Induction Question.... Please Help Mama's!

I was ready to have my baby and did the induction. Went by like a breeze. As for the c section you probably will have to do anyway if the baby is to big.

I was induced with both of my kids and had them both vaginally. I had a good experience. Try to avoid petocin until after you have an epideral if you decied to have one. I started having contractions early but they weren't progressing my labor just strong and uncomfortable. Good Luck!

My first was induced with a dose of Caster Oil. And my doctor ordered it! I've learned that if the baby is ready to be born within a few days, this works. She weighed 6 lbs 8 oz. My second due date was set at June 29th. She wasn't born until Aug. 3rd and weighed in at 5 lbs. 14 oz. Not a late baby at all! So dates can be wrong. I've even known some who had the sono and the doctor predicted a big baby, but when it was born it wasn't big at all.

I would personally wait if size is the only factor. Sonos can be very wrong. My first son was said to be 8+ pounds from multiple sonos (2 a week for the last month). He was a whopping 5 pounds 15 ounces at birth. Your body knows when the time is right... you won't stay pregnant forever!
Good luck!

Actyally, the BEST way to avoid a c-section is to decline an induction. 50% of inductions end in a c-section:( I know a dozen women who had babies over 10 pounds. Go into labor naturally, labor on your feet, and don't push lying on your back or sitting on your butt. Instead, get on your hands and knees or kneel. It opens your pelvis 30%! Your doctor might want you to be on your back or sitting, but that's for HIS/HER convenience, it has nothing to do with what is best for YOU.
And yes the US can be up to TWO POUNDS off, so if all they are doing is guessing based on the US, then ignore it. Few women grow babies they can't birth unless another factor like uncontrolled GD is involved.
Good luck:) Just remember, you're the mama and care should be a collaboration, the doc isn't your boss.

maybe not a popular answer, but I think doctors just want to get it done and over with and some resort to scaring moms into thinking the child will be "too large" Most first time moms go a week late as long as your fluids around baby are good and there are no other health concerns it should be your choice.
I had both my boys naturally in a hospital with midwives. GREAT experience first was a week late and 7lbs 8 oz and second was right on time and 9lb 1oz. Trust your body and decide what is best for you and have an honest conversation with your doctor about what you want to have happen and how can you all work together to try and accompolish that. KNowing full well things will change, but get a real reason, not just size, for the induction;)
Regardless, congratulations and good luck being a first time mommy!!!

Really, unless you have a unhealthy pregnancy you do NOT have to induce at 40 wks. At 42 weeks the placenta starts to die. So you can't let it go past that.
I would push the appt back a lil more and give your baby some time.
He/she will come when they're ready. :)

I would go with your gut feeling - wait it out and let things go naturally.

Congrats!

Go with your gut instinct. It's your body. Take your doctor's advice, do your own research and help make a decision about YOUR birth. A mother's inner wisdom is there for a reason. Listen to it.

I would wait. As you already know, those who get induced are more likely to end up having a C Section.

Have you watched "The Business of Being Born"? Very eye opening.

Many first babies stay in the womb a little longer. He's ready to be born when his lungs are all finished developing and that will trigger your body to go into labor.

So what if it's a large baby? Your body is designed to do this. My first daughter was 9 lbs 12 oz. We did just fine.

Good luck!

I was induced with both my boys. The first ended in a C section because he tied his umbilical cord in a knot. The second was a successful VBAC. I was in the same position as you wondering if I should just let him come on his own, but I was happy I went ahead with the induction because he was 8 lbs 12 oz and if he got stuck when he was coming out. If he would have been any bigger then I would have had to have another c-section. I had third degree tearing with the second, but even with all that the recovery was easier than with the c-section. So IMHO you could end up with a c-section in any situation so inducing when the baby could be smaller may make your delivery easier.

I would cancel the induction!! Due dates and ultrasounds are ESTIMATES and generally not usualy correct. If you've had no issues with the pregnancy, I'd let the baby set your body into motion when it's ready - not synthetic hormones which will cause extremely un-naturally painful contractions.

