How many of your were induced or are scheduled for induction?

[BabyHardiman]

I have finally reached the 8th MONTH, 32 weeks today!!  YAY!!

Can I ask how many of you were induced?  It seems to be the norm around here.  More for "convenience" it seems, or atleast that is what the nurse said at the hospital when we did our tour.  My Fiancee' is against it, and wants to wait to go into labor natually.  I'm freaking out either way.  I know the placenta is pretty much useless after the 40th week, right, or around the 42nd week?

My brothers wife had her baby girl last Saturday, and she was a week and a half over due. She came out with red wrinkly, kinda saggy skin and it was flakey. Her nails were really long and the skin had started growing up her finger nails.  Is that pretty normal?

I don't mind being induced, but my Fiancee' is really dead set against it, he wants the baby to take her time and deliver when she is ready.  Men!!  

[CYW]

i was induced a week overdue..we too were really looking forward to having things happen naturally but around the 34th week the dr said my body was preping..which is when my bp began rising..at 36 weeks i was 1 cm dilated and 25% thinned out...38 weeks 2cm 50%...my bp kept going higher and higher hence why the dr suggested an induction the following week...when we got there my bp was 146 over 92 i believe...which is very high for me because im 118-120 over 80...so i was induced for that...

[CYW]

acutally i was happy i was induced becausds had the cord around his neck and it kind of shocked the dr..he had a feeling this was the reason why he wasnt here yet so i am happy i trusted my dr to do what he felt was right for us...ur husband is not the one going through the induction you are if that is what the dr chooses and he has no say in it because if the dr reccomends it it is for a good reason..your body may not ever be able to begin labour on its own putting you and that baby in serious danger...so you tell your man that until he is an OB the dr will have the say...you dont agree with it either BUT if thats the case then u gotta do whats right

[bjbbeauchamp]

I was induced @ 38 weeks due to pre-eclampsia, but I was glad to be induced.  I am a planner and organizer and for me not to know when she was going to arrive...well, it drove me insane.  Before I got pre-eclampsia my doctor and I had already talked about being induced and I think if I remember it was around my 39th week.  
As far as your fiance goes, it's really not his decision...it's yours and the doctors.  Whatever the doctor feels is best for you and your baby.  Hope all goes well!  

[alaysha]

I was induced. My water ended up breaking at 38 weeks and I wasn't even having contractions yet. I wanted to go naturally though because I wanted her to be able to pick her own birthday. One thing I have heard about being induced is it makes labor harder. Now whether this is true or not I don't know but I thought I would just throw it out there.

[BabyHardiman]

I am a firm believer that the father has just as much say as the mother does in these matters.  Though I do WANT to be induced.  I heard many times that the longer you go the bigger the baby, but my niece was born 7pds 2oz, my mom says that the baby begins to drop weight after the 40th week.  There are soooo many studies on these matters, some say it's dangerous to wait, some say it's healthier for the baby to progress on his/her own... I mean, it's been only recently that they even start to induce, right?

[chinesebones]

I was induced because of gestational diabetes.  I REALLY didn't want to be induced and tried everything under the sun to kick start the process.  The midwives started me slowly, though- they did two days of outpatient ripening treatments using 25 mcg of cytotec.  I would get contractions during the procedure, but they'd stop when the drug wore off.  The third day they admitted me and gave me three more cytotec doses, one every four hours.  Still nothing... I had only dilated to 1 3/4 cm by the end of that day.  It turns out I had scar tissue from a conal biopsy ten years ago, and that was why the cytotec, or "cytoblast" as the midwife called it, wasn't working.  I had contractions through the night but never really got going.  Finally the next day they gave me 50 mcg which almost immediately came out with the mucous plug, then 50 mcg 4 hours later which really got things going.  The labor started slowly (obviously!) but got very intense very quickly.  They never gave me pitocin, and even with back labor I made it through without an epidural.  The jacuzzi tub saved my life that day.  Also, my water never broke until it was time to push, and the midwife insisted on breaking it then to check on dd's condition.  Byrdie finally arrived at 9pm that night; I was 39 weeks 6 days.  (She was 9lbs 5oz, so who knows how big she would have gotten.)
They can and should check on the placenta's condition using ultrasound and/or nonstress tests from the 36th week on.  Newborn babies have been soaking in fluid for 9 months so they're skin can be very wrinkly or flaky, and their nails are growing without anyone to cut them, so they can be long.  
One of my friends has three kids and was induced with all of them without problems.  Another friend was induced at 42 weeks, labored for 24 hours and had to have a c-section.
I hope your lo obliges you both and comes naturally when you're ready.

