https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:43:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470292 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 15:35:17 +0000 Mrs D 2470292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: Its partially convenience and also bc only 2 Drs in my practice deliver now...so its a way to guaruntee I know the Dr delivering DD. When I woke up in labor I could not have driven myself....certainly not a 45 min drive...I'm amazed you were able to - thats awesome! I think if I felt more confident in my ability to get there on my own I'd be having less anxiety about it... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470274 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 15:22:40 +0000 Truth Bombs 2470274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As long as you have SOMEONE you could call in an emergency I wouldn't schedule an induction just for convenience. Definitely not before 40 weeks. My water broke at 1am at 37+6 with #2. I actually drove myself to the hospital so we could asses if we needed to wake up a friend. My contractions were still irregular so my husband stayed home until LO1's day care opened and then came to the hospital. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470116 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 13:19:17 +0000 smocks 2470116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't end up having to do an elective induction, but I was planning to for #2. Here's was my situation:</p> <p>-Birth #1: water broke at 39w1d after I had been 4cm dilated and 100% effaced for about a week. Super easy delivery, they put me on pit when I got to the hospital bc my contractions were irregular but that bumped it along and from water breaking to baby in arms was 8 hours.</p> <p>-Birth #2: we live 5+ hours from family, and DH cannot adjust his schedule at all (he actually worked during the entirety of my labor, wasn't allowed to leave to be with me but he ended up delivering my baby so that made up for it). Mom was on call to drop everything and drive to us but if we were going into labor during non-daycare hours or at the end of the daycare day, the asst daycare director offered to be my backup (she is a saint). Otherwise I probably would have had to find an on-call provider off care.com or something.</p> <p>At 37w, I was 4-5cm dilated and 90ish% effaced believe. Had 2 membrane sweeps bc DS was measuring large and had been for weeks. If I hadn't gone into labor by 39 weeks, they were going to induce but I got myself an exercise ball and bounced on that for a few hours the 2 days leading up to delivery. At 38 weeks on the dot, at 7:30am, I thought I might be having non-painful but slightly regular contractions, called my OB, they told me to just go into the hospital to get checked since I was already so dilated and had a relatively fast delivery with my first. They admitted me, broke my water (it was bulging), and I had DS at 5:30pm. All 9 lbs 1 oz of him.</p> <p>So yeah to answer your question, I would absolutely have done the induction at 39 weeks, especially if baby is measuring large and you had an easy/quick delivery with #1. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470114 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 13:17:34 +0000 BelugaBean 2470114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was stuck at around 2cm and 75% effaced from (I think) 39 weeks on. I had a 13 hour, easy, spontaneous labor with my first so I chose to put off induction as long as I could. They ended up having to induce me at 41+3 anyway. I was 3cm, 75% and baby was low. I went in at 7am and the induction was delayed just a bit. They started the pitocin at 10:30am, broke my water at 2:45pm, and she was here at 5:58pm. I also only pushed for like 3-5 minutes. So my induction was so much easier than I thought it would be (I was able to go without an epidural, which I wanted) and I would do it again, even though I still wonder when she would have come on her own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470098 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 12:55:23 +0000 Mrs D 2470098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: With K, I went in to labor 4 hours before I was scheduled to be induced. I like to say it was her way of letting me know from the get go that she was in charge!</p> <p>For us - family is all a plane ride away right now (snowbirds in Florida) so I am extra anxious. My mom comes back on Mar 1...and I know that will calm me a bit. We have a solid plan A, and a plan B and plan C is to just bring her to the hospital...I just remember how bad the car ride was the last time (we are 45 mins from the hospital) and I just dont want her to see me like that!</p> <p>@Lilbear: I have definitely had thoughts of pulling all the stops out the minute my mom is back in this state if I cant quite pull the trigger on induction...just drink tea, castor oil, eat jalepenos and and start BD'ing (sadly the thought of that one pains me...).... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470075 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 12:36:23 +0000 Lilbear 2470075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like to fantasize about an elective induction, mostly because I am concerned about childcare for DD and the unpredictability of when/where/how my labor will start. There is a small part of me that is tempted to hit up the castor oil 2 days before my due date, since that started my labor with DD (at 41+2). 