Women can birth a 10lb baby - with perianal support, stretching and oiling and NOT tear or need an episotomy. This is what midwives do in order to preserve the perianal area for women, since it is such an important part of anatomy. Chances of your OB doing the same is close to nil. You may want to quickly research that so your husband can help you with this... or your doula if you have one.

If you want more info... email me privately.

I am a mom of 2 and I ended up being induced for my second child. Here is why: my first son was 10 pounds even when he was born and he was actually on time! I went into labor on my own with him but it was 30+ hours of labor with contractions every 5-10 minutes for about 25 of those hours (of course I now know why - he was a big baby)! I was actually close to having a c-section for two reasons - first, he was face up in the birth canal and the dr was worried about the stress on him and second, he actually started to get a fever I think due to his size and being face up trying to move through my birth canal during my contractions. He had me rotate from side-to-side for 30 minutes to try to help him rotate to face down - it worked thankfully! Had it not worked, I was going to have a c-section. We had no idea how large he was before I delivered! With my second baby, my dr. was worried about having a larger baby than my first so we scheduled me to be induced just to protect her. I think I was scheduled within a couple of days of my due date. She was 8 lbs, 4 oz so smaller than my first. Although the labor was harder with being induced, it was by far the right decision to protect her from potential stress during natural labor in the event she was larger than she actually was. I know everyone's situation is different but trust your doctor as they have probably been through so many different scenarios they are only trying to protect both you and your baby! Best of luck on whatever decision you go with - no matter what, your life wil be filled with a love like no other!!

Only you can decide, based on your comfort level.
Inductions DO result in more C-sections. I wound up with one when I chose to induce, after 2 hrs of pushing, I couldn't get my daughter out.

That being said, I was terrified of a C-section because I didn't want to deal with the recovery.
Know what? My recovery with a c-section was FASTER than when I delivered my son vaginally.
Ask your doctor HOW he performs the cesarean. If he does (or is willing to) simply SEPARATE your abdominal muscles, then recovery is considerably shorter and you'll be mobile much faster. The real trauma for c-sections is when the muscle is cut through. That's what takes so long to heal and leads to lasting issues.

Good luck!

Take your doctor's advice. If he is on the large size and you wait a week, he is going to be that much larger. Those last weeks (past full term) they are mostly just putting on weight. If a C section is needed due to size, waiting a week will not change it.

Its your body & your baby, you don't have to do everything the dr tells you. If there is absolutely nothing wrong with your pregnancy & you want to wait a week, then wait. Don't let the Dr. push you into something your not comfortable with. If you get induced & can't labor, you have a c-section, if you wait a week & go into natural labor but can't deliver then you have a c-section. So you do what you want.

Well sex and a lot of walking worked for me. My friend who is seeing a midwife and trying to go the natural route was told to pump 30 min, get some "lovin", walk, and pump again.

There are just so many pro and con choices to induction imo. I am VERY pro natural birth and ended up having both mine being induced. The first was because I was in soooo much pain toward the end (I had lots of issues w/both pregnancies), I was crying every day - it was a nightmare. I was induced at 39 weeks. It was EASY! I felt nothing for the 1st 6 hrs or so, the last 3 were painful contracts and then he was born so really 3 hours of pain. My second I REALLY wanted to come on his own of course but he just didn't want to apparantly. He was getting larger and I was finally induced 12 days after my "due date". My labor was 28 hrs and I think it was because he was so big (8lb10oz, 1.5lbs bigger than my first which is a LOT in a baby) he just couldn't come out as easily. Looking back for an easier labor I should have been induced. I still had him vaginally and it was fine but just sooooo long! BUT on the other hand a baby starts sleeping better after they are 10lbs, my first took until he was 9 months to sleep decent. My second was a GREAT sleeper from the start and I really think that his weight helped him stay fuller longer to sleep better. So that was a plus and helped me feel good about it :) Honestly I would go with your instinct. If you aren't huge, chances are your baby won't be either (and if they are hopefully they will be a good sleeper:)! Personally I wouldn't wait past a week knowing what I know now but I would definitely wait another week if you can! good luck and hope you have a great birth!! Remember you can always not let them break your water, that's usually the main reason to do a c/s if they break water and then you don't go into labor still they will do a c/s after 20 hrs or so (24 max). So just refuse that as long as you can/want!

