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August 2016 Moms
charmedlifex3
member
Can we talk about inductions?
charmedlifex3
member
My doctor brought up the possibility of inducing labor at 37 weeks for medical reasons to keep everybody safe, (also, oh ehm gee, that's in two weeks!!!) I know we've touched on it during the randoms thread but can we talk about it more?
FTM questions? STM Experiences? All that good stuff.
I had planned to try to avoid inducing, since I've heard it can raise the C section rate and cause more painful contractions, so I feel like I don't have any knowledge about the process really. At my birthing class they went over vaginal births, and the process once you go into labor, and C sections, but not really how to force labor if it didn't start up on it's own.
Re: Can we talk about inductions?
Out of curiosity, what are the medical reasons for the doctor wishing to induce at 37 weeks? I tend to trust my doctors' judgment, but I'm curious why he/she would know now that induction that early is necessary (as opposed to C-section).
I dug up an excerpt from my post last month on the "planned induction" thread...
... I had a really wonderful planned induction with DD, which I feel is rare! Ours was planned at 41w1d simply because DD was past due. My doc was concerned about the complications associated with delivering later, and I was ready to get the show on the road! I suspect my experience went well because I was already dilated about 2-3cm, so didn't need any cervadil. I started pitocin around 8:30am, started pushing around 6:15pm, and DD was born at 8:10pm at 8lbs 2oz. Yes I pushed a long time, but the epidural made it feel like it wasn't much time at all. I had a first degree tear, which I never felt (happening or during healing). Funny thing, my doctors all predicted a tiny baby, so I feel like measuring early/late is a total guessing game, and I even had an ultrasound at 40w.
Sounds like it may not apply to your situation, but I would try to wait to schedule an induction until you are dilated a little bit so you won't have to do cervadil.
And if my previous situation presented itself with this baby, I'd totally do the induction again. I was able to shower at home in the morning, have hair and make-up done, and feel rested before labor and delivery. And doing so this time would allow me to make solid plans for DD without being rushed.
My DD was induced right around her due date because she was measuring large. I was already dilated 4 cm when I went in for the induction, with my waters bulging. When they hooked me up to the monitors, I was apparently having contractions about 7 mins apart, but I couldn't feel them.
Because I was already 4 cm, they didn't need Cervadil or a balloon or anything. They broke my water around 2 or 3 pm, and I walked the halls for an hour to see if anything started. Since nothing happened, they hooked me up to oxytocin (Pitocin for those of you in US) around 4:30 pm and that got my contractions going. By 9 pm the contractions got a bit more challenging, and by 11:45 pm I was fully dilated. They had me labour for another hour or so before pushing and DD was born at 2:23 am.
All in all, a great induction success. That said, I would have been more hesitant to induce if I hadn't been already dilated, as I've heard some not so great stories about inductions that started when the mom's cervix was still closed.
BFP #1: 08/17/2012 DD1 born 05/01/2013
BFP #2: 07/31/2015 M/C 09/23/2015 (11.5 weeks)
With my first, I was not very favorable (only a 2-3 on the bishops score) so I started with a cervical ripening (cervidil) in the evening. By morning my water broke naturally which was good and I only needed a small supplement of pitocin.
With my second baby I was more favorable and already soft, so my OB said we could go straight to pitocin. It didn't really work (I wasn't in pain, I just wasn't progressing) and so they broke my water to start labor and things went very quick and smoothly from there.
Both were vaginal births with an epidural for very large babies.
1. Castor oil- they said not to drink it because it can cause you to be exhausted and dehydrated in labor....
2. Sweeping your membranes( when your doc goes in a separates your water bag from your cervix hoping it will start contractions). I have heard this only works if your body is ready and isn't as invasive as some other options... one risk is that it will break your water and contractions won't start which would suck because it will lead you to pitocin.
3. Reflexology massage- I have heard this works from my doula who is a massage therapist. I have also heard it hurts like a bitch.
