to a 42 week placenta of a non diabetic woman).
I don't know if it breaks down so fast in GD, like type 1, but if that's the reason they want to induce, do it. A broken down placenta can result in stillbirth. I'd personally rather be induced than have a stillborn baby.
Lurking, since I'm not high risk this time around yet
I had a great induction with my son at 38w due to cholestasis. Long, but great. I was locked up tight, no dilation, no effacement. I started with Cervadil, moved to cytotec, started pitocin, and got to 1 cm at 23 hours. Finally she broke my water, got my epi, and in 3 hours, I was at 10cm ready to go.
My son was sunny side up and slightly diagonal, so he had some issues coming out, got stuck on my hip, had to be readjusted, but that's not the induction's fault
After 2 hours of pushing, he was delivered. 28 hours total, but worth every minute