I was in the same situation about 6 1/2 years ago. I was at my due date, and the sono measured 8 lbs 15 oz, but the doctor told me my daughter could be a pound above or below that. I wasn't dilating/effacing - no activity, not even slightly. My doctor felt we should schedule a c-section. My mother said no way - all the women on her side gave birth late and so that's probably what was happening to me too. She urged me to wait. The doctor pushed to move forward, but in the end let me make the final decision.

Because I was not showing any signs of the baby even beginning to be ready to arrive, she felt inducing would likely lead to an emergency c-section. I did NOT want a c-section, but if I had to have one, I wanted everyone to be relaxed and in control so I opted for the c-section. I was so upset. I had planned to try to give birth without an epidural. Had a whole natural birth plan in place and then suddenly all that was thrown out. I ended up moving my c-section three days later than originally scheduled, hoping the baby would come on her own. Then the day I started maternity leave - the original date of the c-section - I felt some fluid and thought I might be leaking. The doctor couldn't find anything and I wasn't showing signs of effacing/dilating, but she thought we should go ahead with the c-section that night because she was worried about the baby.

I didn't get to go home. I didn't have a hospital bag ready. I called my husband and parents, checked in to labor and delivery and had my daughter that evening. She ended up being 22 inches and 9 lbs. 14 oz. so I think it all worked out for the best that we went ahead and got her out via a relaxed c-section.

I feel for you as it is a difficult situation to be in. There is no real way to know what's best, so go with your gut feeling and then be prepared to switch gears should things not go as you hope.

Is there a reason why the doctor said the baby might be larger, other than the fact that you are at 40 weeks? If not, then I would suggest not worrying overly much about the size.

I've had two children, one induced, one not. Both were past due, and just under 8 pounds. I've heard lots of people say that inductions are painful, but that was not my experience. Yes, the contractions come on much faster, but they weren't actually more painful, and having a shorter duration of labor made it easier for me.

Good luck with your decision, and congratulations on your upcoming birth!

No one can make that decision but you, but if it were me, I would wait at least past the weekend. My son was 10 days past his due date when I went into labor. He was 8 lbs 12 oz at birth. I was scheduled for a Monday morning induction if he didn't arrive over that weekend. I went into labor Saturday night.
Completely drug free labor/delivery. It was great!

I know that they cannot accurately predict the size of the baby. So I would be more concerned with how he is doing in utero. You should probably have a non-stress test done on Friday to make sure everything is a.ok before you go the weekend. I know that after I was about 3 days "past due" my doc started doing them every few days... to make sure the baby was ok.

Once you start with an induction though, you put yourself and your baby on a time limit. And if things don't happen in short order, you could end up with a C-section. It is not at all uncommon for an induction to fail and then the water is broken and the baby must be taken by Csection. Of course, an induction could be just what you need to get started... but I tend to think that since doctor's can't even figure out what exactly triggers a natural labor that it is best to give your body/your baby a chance to make that decision, rather than interfering with drugs.

My niece was expecting a very LARGE baby last year. (Her hubby was around 13 lbs at birth)... They opted for induction about 3 days before her due date (and ended up with several complications including a C section) and her baby was 9 lbs. Another week wouldn't have made her baby too big for a natural delivery, but she ended up with a C section instead.

There may be reasons that your doctor has for suggesting the induction, that we (those of us on Mamapedia) don't know. Have you asked her/him for ALL their reasons? Is your pelvis very small or shaped abnormally, for instance? That might be a contributing reason.

My personal opinion, from what information you gave, is that I would wait AT LEAST the weekend. And if the baby is doing fine, then wait even longer to see if you go into labor on your own.

My baby was due on July 1. He was born on July 12. No problems.