[CYW]

oh hun..the size of the baby i dont know if they do get bigger..i was 41 weeks and ds was born weighing in at 6lbs 15 oz...

[peekawho]

The placenta is not useless after 40 weeks.  After 41 weeks, concern begins that the placental function might be deteriorating.  Most doctors in the US won't let you go over 41 weeks anymore.  Used to be 42 weeks.

I don't agree with convenience inductions.  Many convenience inductions end in a not so convenient C/Section if your cervix is not truly ready to be induced.   Unfortunately, inductions for convenience are occuring more and more often, b/c the attitudes about C/Sections are so casual now.  

But its of course, your choice.  

[romme80]

I was induced at 39 weeks. I was happy to be induced. I was getting miserable. My doctor did it because I had high blood pressure and the baby was getting big. I was in labor all day then had to be sent in for a csection that afternoon. Good luck!

[romme80]

I was induced at 39 weeks. I was happy to be induced. I was getting miserable. My doctor did it because I had high blood pressure and the baby was getting big. I was in labor all day then had to be sent in for a csection that afternoon. Good luck!

[Logan206]

With my first, I was induced when I was a week overdue.  It didn't really work.  It got things started, but my labor stalled and I ended up having a C-section after about 24 hrs.    At the time, I was excited about the induction but also prepared myself that the c-section was also a likely outcome.   If I had the choice again, I probably would have given nature a chance first. In my case, I think I would have ended up with a section either way, because dd was over 9 lbs.

[lhughes]

I did NOT want an induction, was totally against it for my first baby, much like your fiance.  However, came the 38th week, and my doc said "how's thursday for ya".  He had some very valid reasons to hurry along the pregnancy, mostly fear of what might happen with me.  We listened to what he had to say, and decided he probably knew best, so we set up the induction.

So, there's where I stand, if the doc says you need to go, then follow the doc (especially if you trust he knows what he's doing, which mine did).  What does your doc say, are there good reasons to get things going a bit early?  Also, are you prepared for the inevitable c-section if the induction doesn't work, and there are a number of cases where it doesn't.  

I wasn't scheduled for convenience, mostly because there's such a size diff between me and hubby and I'm so small physically in the pelvis, doc was afraid I wouldn't be able to go naturally without some kind of assistance.  Turned out she was breech and had to be delivered via c-section anyway.  Wouldn't have mattered on whit if we would have waited, stubborn child.

Second baby was a scheduled c-section early for chemo reasons, but was glad to have her early since she was a kicker.

Go with the doc (provided there are valid reasons that everyone agrees on) and follow the docs lead.  Most of the time, they'll do things in your best interest.

Best of luck, and happy delivery!

[ImmortalOne]

When my labors didn't progress with Daughter #2 and #3 (Nadezdha); #2 almost ended in a c-section and with Nadezdha, it ended in an emergency C-Section.  It is definately better if you go naturally, instead of being induced.  You have time, don't make a doctor schedule your baby's birth.  It's much safer.

[AndiJ78]

Call me crazy, but this is not up to your boyfriend. This shouldn't really even be up to you, but only if your doctor sees a real reason to have it done.

Peek knows better than any of us the risks involved in it. She has witnessed the effects of inductions for 30 years. She speaks on this, everyone is best served to listen.

[BabyHardiman]

Thanks!  

Women in my family usually go past the 40th week with their first pregnancies.  I was 2 and a half week overdue, and my older brother was 3 weeks past due.  Both my sisters did not dialate... my middle sister was induced twice, then she had a scheduled c-secion after the second induction failed.. she had gestational diabetes and estimated the baby weighing in at 9 plus pounds... he was 6 pds something.  With my youngest sister she had dialated to a 5, but was given a c-section because her doctor had a Christmas party to go to, and did not have a problem letting my family know that was why he was performing the c-section.  A**Wipe

My biggest obstical is the vaginal septum right now, and my fundal measurement being 3 weeks off all of a sudden.  At 23 weeks we were measuring right on, now at 31 weeks we were measuring 28 weeks.  That worries me, but my doctor says that it's probably due to this being my first pregnancy and having a longer torso...


