Inducing Labor

I'm seeing alot of different responses; some helpful and some not so much. I saw one that advised that Castor Oil will help induce labor, and sometimes it will, as long as you are ready to give birth, but what it also does is causes the baby to produce meconium (bowel movement while in utero), and that isn't good. If they inhale it, which they will, it can cause an infection in the baby and you want to remove any risks that aren't necessary. Your body needs to be in a certain state in order for them to want to induce. In my case, I was 3 1/2 weeks overdue (and yes I was overdue, they didnt misjudge my due date) and my body was barely to the point that they wanted it in order to induce. There is a specific scale 1-4 indicating how ready your body is to give birth including how efaced (thinned out) your cervix is, how far the baby has dropped down, etc. There has to be a reason they induce, whether it is for health reasons, or at your request. But being induced really isnt that bad; there are two ways to induce. If your cervix hasnt thinned out, they take a quarter of a pill of misoprostol and insert it into your cervix, which thins it out and most of the time induces labor, but for the most part, they use pitocin which increases the severity and quantity of contractions you experience. Sometimes even if you've gone into labor on your own, they'll use pitocin anyhow if you arent progressing how you should be. There are alot of factors that play a part, so you need to talk to your doctor, or midife. Hopefully this information was helpful. Good luck to you and your family and your new edition!

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Without a medical history it's hard to know why your doctor wants to induce you but I'll share my experience in case it's the same.
I was overdue. I began walking everyday about the week of my due date, then when I went past my due date I started walking two-three times a day, not just a brisk walk but to the point where I worked up a sweat and drank a whole lot of water. We tried stripping my membrane and that didn't work. There was the option of black cohosh but instead I was advised to try acupuncture.
They are natural points stimulated in the body. Now, the only trick is that if baby is simply not ready to come down, then the treatments will not induce labor...this is not like pitocin where you get contractions no matter what.
You can ask for another dr. opinion in the same practice. Tell your dr. that you would like to schedule an appt. with another dr. or ask if they can bring in another dr. during your next visit for an open discussion because your apprehensive and you would like to hear another perspective or explaination.
Another option;
You can call a local midwife or doula in your area, tell them the info of why your dr. wants a cesarean and they can help you understand the decision or at the vary least share experiences. The reason I mention a doula/or midwife is that they believe in the practice of babies being born without the least amount of medical influence. I've never met a midwife or doula who has refused to offer their advice when it's a critical situation, which this sounds critical because of the time frame your working around.

It's your baby and your body, follow your insticts right now, your body is in protect mode for a good reason.

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Hi D.,
It is totally up to you. Don't let your dr. pressure you into it...especially if it is for convenience sake. If there are health issues, then you might think about it, but I think it is best for the baby to decide on its own when to come.
Kara (mom to 4)

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Speaking from experience, being induced is not that bad. My doctor sang "Happy Birthday" while breaking my water. I know most women want the birth of their child to be as natural as possible but there are times when it isn't possible. Here is an excerpt from The Better Health Channel:

Overdue babies
Around five out of every 100 babies will be overdue, or more than 42 weeks gestation. If you have gone one week past your due date without any signs of impending labour, your doctor will want to closely monitor your condition. Tests include:

* Monitoring the foetal heart rate
* Using a cardiotocograph machine
* Performing ultrasound scans.

The placenta starts to deteriorate after 38 weeks or so, which means an overdue baby may not get enough oxygen. An overdue baby could also grow too large for vaginal delivery. Generally, an overdue baby will be induced once it is two weeks past its expected date. Some of the methods of induction include:

* Vaginal prostaglandin gel - to help dilate the cervix.
* Amniotomy - breaking the waters, sometimes called an Artificial Rupture of Membranes (ARM).
* Oxytocin - a synthesised hormone given intravenously that stimulates uterine contractions.

I hope this information helps you. M.

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Hi D.,
I believe it is totally your *informed* choice. Are you clear why your doc is pressuring you?

If its about being "late," you can decide to trust your body and trust your baby and know that he or she is going to arrive when he or she is ready.

If there is a "medical" reason why your doc thinks you should be induced and you have your own concerns, then you don't have to be induced in the hospital with pitocin, necessarily. There are alternatives: walking (30 mins or more at a stretch, but don't wear yourself out!); having sex with your male partner IF your bag of waters is intact/not broken (his ejaculate contains prostaglandins, which can help start labor); nipple stimulation (gently, but firmly, rolling the nipples between your fingers for a few minutes at a time & when you start having contractions, stop the stimulation - start again once its over and stimulate the nipples for just a few minutes at a time - alternate nipples).

There are also herbal tinctures and homeopathic remedies you can take, which I would consult an herbalist and/or homeopath about the specifics.

What I personally consider a "last resort" method is taking castor oil (mixed with a fruit juice is ok). It'll either give you the runs or make you vomit, but may either way help start labor, though not in a pleasant or easy way.

Good luck!
-L.

p.s. I also encourage you to contact a local midwife and get some of her thinking on it. Go to the California Association of Midwives website and you can locate one close to you there.

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Hi D.,

When I was just at my due date with my second child, my doctor suggested induction. I was so completely miserable (and huge) that I agreed even though there was no medical reason for it. The doctor failed to warn me that the contractions from the pitocin would be off the charts and I was in so much pain that I could not bare it. I continued to ask for an epidural and never did get one.

It was pretty traumatic for me to the point that when I had my next child 7 years later I walked into the hospital and said "where's my epidural?" and again they wanted to "speed it along" with pitocin. It seems almost routine these days.

When my own daughter was giving birth, the doctor wanted to give pitocin just to "speed it along" and didn't want to give an epidural. There was no reason for it other than to make it more convenient for him. My daughter was very young and does not tolerate the slightest pain well at all. I told the doctor that there was no way he was giving her pitocin without an epidural and he got quite angry saying it would slow down the labor. Oh well! I absolutely insisted and he gave her the epidural and the pitocin. The baby was born 3 hours later and all was well.

My point is that you absolutely do have a choice and some doctors might try to force their choices on you for their own convenience. In retrospect, I would certainly ask to be told what the benefits and possible risks of induction are. I always regretted having allowed my son to be induced because he was a very fussy baby and just seemed so uncomfortable in this world for the longest time. I believe he just forced out too soon. Whatever YOU decide, don't let the doctor bully you into it!

Best of luck to you!

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D.,
As a medical professional, I can unequivocally state that doctors will induce even if it is not medically necessary. Medical research shows that yes, there are true medical reaons for an induction - low amniotic fluid, preeclampsia and fetal distress among them. But the rate of inductions far exceed the rate of true medical reasons. One of the reasons our nationwide c-section rate is so high is due to failed inductions. One of the reasons we rank at the lowest end of industrialized nations in terms of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality (despite the huge amount of money spent on medical care and access to the latest and greatest in medical technology) is our high c-section rate.
Unless your doctor can give you a very specific valid medical reason, then really think hard about going ahead with an intervention that totally alters the onset and course of normal labor.
Our bodies are designed to go through pregnancy and labor! Humans have been giving birth for thousands of years without pitocin, hospitals, and electronic fetal monitors. Yes, interventions are required at times, but definitely not at the rate they are happening currently.
Off my soapbox. It is your body, your baby, your pregnancy, and yes, you absolutely have the right to say no. It is totally your choice, and you can even seek a second opinion if you like.
We hire doctors to serve us, not the other way around.
And for anything any doctor suggests, always ask:
1) what happens if I/we do it?
2) what happens if I/we don't do it?
3) what happens if I/we wait?
E.

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