Trying to see what perspective others may have... It's hard to pull my head out of my own discomfort to really think clearly about my options.
Background: I have been having occasional painful contractions and tons of Braxton Hicks for several weeks now. I have been dilating since my 36w appointment, and as of yesterday at 39w1d, I am at 2+ cm dilated, 90% effaced, -1 station, soft cervix which is still posterior. Given all that, my Bishop score is an 8, which is very favorable for induction.
Since Monday night, I have been having regular contractions, ranging from 5-12 minutes apart (speeds up and slows down, repeat) and varying intensity (start getting harder and harder and harder to deal with, then ebb back to just very uncomfortable). I have managed to sleep some but wake several times a night with painful contractions.
Seriously, there's only so much a girl can take before going insane!
I ended up going to L&D last night as they were less than 5 mins apart for several hours, very uncomfortable to moderately painful, and lasting 1.5 mins each. Things are progressing, but slowly at this point. The nurse told me it was likely going to be pointless to admit me as it seems like it might still take awhile to progress, unless I wanted to get pitocin to push things along. Figuring I am still only at 39w1d, I chose to go home.
However, it seems my Mom had a nearly identical labor when she had me, and after 3 days ended up getting pitocin and things progressed quickly and easily from there. I was born at 38w3d. I am tempted, honestly.
My current thinking is ride this wave through the weekend - if I get to my appointment on Monday morning (39w6d) and it isn't any easier or hadn't landed me in L&D again with more progress, I think I may ask for pitocin to get things moving. I mean, at that point, I will have been laboring a freaking week! And I know there is zero chance my due date is wrong as we had infertility treatment, so we know for a fact this baby is already full term.
I know pitocin raises chances of other interventions, but I was already planning an epidural, and considering my cervix is so favorable, it feels more like augmenting labor rather than inducing from scratch. I feel guilty thinking about induction, but I can't imagine going on like this indefinitely.
So.... WWYD? Ask to be admitted and given pitocin if I reach my 40w appointment? Or keep toughing it out indefinitely? Why?
************************SIGGY WARNING***********************Me: 29 DH: 32
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
Unexplained Infertility
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
Ryan Henry - born 1/10/15, 7 lb 5 oz, 20 1/4 inches
NTNP for a sibling starting March 2015
Waiting on cycle to resume while EBF
Re: WWYD: Prolonged early labor
But of your two options, that would be the one I would choose -- wait until your Monday morning appointment and ask for pit then
Good luck with your decision, and hope your LO is born soon!
This time I've been going the membrane sweeping route. I had it done last Friday (37w5d) and started "real" contractions for the first time. They stopped after 24 hours and I've been getting BH contractions every night since (so I hear you on the crappy sleep). I have another appointment tomorrow and hopefully my Dr will sweep again, which will hopefully lead to labour.
Can you wait? Sure. Will you be miserable? Yup. If your dr is willing, I'd trust they're judgement (they did go to school for it and all).
Sorry if I sound blunt, but I'm sick of all the impatient people posting about how uncomfortable they are...its pregnancy, and the wait and pain is worth it!
BFP#1 EDD 04.20.2010, SUNSHINE baby boy born 03.31.2010
BFP#2 EDD 12.07.2014, natural mc 04.09.2014 at 5w3d
BFP#3 EDD 01.14.15, RAINBOW baby girl born 01.16.2015
jan'15 january siggy challenge: baby fails
I would ask this, if you do decide to go in for an induction, would they be willing to just break your water first, before trying the pit? We actually went ahead and scheduled an induction for me, in the event that labor does not pick up on its own over the weekend. I am really trying to avoid pit, and I know with my first, when they broke my water, things definitely picked up. Anyway, the plan this time, if I make it to induction day, is to break m my water and see what that does. If it kicks things into gear, then awesome. If it doesn't, then we will try the pit. Good luck with whatever you decide! I totally understand that you are miserable at this point!
I wouldn't let them break your water though until you were sure you were progressing since you have a limited window of time to deliver once broken.
Best of Luck in whatever you decide!