Listen to your gut!!! Your body is more accurate than the doctors or sono!!! If you feel things are not right then that may be one thing but sounds like all is good and waiting a few days will be fine.

Remember that your due date is just a time frame for when the baby can be expected. It can be off a week or two, or more. My husband and I laughed when we were given our first child's due date, because the math would have put him out of the country for more than two weeks during the time of conception! I think, for the most part, your baby will come when he/she is ready.

When I went into labor with our second child, my contractions stopped when I got to the hospital. They didn't want me to go home since my first child delivered like a rocket. So, we waited and waited. The impatience of the staff was palpable, and I did feel pressured. My husband urged me to wait, but after three days of being dilated to 7, watching "Sanford and Son" reruns, bouncing on a yoga ball, and walking the floor, I agreed to Pitocin. Funny thing is, the delay is right in line with my second child's personality, and my first child is still a little rocket! Hope this was helpful to you. God bless!

I was induced with my first (15 years ago), at 41 weeks. I had gestational diabetes and they were concerned about the baby's size. She was 8lbs, 15oz. No problems.

If the Dr. is concerned the baby may be too large now, and baby's grow very quickly at 40+ weeks... to me that would mean by waiting you are increasing your chance of a c-section because the baby will grow even larger. IMO - keep the Friday appt.

C-section are always there for a reason , I get induced with my 2 daughters, with the youngest one I was 41 weeks and 4 days , let me tell you the pain is horror! And my babys weight more than 8 pounds never need the c-section..... So now with my third one I have decided that I'm going to wait till this baby is ready, I'm very curious about the real pain and not the induced one, and is always 2 weeks difference in a due date before or after....so is up to you. how do you feel, are you ready to POP ? Or are you able to handle a few more days....?

I have had two successful inductions. My first one while successful for a vaginal birth was a long 46 hour labor, 3 hours of pushing resulting in a sunny side up 9lb 5 oz baby. My second was much easier 16 hour labor with 45 minutes of pushing. My second I had an u/s and it was almost dead on for weight a week before my induction she measusred 8lbs 10 oz and she was born exactly a week later at 9lbs 1oz. If you feel like you can hold out a bit longer I would try to go in on your own. Both of my girls were 10 days late. I had pitocin and was 6 cm before I needed an epidural. I didn't see where the pitocin was that bad, just have them use the lowest dose necessary. Good luck!

I was induced with my 2nd. I chose to do this because I was miserable (who isn't at 40 weeks?). I don't think I would do it again unless I had to which I think is around 42 weeks. My DD ended up coming face-up and had to be vacuum extracted. I couldn't help but wonder if I'd just let her come when she wanted, it would have been a better experience for all. Who knows, maybe she would have come the next day or 2. BUT, I would say that if your Dr. recommends an induction for the health of the baby, I would always defer to the experts. Good luck and congratuations!

80% of first time Moms go 2 weeks past their due dates. It also depends on how long your baby takes to grow (Some women have delivered at 44 weeks with 7 lb babies, granted that's far and few between, but it does happen). If you feel like you need to wait a week, and there are no other underlying causes such as high blood pressure, then wait a week. We were off by a full pound with both my kiddos, so no, they CAN NOT tell you how much or long your baby is. Also, if you induce, you run a bigger risk of having a c-section because, if you're body is not ready to deliver, then the medicine won't work, you'll end up dialating to a certain point and stopping and then, guess what? Oh, you've been in labor for so many hours without progress and now your baby is in distress, so we have to do a c-section (happens more times than not). I would wait a week and don't let them talk you into to doing something different, because they will!

My doc unless something extreme is going makes us wait to 42 weeks. Now it is very rare for anyone to go that long. He is not fond of a lot of intervention. He thinks it complicates things.

But this seems quick. I would personally not do an induction till at least 41 weeks.

You don't mention anything about wanting a natural birth or not? I was induced at 40 weeks with my first child and then had him all naturally (no pain killers). The labor was VERY long and VERY hard. Personally, I was in excellent shape at the time (I had been doing aerobics 4 days a week before I got pregnant and cut down to two days a week towards the end of the pregancy - up to 8.5 months). But, still the labor from the induction was hard. My baby was 9lbs 3 oz (do you consider that big?).

