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May 2012 Moms
beany02
member
a little frustrated with my doctor....
beany02
member
had my 39 week appt yesterday. still 3cm and about 75% effaced. i really want a natural birth, and i asked him how far past my due date he would "let" me go. (i put that in quotations because i feel like im the one who should be in control of my body). he said typically he wont let his patients go past 41 weeks. i think thats pretty standard, but i know a lot of docs will wait until 42 weeks if baby is ok. i asked if that was flexible, and he basically said no because studies have shown that the placenta can deteriorate a lot between 41 and 42 weeks. he said its more likely to happen in older moms, moms with health problems, and those who smoke. I have had a textbook pregnancy so far, dont smoke, and am 28, so he acknowledged that i was really low risk for this but he still wouldnt want me to go past 41 weeks. ok let me get on my soapbox for a minute.....
a due date is an ESTIMATE! 41 weeks doesnt seems to be much deviation from that estimate and i dont think it requires induction without obvious health reasons, especially in someone who has had no complications. i can see how 42 weeks might be far enough past to be unsafe for mom and baby and require induction, but now im stressed that i will get to 41 weeks and have to argue with him to give me a few more days. hopefully this wont matter, i dont see myself going past my due date that far since i am already 3 cm but who knows. it just really bugs me that my doctor said this. i think for baby #2 i might see a midwife instead. i told him if we do end up inducing, i want to try more natural induction methods like breaking my water first, stripping membranes, etc. i want pitocin to be a last resort. he seemed to be ok with that but didnt seem too enthusiastic about it.
I just feel like nature will get it right, and there's no need to interfere so quickly.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: a little frustrated with my doctor....
Unfortunately this is something you guys probably should have gone over a long time ago so you could switch to someone else who shares your views
Why don't you just ask to have your membranes stripped now or at your next appt? If you are 3 cms you'll be a good candidate.
Personally I agree with him that 41 weeks is a good time to induce vs 42 weeks, I have seen a lot of studies showing that the risks go up a lot after 41 weeks. (I go to midwives that let you go to 42 weeks but I could never agree to go that far, I'm a huge worrier)
when i first started seeing him i expressed how important it was to me to have a natural birth, no induction, etc. and he seemed supportive of that. i might see if he can strip my membranes at my 40 week appointment if she isnt here by then. hopefully that will work! i have 3 more days of work to get through so i have been hesistant to try anything yet because i would really like to wrap up some stuff at work.
He is doing what is right for you and baby and I am sure he has your best interest at heart.
I was right there with you until I started researching. A lot of evidence is showing the risk of still birth skyrockets between weeks 41-42 in a normal healthy pregnancy. When my OB said she'd look at inducing at 39w, I was a little surprised, but knowing that I'm over 35 (ahem, exactly 35), I knew she wouldn't let me go past 40w. With your progress, induction should go well. From what I've read, and heard, inductions tend to be less successful the less ripened/dilated you are. There's every chance you'll go into labor spontaneously. 97% of women go into labor spontaneously by week 41.
I'm sorry, that sucks and is ridiculous :-( There is no reason to induce until you are post-dates (meaning after 42 weeks) as long as baby and mommy are looking healthy. It is your body and your baby, so he is welcome to schedule an induction but you do not have to show up. Maybe not the best solution, but a possibility. I'd ask for a NST at your 41 week appointment (if you get there) to see if baby looks OK, and if baby does it's more ammunition for you. It is sad that we need ammunition against the people we hire to advise us as we make our medical decisions (or at least, theoretically, that's how it is supposedly working), especially since doctors are not gods or perfect and there is more than one "right" way to have a baby so all they can offer is their educated opinion, but that is the system we have for now.
One other thought, if you want to try to get things going naturally maybe seek out an acupuncturist as you get close to 41 weeks. I've heard that medical and non-medical people alike agree that acupuncture works very well to induce labor, but it just gets things going, it isn't a constant intervention like pitocin usually is.
And one last thought, I'd avoid letting him break your water if it were me. Most places once your water is broken you go on a clock and if you haven't had the baby within 24 hours it's a c-section. I wouldn't want that clock to start before I was even in active labor! Of course, your choice, but just something to consider.
Good luck to you!
From all the stats I've seen, 97% of women go into labor spontaneously by the END of week 41. And the average length of gestation for a FTM is right around 41w1d.