Natural Birth
cubsgirl13
member
M/C #1 2001 (6w1d); M/C #2: 10/02/10 (4w4d); M/C #3 05/26/11 (4w3d) Clomid BFP #4 7/18/11 @ 9DPO Please baby stick! Beta #1 (11DPO)=51; Beta #2 (13DPO)=170; Beta #3 (19DPO)=2659!! EDD: 03/31/12
Would you recommend AROM?
cubsgirl13
member
So, my dr. has already scheduled my induction for Apr 9 if
baby is not out by then which is 9 days past my due date. I was so
upset even thinking about it.
She said that she will start with the Foley catheter balloon thing,
which, after researching it more, seems like a very good, non-medicated
option to start with.
Then, she said after the Foley, she will break my water and start me
on Pitocin. I think the AROM part scares me the most because my SIL had
hers broken by her dr. when she was already in labor and she said the
pain was unbearable after that and she got the epi.
So, I'm just wanting to know people's experiences with AROM during
induction. Should I ask to just start Pit by itself and see how that
goes or let her do the AROM and Pit at the same time? It seems like the
AROM is just to get things moving more quickly (for the dr's
convenience)....is that right? Is it horrible after AROM is done?
M/C #1 2001 (6w1d); M/C #2: 10/02/10 (4w4d); M/C #3 05/26/11 (4w3d) Clomid BFP #4 7/18/11 @ 9DPO Please baby stick! Beta #1 (11DPO)=51; Beta #2 (13DPO)=170; Beta #3 (19DPO)=2659!! EDD: 03/31/12
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Re: Would you recommend AROM?
Is there a good reason to consider an induction before at least two weeks after due date?
My first DD came two weeks early, but DD 2 decided to be late. Due to health concerns, I discussed the situation with my midwife and did decide to do an induction at 12 days late. DD came on her own that morning without inducing, but our plan was to try to start active labor with AROM. So, I did a lot of research on different induction methods. We decided to begin with breaking my water because I was 90%+ effaced and 5cm and had been having contractions off and on for days. My first labor and delivery was very fast and intense (four hours from first contraction until birth and began with my water breaking naturally) so my midwife thought AROM would likely get my body going this time too. I was less nervous about the pain after breaking my water than pitocin because I had experienced intense contractions from this before. Had my body not looked favorable to induction, I probably would have pushed to wait at least another day or two depending on health issues.
BFP#1 1/31/12, EDD 10/6/12 Harrison Gray born sleeping @ 18w6d. You changed our lives little guy.
BFP#2 EDD 10/29/13, C/P 2/25/13, Bye little Ish, we barely got to know you.
BFP#3 EDD 12/21/13, Baby Boots born 11/23/13 My rainbow baby!
January PAL Siggy Challenge: Good Advice
Pretty much this exactly. I have never had pit but have had my water broken during all three labors. Yeah it gets more intense but not to the point I ever wanted the epi. I would much rather have my water broke then have synthetic hormones put in my body.
Wedding 6.18.04 Cole 11.20.06 Gavin 3.31.08 Parker 07.15.10 Logan 04.03.12
Well, technically my OB did AROM, but I was very much in labor and dilated to 8cm with a bulging bag when she did it. It was a HUGE relief until about 30 seconds later when the next contraction hit, and I immediately dilated to 9.5. The pressure after that was intense, and I was glad my water hadn't broken earlier than that. In fact, next time I don't think I'd ask for AROM unless I was fully dilated and stalled.
I think if it was AROM for an induction, I would ask if you will be held to the 24 hour timeline or end up with a c/s. If you would be, I would probably ask to start with a low dose of pit to try to get a jump-start on contractions. The 24 hour deadline is more concerning to me than the artificial pitocin contractions.
No inductions, but here are my experiences FWIW.
With #1 they broke my water when I got to the hospital, but I was already at 10cm (had a bulging bag in which you could see meconium, so they wanted to do AROM so they could do internal fetal monitoring) and I didn't notice a difference in intensity. I had been in active labor for about 10 hours by then which had allowed my natural endorphin painkillers to kick in, so I don't remember any of it hurting after that, it was just very hard work pushing (DD was posterior).
With #2 my water broke spontaneously before contractions started, and once things did start up a few hours later, the whole labor was much more intense than my first, and took only about 3.5 hours. I credit some of that intensity to the broken waters, and some to it being my second birth, and some to the homebirth environment and being able to birth undisturbed without travel. It was intense, but it was doable. I liked labor #1 better though, if I had to pick, even though it was more work.
I would be worried about breaking the waters before the baby's head is engaged. I read that you're at a higher risk for prolapsed cord- the cord can slip out and then get pinched by the baby's head. But you'd have to weigh that against the stats of using pit. Tough choice. Hopefully baby will decide to come before then- labor dust to you mama!
ETA- My waters were broken at 8cm and I went to 10cm with one contraction! It was the longest toughest contraction yet, but I did have a lot of progress with that one.
Pitocin affects everyone differently. One person could have the pitocin cranked way up and still hardly have any effects. AROM does not hurt but once it happens many women's bodies will kick in and start to work. Your Dr. should only break your water if baby's head is fully engaged. Otherwise what they will usually do is start pitocin and increase it gradually, this will help baby moved down into the pelvis and hopefully help your cervix dialate some. Then they could rupture your membranes.
Often times your water won't break anyways and needs some help. If you are very far past your due date there are more risks for your baby, so it is best to get baby delivered.
Absolutely avoid the AROM if you can until you're very close to complete or it breaks naturally.
The pitocin contractions weren't that bad but once they broke my water I wasn't allowed out of bed (because of the risk of chord prolapse), that made the contractions unbearable but I made it to 4.5 cm before getting an epi.
Also DD really didn't like having my water broken and that was the beginning of the end of a vaginal delivery for us as her heartbeat started getting wonky off and on and by the time I was complete and started pushing a 6 hrs later she couldn't take it and started showing signs of distress. It got bad enough that it was decided it was in her best interest to do a c/s and she was born 20 minutes later.