The next baby was also induced, but she practically flew out of my body. However, I did choose to have an epidural with her and let me tell you, it was WAY more pleasant that way.

Good luck!
L.

Just my opinion, but you should put some weight in what your mom's labors were like, and if you have sisters, what theirs were like too. Usually they have some similarities. If you or your siblings were big babies, it is possible your child will be too. If you have sisters who had big babies, ditto. But if all went normally, I think it's probably okay to tell your doctor you want to wait.

The bottom line here, tho, is that whatever YOU want, don't feel like the doctor can tell you, you have to do this or you must do that. it is up to you. That said, the baby's health is most important.

It's a tough balance to figure out, and a very personal choice for every mom. Look inside your heart, and talk to your husband, and make a choice that fits for you both. Ignore everyone else. Good luck!

Updated

Just my opinion, but you should put some weight in what your mom's labors were like, and if you have sisters, what theirs were like too. Usually they have some similarities. If you or your siblings were big babies, it is possible your child will be too. If you have sisters who had big babies, ditto. But if all went normally, I think it's probably okay to tell your doctor you want to wait.

The bottom line here, tho, is that whatever YOU want, don't feel like the doctor can tell you, you have to do this or you must do that. it is up to you. That said, the baby's health is most important.

It's a tough balance to figure out, and a very personal choice for every mom. Look inside your heart, and talk to your husband, and make a choice that fits for you both. Ignore everyone else. Good luck!

Most 1st time moms go a week to 2 weeks past their due dates. I was induced with my first and it was extremly unpleasent. My OB only let me be in labor for 6 hours most are in labor more than that. NO sono can give an accurate weight of the baby, it is only a guess. They told me my first was going to be almost 10 pounds. He barely weighed 8. Avoid c-section at all costs, it is very painful. After having to have a c-section with my first, I didn't even get to see him for 11 hours after because they had to put me under (the epidural did not take). It was such a traumatic even that I did not want any more children. (3 1/2 years later we did have another) My 2nd child I saw a midwife my whole pregnancy. My body would not go into labor so ended up having a c-section, but this one was a much better experience. My midwife stayed with me in the OR along with my hubby. I saw my daughter immediatly after she was born. Bottom line, I can't tell you what you should do, if it does not feel right, go with your instincts. Good luck and congrats!

First time moms tend to go past their due dates. Don't be scared into thinking that your baby will be big. Women successfully deliver "bigger" babies vaginally all the time if that is the worst case scenario. You will not regret waiting a bit. Then, if induction really seems necessary, go there, but don't jump the gun.

i have been in the same situation with my last 2. i ended up being induced early with my 2nd because i was already dilated and labor just wasn't starting. he ended up being 9 lbs. my 3rd i was induced on my due date and he was 9 lbs 9oz. i have never had a c-section, but have torn due to quick labors and pushing. however, i tore the worst with my first (2 weeks early) 7lbs 10 oz. inductions don't necessarily mean c-sections and neither do big babies. the sonograms are often very wrong. i say go with your gut, say some prayers and hope for the best. i am currently 37 weeks pregnant with my 4th and it looks like he's gonna be another monster baby:) we'll see. congratulations and good luck to you!

I haven't read any responses so my apologies if this is a duplicate. I want to simply say that many doctors these days seem to like doing c-sections (they like to schedule vs. be woken up) causing them to almost push you into feeling you need it. For my first I showed all the signs 1 month early, but time passed and I had no contractions. At 40 weeks I was told that likely things won't change and to induce. As she said, some women's bodies just don't know how to contract. Induction was not fun, but we all know the actual process of having a baby should not be compared to something easy. Gist is don't feel pushed to do a C. 2 weeks after your due date, though, ensure you realize the little one does need to come out and if it's a C then, then you tried by waiting.
FYI... my second came so fast I couldn't get drugs before she came. Ya never know what it's going to be like :)

I was induced beucase they were afraid my daughter was going to be a 10 pounder. I was actually induced on my due date and it was very painful (but this was my first baby) and i had a 8lbs 1oz baby. I wanted to avoid a C section too, thats why i went ahead with the induction. My doctor actually gave me the option of inducing a week early because of baby size, but i wanted to see if she would come on her own. I will also say that I wanted to do all natural, but the intensity of contractions was not letting me progress. So after about 17 hours with no meds, i got the epidural and she was out 4 hours later with 2 pushes. Good luck!

