Scheduling late/post-term induction

KRuthie25 · May 2016

Happy Sunday! I know some of us will be asked to schedule our late or post-term inductions in the coming weeks at our 38/39 wk appointments...just incase these babies don't come out soon enough

I took a Bradley Method birth class that promoted waiting until at least 42 weeks and the midwife practice we are using, which is associated with large academic health center, recommends induction by 41.5 weeks, but pushes for induction at 41 weeks. I'm curious what the standard practice is in different areas and what deadlines others are being given.

DSTtots4lyfe · May 2016

It depends somewhat on the individual maternal factors. Generally, OBs prefer to induce at 41wks for AMA patients and will push very hard for that, whereas CNMs for the same patient won't plan on induction until 42wks.

AmberLiz99 · May 2016

My midwife will wait till 42 weeks as the latest, but won't go over that. They don't usually schedule before 41 weeks without reason, but if a patient requests and pushes for it they will do pretty much any time between 40-42 weeks I think.

My previous OB routinely scheduled inductions at 41 weeks.

ive scheduled them with both my kids, but never actually had an induction.

adiaz132003 · May 2016

My midwives start suggesting natural induction (like nipple stimulation and things like that) at 41 weeks then if baby isn't here by 42 they will start talking about medical induction.

KRuthie25 · May 2016

I will be asked to schedule a future induction this week at my 38 week appointment since it is a busy academic medical center they want it scheduled in advance. I'm planning to push for the 41.5 weeks to give us at least 10 days post EDD.

nightwitch · May 2016

My CNM will let me go to 42 weeks, but at 41 she will do a NST and check the AF levels, and if they're not good enough, automatic C-section. Finally, something that inspired me to drink the tons of water we're supposed to!

KRuthie25 · May 2016

@nightwitch I've been so bad about drinking enough water lately...great inspiration!

june2016baby · May 2016

My OB doesn't want you to go beyond 41w and 6D.

snowhite12 · May 2016

my ob won't let anyone go beyond 41w. the first ob practice I went to (it was a team) schedules inductions between 38-40w! I'm one of those crazy pregos that went to 3 different practices before deciding on the right one for me.

chesterdoodle · May 2016

My ob starts induction at 41w because it can take days for the induction to work. For me i started at 41w 1d with 2 days of cervical ripening, then pitocin day when she was finally born at 10pm.

DSTtots4lyfe · May 2016

@snowhite12 'let' is probably the wrong term. The OB cannot force you to have an induction and you are fully able to negotiate based on the medical realities. Say you are 41wks but your placenta and fluid levels look great, you can say, OK, I'd like more time to think about it, I'll come back in 3 days. You have full autonomy at all times during the birth process. A blanket induction date may be convenient for them, but not medically necessary for you.

Tawny87 · May 2016

In Colorado midwifes can't deliver at 42 weeks or past. Everything I have seen people say in my state is usually in the 40th-41st week.

ETA: If for some reason I make it past my due date I will be induced before 41 because of being a VBAC.

NLewis1 · May 2016

My OB likes to schedule on your due date, however if (like myself) you want to go naturally and your placenta/baby/fluid looks good he will let you go as late as 42.

likeabel · May 2016

I was induced at 41 weeks with DS. I had an ultrasound at 40 weeks to check my fluid levels. If they'd been too high or too low I would have been induced at 40 weeks but everything looked great. Midwives in my area will do an ultrasound at 41 weeks to make sure everything still looks good but are generally fine with you going to 42.

I had an appointment at 40w 6d and they called to schedule the induction that day (for the next day).

As someone said earlier, your doctor can't make you do anything but for the most part they're doing what they believe is best for you (or get a second opinion or a new doctor if you really don't agree with what they're telling you). I personally was relieved when I was finally induced. I had zero contractions and no cramping and was pretty convinced I was never going to go into labor.

little_bren · May 2016

I've had multiple drs tell me that the longer over due you are, the more likely a stillbirth

the soonest you CAN induce is 39w.

colesmom33 · May 2016

With my first, I was induced at 40w 2d and with these twins, it will be 37w 2d. I am AMA with these and my first. My doctor also talked about a risk for stillborn by going to far over but it was based on my age. Most twins are induced at 38 weeks.

GinnyJ2012 · May 2016

My OB practice prefers to induce their own patients (you see one primary OB, but whoever is on call will deliver baby), so they schedule your induction on their next on call day after 40 weeks. Of course you can request to wait and as long as everything looks good they have no issues with it. With my second baby I was scheduled for an induction at 41+1, but he came at 40+2. I never asked if they would let you go past 42 weeks, the increase risk of still birth terrifies me. I'd prefer to deliver between 40 and 41 weeks.

