I am currently facing the following scenario and wonder what YOU would do. If your OB told you that he recommended an induction at 39 weeks because of your previous rapid active labor (4 hours start to finish, 5 cm to 9.5 cm in 20 minutes, 3 pushes aaaannnddd here's baby!), would you consider it?
I'm concerned about "forcing" the baby out a) earlier than 40 weeks, b) that an unsuccessful induction on a body that is not yet "primed" may lead to a c-section and c) I had such a good, relatively easy delivery the first time that I don't want to mess with nature. However, I am TERRIFIED that this baby could be born in less than two hours and that there is a very real possibility that I could not make it to the hospital in time. Last I checked, Tim did not complete a medical degree and is very unqualified to deliver a baby. Also, I don't have epidurals at home.
I also hope that my OB is not suggesting this for the benefit of his vacation schedule but I am too much of a pansy to ask. Obviously this is our decision to make but I want to know what you think. Would you consider it?
18 comments:
I personally am almost irrationally afraid of a c-section, so I would resist an induction even if I maybe shouldn't. When I was 4+ cm at 38 weeks my doctor offered an induction at 39 weeks (I turned it down) and said the second I went into labor I needed to HURRY to the hospital. The baby ended up coming pretty much like yours: 4 hours start to finish, 3 pushes. Still, if I have a third I won't try inducing. We'll see if I end up giving birth in the car...
I think your concerns are spot-on.
What would *I* do is maybe not a good question to ask, since I'm a natural birth/midwife care person who'd never agree to an induction unless it was absolutely medically necessary. But it sounds like agreeing to the induction is something that *you* are not entirely comfortable with. And I'm unhappy with your doctor for using fear as a tool to try to convince you to do what would be more convenient for him. The baby could come in just a couple hours, yes, but I'm assuming you don't live too far from the hospital? And that, having been through it before, you'll recognize labor when it starts? It seems like you're pretty safe, actually - you *might* not get there in time for the epidural, but you almost certainly will, and an accidental pain-drug-free birth is a much better worst-case scenario than a c-section or NICU time because your body or your baby weren't ready for labor to be induced. If you do go into labor in the middle of the night, your doc is pretty much guaranteed to be pulled out of bed to handle it - or risk letting someone else get paid to deliver your baby. If he gets you to induce, he's stacking the deck for a nice, easy, midday delivery for him. Which, fine, but only if it's the best thing for you and your baby. Which I think you already sense it is probably not.
Whoa. I'm trying not to tip into rant mode here, and only kind of succeeding. I'm so sorry! I'm sure your OB is a very nice man, but stuff like this just triggers my anti-medical-establishment rage. Yikes.
Anyway, whatever you decide, I'll be hoping/praying for a gentle, happy delivery and a healthy baby for you! :-)
I would probably consider it, only because I too was terrified of having to endure a birth without an epidural.
AND, I had one emergency c-section and a subsequent was a scheduled c-section and if I'm being totally honest, it was really nice to know exactly when I was going to have the baby. The house was clean, laundry done, my oldest was tucked safely away at grandma and grandpa's and I got a full night's sleep the night before! Also, and maybe it's because it's all I know, but I didn't find recovery from a c-section all that terrible.
BUT, I also completely understand Arwen's point. It seems medically unnecessary, and you don't sound 100% on-board with it. I always hear people say that no two births are the same, so your second might take longer than you think.
Ugh. I'm probably being of no help!
Can you do that membrane soft gel stuff on your cervix to see if contractions will start first before busting into the Pitocin? I know where you live and I know where the hospital is (I think) and I'm sure traffic is a concern as well so I totally know what you're saying. But like, can't you promise that as soon as you feel so much as a BH contraction you'll bust tail over there?
I'm no help. You're welcome.
Personally, I say no induction unless medically necessary. You're a healthy woman, experiencing a healthy pregnancy. Who knows what stress is placed on the baby with extra, unnecessary drugs in your body and an artificially induced labor. That said, mama and papa need a birth plan you're comfortable with, so you need to do what's right for you and your family.
I'd go with no on the induction! Each child and labor is different. While some women have faster labors the 2nd time, many women labor longer. While all of my labors were 5-6 1/2 hours, The longest and shortest were similar and my 6 hour labor was totally different. (this is our 5th pregnancy). If you are healthy and baby is healthy, I'd wait it out and go as naturally as possible. Inductions are NO fun (my first one was) and there are big risks with them.