Lisa,

Hey there!  My doctor is one of those that advocate the woman's right to chose vaginal or c-section.  Most women chose c-section to cut out the stress of labor.  So, if I tell him I want a c-section then he'll schedule it.  My midwife on the other hand (she works in his office) of course pushes for vaginal births.

So, yep, Andi, we do have a say so in the matter.  My Fiancee' shares Peeks view on the attitudes of c-sections.  He has read many of her posts and he respects her views, as we all do on this forum.

[mami1323]

I had an induction at 41 weeks.  I was enormous, my son was 9 lbs 2 oz.  I wanted to be induced earlier because I was so swollen and uncomfortable but they made me wait a week.  My son still had plenty of fluid to move around in there so they were in no rush to take him out.  Although, they got nervous because he was getting so big.  I wanted it to happen naturally but it practically did.  All they did was insert a pill to soften my cervix and that's all it took.  I didn't even need the pitosin.  

[BabyHardiman]

Did you have an epidural?

[CYW]

if you are wondering about epidurals, i had one

[mami1323]

Yes, and it didn't even work.  I was only numb on my left side.  So I felt everything on my right and my labor went so quickly that it was such a waste.  It barely gave me any relief and now to this day I still have some pain in my back from where the epidural was.  I think epidurals are good for long labor to get some relaxation and rest because pushing takes a lot out of you.  You need as much energy as you can get and labor pains can be exhausting.  However, for me the epidural was difficult to get in and when they finally did get it in it was useless.  So now I'm left with just a bill from the anesthesiologist for the portion that wasn't covered under my insurance.  

[AHP84]

I had an induction based on convenience at 39 weeks, but my doctor said I was ready anyway and would probably deliver by the end of the week naturally, because I was 2 cm dialated and my contractions were consistently about 10-12 minutes apart since 37½ weeks.

From the beginning of my pregnancy, my doctor was wonderful about working with my concerns I had of my due date being the week of finals. I know I could've made up the finals after delivery, but I really didn't want the hassle of taking finals over the holiday break, when that would be the only time I'd get to have one-on-one with my son until the spring semester started in January.

I went in for the 39 week checkup on a Monday, and my doctor said, "Do you want to have this baby on Wednesday? You guys are ready if you want to. Looks like you'll deliver by the weekend anyway. But if we do this Wednesday, we can have you back home on Friday most likely."

I was more than happy to jump at the chance, and the induction and labor went wonderfully. It was really a comfortable and secure experience. My labor was about 9 hours, I had no complications and neither did my son.

The induction and labor went so well that I we were released from the hospital on Friday and I went back to school on Monday feeling better than ever, like I hadn't even given birth 5 days ago.

[CYW]

wow i am so sorry to hear that mami that is a bummer...a friend of mine got her epidural around 940pm and 1005pm she was fully dilated but at 940 she was 4 cm..go figured..it takes about 10-15mins before its full effective but it also takes about 10 mins or so to put in depending on the anestisiologist..with me it worked but he said 1 of 3 things would happen..1either it doesnt work...ugh...2get severe headaches and nausea during and after...3 backpains during or most commonly after... i got the epirual around 840 and at 855 he was done and 910 it was full functioning...i think it was a god send but here we have free health care

[CYW]

wow i am so sorry to hear that mami that is a bummer...a friend of mine got her epidural around 940pm and 1005pm she was fully dilated but at 940 she was 4 cm..go figured..it takes about 10-15mins before its full effective but it also takes about 10 mins or so to put in depending on the anestisiologist..with me it worked but he said 1 of 3 things would happen..1either it doesnt work...ugh...2get severe headaches and nausea during and after...3 backpains during or most commonly after... i got the epirual around 840 and at 855 he was done and 910 it was full functioning...i think it was a god send but here we have free health care

[DollChina]

My water broke 10days before my due date so I went to the hospital but my contractions weren't strong enough so they gave me Pitocin to speed up the labor, I swear, it worked in 5 ninutes and it HURT!  I was in hard labor then and thank God I had time to get my Epidural!  I gave birth within a couple hours.  If I have a choice, I wouldn't want the Pitocin but you never know.  You might have a different situtaion that you might need one esp. your water have already broken.

