Induction for no other reason than bad EDD timing??

browneyes_326 · July 2015

So my new Dr. alluded to induction at my appt. today.
My EDD is Christmas Eve ... His comment was 'Oh I can have you home by Christmas Eve. I could have have you home before your sons birthday (Dec 22nd). Anytime after the 17th is fine.'
So weird to me! I have gone into labor with both my kids on my own (DS 2 days late & DD 2 days early) and delivered with no complications ... 12 hour labor with one & only 6ish hours with the other.
I would be very apprehensive to be induced b/c I've heard the not so good stories: looooong labor times & higher chance of c-section.
Anyone either do this or have it suggested to them?
Thanks!

PlainJane8350 · July 2015

Me! My doctor will be out of town the week of my due date, so she offered to induce me a week early. Babies can always come early on their own, so that's what I'm hoping for (not too early of course), but my friend's husband who's a fertility specialist (and father of three) told me that if it's not your first pregnancy (which this is mine), you're at least 39 weeks and your cervix is "favorable" (between 2-3 cm and already thinning), then he'd be O.K. with it. Crazy, right? As a first time mom I was in shock for a week after she dropped that bomb on me! You'll have to let me know what you decide.

browneyes_326 · July 2015

So weird! And interesting about the the cervix after the first pregnancy ... With my DD (2nd LO) I remember I was 1cm like 2 or 3 weeks out & 2cm for a week ... And slightly effaced as well. And I always think that's why she was a couple days early and that this baby will probably be a couple days early too. It's tempting to consider as my DS Bday is 2 days before the due date and I would feel sad for him to have to share his Bday ... They will already be only days apart no matter what.
BUT, weird as it sounds, I feel like that wouldn't really be the baby's real Bday if I 'force' him out LOL!
Also with #1 I had an epidural for like 12 hours before I delivered .., recovery was miserable! I was the very unlikely few that their spinal fluid leaks due to a mistake w/ the epidural and it causes horrible migraine headaches and ringing in your ears. Also just felt hung over and drugged up.
With #2 the anastesiologist team was in an emergency c-section and I had 'natural' childbirth against my will lol ... I labored for about 4 hours with nothing, totally unprepared b/c I thought I'd just be numb like the 1st time. I did get an epidural litterally 10 minutes before delivery. I was upset at first but then realized I was actually able to feel what was happening and know she was ready to come out and recovery was night and day. I felt totally normal (aside from a little pain down below) within a few hours! We went home the next morning.
Moral to the story? It just seems the closer to natural as possible is better ... We'll see if I'm persuaded in the next 4 months!

PlainJane8350 · July 2015

I don't want to induce either, but I do trust my friend's husband's opinion. It looks like I'll have to decide before you, I'm sure at the end of September, so I'll let you know what happens! I've had a short cervix anyway, the longest measurement I've had is 2.9, so I'm kind of hoping that she'll come a week early naturally. I've been taking it easy due to my short cervix, so may be I'll start walking a lot the week before!

browneyes_326 · July 2015

Yes let me know what happens! I guess I'll see on here too

I did a lot of reading last night and it looks like the big problems come when you're not 39 weeks yet & the cervix is not dialated. Also, in my case, it's even less likely to be problems if it's your 2nd or 3rd and you've 1) previously had a quick labor & 2) needed no assistance like vacuum or forceps ... Sooo I may just consider it

maiatene · July 2015

That's sounds really sketchy and frankly lazy. My doctor won't even discuss induction until I'm 40w+, and a c-section is only an option if baby or me are in danger. If you are having an uneventful pregnancy and have no reason other than timing to be induced I wouldn't do it. Babies come when they're ready and inducing you when your body or baby isn't ready seems like asking for trouble.

amp61470 · July 2015

My doctor wants to induce at 39 weeks due to age... I am thinking it might be size too since I am measuring very big right now. I am not diabetic and haven't gained a crazy amount of weight.

browneyes_326 · July 2015

It's all very interesting, the choices each doctor makes ... From what I've read hospitals have changed guidelines so that you can not be induced prior to 39 weeks unless medically necessary. Even then it is odd to me to just throw out those options! As others have said my previous Dr. wouldn't even discuss until 40w 2d and even then only if the patient was concerned.