4. My doula recommends strapping yourself up to the pump.... nipple stimulation really helps contractions start and is least invasive... some people worry about wasting your colostrum... but you will continue to make colostrum until your birth the placenta which releases a hormone that will enable your milk to come in.
5. Pitocin- we all know that one...
6. foley balloon- this is a balloon they inflate in your cervix to manually stretch your dilation... up to about 3 cm... so it doesn't force you into active labor but it gives you a chance to kind of kick start contractions in order to get you there without being on the clock of your water breaking...( heard its unpleasant)
They had me come in at 5pm and start with the Foley catheter(bulb) thing which is supposed to put pressure on the cervix to get you to a 4 or 5 maybe. It's supposed to fall out but mine never did so the next morning around 5am they just took it out and started on the pitocin. I think I was dilated to a 3 at this point.
My my blood pressure shot up really high to 180/110 so they gave me some BP meds and then I got an epidural which caused my BP to bottom out at like 90/50. All that finally leveled out but then after about 30 hours of being in labor I never dilated past a 5 so we just decided to go ahead with a c section.
DD ended up being sunny side up which caused terrible back labor. While I wish I could've experienced a vaginal birth I know that we got her out the safest way for us. And now we can fully plan her next birth with a RCS so that's a plus.
@peachgal23 Possible cholestasis. I was tested for it yesterday, we'll find out next week. I've had gallbladder issues for months with this pregnancy, and ultrasound showed my liver was enlarged when they were checking my gallbladder. My hands and feet have been itching HORRIBLY the last couple days, which is apparently a warning sign, so we'll see!
@Katm89 One of my best friends is a reflexologist! I will call her and see if she can come up the weekend before they are talking about inducing. Great suggestion, I hadn't even thought of that. I'm all for more "natural" induction, (ie, not Pitocin)
When I talked to my midwives about my induction, they said an induction, back labour, and not being able to move around because I had to be constantly monitored (some meconium when they broke my water) was a "good use" of an epidural. I'm hoping my midwives will be able to help me move/reposition during contractions this time around.
BFP #1: 08/17/2012 DD1 born 05/01/2013
BFP #2: 07/31/2015 M/C 09/23/2015 (11.5 weeks)
I am hoping to go naturally this time, but will do anything to guarantee a safe delivery of my second daughter. I am definitely an advocate of making sure you understand why the induction is necessary. I had a very positive induction experience but yes, induction COULD make labor harder on you and on the baby and it can prolong labor. If your labor drags out too long a doctor MAY want to do a c-section, but that's something you should bring up to them and ask about. It does increase the intensity of your contractions which typically leads to an epidural. That may not be a big deal if you're leaning towards an epidural anyway. I am hoping to avoid an epidural this time around because I hated the way it made me feel - I felt very woozy and it made it extremely difficult for me to focus during delivery.
I think it really helps to just make sure you stay relaxed and don't get too stressed out. I know that can be hard depending on the circumstances of your induction, but my preeclampsia was pretty mild and they were going to talk about a planned induction at 39 weeks anyway because of my hypertension alone, so I wasn't worried about anything going wrong. Just try to stay relaxed.
Married: 10/04/2014
DD1: 03/02/15
DD2: 08/04/16
Baby 3 Due: 11/23/18!
Thank you ladies.
One word of advice if you're planning on an epidural...as soon as I checked in, my nurse gave me the advice to request the epidural AS SOON as I start to be uncomfortable with contractions. It takes a while for the anesthesiologist to get in there, then takes time for the meds to kick in. If you request it "early," by the time you're REALLY starting to hurt hopefully it'll be doing its job. I followed her advice, and really only had painful contractions for 30 minutes or so. I had no weird side effects of it either....could still feel the contractions, more just a pressure than a pain, and I liked still having some sensation of what was happening. Planning on doing it again with no hesitation!
