Scheduled Inductions - your experiences??

[Hillbeans]

Out of the four children I've had, two of them were induced. I didn't want to, but both were medically necessary.

I don't agree with inductions just to fit into the mothers or doctors schedule. I think it's wrong, for several reasons. So many doctors will do it these days at the mother's request, and I don't get it, because every day that your baby is in utero is one more day for that baby to grow and develop properly. There are obviously exceptions, but when babies are ready to be born, they will. Babies aren't cakes - you shouldn't just take them out when you think they're done.

For those that don't agree with inductions, how do you justify C-sections then? If you're not in labor then wouldn't any scheduled C-section be wrong because it's worked around the Doctor's free time and the baby may not be "ready" yet?? Just curious.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

For those that don't agree with inductions, how do you justify C-sections then? If you're not in labor then wouldn't any scheduled C-section be wrong because it's worked around the Doctor's free time and the baby may not be "ready" yet?? Just curious.

Yes, it's under the same category as scheduled inductions. But not all scheduled c-sections are because it's convenient for the mother or doctor. Some are medically necessary due to the health of the mother or baby.

I think it's simple - if an induction or c-section is not medically necessary, then it shouldn't be done.

 

[FSUGrad97]

I was induced at 34 weeks with my first because my water had broken at 31 weeks.

My second came on her own, full term.

I much preferred the second one. Contractions from pitocin are VERY strong and it seemed there was no break in between them. I really wanted to not have an epidural, but after 6 hours on pitocin, I begged for one. And the contractions were not really effective, either, until I had my epidural and they could turn the pitocin way up.

You would have to have a very compelling reason to make me agree to have an induced birth, again.

Denae

I agree, especially about the pitocin!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes, it's under the same category as scheduled inductions. But not all scheduled c-sections are because it's convenient for the mother or doctor. Some are medically necessary due to the health of the mother or baby.

I think it's simple - if an induction or c-section is not medically necessary, then it shouldn't be done.

I'm sure the statistics are somewhat comparable on c's for convenience and inductions for convenience.

Not all inductions are for convenience.

 

[PaulaSue]

My 3rd was induced 9 days overdue. (all my DDs was late) She had 2 vessel cord so I had to be hooked to moniters the whole time. I went in 3 cms (was for over a week) at 8 am and even with all the drugs, and epid and popping the water I didn't progress much at 3 pm.

I was still 3 cms but she did drop a lot. So we sent the kids home (they were going to stay outside during he pshing with my friend) with a friend and then got ready for a c-section as soon as they had time. Ended up it must have scared her because I was starting to get un-comfortable so I asked to be toped off at 3:45 pm. Here I made it to 10 cms then and she was born at 4:01 pm vag.

 

[mommasita]

For those that don't agree with inductions, how do you justify C-sections then? If you're not in labor then wouldn't any scheduled C-section be wrong because it's worked around the Doctor's free time and the baby may not be "ready" yet?? Just curious.

My thoughts are this: If it is medically necessary, then it is just that.

If it is to REVOLVE around a person's schedule, it is wrong, be that ANYONE's schedule...

Playing with nature is not right. Any doctor who agrees to this, for an INCONVENIENCE would never be one I want to see

http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/plabor/0,,midwife_45s3,00.html

 

[sacall]

For DD #1, my water broke 6 days before my due date and I was induced because I started running a fever. My water broke on a Monday at 7:00 am and she was born on Tuesday at 4:05 am. I pushed for nearly 2 hours. She was a very cranky baby, really cried a lot. I had a hard time nursing with her. I think she could have used some more time cooking, but my body had other plan

For DD#2, she was induced on my due date. I am 5'3", I had only gained about 35 pounds (not like the 70 I gained for DD#1), but for some reason I just could not breath. I couldn't sleep, I was crying almost all the time, I was just miserable. My Ob told me if she didn't come before my due date, he would induce me on my due date. I went in at 10:30 am and she was born by 7:27 pm. I pushed for 20 minutes. She was a really good baby, never had a problem with nursing and she was an awesome sleeper. She was ready and so was I.

