To Induce or Not?

Sounds to me like you are doing the right thing in questioning this. I don't know what your relationship is like with this provider, and I do acknowledge the importance of trust in these situations, but he should be able and willing to provide a full explanation for any intervention in your pregnancy. No matter how common, inducing labor in a healthy mom/baby is an unnecessary intervention, especially pre term, and often has undesired and understated consequences. Research has shown that the use of induction often leads to additional interventions and increases the chance of a c-section (see excellent book by Henci Goer). The idea of a baby being too big is silly and I generally feel is an excuse used by doctor's to intervene. The actual number of babies that are too large to pass through their mom's pelvic area is pretty small (you can find info on this online and in most books on pregnancy). I would encourage you to continue to talk to your Dr and explain that you are not satisfied with his explanation. Have someone who is supportive of your views with you because it is really hard to advocate for yourself in these situations, especially when the health of your baby is concerned. Most of all, trust your instincts!

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I had pit with one of my 6 babies and it was so much worse a labor than any others!! The pit make the contractions much harder to labor through. I was then pushed for a epidural (which I am TOTALLY AGAINST). IF you want to try to induce labor more naturally, go buy a bottle of Evening Primrose Oil. Pop open a capsule and you or your hubby can rub it on your cervix. It will help....Do this about 2-3 times a day until you go into labor. It sounds like your dr wants you to deliver on a day that is convenient for HIM and not you or baby. If you and baby are fine, TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!!! Baby will come when it is ready, and NO dr should tell you when, especially if the dr can't give you a GOOD reason to induce. A baby pooping meconium during birth is not a common thing, and most likely, the pit and harder labor with MAKE the baby go into distress and poop too soon, and most likely the dr will want to rush you into the OR for an "emergency" C-sec. All I can say is TRUSY YOURSELF!!!! Your body and baby know what to do!!!!

~A.~
--
SAHM of:
Rebeka 10/91 (hospital/MW)
Aimee 6/93 (hospital/unassisted)
Scott 2/96 (hospital/Dr)
Anamarie 11/02 (hospital/MW)
Heather 12/04 (hospital/MW)
Mikayla 5/07 (unassisted home birth)
BLESSING #7 DUE OCTOBER 7, 2008
Doing Self-prenatal care and planning another Unassisted Family HomeBirth

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Above all, follow your gut. It is always good to listen to your doctor's concerns but you still are the one that makes the final decision. I have never been induced but I have always heard from other women that Pitocin makes labor a lot worse then when you are progressing on your own. Perhaps you could come up with a different solution with your doctor that will make both of you happy. If you are already dialating then perhaps they can just break your water and let your body do the rest without the Pitocin. Be insistant with your doctor and let him know that you don't feel comfortable with the idea. He might be more concerned because of your age since this is your first one but he should be up front with you about it and should not take the holier then thou stance that so many doctors these days can get. You know your body best and you need to listen too it and so does he.

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If there is no medical-emergency reason to induce and you don't want to be induced then don't induce! Stick to your guns. You've done a great job of reading up on induction and advocating for yourself. Keep having the tests done to make sure all is well, but don't be bullied into an induction just because your baby might be "big". Women have been giving birth to big babies for hundreds of years without being induced. I've always found that to be the most ridiculous reason for an induction. At this point in your pregnancy, there is no truly accurate way to know exactly how much your baby will weigh at birth. Something tells me the nurse was fibbing when she said your doctor "rarely" induces if the reasons he's giving to justify it are a "big" baby and the possibility of meconium in your amniotic fluid and he won't provide you with more in-depth reasons. That baby will come out when he or she is good and ready. Good luck!

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I wouldn't show up. It is your decision. When I had my daughter they kept trying to get me to schedule and induction and I refused. I went 9 days past my due date and was fine. As long as you and the baby are fine I would refuse. I ended up going into labor on my own and delivering with no pain medication. I was completely against pitocin since that is what my MIL had with her youngest and he now has medical problems that were possibly brought on by the pitocin.

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I was induced four times for four different reasons. Doctors do love to induce. (I used three different OB/GYNs for four pregnancies.) However, I have heard that it was bad for the baby to poop in the amniotic fluid and for the baby to ingest it. I understand your concern for doing things unnecessarily, but if the baby is big enough and you are so close to labor anyway, why not make it convenient for you too? You get to pack your bags better, half the family is notified already, so prayers are already being prayed and it's not so hectic. I know you probably don't want to make things easy for the doctor but being induced is not a big deal. However, if you are doing it natural 'no drugs', then it will may it a 'little' harder on you. I always wanted a surprise Labor but never had one - but I don't regret any of my inductions. MY first child was when I was 32 and my last one was when I was 40. In case you think the "Advanced Maternal Age' has something to do with it. Good Luck to you, my prayers are with you, and remember, you get to have a beautiful little, tiny baby, maybe sooner than you think! :)
*Maybe you'll go into labor B4 Tuesday!*

