She was due on the 15th and is VERY uncomfortable so over the weekend she went in twice to have some kind of pill inserted in her vagina to soften and efface the cervix and hopefully start labor. Although it got her to 4 centimeters dilated labor didn't start.
Last night she went to be induced. Every time they would start the pitocin she would get contractions but every time they turned it off labor would stop.
Her Dr. is very pro natural childbirth and has been fighting her every step of the way and insisting that he won't strip her membranes or break her water because he doesn't want to perform an unnecessary c-section because she is impatient.
She has been in significant pelvic pain for the past 2 months, can't sleep and is just so ready for her LO to come.
I had never heard of a failed induction before. Who woulda thunkit?
Re: My friend had a failed induction
Failed inductions happen ALL THE TIME. If your friend doesn't want a c-section, she should listen to her doctor. Inducing when the body is not ready increases your chance of a c-section to something close to 50%. (Google "bishop score c-section.")
ETA: Of course there are times when induction is medically necessary - but even in those cases if the body isn't ready, c-sections are a common result.
I had a failed induction. It was put on pit at 3pm on a Friday & by 4pm on Saturday I had been staled for HOURS at 6cm & the baby wouldn't drop, was getting distressed and it was just time to end it. I had a c/s at 4:16pm.
It seems weird they kept turning the pit off. For me they kept turning it up as I saw a change. But ultimately it didn't help.
I guess she is still pregnant? At 4cm he could break her water and see what happens. But then she has to give birth w/in 24 hours.
He doctor sounds kinda strict, but it's not like she is being induced early, she is late and there is nothing wrong with helping things along if it's what the mother wants IMO!
(ETA: I was induced because I had pre-e and I was only 37 weeks. As noted above inducing when the body isn't ready does increase the chances of a c/s. Exactly what happened to me).
TOTALLY agree!!!
This! Where is your friend from??? I want her doctor!
yeah if your body isnt ready, failed inductions are likely. It sounds like she just isnt ready yet... Im surprised if her dr is against it that he went along wtih this if there are no medical reasons.
This is why before attempting an induction, they often consider your bishops score. FWIW I was offered an induction for 41 weeks since I was favorable and declined. My practice only offers them at 41weeks (or later) if there are no medical reasons to induce sooner. And even for that, it was made clear to me that it was only suggested because I was favorable. Unsuccessful inductions often lead to c/s... which is major surgery.
I definitely know that being overdue sucks though!
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
She said that she was just going to let nature take it's course at this point so until Vivian is ready to arrive she will just keep on cooking!!
I think that the constant pain is what drove to her fight for the induction. I see her almost every day (neighbors) and she has been hurting for quite a long time.
We live in Michigan.
That's great! I hope the pain stays away for the next few days until baby is ready to make her appearance! I assumed with DS that I would go way over due since my mom did with both me and my brother, so in my head I would tell myself that I was due Feb 29, but I was actually due Feb 15th... for me, it was mind over matter.
GL to her! Unfortunately, pain and insomnia are pretty much the norm at the end. For me it was back and hip pain (I wore a belly brace all my waking hours and it helped marginally), swollen feet (wore hawt compression hose all my waking hours), and extremely bad heartburn. No matter how you cut it, the bitter end sucks. But, worth it for a full term baby of course!
Like pp I assumed that my son would be born in april (I was due in march) since my mom was late wtih all 4 kids. I was right... and this time I am assuming it will be Feb. I think it helped honestly.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
Good luck to her! The end is rough, rough, rough. My son was measuring 42 weeks at 36 weeks, and while I didn't go overdue with him, when I hit the 38 week mark, I was crying every day. And by 39 weeks, I could barely walk.
I hope she is able to have the labor she is hoping for!!!
Omg! I have never heard of being induced multiple times.... Makes me very happy that my induction worked the first time because if it didn't I would have had to get a C/S. (my water broke early).
BFP #1:10/31/10 DS born 6/22/11BFP #3:4/24/12 DD born 12/31/12
Which is likely why the patient's doctor in the OPs scenario doesn't want to break her water now . . . because once you do that, you are "on the clock." Trying cervadil and pitocin to see if labor will start on it's own - if done conservatively are much less risky than rupturing membranes. And can be tried over and over again.
I do agree that the end is rough! I was great until 38 weeks and at that point pretty stinkin miserable.
My induction story---I had a scheduled induction 2 days before my due date due to family history of shoulder dyplasia and large baby size. When I went in for induction I was already at a 4 and 100% effaced but no matter what I did labor did not progress so we started pitocin and broke my water. Still took 16 hours and almost 3 to get her out. Wish they would have done a C. Instead I had a 4th degree epiotomy and later corrective surgery for that and DD had a broken collarbone.
Needless to say scheduling a C this time and thankful.
With DD i had an induction two days before the due date. They tried the cervidil and the pit but it didnt work and so they let me try the cytotec slurry. (not to be confused with the vaginal cytocec, the slurry one is so much more mild and has less risks) And it kicked things off for me in a very slow, effeciently progressive way.
ALSO if mom isnt relaxed and is super stressed out she can inhibit her own labor.
I have a friend that had a failed induction as well. She was there for a day or so and they sent her home. She was devestated.
My induction on the other hand went fine and hurt like a mother F'er. Praying to avoid an induction this time.
Inductions can fail. Thankfully my induction also went the first time and all I needed was the cervadil because my water broke early too.
This happened to me with my first. The pitocin had to be up so high it was ridiculous. I had a failed epidural so they turned it down a little bit until I got another one, and no one ever turned it back up. Literally I was 10 cm and pushing and my contractions were 5-7 minutes apart. THAT SUCKED. Fortunately they cranked it back up again and they got closer together before I pushed DD out.
I want to hug her Dr
You never hear stories like this where the patient is pushing an induction and the Dr says no! It's always the reverse.
And 5 days over your due date isn't necessarily over due. Your date is just a guess bc MOST babies are born between 38 and 42 weeks, hence the 40w date. I understand her being miserable and over being pg, but your friend just needs to relinguish control. Her baby will come when she's ready.
My own fear (I would NEVER tell her) is that she is 42 and that there is a risk of placental deterioration due to "advanced maternal age".
I am sure her Dr. knows what he is doing and so I try not to worry about it but I still think about it.
Most doctors start performing stress tests regularly once you reach your due date to check for concerns like this. As a PP said, there is nothing magical about 40 weeks. Will the placenta eventually deteriorate? Yes. But if she's under good care and still within this time frame of her due date, It's probably not a significant risk. If her doctor is as up on induction risks as it sounds like he is, I'm sure he's up on the risks of carrying a baby post-term - he has significant liability riding on it.