I was induced at 40 weeks 2 days... the induction didn't take so after 10 hours of trying, they sent me home. They wanted to induce me for the same reason... I was measuring very large, and they thought I would have a big baby. I went into labor on my own the night after (so when I was 4 days over). When I got there my blood pressure skyrocketed and I developed preeclampsia, so they put me on a pic. drip to speed up my labor to try and avoid a C-section. I was able to have my DD without the c-section, but she turned out to be 9lbs 12oz! Her clavacle broke because she was so big, and her shouder got hung up on my hip bone.

You're question is puzzling - you don't want a C because the baby is too large; won't it be larger a week later? I say trust the doctors, regardless. The health of your baby is most important.

I had a friend who had a c-section b/c they told her the baby would be too large, she was 5 lbs! I would try to have the baby naturally (ie, vaginally), doctors just want to do things the quickest way for them.

The doctor is right that sonos cannot predict the size of the baby. In fact, I only know of one person that they have been close to accurate for. They told my sister her baby was almost 10 pounds. When she had the baby several days later, the baby was only 7lbs 14 ozs. They induced a friend of mine also, saying her baby was upper 9 lbs and to avoid a c-section she should be induced. Guess what? She ended up with a c-section because she wouldn't dilate and her baby was only 8lbs. Now, I am not a large person. I am 5' 7" and 120lbs. My first baby was 9lbs 2 ozs and NOT a c-section! The last I knew, the ACOG rules were to wait until 41 weeks for an induction.

Here's the deal. If you don't want to be induced, don't be. Yes, a larger baby does increase the risk of c-section, but guess what? So does induction. You are not gaining anything by being induced. ESPECIALLY with the first baby. I was induced with my first baby and all I can say is it was not the experience I wanted. By forcing your body to go into labor when it isn't ready, all sorts of things could happen. In my case, the baby was posterior (but my doc had no clue) so I pushed for 3 hours and almost ended up with a c-section. When my (supposedly 6lb) baby came out sunny side up, the docs were all amazed.

I will admit, I am pro natural birth. But if you study up on birth you find out quickly that 99% of the time, if you just wait and let your body to what it is supposed to do, it knows what to do! I let my next 2 babies come when they wanted (my last was 41w 4d) and I can tell you it was MUCH better! My first labor (induced) was nearly 24 hours. My last was only 3 and was so much easier even though she was still 8lbs 8ozs. Some of that is the difference in the first vs 3rd baby, but a lot of it was just waiting for my body to do what it needed to do.

There is no way to guarantee you won't have a c-section, there is always a small chance. And if you really need one, it is a life-saving surgery. But the best way to start out on the right foot is to let things go the way your body wants to do it. The sooner you are induced, the higher your chance for c-section. Do a Google on evidence-based maternity care.

I agree- have you had your baby yet? DR. are usually off the mark by 1.5 lbs when predicting a baby's size. After recovering from both a vaginal and cesarean birth, I would give (almost) anything to not have to go thru the c/s recovery. All kinds of problems are more likely to arise from C/S and birth recovery can take much longer.
Good luck!

