Who has been induced?

[jcm]

I'm 30 weeks along w/ number three, and it just hit me this weekend that our family situation could actually give me reason to request induction (husband works/lives out of state right now). It's not something I'm especially excited about. My other labors have started naturally, and I've had two natural births. But now it might be something to consider. Just wondering when others were induced, why, what method was used and how things went. Feel free to share the good, bad, ugly ... it's all fine. This isn't my first labor!

 

[jennifersmom]

Hi JCM, Where has time gone?! 30 weeks already?! Easy for me to say.
I recall reading your post when I was still pregnant w/dd#2.

I was induced with my first daughter Jennifer. The reason being was
my water broke, yet no contractions so they started me slowly
w/piotocin(sp?) I recall reading negative posts on being induced
but I had no choice. I had both girls at 40 weeks but both times
couldn't wait to give birth. I had some fierce hormonal induced
insomnia that hit me early on, like at 8 weeks. Just could not
sleep, terrible when your not pregnant but perhaps worse when you are.
Since you are experinced you probably know some of the natural ways
to induce labor. My mid wife advised castor oil becasue I was
complaining near the end w/both. I couldn't drink it personally.
I hope you can enjoy your final 2 or so months.

Congratulations!

 

[Manmohini]

Hello. I was induced on the third day of labor. My water had broken on day two and I was not progressing. I ended up having a c-section the third night. In retrospect, I feel that the pitocin was administered much too late in my case, after labor exhaustion set in. Since then I have read that this situation often leads to a c-section. With pitocin, it's all about the timing. Good luck! Soon you'll have a new baby.
Manmohini

 

[chefkate]

Ew. Induction. I am not a fan, although I know it is necessary sometimes. I had to be induced w/ #2. Water broke and I had only 2 contractions. Well, let me tell you, the contractions sure did start after the pitocin!

The cont. were so fast and so hard it was unbelievable. My labor was over in 2 hours and I only pushed a half a push. We later overheard my nurse getting scolded for not easing up the pitocin on me!! yikes!

That being said, I did it without drugs and would actually go thru the very same labor again. It was kind of nice that it was over so fast!

Good luck!

 

[kristan]

Not a fan. Not worth it unless for medical reasons. You wouldn't want to wind up with a c/section just for convenience. I cannot tell you how many that I know who get induced wind up with a c/s (although that seems to happen more with baby #1; maybe if you just needed a jump start it would be less of a risk for you).

 

[nspaulding3]

Hi
I guess you could say I was sort of induced. I was getting close to 2 weeks overdue, so the scheduled me to come in for Pitocin. The night before they had me come in for a cervical ripening gel. I went back home and never even made it to the next morning before I had to turn around and go back to the hospital at midnight. That gel worked for me (and then some). Contractions started about 2 hours after I had the gel. I went from 2 cm to 10 cm in 4 hours.

I am 33 weeks right now and I can't wait to see if this labor will be as fast as my last one, or if it was all due to that gel.

 

[jcm]

Thanks! This is all good info so far. My husband is five hours away, and with two kids school age things do get complicated! My two previous labors started on their own and went really fast. I was only at the hospital for maybe two hours at the most with #1 and for the pushing - like three pushes and out they came. I was probably able to do natural because things didn't drag on forever. I really don't like the thought of asking to be induced, but with the distance, difficulty scheduling time off for him (since he won't be able to just run in and check on things). I do have a history of hemoraghing, so that could make a difference. And this pregnancy has gone fast! I'm too busy to think about it!

 

[Stephanie0523]

I was induced one week early with both of my boys. It was wonderful. We lived out of state, and it allowed our families to plan to travel to be there. And the second time around it was especially wonderful because I could make plans for my son to be cared for while I was in the hospital. It gave us a lot of peace of mind. I know a lot of people like to do it all naturally, but sometimes I think induction is the best option. My second son was induced a week early and after they started the petocin (sp?) they discovered he was breach and I needed a C-section. I was SO glad that I had gone in a week early for the induction because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and had I waited it out and had he turned, I hate to think what the outcome could have been. Just follow your heart and the advice of your doc.

 

[FitNurseRN]

I was induced 5 days after my due date. I was having 3-4 days of prodromal labor. I was having contractions 3-5 mins apart consistant with no progressing. When I went into the doctors I was exhausted because I hadnt slept but i was 4cm and ready to go into labor at anytime. I asked to be induced, I wasnt leaving with out a baby.LOL. They broke my water at 330pm and I was on pitocin and had a epidural. I ended up with a emergency section at 430ish am. I pushed for 2 hours prior to that decision. I hope my next child will not be as hard as this one. My labor expierience was terrible. I had a post op infection. I had to go back to surgery and ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks after he was born. But, everyone is happy and healthy now

 

[MSJ]

I was induced 4 days before my due date with baby #4 because my blood pressure was going up.

They did it nice and easy--that was their plan. It took about 6 hours from the time they started until he was born. I had my first epidural, which I enjoyed immensely.

I've planned inductions for babies #5 and #6, but both came before the scheduled induction and I will schedule an induction for this one as well. I just can't stand being late. Once I hit that due date, I'm just done with being pregnant.

Best of luck with your decision.

Maggie

 

[clwhitney]

2.5 weeks early

I was induced 2.5 weeks before my due date because I had placenta previa, and my son was very small (due to the placenta being so low my entire pregnancy), so my OB said that he was "going to do better on the outside than on the inside" once they determined that his lungs were mature (which they found through an amnio that they were). The placenta moved just enough the last week of my pregnancy for me not to have a c-section, but at 37.5 weeks, I wasn't at all dilated, so my OB said that "this induction is going to take awhile". I went into the hospital on a Thursday night around 10pm and by 1am, they had started the cervical ripening gel. They did that every 4 hours throughout the night, but it really did nothing - I felt nothing. By 10am on Fri., my delivery dr. said to start the pitocin. By 2pm, I had a little contractions, but nothing bad, so he broke my water manually and by that action, I was automatically at 3cm and the contractions started within the hour. By 6:30pm, I was ready to push, and my son was born by 7:20pm. Around 5pm, I wasn't sure if I was going to have those contractions for another 24 hours or so, so I asked them if I should order up an epidural, but then there wasn't enough time to administer one, and once I could start pushing, I felt much better, so I had my son naturally.

The only problem I had on the pitocin was it made me VERY nauseas from 10am - 3pm, when they finally gave me some anti-nausea drugs, which helped. But, they think that the nausea helped move things along, too.

My son spent 5 days in the NICU, but I was walking around within 1 hour of giving birth and was up and moving and feeling really good by the next morning. I had no complications or infections, either, so that helped, too.

For me, I didn't love being trapped in a hospital bed for so long, but I would do an induction again. My labor was fast, and it wasn't the worst pain I have ever experienced, either. So, don't let people tell you that all inductions are horrible, just like all labors aren't horrible, either!

Best of luck!