Induction 411?

Countrygirl0289 · February 2013

I have heard some rumors about induction are they true?

1. labor is harder and more painful

2. stressful on the baby.

If i could only remember the other ones I was told too... any other ups and downs about being induced!!

I am 39 weeks, and i have been in early labor at home for 2ish days! i have stayed 2cm and 70% for 5 days, and have had constant contractions all timed but 3 min apart then jump to 6 min apart, then go away, then come back. (the most annoying thing in the entire world) the doctor said if I cant take that any more they would allow me to make the call to be induced. I prefer to wait but this is really getting on my ever lasting nerves! I drink water like i am trying to drown, and walk a ton all day! (nothing happens, other than I have to stop often because of contractions) I just dont want to if it is going to be a more painful birth, or stressful on the baby, or anything else that is bad about induction. advice? knowledge?

tesselizabeth · February 2013

I have heard that, too. I do know that if you are induced before your body is ready it can make you more likely to have a csection. But it does sound like you're on your way to being ready. I had about 24 hours of contractions like that with my first before I ended up going into real labor. They offered inducing me but I was too afraid that I would end up with a csection (which I probably wouldn't have at that point). Personally, I would wait it out if you can. It doesn't sound like it will be long either way! Good luck!

KrisM86 · February 2013

The one thing I know for sure is that getting induced increases your chance of needing a c-section.

dande2129 · February 2013

Both of your heard "rumors" are true. However, not all inductions will lead to a c-section, but there is a much greater risk to end up with one.

With both boys, my water broke but there was no progression on my own. (DS it was 14 hours later before any medical intervention, and 16 hours until I received pitocin. LO I was already 4-5 cm when I got to the hospital, but no contractions) With both boys, I ended up having a successful vaginal delivery and neither of them were ever in distress.

I wish that I didn't have to be induced with either of them, but I was. However, I had a great team of doctors that had mine and my child(ren)'s best interest and made sure to administer pitocin on a low dose and a long interval to avoid fetal distress.

If I were you and considering an elective induction, I'd do some research, gear yourself up with knowledge if that's what you want to do, and be an advocate for yourself.

=Lee=B · February 2013

My SIL was recently induced at 38weeks due to high blood pressure. She and baby were fine after and no c-section was needed. She did find that since she wasn't expecting to be induced she was in more pain because she planned to be drug free and mobile but with the induction she ended up being stuck in the bed and having less ways to ease the pain without drugs. In the end she had some drugs, but not an epidural.

I can't speak from experience but if you planned to have an epidural to begin with I would think the pain wouldn't be that different. As well, your body sounds like it is ready for baby, they aren't just inducing weeks ahead with no signs of baby being ready.

One thing to keep in mind and plan for, is if you decide not to be induced and wait this out, and go a few more days (with the syptoms you are having now) you will likely be utterly exhausted at the beginning of true labor which I would think will make the whole journey all the harder, especially if you want to go drug free.

ArmyWife114 · February 2013

=Lee=B:
My SIL was recently induced at 38weeks due to high blood pressure. She and baby were fine after and no c-section was needed. She did find that since she wasn't expecting to be induced she was in more pain because she planned to be drug free and mobile but with the induction she ended up being stuck in the bed and having less ways to ease the pain without drugs. In the end she had some drugs, but not an epidural.
I can't speak from experience but if you planned to have an epidural to begin with I would think the pain wouldn't be that different. As well, your body sounds like it is ready for baby, they aren't just inducing weeks ahead with no signs of baby being ready.
One thing to keep in mind and plan for, is if you decide not to be induced and wait this out, and go a few more days (with the syptoms you are having now) you will likely be utterly exhausted at the beginning of true labor which I would think will make the whole journey all the harder, especially if you want to go drug free.

This was the same for my induction in December. I wanted to try drug free, but since they pretty much wanted me to stay in bed with the cervadil and the monitoring, I didn't have many pain management options and opted for an epidural because I was purely exhausted from no sleeping at all during the 12 hours I had the cervadil in (it was overnight, supposedly, it makes it easier on you, but I found it near impossible to sleep with an iv and monitoring)

bumpuser5078523 · February 2013

I believe they are true.

The imitation hormones work different and make your contractions more intense, stronger and you don't get the same breaks as natural contractions. Making them more painful and baby can get stressed out. Which can lead to epidurals for more intense contractions and a c section due to baby's vitals not being ideal.

AFBTB · February 2013

I am so glad you asked this question. Definitely do NOT elect to be induced if you don't have to. My dr wanted to induce me because she was going out of town for 2 weeks and didn't want me going into labor when she wasn't there. Dumb reason I know, but I was a stupid FTM (not all FTMs, just saying that I was) and I had nobody with me to tell me not to let her do that. So I agreed, and a couple days later went to the hospital to be induced.

So they got me all hooked up and started pitocin. The contractions started slow but then increased and became unbearable. Not simply from the pain, but I didn't even have time to catch my breath between the contractions, so I couldn't try any of the pain management techniques I'd studied. They came one right on top of the other, for HOURS. So eventually I asked for an epidural because I couldn't handle the contractions anymore. I don't want to scare you, but you need to know that the rumors are fact. During pushing they must not have had the fetal monitor on correctly because DS was stressed out and nobody knew it. He'd had a bowel movement and he wasn't breathing when he was born.

He's a perfectly healthy toddler now, but his induction was a very difficult and horrifying experience for me. Definitely do NOT let them induce you unless you have to.

mkanderson85 · February 2013

I was induced with dd1 and loved it. I was relaxed going in and there were no complications. It wasnt a scheduled induction, so it was still a surprise, but I didn't have a hard time with anything

jbatch · February 2013

My sister in law was induced with I think 2 of her 4 kids. She never had any problem. The babies were fine.. And she had an epidural so it wasn't more painful.. If you are trying to go without an epidural I bet it is more painful.

jannv11 · February 2013

I was inducated and my labor wasn't bad. Contractions weren't painful and I only pushed for 1 hr and 45 mins. Fingers crossed it goes a smoothly this time. Everyone is different so don't like others answer scare you. Do what you feel is right for your body! Good luck

BelhurstBride · February 2013

While not everyone experiences it yes, inductions can be harder, more painful and stressful on the baby.

Ask your OB about your Bishop's score. (Something he should be taking note of if he's mentioning induction.) It'll give you an idea of how ready your body is and how well you might handle an induction.

wren444 · February 2013

Are you able to sleep? If not, I would lean toward induction because exhaustion is a real risk. If you can get decent rest through it, than I would wait and trust your body to do this in its own time.

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