Mack2342 · July 2015

My doc told me that I would not go past my due date due to age. I'm 40.

browneyes_326 · July 2015

Well I am 39 ... Due just a couple months before 40 so that could be a part of my Dr reasoning as well. We just had our anatomy scan on Monday and the Doc said it is totally up to us. He said that it is highly unlikely I would have any complications if induced after 39 weeks ... But that there is always the exception!

PlainJane8350 · July 2015

Congratulations on the anatomy scan regardless what you decide!

flyinmommy · July 2015

I will most likely be induced a week early. With my last I was scheduled for an induction at 39 weeks because he was measuring two weeks big. He came at 38 weeks on his own so sometimes it just works out and baby comes when he's ready.

browneyes_326 · August 2015

@PlainJane8350 thank you!

And PP this could be case as I am already measuring a week ahead!!

Saesd · August 2015

My earliest was born at 37 weeks naturally. My latest at 43 weeks naturally. Both very healthy. Some babies just take longer than others. It may have been bad news for my 43 weeker if he'd been born at 37 weeks-theoretically 6 weeks before his due date.

oceanchild · August 2015

@maiatene I totally agree! My first baby was due on the Fourth of July and my (old) doctor had plans. She kept telling me she wasn't going to "let" me go to my guess date, even though there was no reason to induce other than for her convenience. These people knew what kind of schedules they were facing when they became obstetricians. If they don't want to deal with unpredictable hours of laboring mamas and being on call, they need to drop the OB part of their practice and just be gynecologists (one of our local doctors did just that bc she didn't want those hours anymore - now she is solely gyn)!
@mack2342, my SIL went to 42 weeks with her 3rd and 4th babies and she was 41 with #3 and 43 with #4 (and had homebirths)! Age alone also isn't a good reason to force a baby to come before it and your body is ready. If there are other reasons that's one thing, but not being an arbitrary number of years old. 40 is young! If it's what *you* want, then I support it, but if it isn't what you want, don't let the doctor pressure you - your doctor is the employee and you are the boss!

leela02 · August 2015

My doc would've induced me with my first (if asked) after 39 weeks. I was 3cm dilated and my pregnancy had been very uneventful. I think (good) doctors consider your specific condition when deciding what options to offer you. I was still feeling relatively comfortable so I just waited it out and went into labor naturally on my due date.

I wouldn't judge your doc negatively right away, maybe he's had other patients who asked to be induced before the holidays and he thought you might want the option. I would just ask him first why he thinks it's a good option before forming any opinions about him.

PlainJane8350 · September 2015

Hey, missy! Have they mentioned anything else to you about being induced? My turn to check on you.

browneyes_326 · September 2015

Hehe Yes he mentions it at each appt... Although he very clearly said to DH that it is totally up to us, so that was reassuring. Oh and one thing I love about this Dr is I made a comment about being 'old' and he said You are NOT old! Nor has he ever mention AMA.

We'll play it by ear!

PlainJane8350 · September 2015

I like him already.

Flattery gets you everywhere.

SisterSunshine · September 2015

I was induced because my dr was leaving the country over my due date. That pitocin was a BITCH. It was a LONG HARD labor. They gave it to me on a Monday and I did not give birth until Wednesday. It's a non stop freight train of hard contractions. I guess I had not gone into labor naturally yet because my body WASN'T READY! Obviously just my experience but I'd never choose induction for any non absolutely necessary reason again.

browneyes_326 · September 2015

Ok see when I hear just one story like this I think NO WAY do I want to risk that! Can I ask were you dilated at all? And how many days early were you induced? Thanks!!

PlainJane8350 · September 2015

@browneyes_326, I just wanted to let you know that I didn't have to worry about an induction after all! My water started breaking at 4:30 A.M Saturday morning and I had her at 2:30 that afternoon, 37 weeks, 6 days! They did give me pitocin and I didn't notice any difference, but I was also already in labor. A little over a week before I want dialated yet, but my cervix had moved and was soft and I had been losing small amounts of mucus.

browneyes_326 · September 2015

@PlainJane8350 yay!!!! Congratulations!!
I had the weirdest dream last week that I went in a insisted on being induced at 26 weeks and they said ok. Ha! Maybe I was just channelling you

PlainJane8350 · September 2015

Loves! We'll see if I'm as in tune, I'll let you know if I have any primonitions for you. I did have a dream that a cow dressed as a clown told my husband and I that we were doing a good job with the baby!

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