[GNicole]

I was induced at 38 weeks due to high BP, swelling and my daughter' s size. It was horrible because they tried to induce me for 5 days and I never dialated past 1 cm. I was having horrible contractions as long as I was on the pitocin but when they stopped the pit my contractions would stop. They tried cervidil, cytotec and pitocin and nothing worked. It was not a fun experience. Finally on the 5th day my water broke and I still never dialated so I ended up having a c-section. I felt nothing, my epidural worked great. I would definitely have a c-section next time. I had a good experience having a c-section. I recovered pretty fast. I know people that had vaginal births that had much worse recoveries. My daughter was also 9 lbs. 2 oz. If she would have made it to 40 weeks she would have been enormous. I was so swollen at the end that I could barely walk. Good luck to you, I hope you have a good experience. In the end all the pain is worth it!!

[mami1323]

I completely believed it would have been nice because since my labor was so quick, my contractions were full force the entire time.  I dilated from 4 cm to 9 cm within an hour so it was full steam ahead.  I was so looking forward to the epidural.  It was disappointing.  They were going to redo it so that I would get some relief but at that point I was already feeling like I had to push so my options were, get the epidural repositioned and wait on pushing for a while or start to push.  I chose to push.

[CYW]

ya that presure is pretty uncomfortable with the epi i felt all the pressure...at 910 the epi was workin i napped and rest until 10 when it became unbearable and i kept telling the nurse but i was 3 cm 75% before the epi...11 they finally checked and i was fully dilated..go figure..this was my first time but i knew it was time they didnt get me to start pushing until 1120 just small pushes...1140 hard pushes n 1146 we had baby...i should have followed my intuition his hed woulda been out lol then they would have believed me it hurt cuz i kept holding it in the pressure...nurse never checked me:(

[BabyHardiman]

Goodness!  What an experience!  How long did you go without eating?  You said it took 5 days of trying to induce.

My mom had to have the forceps to get my older brother out because his head was enormous.. she said he had the cone shaped head for a while, along with a flat forhead and bruised cheek bones.  She was knocked out with ether (sp?) so they could use the forceps.  She said he tore her inside and out, and he tear was all the way passed her rectum.  I am thankful they do not put you through all that these days!  Could you imagine trying to recover from that!

[GNicole]

No I can't imagine that! A friend of mine had a baby a month ago and she tore the whole way to her rectum. I think she had a harder time recovering from that then I did from the c-section. They had me on liquids for 2 days then my doctor said I could have a bland diet (he let me eat a turkey sandwich-just turkey and the roll) I was so hungry and then I had to have liquids only. I was so sick of italian ice and jello. Next time I will just schedule a c-section.

[mami1323]

Surprisingly I did not tear even though my son was so big.  He didn't even have a cone head either.  I swore he would have because I pushed for 2 hours.  

CYW - Wow, your pushing was short.  You see that's why I think I needed the epi, because I felt such strong urges to push, my son was still high up but I wanted to push.  If the epi worked I wouldn't have felt that much and I could've waited a little longer.  Next time I know to hold on a little longer to push.

[pertykitty]

i never made it long enough to worry about it.  i wouldnt induce, its scary that some babies are just not ready with their lung maturity yet or could have other issues.  ive had 2 c sections and honestly if i could have not that would have been better.  having never made it past 37 weeks i cant imagine how badly you feel and need this baby out now lol, but i say wait until this little bundle is ready :)

[BabyHardiman]

Did you go into labor at 37 weeks with both?  How were their lungs?  

It is a scary thing, and I am terrified of labor either way it may go.  And I've heard not only in this thread but in other articles and such, that the pitocin and oxytocin does cause real strong contractions.  When my sister had her miscarriage recently, she had something inserted into her cervix that caused her to contract and dialate naturally and she was in SOOOO much pain.  I know the pain will be well worth it!  I can't wait to look into my lil ones eyes.  =)

[mami1323]

It's called cerbidal, it's a pill they place in your cervix to soften it.  That is what I had.  All it took was the pill and I dilated without pitocin being needed.  Trust me, puts you from 0 to 100 miles per hour in a matter of 2 seconds.  I felt a pop and then painful contractions.  There was no build up.  I would have much rather gone into labor without being induced but it didn't happen like that.  I couldn't go past 41 weeks, I was so uncomfortable and irritable.