Went in for scheduled induction in the morning. I had to get Cervadil because I was completely closed and not effaced at all. Cervadil started at 9am and most of that day was just spent with what felt like period cramps. My water was manually broken late afternoon, pitocin was started, and that's when the action started. Contractions became more painful throughout that evening and by the time I was around 3-4cm I was asking for the epidural. (I knew I would want one going in, just decided to wait until I really wanted it.) So yes, @bsckgb7 I did get an epidural around 11pm... and then I SLEPT through centimeters 5 through 10! (I know they're different for everyone, but for me, EPIDURAL = BEST.THING.EVER.) Woke up around 3:30-4am feeling pain even through the epidural so I buzzed the nurse to check me. I was at 10cm! Pushed for 40 minutes and he was born at 4:43am.
So here's the not-so-great part, (and @Allisun85 this probably won't apply to you since you'd be induced early). DS was 9 pounds so I had 3rd degree tears and 21 stitches. It took longer to stitch me up than it did to push him out (in fact, I still say that getting stitched up was the worst part of the whole experience)! I have since wondered if we had waited til my body was ready, would I have torn so badly? But then again, he would have been bigger so... we will never know.
IMO I would try and hold off on them breaking your water. Once the water breaks there is only so much time you have till they will do a c section. If you have your water intact they will usually let you go a few days of laboring before a c section. I'd say wait till you are at a 5cm to let them break your water.
With DS2, I was induced at 39w6d. I went in at 7 am and was already dilated 2cm Dr. came in at 7:15 and broke my water then had me walk for an hour. My contractions were sporadic, so they started me on Pitocin. After a few hours of the Pitocin, I asked for the epidural. I started pushing around 5pm, and DS2 was born at 6:18.
My induction was a much better birth experience than my first L&D!
BFP #2 09/03/17 | EDD 05/17/2018
Baby #2 due 8/11/2016
I know there are others that were induced just for being past thier due dates, but there are risks with being overdue as well.
Baby #2 due 8/11/2016
The last few weeks, my BP has been consistently in the high 150s/low 90s, which can affect the blood flow to the baby, affect his nutrition, and cause placental abruption. While not preeclampsia yet, it can quickly turn into it, which can kill or seriously affect both me and the baby. Taking blood pressure medication at this point is also riskier for the baby than delivery. I'm terrified for both my baby and myself of being induced early, but I trust my doctor's recommendation.
@skichic626 I know for me they want to try induction before going right to a C section, and even though it is two weeks away, I am already 50% and 1cm, and have had contractions forcibly stopped twice. If I start contracting again, they said they won't stop them now I am over 35 weeks, they'll let my body do it's thing. The midwife thinks I will be a good candidate for induction, if it comes to that.
@wolfie646 We wouldn't be inducing (and won't if the blood test comes back negative) except the condition they suspect I have can cause still births between 39 and 41 weeks, and can cause brain damage prior to that. We'll find out next week - the blood work takes about a week to come in, but if it does come back positive, we'll be scheduling induction for the following week. I asked about waiting until 38 weeks, since that would decrease the possibility of a NICU stay, and the midwife said with this condition they attempt to balance potential harm against probable harm. There is nothing he can gain from being inside me after 37 weeks they can't make up for in the NICU, and he might loose his mental faculties, or his life by staying in. We're doing an ultrasound next week to check his development. It's a tough choice, but I trust my doctor. Earlier in the pregnancy she told me their practice is not to induce before 39 weeks, "pretty much ever" and they have signs all over the office that say "Don't Rush Me! 40 weeks is best for baby!" so I believe they won't make that recommendation lightly.
Also, my aunt had to be induced with her last baby and her midwife agreed to turn the Pitocin off after the labor was well established, and everything turned out perfectly. I had not thought about that possibility until she brought it up to me, but it's something I want to ask my doctor about in case I do have to be induced for any reason.
If I recall correctly, inductions can lead to a higher level of c-section because the Pitocin makes your contractions stronger than they would be naturally. The stronger contractions can cause extra stress on the baby and could affect oxygen and heart rate, which would be reason for a c-section for a lot of doctors.
Married: 10/04/2014
DD1: 03/02/15
DD2: 08/04/16
Baby 3 Due: 11/23/18!
BFP #2 09/03/17 | EDD 05/17/2018