😬 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2470035 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 12:13:50 +0000 HappyBaker 2470035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had scheduled an induction for #2 but then the baby came the night before on his own anyway. </p> <p>I was also super stressed out about who would be caring for #1 when I went into labor, because our family lives 1.5 hours away, so scheduling the induction made me way less stressed about that aspect! </p> <p>In the end it didn't matter since #2 came when he wanted anyway, but luckily I held it together that morning until we could drop DD off at daycare! Good luck, I think the "where is #1 going" is the most stressful part of having a second baby! Worst case we were going to bring DD with us and just set her up with a tablet until someone could come get her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469961 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:19:49 +0000 josina 2469961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an elective induction with my first at 39 weeks... I had been 3-1/2 cm dilated for awhile and was having contractions (although not that I could really feel) at my 39 week appt. My dr. wanted to me the one to deliver me and was going to be out of state at 40 weeks; and we also had to worry about a 1-hour drive in winter weather conditions, so opted for the induction.<br /> I checked in at 7, pitocin at 8, broke waters at 10, epi at 11, baby at 2:30.<br /> It went great and I don't regret it, but for baby 2 I would like to try and go naturally just so I can experience it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469946 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:09:32 +0000 Mrs D 2469946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Alivoo01: Fingers crossed we'll both have easy deliveries again...maybe on the same day :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469905 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 10:32:31 +0000 Alivoo01 2469905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced with DS at 37w (2cm and 75% effaced) and my L&amp;D was fantastic! We had a little scare at the beginning, but once things went underway, I delivered DS in 7 hours after 3 sets of pushes.</p> <p>I'll be induced with DD also in 2 weeks, and I'm hoping my L&amp;D will be similar to DS's, minus the scare at the beginning! </p> <p>I'll be induced on a Monday so like you, DS will go to daycare as normal and we're trying to keep to his schedule as close to usual. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469859 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 10:00:19 +0000 Mrs D 2469859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Yes - my Dr told me basically they "schedule" you for 7am...you find out by 6am whether they really want you there or not. I asked her how frequently this happens and she said in her experience 80-90% of inductions end up happening the day they are scheduled... they just tell you to wait a few hours before coming in.</p> <p>Our hospital only does elective inductions on weekdays (no weekends) so K would be at daycare in all scenarios. So if they ended up calling us off entirely she would be none the wiser... ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469847 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:52:44 +0000 travellingbee 2469847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced at 40weeks with a favorable cervix and it was wonderful. So calm and easy. (Except when my epidural failed at the end :silly: ) it was nice being able to schedule it and have my DS1 with my parents. It ended up taking 7 hours start to finish. My first was 13 hours start to finish (not an induction) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469843 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:48:25 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2469843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just an FYI, if you have an "elective induction", you will be on a wait list so to say with the hospital. For mine last time I had a window from like 3am -7 am that they were going to call me. I hadn't heard anything and when I called they were way backed up with active labors and told me to hold off on coming in. So it kinda threw our daycare plans for a loop. </p> <p>But, yes I was induced both times, both times it went very well (first time I was not favorable). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469842 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:48:24 +0000 regberadaisy 2469842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went into labor by myself with #1 at 40 weeks exactly. With #2 I seemed to be stuck at the same point (effacement and dilation) for almost 2 weeks. We elected to have a induction at 40 weeks. It was FAST. I barely got a few drops of pitocin in me before labor started fast and furious. We got to the hospital about 9-930? DD2 was in my arms by 11:30! My OB broke my water before they hooked me up to pitocin.</p> <p>So, yes, I would consider an induction again. DD2 just needed a nudge. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/elective-induction#post-2469832 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:39:06 +0000 Mrs D 2469832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have known induction would be on the table for me starting at 39w...but now the time is getting closer...</p> <p>The whole pregnancy I have said "if my body has not done anything on its own I will not force it"...</p> <p>At 37w I was 2cm and 50% effaced...baby was low (head down) and engaged. So now I actually have to make a decision...</p> <p>My first delivery...I was 3cm for a few weeks, then 4cm at 40w2d...went into labor the next day after an aggressive membrane sweep. Labor started at 2am...got bad (pain wise) around 6am...epi at 8am...baby was here at 1pm. Pretty great labor.</p> <p>I am having major anxiety over this labor mostly related to making sure K is good and taken care of. This is part of what makes an induction so appealing...its scheduled we can get K all squared away then go off and have a baby. The idea of it happening spontaneously terrifies me...too many "what ifs"...I know its not rational but I'm 9 mos preggo and rationale thoughts are thing of the past.</p> <p>Would love to hear from some of you Mama's who have elected to induce with a favorable cervix and positive labor history...would you do it again? </p>