Stacy

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I'm sure the statistics are somewhat comparable on c's for convenience and inductions for convenience.

Not all inductions are for convenience.

Yes, I know. I stated that in my earlier post.

 

[Hillbeans]

My thoughts are this: If it is medically necessary, then it is just that.

If it is to REVOLVE around a person's schedule, it is wrong, be that ANYONE's schedule...

Playing with nature is not right. Any doctor who agrees to this, for an INCONVENIENCE would never be one I want to see

http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/plabor/0,,midwife_45s3,00.html

But SCHEDULING a C-section is just that - working around a shedule. Is it not?

I can see not inducting labor to have the first child of the New Year or to have a baby on 7/7/7, however if I wanted my OB to deliver my child and not some stranger i've never met before, I don't see a problem with that.

To me, that's reason enough. I had 3 miscarriages and was not going to leave myself in the hands of someone I don't know.

I guess though to some of you, that's not a "medical" reason though, so my doctor must be terrible in your eyes.

 

[hlbtimes2]

My induction was medical necessary with baby #1. My bp was up, and the amnio fluid was low. I spent 4 days going to the hospital for cervix ripening. Then 12 hours on pitocin, on my due date. After 12 hours they decided she was too large to fit, was not engaged in my pelvis and would need to come out via csection. Because of her large size and the amount of pit. I was given, my uterus would not contract. I almost bleed to death, and a transfusion and was minutes away from a hysterectomy. The nurse said it was the worst delivery she had seen. Thankfully, we all survived and I did keep all "my parts". Baby #2 was a schedule csection one week before he was due. They didnt want to risk me going to into labor because of the problems I had with the first one.

I would NOT recomend an induction unless it was medically needed, and even then I'm not so sure!

 

[JunieJay]

I had a bad experience with a scheduled induction (looooong, excruciating labor and then had to have a c-section anyway). For the second time around, I opted for a scheduled c-section. If I had to do it over, I'd have skipped the induction all together and let the baby decide when to come on his own.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

But SCHEDULING a C-section is just that - working around a shedule. Is it not?

I can see not inducting labor to have the first child of the New Year or to have a baby on 7/7/7, however if I wanted my OB to deliver my child and not some stranger i've never met before, I don't see a problem with that.

It's technically not medical, so I guess I have a terrible doctor then to which I completely disagree.

If you go into the doctor in your 38th week, and it's discovered that you have very high blood pressure, or there is a physical problem that will make a vag birth risky, then you're probably going to need a c-section. It could happen the next day, it could be several days later, but unless there is an immediate threat to the mother or baby, they're normally scheduled.

And I don't agree with inducing just to have a certain doctor deliver a baby, but that's just my opinion and I don't think you're a bad person for it.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I would discuss all the pros and cons with my doctor and go on his advice rather than a bunch of women on a message board with no medical degree....

*disclaimer* - this was NOT posted to insult the OP at all, but it gets tiresome to hear how HORRIBLE doctors must be for exercising their medical opinions...

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Both of my kids were induced early due to medical reasons. Both pgs were high risk.

DS induced baby #1 I was put on bedrest at 32 weeks - toxemia - by 36 weeks the Dr. said that if babies lungs were ready they were inducing. Dr had me prepared at 26 weeks for a preemie, telling me that as soon as it was safer for the baby to be out of me vs. in me, he would induce or c-section. So at 36 weeks I went in for my visit, had an amnio, and sent over to L&D to wait for results. He wanted me at the hospital to monitor post amnio and also to start induction if lungs were developed. I was admitted at 6PM and put on a low dose of Pit. Dr came in around 8PM and told me they were going to shut off the Pit. and the on call doc would check on me later but as there was no progress so far he suspected I would hold off till AM. He came in the next morning around 7 and started the Pit again, broke my water around 9 and my son was born around 3:30PM.

