Who's been induced? What's it like?

[TheOtherVillainess]

Why would she be so hell bent on you delivering exactly on your due date?

She's hellbent on induction period. My due date just happened to be open, so that's when they're doing it. The whole idea of a 'social induction' is hideous to me and I would never choose that route just because I like the day, or relatives are coming into town or something stupid like that.


Psst...Serena..it's called
Pre-Eclampsia or Pregnancy Toxemia

TOV

 

[Alice28]

I didn't take the time to read the other posts (yet) so I may be repeating what others have said. I was induced with #2 due to high BP and a not so great Non stress test. They admitted me on a Wednesday around noon. They DID use a buterfly needle on me, cause like you, I am very hard to stick (with first DS, I had to have no less than 4 different nurses/phlebotomists try and start the IV- what fun). They did do it in my hand though. Anyway, they started me with a pill they put behind my cervix to thin it out. That lasted almost 24 hours, just sitting in the hospital bed, with nothing much happening. Then at 8 or so the next morning, they started the pitocin. Progress was slow. I think I was at about 4-5 cm and I needed the epidural- this was about at 2 or 3 PM. Then that didn't totally work and they had to try again. Still didn't work, which is strange cause with DS#1 it worked like a miracle and I slept for 2 hours and everything. I didn't deliver until 9:40 PM, BUT I will tell you that I don't think my labor was normal with #2---my son was over 11 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!! (They did not know this). I think if he were smaller and was able to descend into the birth canal quicker, it would have been a faster labor.

My experience in a nutshell- SLOW. I was in active labor for a couple hours longer than with DS#1, but the pushing part only lasted 20 minutes with #2. (about an hour with #1).

GOOD LUCK and everything will be fine! My mantra----this is only a day--- I can survive a day of pain, and it will all be over soon.

 

[Serena]

thanks

 

[Lewski709]

I had pre-eclampsia with my first. When my BP went to like 160/120 (testing memory) they induced, after 1.5 months of being home on bedrest. It was the AC installation company that made this happen, but that's a whole different story.

 

[ckmommy]

Hey TOV,

With my DD#1, I was told my my Dr. that I would be induced on Monday (it was Friday). I was a nervous wreck! On Sat. night, I thought i was getting the flu, nothing was staying in me--not throwing up though--the other way... By midnight, I realized that maybe I was in labor . So I woke up DH and we went to the hospital, sure enough I was in labor. I think I was scared into going into labor naturally. Maybe this will happen with you??

Also, my dr. would not give me an epidural. Once again, he felt the baby was too big, the epi would hinder the pushing. I never screamed or cried or even complained (my Dh reassured me of this). Yes, the pain was the worst thing I have ever felt, but it was only for a stort time! Good Luck to you and your DH! This week will be over before you know it and Baby James will be here! Keep us posted!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

You're quite welcome, Serena. I knew exactly what it was when you described it because I was afraid I would have it too and even asked my OB about it on the first visit. Lucky me though..my blood pressure's been pretty low this whole time. I guess I'm pretty fortunate to have a near perfect pregnancy..no high BP, no gestational diabetes, no problems what soever until now when I can't get my body to do what I want it to do.

TOV

 

[Serena]

Yeah, those last few weeks really suck. lol Try to get all the sleep you can, try to get everything organized that you haven't gotten done yet, and make sure you pamper yourself.

 

[Blondie]

Originally posted by TheOtherVillainess
Psst...Serena..it's called
Pre-Eclampsia or Pregnancy Toxemia

TOV

Or Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH)

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

make sure you pamper yourself

Speaking of pampering myself...I think I'll go make some lunch and then sit out on my deck with a glass of iced tea and read or something. I haven't been able to do that in FOREVER (and probably won't have much time to later on this summer either! )

TOV

 

[Pembo]

TOV-I had my membranes stripped with ds#2. The first time I had contractions for a few hours then they stopped. A week later the doc did it again and I had him 10 hours later.

With dd I had it done on Friday morning and she was born on Sunday morning, (4 am). The dr said if your body is ready stripping the membranes will get things started.

but like I said earlier, she seemed so hellbent on this induction that I was kind of nervous to say anything to her.

Please don't be afraid to say anything to her! It is your body, it is your baby. If you aren't ready to be induced AND there is no medical reason why the baby needs to be delivered, then speak up. Don't be intimidated by your doctor. Just because they have an md after their name doesn't mean they know everything!

 

[floridafam]

I always like to mention to any of my friends, etc. that might be pregnant...

Make sure you've been tested for Group B Strep. It's a simple, cheap test that can save a life!

 

[Blondie]

Our OB's always inform their patients of the Group B Strep results incase the lab report doesn't make it into the prenatals that are sent over from the OB's office.

TOV, make sure you know if you are positive or not, otherwise they'll run an IV antibiotic.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Ursula, the placenta that nourishes the baby stops functioning well at around 40 weeks, and I would guess that’s why you’re going to be induced. I went to 41 weeks with my son and was induced for that reason.

I went into the hospital after a stress test at the doctor’s office in the afternoon. They used a gel to ripen the cervix that night. They told me it could make me go into labor, but it did not. BTW, I was already 3 cm dilated when I got to the hospital.

The next morning, they gave me an IV bag of pitocin. While it was going in, they told me I could go into labor; I did not.

An hour after the IV was done, still nothing. I was on the phone complaining to a friend that they'd need dynamite to blast him out, but then, all of a sudden, pow!