[CYW]

i had my water broken at 1230 nothing happened i was put on the drip at 4 and 840 epi 910 working 11 fully dilated and with him born 1146 so 7 hours 46 mins...which thank god lol

[jd1419]

I was induced both times--first one I was exactly one week over--had my little guy on Christmas Eve--my doctor only likes to go one week when you have gestational diabetes..so that was it....Second one I was five days over No diabetes the second time--1st one went in at 6:30 by the time getting checked in and IV"s started I think I got hooked up to pitocin at 8:00 had him at 4:24 pm.  Second same time frame but was dialeted and effaced more so had him by 12:30  much quicker labor.  No epidurals in my hospital...so just had pain meds through IV...It was smooth both times--I had a wonderful doctor that I fully trusted and was very relaxed.

[peekawho]

Cervidil is a vaginal tape.  Cytotec is the pill that they insert.

[pertykitty]

my son i was 37 weeks and my water broke after having been on bedrest for 6 weeks till the 36th week.  my daugher i had a great pg but my water broke at 34w6d.  both were fine other than jaundice but i have heard others say that even at 37 weeks theirs needed  a bit more care for a short time.  i had c sections because my son was face up and after pushing for 3.5 hours his heart rate dropped and my contractions were right on top of each other (we even tried to vac him out!!)   so addy i had labor for 4 hours then a c section.  i wish i would have tried a vbac but my dr doesnt do them.  i cant wait to hear you are off to the hospitol!!

[mami1323]

Really, then how come my friend had the same thing and kept calling it cervidil?  I swore it was that, ok maybe I was wrong.

[mami1323]

Peek - I found this.

Dinoprostone (such as Cervidil or Prepidil Gel) can be inserted as a suppository into your vagina (intravaginally). It can also be given as a gel that is gently squirted into the opening of the cervix (intracervically). Once the cervix is ripe, labor may start on its own.

[peekawho]

Cervidil is a tape (almost looks like a flat tampon with a string) that is inserted into the vagina for 12 hours, then pulled out.  

Cytotec is the little tiny pill that is put in, and 4 hours later Pitocin is started, if necessary.

Its confusing, but that's what they are called.  

[BabyHardiman]

Me too!  I am happy to have such a support group both from my family, and from this site.  I am blessed with a loving man, and a great home to bring my baby to.  I couldn't ask for anything more in my life right now.  =)

As for the delivery I am going to hold out for as long as I can.  I can't believe how fast time flies once Monday comes and goes.  I'm so anxious.

I have another u/s tomorrow.  YAY!!  I think Craig is still hoping for a boy.  =)

[mami1323]

Oh ok, then I got the one that was the pill.  Maybe she had the other one.  Thanks.

[peekawho]

There are a few forms of the medications.  Cervidil is the tape, the flat tampon thing.  Prepidil is a gel that is squirted into or around the cervix. Cytotec is the tiny pill.  

Of all of them, Cytotec is probably used most commonly.  It seems dependent on where you live, too.  In Michigan and Ohio, it seemed like Cervidil is used a lot.  In the other states I've practiced in, Cytotec seems to be used the most.

Cervidil has the advantage of being removable if something goes wrong, like the contractions get too strong.  Unfortunately, once Cytotec is in, its in to stay.  And when things go awry, its hard to stop the contractions and an emergency C/S is often needed.  Prepidil...I've seen it used a little many years ago.  I don't think its used much at all in the US, but is probably found locally in a few places.  

[mami1323]

How do you know so much?

[peekawho]

I work in Labor and Delivery.  Just for the past 30 years or so, though.

[chinesebones]

Any comment on why cytotec is used so commonly when it's not recommended for such use by its manufacturer?  Is it just their way of protecting themselves against lawsuits?  

[peekawho]

Pretty much.  It takes a lot of doing to get a drug approved for use during pregnancy.  

Even terbutaline, which is extraordinarily commonly used to stop preterm contractions, is not recommended for that use.  There are many drugs that have "off label" uses.

Cytotec costs just a few cents per dose, as opposed to about $200 a dose for Cervidil, too.

[BabyHardiman]

Thanks for the breakdown Peek, I printed it.  =)