MynaBird · May 2016

With my first, my OB didn't start talking about induction until I'd gone past 40 weeks, and he didn't actually schedule it until I was into the 41st week. I think my induction was scheduled for the day I would have been 42 weeks even, but my water ended up breaking spontaneously two nights before and my daughter was born the day before I would have been induced.

BPaisley · May 2016

It's funny how hard it is to remember my first two... I think they scheduled an induction with my first slightly after 40 weeks, but he was born on his due date, so it wasn't an issue. With my second, I think my OB actually said he would be willing to schedule an induction anytime after 38 weeks and it was totally up to me when I had had enough. It sounded like if you weren't a FTM, they were willing to do it that early. I have no desire to be induced, so I waited and he was born at 39 +1 anyway.

I still have no desire for an induction, so I plan to put it off, as I don't really expect it to come to that, based on my last two experiences (though it totally could, I know). But, I believe my OB doesn't want patients going past 41 weeks, I'll have to get that clarified soon.

crdo · May 2016

My practice (CNMs and OBs) will begin encouraging induction methods at 41 weeks. As long as baby is doing well with no signs of distress or risk factors, they are comfortable with letting me go to 41+3 or so with daily NSTs and checkups.

xc1148 · May 2016

Last time (I was late) my doctor told me they start talking about induction right at 41w. They don't let you go past 42w, so I'd imagine (I didn't ask) that if you skip induction they schedule a c-section for the last possible day at 42w. I took a Bradley class and that combined with my independent research, I do not want to go past 41w anyway. I love my practice though, they really don't want to induce because of the increased risk of c-sections so they try and encourage you to induce on your own haha

snowhite12 · May 2016

DSTtots4lyfe said:

@snowhite12 'let' is probably the wrong term. The OB cannot force you to have an induction and you are fully able to negotiate based on the medical realities. Say you are 41wks but your placenta and fluid levels look great, you can say, OK, I'd like more time to think about it, I'll come back in 3 days. You have full autonomy at all times during the birth process. A blanket induction date may be convenient for them, but not medically necessary for you.

oh I am fully aware my OB cannot force me to deliver at 41w. However, if I go to 41w, I will be happy to be induced.
my mom had me at exactly 42w via induction, I came out blue, hardly breathing and 10 pounds (size doesn't matter, just an added detail).
I know plenty of very healthy babies are delivered at 42w and beyond and am well aware some babies need that extra time but if my ob advises an induction at 41w, I'm taking it.

gdjoken · May 2016

I was induced at 42 weeks with my DD. She came out at 7lbs, 15oz and perfectly healthy. After 40 weeks we did weekly ultrasounds and twice weekly non stress tests to make sure everything was ok. I'll wait that long again this time around if there's any hope of not being induced. I'm really hoping to go into labor naturally with this little one!

mamalindsayof3 · May 2016

With my first, they wouldn't induce until 41 weeks, so that's what ended up happening.

Now with my second, they said they're fine with inducing anytime after 39 weeks. So we're kicking around the idea of inducing the weekend of this one's due date.

trythebleucheese · May 2016

In my area, most practices won't induce until you're overdue, especially if it's your first. My clinic won't do it until after 39 weeks, but pushes for after 40 weeks. Legally, I don't believe you can be induced before 38 weeks in my state, unless there are complications. I live in southeastern Louisiana. My OB let me go to 42 weeks with my first, and told me we can wait with this one, as well. Being induced sucks so much!!! I recommend not doing it unless you have to! It's not like natural labor. You have ZERO down-time between each contraction, which tends to make you want to get an epidural. At least, this was the case for me, and many other women I know. Try to make it if you can, ladies! I know it's hard and annoying to wait. I totally get it.

Boonhilde · May 2016

With my first I saw my doctor at 40 weeks 2d and she scheduled me for an induction for 41w 2d. Baby came naturally at 41 exactly.

Tawny87 · May 2016

Well my ob and I decided on June 10th for induction day I'd he hasn't arrived by then. I will be 40+4. Hopefully he comes on his own sooner, my hubby has to go on a business trip leaving on the 19th for a week : (.

KRuthie25 · June 2016

Induction scheduled two weeks from tomorrow at 41+3...I hope this baby comes on his own before then but it sure feels amazing to know that I will only be pregnant for two more weeks!

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Scheduling late/post-term induction

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Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

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