Two and a half hours later, I delivered my perfect baby boy. I did not have an epidural because they didn’t get the anesthesiologist in time. There’s actually a small window of time where you can get it—I dilated very quickly and missed it.

Best of luck to you. You are about to enter the happiest time of your entire life.

 

[DisOrBust]

I will tell you the dirty little secret of OB..at least in my area and I am pretty sure its everywhere. The md that is present at the birth received 2/3s of the fee. For this reason many are scheduled on the MDs call night. Now it has the benefit that you get the MD you haave been seeing throughout your pregnacy. The downside is inductions that are not necessarly clinically indicated. I don't know you "medically" to say if your indicated for induction or not. However, 3cm at your due date with an uncomplicated history is not a clinincal indication Most primip would be thrilled with that!. CLinically they want you delivered by 41 to 42 weeks of pregnancy. 1st babies are typically overdates. My number one question would be what are my clinincal indications for induction? ie big baby, increase bp etc... If you really don't want to be induced tell them that!


As far as the IV goes. A butterfly will not work in Labor. They are easy because they are small and are a needle that remains in not a catheter. They are fine for blood draws but in labor you need an 18 g catheter that will not go poking thru the vein and inflitrate. I don't know of an MD that will place an epidural without a 18 g. Warn the RN ahead of time they sometimes can use lidocain or will get the floor expert to do it.


God luck!!


PS Whoever said the L&D staff are arrogant I take offense(read insulted!) to that! We are at the bedside the entire labor and have a better idea of what the pt's labor has been like then the MD who comes in at the end and catches!

 

[Pete's Mom]

I was induced 3 weeks early because Pete was sooo long (22 inches) he had cracked my sternum bone and three of my ribs. I was in so much pain that they could have cut me open with a hot butter knife and that point. I was "gelled" and put on Pitocin since I was no where near ready to have him. I was induced at 3:30 pm and by noon the NEXT DAY my water finally broke BUT I had only dilated 1 cm. Managed to get to 3 cm by 2:00 pm and they gave me an epidual which sped things up. I had Pete at 5:15 pm (only had to push for around 5 minutes).

My contractions were very hard and painful and came more frequently because of the Pitocin. I had to stay in bed the entire time which I was bummed about because I had always heard that walking cut your labor time in half (I had planned on running to speed the whole deal up ), but they have to monitor you very closely when you are induced. Pete kept "kicking" off the baby heart monitor so they inserted a probe, uh, "inside" me that had a very thin long needle that went into the top of his head (not as scary as it sounds). The gelling in the beginning caused me to have serious mind numbing cramps, probably worse than any part of the labor. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "gellin' like a felon!"

So far as pain medication, when the nurses asked me if I wanted to have meds, I told them to sock it to me. My idea of natural childbirth is not wearing any makeup during labor and delivery.

As Serena advised, sleep while you can because after the baby is born you are never going to sleep again! Oh, and shave your legs and get a pedicure. The nurses kept commenting on how nice my feet looked (even though I couldn't see them).

 

[ckmommy]

Disorbust,

I have a question for you. When I was going to have my c-section for DS#2, I was very nervous about the spinal and the needle. To calm me down, the anest. and nurse put a numbing patch on my back (it was something that they use for babies that have to be stuck a lot). Do you have any idea what I am talking about? I tried to explain this to the nurse and Anest. with the twins, but they looked at me like I was crazy. If I can find this info out before this baby, I know I will be much less nervous! Thanks in advance!

 

[Blondie]

I don't know you "medically" to say if your indicated for induction or not.

There are several legit reasons to induce; Oligohydramnios, Polyhydramnios, an IUGR baby (intrauterine growth retardation), non-reactive NST, and PIH just to name a few. All good reasons to get the baby out as it's no longer doing well on the inside.

But just for convenience purposes isn't medically legit in my opinion, but it's done all the time, and will continue to be until the insurance companies step in and say they aren't going to pay.

 

[Lorix2]

I was induced for my first child. They broke my water and with the pitocin, I delivered in less than 90 minutes. It came on really fast and hard. It made for a panicky situation because I didn't know what to expect. I never had an epidural or any pain meds, it was bearable and over pretty quickly.

For my 2nd child, my dr wanted to induce and I flat out refused. My son was born in less than 30 minutes, I went to bed one night and slept thru all of my labor but awoke with back pain and walked into the hospital at 8cm at midnight and he was born at 12:27 AM. No pain meds, monitors, nothing....it was a great delivery!

The dr said if I had a 3rd, I'd better be extremely close to the hospital toward the end of the pregancy

All deliveries and experiences are different, the only advice I can give is to really stay focused on what you are doing and do what the nurses ask as your laboring. They can make you feel calm and encourage you all the way.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you

 

[Pete's Mom]

Originally posted by DisOrBust
PS Whoever said the L&D staff are arrogant I take offense(read insulted!) to that! We are at the bedside the entire labor and have a better idea of what the pt's labor has been like then the MD who comes in at the end and catches!

Amen to that! My nurses were the best in the world, very kind and patient, and took care of me through my whole ordeal and this was at Northside Hospital in Atlanta that delivers 1,200 (that's right, 1,200) a month!!! Basically, after 26 hours in labor my OB showed up LATE. I had been ready to push but we waited an hour for him to show. The nurses had called him much earlier and he was lolly gagging around. I was so scared that the nurses assured me that if he didn't get there soon they could deliver the baby and believe me, they could have. All he did was wash his hands and basically "hiked the ball".

 

[Blondie]

It's the L&D nurses and midwives who are there more than the OB's. Most of the OB's say "don't page me until she is crowning."