Inducing Labor - Denton,TX

Have you read or heard of Henci Goer's book "Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth"? I have loaned it around to my clients since she provides the actual research for each chapter of the book. She touches on that subject and the risks. You do not have to read the whole book but pull relevant chapters. She is a doula herself.

I definitely wouldn't ask to be induced ahead of your due date, particularly if this is your first child. Your baby needs to stay put until it's ready to come out. If you have a baby before it's truly ready, you can risk issues such as underdeveloped lungs and a poor suck/swallow reflex. I think there are few doctors who will schedule inductions ahead of your due date if you have no problems with your pregnancy.

Plus, I have to say, there's something fun about rushing to the hospital. It's just all part of the deal, and I wouldn't want to miss it. I rushed to the hospital with my first, but had a scheduled c-section with my second. The rushing part was so exciting. And, while the scheduled c-section was nice, it wasn't the same.

M. -
I am a single mother by choice and I was induced with my first child at exactly 40 weeks. The labor was very long (11 hours) and the pitocin is hard on your body - especially the first child. I did do it naturally. After I had him, I would have said that it was a good experience and I was happy with it. And, I was very happy that my family was there to support me (they had to travel two days to be able to be there, so it was nice that we knew when the baby was coming).

On my 2nd child, I was induced 3 days early. This time, I chose to go the epidural route and it was HEAVEN. Of course, the doctor said that the 2nd baby would be easier because my first baby was 9.5lbs. The 2nd baby was 8lbs 11 ounces. I was in labor for only 4 hours and she came out as quick as could be. But, I don't think you will have this experience with a first child.

I am a proponate of induction, but you need to be sure that it is the right thing for you. It is a very hard labor. The pitocin controls the contractions and I had contractions about every 3 minutes right from the get go - which is hard to deal with. I felt like I wanted to throw up all day long. I think that going into labor naturally is slower and probably easier on your body. And, your husband will be there to support you and the baby after the baby is born, so you you don't need to make arrangements like I did for help. Again, because I wanted my family around to support me and watch my son while I had the 2nd baby, I did go the induction route.

-L.

Dear M.,
I have read the other postings and know that you got a lot of good advice. If you have a good doctor he will not induce a delivery without a medical necessity. The baby needs every day it can get. And, like you have read in the other responses, your body gets you ready to deliver. Especially on your first pregnancy it is very unlikely that you will have a frantic rush to the hospital (you may rush, but your baby almost surely won't). The baby doesn't just pop out. You body has to go through several stages before the baby is ready. If you wait until your natural date the baby will have more developed lungs. That is an especial risk if a child is a little early.

Talk with your doctor, go to birthing classes if they are available (for you & your husband), read books. You and your husband sound very nervous about the unknowns of delivery. Birthing causes some anxiety on the first baby, but you will find it is a beautiful experience. There is nothing equal to holding your baby immediately after delivery.

I was induced early for one of my children for timing reasons (my doctor was going to out of town on and for 2 weeks after my due date) and had no side effects. Pitocin does make the labor more painful but I also had no problems with the epidural. Talk to your doctor and he/she will tell you if your are a good cadidate.

M.,

I would strongly recommend you wait until it happens naturally if possible. I was induced with my first child at 39 weeks and it was a disaster! After 15 hours I had not dialted at all!! I was sent home because they were afraid my body was not ready and needed to wait! I was mortified! It was a bad experience, if your body is not ready to deliver it can cause hours and hours, more pain and in the end you will be much more tired. I had to wait another week and since I still had not gone into labor I was induced a second time and after about 30 hours of labor I ended up in a c section. Its one of the hardest things I have been through! Try to find some peace and wait for your body to do it naturally. Good luck!