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M.,

As a 50 year old mother of 8, it amazes me how complicated the medical community has made having a child. God created our bodies to create and birth babies! Sometimes it is a lot of hard work, but MOST of the time, everything works out just as HE planned from the beginning of creation. I did not have any inductions or any medications during labor for any of my children who ranged in size from 8 lbs. 10 oz. to 10 lbs. 6 oz. (The smallest was #4 and the largest was #6) I had 4 of the babies when I was 30 years to 39 years old. I was closely monitored for pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes from the second baby on, due to the birth weights of my children, but NEVER had a problem with either one. I am NOT a super woman, nor am I "large-framed" I am simply a woman. Go with your heart on this. It sounds like your baby and you are on target for a wonderful delivery at just the right timing for the both of you. Perhaps, you have even gone into labor as I write, but if not, it sounds like your body is preparing for labor as is your baby. Best to you and enjoy your little one!!

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I was 10 days overdue with my 2nd baby before I reluctantly agree to be induced. I personally feel that baby will come when ready but at 10 days, and no sign of labor, I agreed to induction. He was born big - almost 10 pounds and the placenta showed signs of calcification so I'm so thankful for the induction. I think you should consider your dr. opinion and then make your own decision. Induction just to get baby hear early and at a convenient time for your Dr. isn't what I would consider a justified reason - but thats just my opinion! Good luck to you!

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Article for you: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/65090.php

Maternity Care Analysis Finds Danger Of Routine Birth Interventions
Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 13 Mar 2007 - 0:00 PDT

Findings from a two-year review of the science behind maternity care indicate that the common and costly use of many routine birth interventions, such as continuous electronic fetal monitoring, labor induction for low-risk women and cesarean surgery, fail to improve health outcomes for mothers and their babies and may cause harm.

The review entitled, the Evidence Basis for the Ten Steps to Mother-Friendly Care, will be published in The Journal of Perinatal Education and the results will be premiered at the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) Forum today.

Research findings include:

-- Women whose labors are induced for non-medical reasons are more likely to suffer from intrapartum fever and more likely to end up needing forceps, vacuum extraction and a cesarean surgery.

-- Inductions add to the risk of poor outcomes for the health of the baby. Artificially-induced labors increase the rate of fetal distress and a serious complication of labor called shoulder dystocia (when the baby's shoulders have difficulty passing through the mother's pelvic bones). Elective induction babies are also more likely to need phototherapy to treat jaundice after birth, and are at higher risk for breathing difficulties and admission to neonatal intensive care.

-- Use of electronic fetal monitors is more than 85 percent on low-risk women. They fail to reduce the number of perinatal deaths, the incidence of cerebral palsy or the number of admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit. Continuous fetal monitoring puts women at increased risk for an instrumental delivery, cesarean section and infection.

-- Overall 1 in 3 U.S. women give birth by cesarean surgery. The majority of the operations are repeat procedures with no medical indication.

-- When compared to women who have a vaginal birth, cesarean surgeries put women at risk for infections, hemorrhage requiring transfusion, surgical injuries, and complications from anesthesia, chronic pain, adhesions, hysterectomy, pulmonary embolism, placental problems with future pregnancies and death. Babies born by cesarean surgery are more likely to suffer from surgical lacerations, respiratory complications, and to require neonatal intensive care.

There are more than 4.1 million U.S. births a year with a cesarean surgery rate more than 30 percent. The health and economic impact of high tech birth is significant. In 2004, hospital costs for deliveries were more than $30 billion. The record high cesarean surgery rate contradicts the national goals of Healthy People 2010 to reduce cesarean surgeries for first time mothers to 15 percent and to increase VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) rates to 63 percent. The research also found that harm is caused by routine use of intravenous fluids (IVs), amniotomy (breaking the bag of waters), withholding food and water from women in labor and episiotomy.

The Journal of Perinatal Education is the leading peer-reviewed journal for childbirth educators. The Journal is published quarterly by Lamaze International for readers who provide parent education in the areas of childbirth, pregnancy, breastfeeding, neonatal care, postpartum, early parenting and young family development. For more information about The Journal of Perinatal Education and Lamaze International, visit http://www.lamaze.org.

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I know you're nervous, but if the doctor is recommending to induce then you should do it. Even his nurse is saying that he doesn't do this often. I do not believe inducing is the norm these days as others have said. My first baby was stillborn at 39 weeks and I had to beg and beg to be induced with my next two children. And all three were delivered by different ob/gyn's. Since it is only the day before your due date, why not go ahead with it. It's scary I know. I've done it three times before. But it is just as amazing as if you had spontaneously gone into labor. When it comes to your baby I always think it's better to be safe then sorry. Good luck and God bless.

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I would say not to be pressured into something you don't want/is not medically necessary. The size of the baby is a total guess anyway! I was told my first was going to be 8lbs and she was 6lbs, 9oz. That's a pretty big difference. I was induced with my first (only because my water had already broken and I wasn't progressing as fast as the doc wanted me to) and wasn't with my second. My second was MUCH easier without the pitocin! Birthing is a total business and if they can schedule everything, it's much easier for them. I say, let your body do what God designed it to do and let this baby come when it's ready.

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