Inducing Birth

Personally, I think too many doctors "induce" with regard to convenience for their own schedules. I think your daughter should ask if there are medical reasons for induction. Is the baby getting too large? Is there enough amniotic fluid still there for the baby? Etc.

I have 3 children and never went into labor. All of my children were late. Full term is considered 37-42 weeks. Rarely will doctors let you go past 42 weeks as the placenta begins to deteriorate which leads to medical problems including stillbirth. So, while induction for convenience is an issue in many cases, if your daughter is nearing the 42 week mark, it becomes medical. Since she is still under 41 weeks, it would be reasonable for her to ask to wait on the induction another week provided things are stable and they aren't concerned about the size of the baby. Doctors may want to do an ultrasound, blood pressure check and possibly non-stress test (they put you on the baby monitor for 15-30 min and watch the baby's heartrate pattern). If all of those are fine, then they should be fine waiting to set up an induction sometime next week with the hope that she'll go into labor on her own before then.

Should she not go into labor and needs to be induced, I had 3 very different but successful induction experiences. My first was 12 days late and they used Pitocin. It took a long time to really feel like things were moving along, but once they kicked in, contractions were powerful and close together. I did opt for intravenous meds around 11 hours into it which helped my body relax enough to let the intense contractions that weren't making much progress really have an effect. It worked out great. It had worn off when it was time to push and she was quick to come once things got moving.

My 2nd was 15 days late (none of the hospital staff believed me as they RARELY let you go past 14 days-I had to convince everyone I saw). He's a long story as he ended up being breech at the first attempt to induce. I went home and stood on my head and visited the chiropractor several times a day and then returned for a second attempt. He moved a bit, but had to be turned manually before they induced me. Because of this they had to have me prepped in case of an emergency c-section. Thankfully, he turned and then they broke my water to hold him head down. I was instantly in labor and he was born within 5 hours. It turned out that my epidural wasn't good and so I let it wear off and didn't get any more pain relief.

My 3rd was only 9 days late. We decided to go for the earlier induction date as I really wanted the midwife from my group to do this delivery and so I scheduled for the date she was on. I wasn't too optimistic that I'd go into labor since I hadn't before. I might have been actually gone on my own this time as I was having some mild contractions when put on the monitor and was 6cm when they checked me. They did break my water since I was there and felt like my contractions were pretty weak still to make more progress. She was born about 45 minutes after my water was broken! That was my simplest induction and I didn't have any meds.

I think that if you are postdue and not rushing it, it helps to make induction more positive. Plus she's had 2 kids so her body should know how to react with a minor intervention. I think the water breaking in combination with making sure you go to the bathroom often (weird but made a difference in my 2nd labor) worked really well for me. Tell your daughter to talk to her doctor about her wishes and concerns. There are options for induction and the same route doesn't work best for everyone. It depends on past pregnancies and if you are dilated at all yet and other health situations.

I was induced with my daughter. I was dialating without painful contractions, so the doctor thought it would be better to induce rather than end up at home, 10 cm dilated, and about to give birth. She was born 2 days before my due date. My water was broken and I also was given pitocin. The contractions from the pitocin were unbearable. I was told Pitocin-induced contractions are twice as bad as regular contractions, so I had to have an epidural. She came very quickly, though, as I was 7 cm dilated when I arrived at the hospital for induction. Thinking back, I think I would have gone into labor that day on my own...I woke up with nausea and diarrhea. If I weren't already 7 cm dialted and had to withstand the painful pitocin contractions longer than I did I would have wished I had waited it out. My other issue with NOT being induced was that I had tested + for Strep B, so I was required to have a couple rounds of antibiotics before giving birth. I wanted to be sure there would be time for that, and with my dilation I was afraid that if I went on my own there wouldn't be time.

If I were your daughter and already being a week late, I would hold out until I was another week late. I definitely wouldn't be induced unless I was already dilated a bit on my own. Sometimes due dates can be off by 2 weeks and baby just may not be ready yet.

Good luck and let us know what happens!

I agree with what has been said so far. I had to have my water broke during my third baby due to low amounts of amniotic fluid. He was 10 days late and the risks were starting to rise. Once the midwife broke my water my body took over and did what nature wanted and everything was fine. I would say try to see if the doctor will help with natural methods first before going to medications. It is better for your body.
Good luck.