I've heard labor was harder if induced. Mother nature usually is best, unless there is a reason for inducing. unless you are unusual, and also live a long ways from the hospital, you should have plenty of time to get there without the frantic rush, and still be in labor for awhile after you get there. Most people sure are still in labor for awhile. Just have a little case packed and grab it,, and if you don't get it grabbed, he can bring it later, after the baby is born. Congratulations

I was induced with both of my boys with no problems. However, both were past their due date and the Doctor was concerned about letting me go to far beyond the initial due date. With my older son there were also other medical factors that were a concern. I agree with the previous poster who said a good Doctor will only induce if there is a medical reason, not for convience sake. If you are worried about going past your due date definitely discuss with your Doctor the plan if that happens and any medical concerns with the that in your particular case. Congratulations on the new baby!

Most doctors will not induce if your body is not showing the signs of labor. As with any pregnancy, you could go longer or shorter than your due date. I have heard horror stories of women who were induced and their body just was not ready. So, they either had to go home after many, many hours of medicine and nothing happened. I have also had friends, that ended up having a c-section. Boy, not to scare you or anything. I think you should just talk it over with your doctor and see what he suggests. My doctor was okay with inducing if I was in my last week of pregnancy. With my 2nd, I was induced and everything went quickly. I had her in 5 hours. The shortest labor I had out of my 4 pregnancies. With this being your first pregnancy, I would want to experience the whole wait and wonder part. It is part of the fun. I was only induced that one time, and that was because my husband was flying in from Germany to be with me when our baby was born. I actually preferred to wait until my body was ready. It will happen at the right time for both Mommy and baby.

Good luck.

I agree with the other moms - you need to let the baby cook as long as possible. You also have a higher chance of having to have c-section if they induce you and you haven't started dilating yet. My doctor did induce a week before my due date - but my blood pressure was going up, and I was 4cm dilated already. I didn't have any complications but my son did have pretty bad jaundice - and I wonder if that wouldn't have happened if he'd "cooked" a little longer. Doctors in this area are known for inducing for convenience - but remember it's best for the baby to stay in the oven! Good luck!

M.,
Congratulations on your new baby. I have a feeling that you (and your husband) are starting to get anxious about the entire delivery process. If you haven't taken child-birth classes yet, it's probably not too late. This should relieve some of your nervousness. If not, get yourself to the library and check out every book about the birth process. As the other moms have stated--your baby needs all the time possible to grow and develop. My first son was born at 34 weeks and stayed two weeks in the NICU--it is the worst feeling in the world to leave the hospital without your baby. My second son was born at 36 weeks and got to stay with me and come home, but we still had some feeding issues in regards to his early arrival. Like I said--educate yourself about delivery and talk to your doctor. If you're scared and want pain relief right away, then talk about that. I wanted a natural delivery and got just what I wished for--I have very little if any labor and dilate quickly. I almost didn't make it to the hospital for the second delivery and didn't even get admitted until after baby's arrival. What a great memory!

DO NOT DO IT. Not if you want natural childbirth anyway. Induction makes labor longer and more difficult, and many women end up having epidurals, unwanted interventions, or even C-sections. This is especially true if it is your first delivery. This is supported by hard data, not just my opinion:) What's more, you might risk bringing your baby into the world before he's ready. Some babies need the entire 40 weeks to be fully developed and ready to go. My nephew, for example, was delivered by C-section at 37 weeks, and he ended up staying in the hospital 2 weeks to let his lungs finish developing. In my humble opinion, M., babies know when the time is right...not doctors or even Mamas. It is a hard waiting game, but it is worth it. Don't worry about the maternity leave, you might actually relish having a few days off before the baby comes to REST and do some last minute nesting. Great luck to you!

I haven't birthed a baby myself, so I don't know from firsthand experience, but I know a couple of women who've had to have Pitocin (plus I watch "A Baby Story" sometimes on tv) and I was told that it increases your pain a lot. I would avoid be induced if I were you.

You probably need to talk with your doctor I don't think there are very many out there that will just induce you early because you want to be induced. Most doctors will induce because of your health or if you are pass your due date. If your doctor will do it then go for it. I was induced because my water broke and I was not having contractions. I thought it was a pretty easy labor they start the Pitocin (which bring on very strong contractions)and gave me the Epidural before I was even dialated to a 3. I don't think everyone is the same so you never know how hard the contracts will be and I have had many friends who had very hard contractions and had to wait until they were dialated to a 4 before they could get pain meds. It was miserable for them so you just never know.

