While I was approaching the end of my second pregnancy with E I was presented the opportunity for an elective induction after 39w - I really labored with the decision so I wanted to post here for any other Bees who encounter this situation and want to see how mine went.

Progress Pre Induction:
36w - 2cm/25% effaced
37w - 2cm/25% effaced
38w - 3cm/50% effaced
39w - 3cm/50% effaced

At my 39w appointment I was given the option to schedule an induction if I wanted. I was considered a good condidate bc 1) my first birth was very smooth and uncomplicated 2) my cervix was favorable (see above). The desire for an iduction was primarily driven by wanting one of my dr's to deliver our daughter (they only have 2 drs in their practice who deliver - they have partnered with a practice of 7 who deliver - of which I had no option to meet). As the pregnancy went on, I became increasingly anxious about the idea of spontaneous labor with a 2.5 year old at home to worry about.

At my 39w (38w5d) appointment (3/2) I scheduled an induction for the next day my practice had a Dr delivering - this was 3/9. I was told I could cancel up until the day of if I chickened out.

I called (per instructions) at 6:30am 3/9 to confirm they had space. They did and I was admitted around 7:30am. At 8am they started hooking me up to everything and monitoring my contractions (I was having some baby ones but nothing regular). I was checked and was 3.5cm and still 50%.

At 9am they started the pitocin. I let them know that I did want an epidural but understood they want to run the pit for a bit to see how baby and I do with it. They wrote it big on the white board - bc I was nervous about missing the window of opportunity with the epi. From 9am to 12:30pm (I think this was a little longer than they would have let me go but they had an emergency C section come in which divided the Dr's attention from me...which is fine). At just after 12:30pm they checked me and I was 4cm and 50% effaced still. I was having regular contractions 1 min long and 2 mins apart...my pit was at 9 at this point.

freak out point number 1 - I was SO nervous at this point that I had not progressed more than .5cm in 3.5 hours. My Dr came in and told me she wanted to break my water and thought that would really amp things up...So we ordered the Epi (she recommended it be placed before my water broke bc things can escalate quickly...

At 1:30pm I had the epi placed. It was a great Epi - I could move my legs and "feel" the contractions but really only mild pressure.

At 2:45pm Dr came back to make sure the Epi was working well and break my water. When she broke my water I was 5cm, 80% and -1 station. The water was clear - she left and said to just holler when I wanted to be checked again. At this point DH, my mom and my sister were in the room. I was really comfortable at first. Just after 3pm I started to look drowsy and started to feel some real discomfort. My sister and mom noticed and offered to leave so I could maybe get some sleep. After they left I told DH I was having real pain during the contracttions and was worried my Epi was failing. He told me he wanted me to call the Dr and tell her...I resisted and he pushed the button.

Freak out point #2 - I was terrified my Epi was failing and I was going to be SOL by the time labor got real bad. When the nurse came in I told her I was feeling a lot of pain/pressure and was worried maybe the epi was not strong enough. At this point I was actually griping the bed during contractions - thankfully they were only about a minute long. The nurse called the Dr who came in to check me at just before 3:30pm (less than an hour after my bag broke) - I was a 10 and completely effaced...ready to push according to her.

Freak out point #3 - I was so terrified that there was no way baby was ready for me to push and I was so scared I was going to be pushing for ever. My Dr saw this in me (she remembered my first birth I only pushed for 3-4 contractions before my first daughter was out) she assured me that if I did what she said baby would be here super soon and not to worry.

I did I trial push and got E's head like almost crowning. Honestly this was the most painful part of delivery - we had to wait for another contraction to really push but I could not feel the contractions through the pain/pressure of where her head was. So the nurses were pushing on my stomach to feel my contractions for me and tell me when to push.

When the next one came - I pushed once, out came her head - waited a few seconds for the dr to turn her - then pushed again and out came the shoulders (could feel the whole thing)...I was SHOCKED. I cried I was so shocked - DH was like "holy crap she's out"...E was born at 3:45...just about an hour after they broke my water.

I tore (like with K) a second degree tear with the scraping inside as well. My recovery has been great - I was able to stand about 1.5 hours after delivery and peed for the first time 2 hours after delivery. Quicker than my first.

I was really nervous about "messing with a good thing" and choosing an elective induction in the first place. Then (as I mentioned above) I was terrified at 3 points that my fear was coming true. Thankfully I had a killer labor/delivery again. If my pregnancies werent so awful - and I thought I could have 3 or more kids I could honestly handle childbirth all day long!

Hope this helps provide someone with info to help in their decision making process!