Hellobee Boards

You very well may go into labor anyway! I was supposed to be induced this pregnancy at 39 weeks, and went into labor at 38+2

I also have heard a lot of stories about easy inductions (only needing low pitocin levels) and pain med free!

You know, everyone paints inductions as this horrible thing that's a one way ticket to a c-section and a "cascade of interventions".

I had one. It was necessary, and it was fine. Yes, pitocin fucking HURTS. It's a beast and I went through 15.5 hours of a full dose and back to back contractions on nothing but gas and air (gave birth in the UK) after my epidural failed. But you know what? I lived through it. I gave birth vaginally. It happened the way it happened and oh well. If I had to have another one with another baby, c'est la vie.

@macintosh: I was just talking to a friend about this who is also pregnant with #2. We both felt like we were so focused on delivery and avoiding interventions and are much more laid back this time. I was induced at 40+6 with my daughter. I did get an epidural after 5 hours and was able to deliver vaginally. I gave no regrets because the end result was healthy mama and healthy baby and I would not be opposed to another induction this time if it came to that. Good luck!

I know exactly how you feel. I was happy to have a plan but was worried about the cascade of interventions. I was induced at 39+5 for high BP. I only had two sets of prostagladin gels inserted to dilate my cervix and that sent me into a cracking fast labor! No pitocin required!! Whilst the contractions were very close together or back to back I managed a drug free birth that I so badly wanted. LO was born 5 hours later. If I was you I would talk to your OB about induction method options and see what would sit best with you.

Can't speak too much on this issue but would not worry a bit about baby being born at 39 weeks!

I had a 39 week induction due to PIH and it was awesome. I had a pain med free birth and there is nothing I would change. This time I'm figuring the same will happen although I'd love to go into labor on my own my body is just not a good house after 35 weeks for me or baby. I can send you my birth story if you'd like to read it. I had a great birth and I loved it. My son actually had the cord wrapped around his neck and my DH and I are thankful it worked out like it did, it prevents wondering what would have happened if he hadn't been born 'early' a slower labor could have caused more pressure on the cord/his breathing etc. No complications for baby or me, we went home 24 hours and 3 minutes after birth.

I had inductions with both my daughters, one at 38 weeks and one 37 weeks. For my first, they used cytotec on me and it put me into labor with no pictocin needed. It was my first baby and the induction went awesome, no issues at all. My second we had to turn on the pictocin and my epidural wasn't really working. My blood pressure was super low, to the point I passed out once so the induction took longer than my first, but I had the baby same day still. The actual pushing for both was super quick. No intervention was needed, no talk of c-section, it was a pretty good experience!
Forgot to mention-my girls were born early due to IUGR, but had no complications so just had the standard stay in the hospital room with me. I'm sure at 39 weeks your baby will be fine. Also, you will get to experience going into labor on your own. Your induction probably won't go from 0 to 10 right away. I experienced my contractions getting harder and faster, my water breaking on its own etc. they let me walk around the hospital and stuff too.

I spent my pregnancy worrying about how to avoid interventions and being told they were so awful. I thought pain meds of any kind were a sign of weakness and everything led to the cascade of interventions, but when it came to the last few days I realized that the best thing for my baby and me (at 38 weeks) was for him to be born via induction. He'd had IUGR all along and I had high BP, after IF and many complications. With the epidural, the induction turned out to be a piece of cake and I only pushed for a few minutes. To be honest I napped through most of labor! I had issues with my cervix and it never dilated fully, so my OB said I'd managed to induce at the perfect point in my pregnancy because if baby had grown any larger he would have had to do a c-section. Sometimes when I read about other people going into labor at home and having their "honey, we have to go to the hospital" moment I wonder what it's like, but with an induction you will also have your moment of nervously leaving for the hospital not exactly knowing what's ahead of you!

I had an induction at 41 weeks + a couple days a
D those contractions were insane! I tried to hard not to have an epidural but after a few hours and little dilation progress I just had to have one. After the epidural things went smoothly and I was ready to push in a short time. I delivered vaginally and all was well. I'd avoid another induction if I could, but they certainly don't all end in c-sections. One thing I learned is that it's good to have an open mind about the birth you'll have else you could be pretty disappointed and upset on your big day! Any safe birth should be celebrated!!

@macintosh: I have never heard of being induced for an ivf pregnancy? I met with about 5 obs and none of them mentioned that. What is their reasoning? Frankly, I would refuse if nothing was wrong with me or the baby. Every bit of time in the womb is important (unless there is something wrong or course).

I had to be induced with both of my babies. Both were born vaginally, and both are healthy, and so am I. Induction doesn't have to be scary, and it doesn't guarantee interventions.

@macintosh: my dr has also said that fertility issues tend to lead to a higher risk of stillbirth-still small, but nonetheless slightly elevated. I didn't have IVF (I had recurrent loss and mthfr) but it did come up when I was hesitant about an induction...