I induced exactly one week early with my second and third children and loved it. That being said, I would not recommend it if it is your first child like your posts seems to say. There are more risks with inductions when you do not know if your body is able to naturally birth a child. If you have already had a vaginal delivery then go for it (no more than 1 wk early though). Otherwise, I agree with letting it cook as long as possible. Just have your bag packed to cut down on the frantic bit ... it is never as quick as in the movies anyway. Also, don't have a big dinner if you start having any pains. I went out and had a big Mexican dinner because I was so excited. Once my stomach started going crazy, I regretted it so much! Congrats!

It depends on how early. Most doctors will not induce too early unless there is a medical reason. All of my kids were induced. The earliest was a week early, the others were around the due date. I had no side effects. I was given Pitocyn(sp?) by IV, three hours later I was delivering a baby. That is not the norm.

When you start having weekly appointments your doctor can tell you if your body is ready. Don't rush too much. If your body is not ready to deliver it can be hard.

I hope you find the answer you are looking for. Congrads!

M., I think its best to let nature run its course... I know of too many women being induced as little as one week early... and having babies with premie-like problems...even at 39 weeks!
Part of the "whole rushing to the hospital"thing is not really that frantic... most of the time. Its part of the wonder of birth! Although I "rushed" with both my babies, I had been in preterm labor for 6 weeks with both and I was at 2 min apart with both. I still made it.

Good luck and God Bless!

Dear M.:

My friend was induced because her baby was "getting too big". Oops, the doctor calculated the date and size wrong and her baby was born just under 6 lbs and had breathing problems and sleep apnea.

In addition, your body starts to produce endorphins (natural pain killers) about 2 days before a natural delivery. Nature has its provisions! My doctor induced by stripping my membranes with my first child. Even though that is supposed to be "more natural", I believe that it increased my pain and stress.

Don't worry, most first babies do NOT create a need to rush to the hospital. The average first labor is 12 hours.

Good Luck

Jen

PS - Don't let your husbands stress ruin your labor - YOU are number one at this time. This is the one time in your life when you should be totally selfish.

M.,

I know you and your hubby are so excited to meet your little one, but like the others say, keep that baby in as long as possible. Inducing for convenient purposes will only put undue stress on a baby who isn't ready to come out yet. Especially if the baby is a boy, they just need more time to "cook". My 1st was a boy and he was born on his due date. I was miserable as I'm sure you are, but I knew it was best for him to come when he was ready.

Good luck and hang in there! July isn't too much longer!

As an ob nurse I will tell you that if you are induced too early your risk for a c/s birth goes up dramatically!! I agree to let mother nature take its course - with my number one I was past my 41st week when I went into labor - easy labor and delivery - number 2 was induced (for size issues) at 39 weeks and it was a nightmare. It saddens me that most of our deliveries now are inductions and scheduled c/s - most for people who want the convenience of knowing when the baby will come - however it is NOT best for the baby - the stress of an induced labor is hard on the baby.... just some thoughts - if you want you can message me privately.

J.

M.,
Congratulations on your baby!! I would agree with most of the posts. Most first time moms have their babies around or a little after their due dates. It is best to wait until your body is ready to labor. Induction (any inventions for that matter) increase your risk of c-section. With my first child I went into labor naturally a day after my due date. My water broke at home and he was born 12 hours later. Most first labors are longer and you will have plenty of time to get to the hospital. I was induced with my 2nd son because he was a week overdue but I only had to have one dose of cyotec (sp?) and he was born 10 hours later. Contractions came on very gradually unlike with pitocin. With baby #3 I went into labor naturally at 38 1/2 weeks. I am pregnant and due at the beginning of Sept and I will be induced at 38 weeks with this baby because of high risk issues. I would not choose this for convenience because I know labor can be more painful with pitocin and c-sections increase. They will start me with cyotec and hopefully I won't have to have pitocin. I have had all of my babies without any drugs or epidural. Also with all of children (except #2 b/c it was summer - I work in the schools) I worked until the day I had my baby and it was not a probelm, so my maternity leave started the day I had the baby. I even worked through having mild contractions. Legally you can take up to 12 weeks of maternity leave through Family Medical Leave Act although it may not be paid. I wish you the best of luck and really do the research.