Sara, it sounds like your body knew exactly what to do the first time and I'd hate to mess with that. That being said, I don't know anything about your hospital location in relation to home base.
I did the pitocin after my water broke at 37 weeks and ended up with a c-section. My experience was fine, and recovery was okay, but it wasn't something I'd have preferred. Pitocin is unpleasant to be sure.
Birth is so personal, but since you asked, I'd lean to no on the induction; like you said, your body isn't "primed" starting from zero. I think if you have a plan/team in place to take care of you/Tim and Noah when the time comes, I'd stick with that.
SO excited for you... it's coming up quickly now! (Like you needed to hear that, right?)
My cousin's wife (with their second) didn't have time for an epidural and he came 20 minutes after they arrived at the hospital... and 10 of it was her getting herself upstairs to L&D.
Needless to say with their third, it was a HUGE concern because of her other two quick deliveries. Turns out the third ended up taking his sweet time (after 2 trips to L&D for false alarms in the weeks leading up to it) and everything was fine.
My point is this, you should do what you're comfortable with because every delivery is different. Don't get pushed into something you're iffy about just because you think it might go a certain way.
This decision would weigh on me as well.
But, if I were in your position--I would say, "No, thank you." And then take every precaution to be ready and close and have Tim on it like white on rice should baby come like a freight train.
Oh wow. Way to totally freak someone out, Dr!
If it were me, I'd say no and just make sure I camped outside the hospital for the next couple of months. I am ALL ABOUT the epidural, but honestly, induction/inductions that take forever to work/inductions that don't work make me even more anxious. Seriously, I'd just put everyone on notice for multiple emergency help should you find yourself in labor alone.
Also, can I just say: TOTALLY JEALOUS of your lightning fast labor!
I'd say no. I just get really concerned about interfering with nature's course (although I totally understand wanting to get there in time for an epidural, oh yes!) and I'd be worried that the babe wasn't quite ready to come out yet, thus ultimately resulting in the need for a c-section.
I was induced (though my water had broken, so, different circumstances) and it is no picnic. Took 12 hours on Pitocin, then 12 hours on Cytotec, then another 8-ish on Pitocin before I was finally ready to push.
Anyway, that's my two cents...But you really just need to do what you're comfortable doing. You can always change your mind at the last minute anyway. It's your body/your labor/you baby -- what you say goes!
I'd say no thank you.
I had a fast delivery with my first -- not lightning like yours, but less than 12 hours and out in 7 pushes -- and was worried with my second. I went to the hospital once and was sent home, only to return within hours. The Lad arrived less than an hour after we got to the hospital for the second time. My OB didn't make it, but that's why hospitals always have someone on duty.
As someone else pointed out, it sounds like your body knows exactly what it's doing when it comes to labor and delivery, and I would be reluctant to mess with it.
Just to give you an alternate perspective, I was confronted with a similar situation, and I said yes. Labor with 2nd baby was very fast, so I was worried with baby #3 I wouldn't make it to the hospital. They induced me 10 days before my due date. "Induction" required exactly one thing: breaking my water. No pitocin, etc. Four hours, a lot of (drippy, ew!) walking around the hospital later, and one long hot shower, I was 6 cm. and ready for some drugs. One hour later, I was ready to push. Five minutes after that, I learned baby was breach and had to have an emergency c-section. (ANNOYING...because if I had known about the breach thing ahead of time, we could have gone straight to the c-section, and skipped the induction part.) But the main point of my message is that induction doesn't have to be awful; for me, it was fairly straight-forward, and for you it might be too. I appreciated being able to tuck children #1 and #2 in at home and not rush to the hospital in the middle of the night. Just a different perspective. Good luck!
Why mess with something that went so swimmingly last time?
I would probably ask to at least wait until you 40 weeks but I totally understand your concern.
I was induced for a few reason I don't talk about often online because I had a near perfect labor and delivery and I don't feel like opening myself up to judgment via hindsight when it all turned out a-okay for me and Kyle. BUT, if you want to email me for my experience, I'd be delighted to talk to you, of course of course.
I'd wing it a bit longer and really map out your hospital route.
No. Sorry to be so blunt. Inductions are very doctor friendly, and generally not good for mothers or babies. You don't get many chances at giving birth. Don't let someone lead you in a direction you are unsure about.
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