Some of my friends have induced without problem and been able to deliver naturally. My personal experience has ended with 2 c-sections. But that was because of other complications. My daughter's head never engaged through 12 hours of labor. I never got past 3 cm dilated. Everything was going fine with my son until my water broke (on it's own). Then his heartbeat dropped with every contraction. End up he had tied the cord in a knot and then wrapped it around his neck and then again around his body (he's a pretty active kid to this day). I call him my miracle baby because his initial apgar score was a 2 but his 5 minute was up to an 8.

Overall, I'd have to say that my experiences with the induction part were not bad. It does make things a little more difficult due to the fact that while you are on pitossin, they want to keep you on the baby monitor. This limits your movement a little. The contractions can also be a little stronger but it is all manageable.

The most important thing is having a healthy baby and mommy at the end of the labor and delivery. Tell her to ask her doctor to explain his reasons for wanting to do it. If she is more than 2 weeks overdue or has gestational diabetes or another complication, then her doctor has medical reasons for wanting to do it and in her place I would definitely go along with it. If that isn't the case, then I would want to know his reasoning before making the decision to go forward.

Please let her know not to worry about a c-section either if that becomes an issue. It isn't as bad as they make it out to be. I've had 3. There is a little more healing time and a bit more soreness. But it is all manageable.

Anyhow, I wish her the best of luck.

I had to be induced with 2 out of 3 births. The first was because it was my due date and my blood pressure was up. My third child was induced because he was 2 weeks late (actually they had changed his due date, but I think they goofed when they did). Anyway, I preferred to go naturally because I think the pain was slightly less (if you can believe that!) and because I did a lot of my labor at home trying to get ready to go to the hospital, it seemed to go easier and faster. Inductions are perfectly safe, just annoying.

Hello there - Ive had my kid induced too- they have to or the baby will be too big and could cause problems for mom- the docs know what they are doing- trust them . Plus she'll be able to finally hold that precious bundle of joy! Take care D.

N.,
I have had two induced births and I would say that unless it's absolutely necessary wait it out. Induced labor is hard labor-h*** o* mom and h*** o* baby.

Here is the insert from the drug Pitocin

http://www.nursespdr.com/members/database/ndrhtml/images/...

And more Pitocin info:

Drugs trapped in the infant's brain at birth have the potential to affect adversely the rapidly developing nerve circuity of the brain and central nervous system by altering the following brain processes:
1.. The rate at which the nerve cells in the brain mature

2.. The process by which the brain cells develop individual characteristics and capacity to carry out specific functions

3.. The process by which the brain cells are guided into their proper place within the brain and central nervous system.

4.. The interconnection of the branch-like nerve fibers as the circuitry of the brain is formed, and

5.. The forming of the insulating sheath of myelin (fat-like substance) around the nerve fibers which helps to assure that the nerve impulses - the messages to and from the brain - will travel their normal route at the normal rate of speed.

Dr. Joseph Altman, neurobiologist, University of Indiana, pointed out at a Washington Conference on the Precursor of Learning Disability that the development of the human brain appears to be programmed so that certain cells and nerve fibers must develop in synchrony, in order to make appropriate connections within the central nervous system. He expressed concern that drug-induced alterations of the chemical components within the brain may interfere with the growth of the cells and nerve fibers, causing subtle or substantial misconnections within the developing brain.

To better understand this hypothesis, picture a technician preparing to connect hundreds of wires. The ends of each wire are color-coded, to serve as a guide as to which wire should be connected with another. A chemical is spilled over the wires, removing the color. To meet his schedule the technician must continue to connect the wires, unable to be sure which wire to connect to another.The job is finished on schedule, the system functions, but functions imperfectly.

Any alteration in the development of the intricately complex nerve circuitry of the brain has the potential for permanently altering the way the brain processes and responds to information. How much an individual fetus or newborn infant will be affected by a drug administered to the mother during pregnancy, childbirth or lactation is unpredictable. Genetic susceptibility, which affects the final outcome, varies greatly, even among siblings. Well-controlled experiments in animals, for example, often produce varying results in the test animals, even among litter mates.

Most physicians and pharmaceutical manufacturers are quick to say that there is no drug on the market that is without risk. None of the drugs or chemicals used as medications or food additives, or in shampoo, hair coloring, underarm deodorants and skin treatments, and the like, have been subjected to a well-controlled scientific investigation to determine what effect the drug or chemical has on the fetus.
That doesn't mean that all of these drugs and chemicals are harmful. It just means that we do not know if there are any adverse effects on the fetus and newborn.-----

Choose to do what is best for the health of the baby-not the convenience of the doctor and/or mom. I know it's tough...I have 4 babies and I've had a pregnancy go just under 42 weeks, but our developing babies are just that-tiny, precious, developing human beings, and they are more vulnerable to drugs than an adult.