I can only answer from my experiences. So, that being said, I decided on induction for my first child-my doctor was going to be out of town on my due date. I was in labor 9 hours and pushed for 2 and a half. No big problems, but the medication they gave to bring on labor made contractions very painful, very quickly. With my second, I let nature take its course and I was in labor for 3 hours and pushed for 5 minutes. However, this was my second baby, so things moved faster. If I was to do it again, I would choose to go into labor on my own. The positives of induction are knowing when your baby will be born and everyone can be prepared, but letting nature decide was a lot more exciting for me. We didn't get to take all the photos we would have liked because it was the middle of the night with my second and family had to rush in from out of town, but it was still worth it. Of course, the health of you and your baby come first. So, talk with your doctor and do what you feel is right for you and baby, not what is convenient for everyone else. They won't be the ones having the baby. Congrats and good luck!!

I have not really heard of a dr inducing just for the sake of convenience! I was induced 2 weeks early, but that was due to toxemia and high blood pressure! If you are at a reputable hospital they won't induce just b/c you want them to. There has to be a health reason! You want the baby to stay in the womb AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!! There can be serious complications for taking a baby before he/she is ready! I would not do it!

I have always heard that induction causes labor pains to be worse. I was induced and the labor pains were bad, but nothing i couldnt handle. Of coarse i had an epidural when it got to bad. I pushed for 3 1/2 hours but ended up having to have a c-section because my pelvis bone was misshapened and his head was too big to fit through. We decided to induce so that all of our family and friends could be there. I would say it was worth it.

I would let your body decide when the time is right. I have had three babies, and had to be induced with the first and the last. My first was 4 days late, so they induced. The pictocin makes the contractions stronger and harder, and it hurts a lot worse. With my baby, now 8 months old, my water broke 2 days before I was due, but my labor wasn't progressing, so again, I had to be induced. My second was much easier, because I didn't have to be induced at all. It was a much more relaxing and enjoyable experience.

yes. With an artificial hormone like pitocin, you run the risk of having piggy-backing contractions and not having the time to recover between contractions. This puts a lot more strain on your body so that it's more difficult to deliver naturally.

But more importantly, God made your body to work a certain way and for some reason we humans think we can do it better. When we let the baby come in his/her own time, we allow God to do his creation in his way and time.

Now, my daughter was 11 days late and the doctor told me that it was becoming medically unsafe for her to remain in the womb. So I had him strip my membranes (you can Google it) and that prompted labor to come within 36 hours without having to use artificial hormones.

I obviously have an opinion, but I wish you both the best in whatever decision you make.