You have soo many answers but I just wanted to put in my experience.With my first I was induced almost 3 weeks early because of pregnancy induced hyper tension. They told me it was either be induced or do 3 weeks of bed rest. Well I didn't have a lot of maternity leave so I would have rather spent that time with the baby instead of laying in bed before she got there. They did a sono and made sure that she was good to go, she was dropped I was 2 cm and starting to efface. So off to the hospital we went. When we got there I was contracting to much to be induced so we had to stop the contractions (I couldn't feel them at all) and then I was induced. 26 hours later I was finally given pitosin and 5 hours later my daughter was in my arms. I was hardly in any pain at all, only about 20-30 minutes and then I told them I wanted the epidural and it was there within a few minutes. I actually loved being induced. My water did break on it's own right before they started the pitosin so my body was pretty ready to have that baby!
I have already joked with my doctor that March 18th is looking really good to have this baby (I'm due the 30th but my husband is a teacher and his spring break starts the 18th). Of course I won't do it if my body isn't ready but as much as this kid is moving around I feel like she's going to break out on her own early anyway.

Good luck with your decision. If you are not miserable and feel like you can make it another week, wait it out. you don't want to regret that you went to early. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and see what they say!

Good luck! and congrats on your new little love!!

I was going to be induced with my thirteen year old because I was 41 weeks, the night before I put myself into labor by walking the mall for four hours.They told me she would be about 8lbs and she weighed 6.My labor was a breeze..My four year old and 13wk old were induced and it was traumatizing..Wouldn't advice it to anyone..My babies were still high up and did not want to come out..They had to use the vacuum, forceps, etc..I even got put into the operating room beacause they were going to do a section if he did not come..Luckily they finally got him and his poor little head looked soooo bad and like it hurt really bad..I do not advise ANYONE to be induced, the baby will come when he/she is ready.....

I would NOT induce until at least a week post-due date unless you are already dilating/effacing. If your body is not already on the way to having the baby (dilating/effacing) you could face a failed induction, c-section, etc. The kiddos gain about an ounce a day after the due date so you are talking about less than 1/2 a lb difference. I would wait and see if he will come on his own. I just got advance permission from my OB practice to go 2 weeks post-date with baby #3 to get my VBAC (#1 was vaginal; #2 c-section after failed induction at 1 week post-date but due to short 6" umbilical cord). Give your baby time! Being induced is no picnic. Pitocin sucks and makes the contractions harder and longer....so even if you thought "no epidural for me", you may give in.

Follow your gut and postpone the induction. There is no medical reason for you to be induced at 40.2 weeks, especially given that the average first-time labor begins at 41.1 weeks. Concern about a large baby is not a reason - the measurements are usually off, and even if the baby is on the big side, women deliver 9-10+ lb babies vaginally all the time. Modern docs can be very cavalier about inducing labor - I was in a birth class a couple of years ago and in Boston, the rate of "assisted" labor (induction, breaking the water manually, or c-section) was some totally ridiculous stat like 70%.

My first baby was induced at one day shy of 42 weeks and it was a total nightmare. My 2nd and 3rd were spontaneous labors (1 day early and 1 week early) and my 4th delivery was twins and they were induced at 37 weeks. That induction was actually a breeze, so they can go well but for first timers, there are a lot of negative experiences. Trust your gut and do not allow yourself to be induced unless there is some clear medical need to do so.

Good luck - hope you have a great delivery, and you'll be holding your baby in your arms soon!

My oldest daughter was induced. My oldest was three weeks late and the US said she was a boy (all 5 of them) with low fluid. We induced for three days and right before they were going to send me home, my water broke. I found out later that I had preeclampsia and that was why they wanted the induction. She just wasn't ready to come yet. They eventually had to do the vacuum.

With my second daughter, I had preterm and I was already dialated at 32 weeks so we had just the membranes done on her due date.

The last daughter was in such a hurry it was like a scene from "Big Fish" she was a whole month early. Of course, that is also her personality lol!

The choice is yours but too many doctors want to cut a woman open because it is easier for them. Granted some are necessary, as mentioned on this board, but far too many are not it is just when a doctor can "schedule" you in for a planned c-section. This is my personal opinion of course but unless the baby is in danger or you yourself, then why would someone want a c-section and the complications that come with that.

The induction with chemicals or you could just have them break your water which will induce labor as well. But I would not just let them do it if you are just a week late. Please let us know how it turns out!