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Thanks all. You've made me feel a bit better about all this, calmed some Mommy guilt that others would make similar choices. I was really anti-induction before 41 weeks for myself, but I think giving myself a week of early labor up to my due date is enough for me right now. I would hesitate to break my water before I am seeing some progress because of the time pressure it gives us, but I will talk to my doctors on Monday at my appt if I make it that long.
I know they'd give me pitocin - they told me they would. I am just stubbornly hoping things will pick up.
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
My second choice would be to wait until the appointment on Monday and see what your doctor has to say/see how you're feeling. Obviously I'm not an expert since I've never done this, but from what I understand being effaced and dilated before active labor is a good indicator that an induction would progress well. I probably won't worry so much about an induction/pitocin since things are already moving along, even if it is slow.
I hope that things either settle down so you can get some rest before it's time or that baby decided he's ready to come out soon!
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I'm sorry you're going through this, I can't imagine contracting for that long and then having it just stall. Personally, since I'm against any interventions without trying everything else first, I would try different positions and the spinning baby thing first, then at the appointment I would see about getting my membranes stripped and if that didn't work by wednesday I'd go with a low dose of pit.
Good luck!
Good luck! Hope all goes well this weekend!
We also have the consideration that my Mom already flew into town during my false alarm on Wednesday, and I really don't want to waste so much of the two weeks she can spend down here. It seems petty and selfish, but it's a very real consideration for me. Waiting until Monday seems like more than long enough to give this ongoing labor time to kick into gear on its own.
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
It sounds like you've already made a decision, but I just wanted to say that I would probably be making the exact same one. If nothing has kicked off by your appointment on Monday I'd be asking to start some low dose pit on Tuesday.
Heck, I'm over here getting an induction on Sunday because I'm getting too close to the midwives cut off of 42w. Maybe talk to them about how the induction will go (if you get there). My midwives explained that they try to make the induction mimic natural labor as much as possible by taking things VERY slow. They also said they would back off if it seemed like my body was starting to do what it should. Maybe some very low doses of pit are all you'll need to tip things over the edge and really get your body working.
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
@southernyankeegirl - Oddly enough being over 41w for me isn't really much of a mind game, but that's probably because I have had very very few contractions and no other indications of labor at all. I apparently just have a genetic predisposition to gestate longer than most women.
I really hope that a little time this weekend is all you need and that you don't have to go the induction route!
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However; I'm one of the ones who think Pitocin is the devil. I was induced with my first and it's awful! I'd try everything else first. Sex, walking, epo, cohosh (if your blood pressure has been good and you've ok ' it with Dr first) stripping membranes, ect.
First off, I am a human being and I am in pain. I am not a nameless farm animal. If I say I hurt, that's worth consideration and respect, even if you would make a different choice in my shoes. Others who said they'd wait were far more compassionate and less condescending than you.
My body does know it's time for labor - that's why I have been contracting painfully 24/7 for the better part of a week now. After posting this, I called to go in to get checked out to discuss my options and check on how my baby is handling the contractions. I have now been diagnosed with "prolonged latent phase", meaning I am stuck in early labor that usually lasts most women an average of 10-12 hours before they spend 4 hours in active labor and 1-2 hours for pushing. I have been stuck in early labor for over 4 days.
Now, this is where my irritable self really gets her feathers ruffled - you can take your whole condescending "your baby is worth any discomfort" and shove it down your holier than thou throat. Don't you dare think I don't appreciate my pregnancy every bit as much as anyone else. After 2 years of trying to conceive, months of heartbreak, thousands of dollars on fertility testing and treatment, I appreciate my fucking pregnancy. A lot. And I have been the happiest pregnant person you've ever seen the past 9 months, with always a positive spin on whatever discomfort I dealt with. This isn't just impatience or discomfort, which my original post makes pretty fucking clear. This is labor. So how long do you want to be in labor without an epidural and without any progress? That answer might differ from mine, but don't you think for a minute I appreciate my pregnancy any less because I am thinking about speeding up this process.
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3
Off birth control March 2012 - Actively trying Sept 2012-April 2014
BFP on May 5th after Follistim & IUI #3