Some doctors will induce if asked but many may not. I had two induced labors and one one without. The induced labors were harder and more painful. Every muscle in my body hurt, but I also did not have an epidural. The contractions are so much more powerful, because that is what that medicine does. They flood your body with contraction medicine, but it is not uterus specific, and after labor, I was sore for about a week. With my one without, I labored at home just rocking in a chair and walking until my contractions were about 2 minutes apart, then woke hubby up and went to the hosp. My water didn't break. But I was already a 5, so when the doctor broke my water the baby was born in about 45 minutes. If I had it to do over again, I would not be induced. The last induced was enough for me. I would be 2 weeks late and still not induce. I also have big babies. My first child was an induced and we moved his due date up 3 weeks, induced and he was 9.0 lbs. The natural labor, was 9.9 lbs, and the last was about 12 days early, induced and 9.0 lbs. It is fine to take the guess work out of the labor, but if you are going natural, with minimal drugs, I would advise against it. If you are going with an epidural, I don't suppose that during labor the contractions would be felt as much, but after you will be sore. I also found that during labor with the inducements, the rest time between contractions was not as long and therefore the inducements were more tiring. Since the rest phase was shortened, my body seemed to work twice as hard. Which makes sense, since you are over-riding the body and starting the labor early artificially. It makes sense that it would take more medicine and be harder on the body.
I would definatley consider inducement if you are to have a big baby, but I don't think I would let the whole, rushing to the hospital thing bear on my judgement. It is hard on the body for a little convenience. And remember, once those inducement drugs are in your system there is not way to get them back out, until they wear off, so you will have to ride things out. Once you start, you can't stop. And truthfully, as far as the convenience, your husband isn't going through the labor so won't feel all the pains or intensity, so if all he feels is a little inconvenience then I think he needs to consider what he is asking you and your body to do, for his convenience. Now, I am sure that he wasn't snotty or anything, but knowing what I know now, I would tell him to stuff it. That he could suffer a little inconvenience for me to have an easier and less intense labor, and there-by a quicker recovery.
Remember, these are just my opinions and my reactions to the meds. Everyone is different, but when I ask girlfriends etc. that have had both, induced and non-induce, they have said that they would not induce if offered and that the non-induced labor was less painful and intense.
But either way, Like the geico commercial, whether you eat at the palace or the royal estate you will be eating filet mignon. Meaning, either way you come home with a miracle in your arms!!!!!
Good luck and congratulations,
L.

My advice is let that baby come when she is ready. It's not a frantic rush to the hospital like you see in the movies. Chances are you won't even have to turn the hazard lights on your car or speed. I had one come on her own and one induced because of size and let me tell you, the induction was no fun. It was much harder and more intense. Let your baby determine when she's done baking.

Hello M.,

Enjoy your time being with your baby this way. Your body and baby will tell you when it is ready. My Dr. gave me the option to induce at 40 weeks. I really wanted to do it because I was ready, but I decided that since the baby was healthy, I would let her decide. Finally at 42 wks, I induced. Funny - she still did not want to come out!! It was 3 long painful days.

Maybe be just enjoy being pregnant and let nature do its part.

Good luck and congradulations!!

Yes, there are negatives about inducing early. One of them being that your body doesn't produce it's natural pain-killers when labor is induced through pitocin, etc. I was induced with my daughter when she was 9 days late - but would have preferred to not have been. While I did not have a terrible labor, I think that having the pitocin makes your body speed up...and sometimes it is just not ready yet. All in all, my opinion is, if you don't NEED to be induced, don't be. In most normal cases, your body knows and can best control the timing of your labor and birth. We learned in our birthing classes that when the baby has finished developing it produces a certain hormone that signals, DONE!, to your body - and labor begins. Another thing we learned in the labor classes (a great idea for first time parents), was that induction greatly increases the chances of c-section births (something I REALLY, really didn't want.)

So, anyway...If it were me, I'd try to wait (as long as your dr. thinks it is safe) until your body and baby are ready.

Well it all depends on weather you want an epidural or not. I would not do it without one. I have had three children and number 4 is on the way. My 3rd was born at 36 weeks. I got to 7 cm. all on my own without pain and not in the hospital based on that Labor was then induced. I had not had and epi with either of my previous children and did not plan to with my 3rd. From 8am until 12pm I made no progress and was is SO MUCH PAIN. My daughter also went into fetal distress. At that point not sure of whether we would have to have a c-section I got an epi. It was heaven. I curled up on my side and went to sleep woke up 2 hour later to have her. Down side? Not being able to get up and walk around for hours later. Having to have a catheter, man I hate those. The bruise on my back and soreness at the epidural site that took 8-12 weeks to get better. All that being said I don't plan to have and epi with this next one. It was SO much easier with the others. With my first I was in labor for 7 hours and pushed for 15 minutes and with my second was in labor for an hour and pushed for 5 minutes. With each of my children my husband was able to come home form work and take me to the hospital with time to spare. Google inductions and find the pros and cons and then also have a good conversation about it with your doctor.