DD induced baby #2 I had toxemia & gestational diabetes. I had a dr's appt on Monday and at that appt. he told me I was going to be induced the next day. If I had any problems that night to call him (he was oncall). Well that night my BP skyrocketed. I called the hospital in the AM and they told me that they did not have room for me and to standby. I called my dr. told him what the hospital said and what my bp had been overnight - 220/140!!! and he told me to get in my car and go to the hospital NOW! I was admitted, started on Pit. and delivered 6 hours later. (3 weeks early)

As both of my kids were inductions, I have nothing else to compare it to but I will say that my experiences were good ones. Both inductions were also from 0cm 0 efaced to start off with as well. It was nerve wracking knowing that tomorrow I am having a baby instead of "gee, I wonder when it will happen" but it was a very positive experience. And I was more scared of going into labor in a store, restaurant, going to fast and delivering at home, etc. It was a very controlled event with little room for surprises. If I were to have any more children...which is medically not possible....I would have an induction again.

 

[jcsbama]

I had schedule to be induced 10 days before my due date, non medical reasons. But we ended up inducing 9 days early because my blood pressure shot way up, I was having rapid heart beat and dizzy spells. I thought induction was the best thing ever. They put me on pictocin and broke my water around 6:30 am. DD was born before 11:00 am. It would have been sooner, but because I "failed" some test, I had to have that extra "medicine" in my system 4 hours before I gave birth (sorry, I don't remember exactly what that was). She was very healthy at 7 lbs. 10 ozs. and 21 inches long. I'm glad I induced early. I would not have wanted her to get a lot bigger. It was such an easy delivery. I will probably have a scheduled induction with my future children.

 

[nuke]

I was induced at 38 weeks due to my blood pressure. I went into the hospital at 5pm and they started pit. Nothing happened all night. The next morning the new shift comes on and they tell me the night nurse turned off the pit. I guess she didn't want to be bothered with a birth on the maternity floor.
So they start the pit again and I was having contractions according to the monitor but I didn't feel anything. At noon they broke my water and then I was in PAIN. By that time I was 5 cm and they put in the epidural. I slept until 6pm and awoke to a bunch of white coats around the bed. The baby's heart rate had dropped so they checked and I was at 10cm. I started pushing and he was born at 7pm.
I never felt a thing. The epidural didn't wear off until about 3am.

 

[krcit]

I was induced with ds. He was my 3rd baby and my only induced. I was due on April 16, when I went in on the 1st-Dr asked if I would like to be induced on the 5th since the baby was pretty big and he didn't feel that I would make it to my due date anyway. I struggled with this-I really did. I didn't want to fool with Mother Nature but I was soooooo big and tired, plus I had 2 other children at home, so the convenience was very tempting. I went to church and prayed about it-I asked my Dad to let me know if it was the right thing to do. I felt very much at peace with the decision to go ahead with the induction, so I took that as Daddy's sign Anyway, went in at around 7:30 am, was 2 cms dilated, had the pitocin and walked and walked and walked until about noon-checked me at noon and I was 7 cm, got my epidural at around 1:00 and he was born at around 2:10. He was 9lbs5oz and the cord was knotted. I'm so glad that I went ahead with the induction. Good luck with your decision, I know it is not an easy one.

 

[Beth76]

I was induced with #2 the day before my due date. My doctor wanted to induce me at 37 weeks only if I started showing signs (ie dilation) because baby #1 was so big. But I didn't dilate until my 39th week so we had to wait. The induction went well; it took about an hour for the pitocin to kick in then had the baby 7 hours later. No problems at all. I did get an epidural in there too sometime.

 

[lulugirl]

I would discuss all the pros and cons with my doctor and go on his advice rather than a bunch of women on a message board with no medical degree....

*disclaimer* - this was NOT posted to insult the OP at all, but it gets tiresome to hear how HORRIBLE doctors must be for exercising their medical opinions...

 

[MareQ]

I would discuss all the pros and cons with my doctor and go on his advice rather than a bunch of women on a message board with no medical degree....

*disclaimer* - this was NOT posted to insult the OP at all, but it gets tiresome to hear how HORRIBLE doctors must be for exercising their medical opinions...

Women don't need to go to medical school in order to form an educated opinion about the type of care and services they want to receive. They also don't need to blindly trust the judgement of another human being just because they DID go to medical school.