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

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I too am a hard stick. To draw blood one day , my OB actually looked at the veins in my ankles. She did get it out of my arm but had to go deeper than a nurse is allowed.

Do not hesitate to get a phlebotomist. They specialize in this area. I'm sure the nurses will appreciate you telling them right off the bat that you are a difficult stick.

My nurse stuck me five times until my husband made her stop and go get a phlebotomist. He never believed me when I told him how hard I was to stick until he saw it himself.

As someone else said, they didn't use a butterfly with me for the Pit. I try so hard to be perfectly still and calm so that they can do their job quickly.

Good luck and remember that I'm still rooting for April 2.

Lori

 

[Laurabearz]

Originally posted by TheOtherVillainess
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

Your already at 3 cm... your body is doing what it is suppose too your not going to last long...

SOme things to consider...

How important is it that your OB delivers your baby... keep in mind the Doc is only in room for the last 30 minutes... if that...

April 1st birthday.... could be good.. could be bad (you were born to be a fool...)

Sex... Yup that's right... your husbands sperm can ripen your cervix...

Walking... walk walk walk....

Squats.... also good

Spicey food is also linked to bringing on contractions..

BTW it is normal for first time moms to NOT have any contractions AT ALL before labor starts... Youve managed to get to 3 cm with no noticeable contractions....

Stripping membranes is also another way to bring on labor... It hurts... but only for a momment.

IN LABOR... change positions a lot... sitting, standing, hanging, on one side or the other, on your knees...whatever...

Hang in there.... it wont be much longer.

Being a woman is so cool.

 

[ahutton]

With my first DD I was 38 weeks and had been 3cm for two weeks when my doctor decided at my Monday appointment to (1) strip my membranes and (2) schedule to induce me later that week. She indicated the baby was of such a size that she actually suspected she was a bit older than predicted. With my irregular cycle she was probably right. At 38 weeks I had a 7lb 9oz healthy girl. She indicated her concern and reason to schedule the induction was how quickly some labor can move and if I was at 3 when it started she was concerned about getting there in sufficient time (we were 45 minutes away). I went in on Wednesday (they had room and called me to come in - I had been feeling miserable all day) and said I was 4cm and they were waiting on the room I was supposed to check into. 30 minutes later I was 5cm and they broke my water. I delivered my daughter within 3 hours which apparently for a first baby was really fast.

With DD2 my doctor knew I moved quickly with DD1. My blood pressure was getting borderline high at the end. She scheduled induction. That morning they started an IV of Pitocin. I was uncomfortable but surviving, no special breathing required for the first 20 minutes. I went from 2cm to 4cm in about 25 minutes - got the epidural (the doctor came in because it was noted I was going to request it and I said lets do it), then was 5 about 10 minutes after she had my epidural started. They broke my water and I was complete in 15 minutes but DD had turned sideways (still head down but looking at my right hip bone) so it took me about an hour to deliver. 15 minutes of that was waiting for the doctor to come back upstairs - she had scrubbed in to assist in a surgery. I delivered in one push once the doctor arrived.

If we were to ever have another (you never know what God's plan is) the doctor said she would absolutely schedule me again - I just went too fast through labor for them to know I could make it in time.

Edited to add: I'm a difficult stick too - they called in the MD that does Pediatric sticks - he got me in two tries and with a lot of lidocaine - it wasn't too bad. I've had MUCH worse!

 

[MosMom]

Laura - That is a great post!

Lewski - Thanks!

 

[Jeafl]

I called my SIL's sister (who is an OB/GYN) and asked her opinion on all this. Basically, her take on it is that she herself would not do an induction this soon unless the baby or the mother were in distress, especially if you are already dilated to 3. There are many good reasons to have an induction, but a time slot opening up isn't one of them (her words, not mine!) However, not seeing your chart, she wouldn't begin to make a recommendation for you.

She also said that inductions do not always take. If the mom's body and the baby aren't ready ready, it won't come out. Many c-sections are performed because of this.

She also said that DisOrBust is correct. The delivering OB usually gets the majority of the fee even if they are not the primary prenatal caregiver.

My personal opinion, after having had a planned c-section (baby was frankling breech), a natural labor that went on for close to 30 hours and an induction is this. My regular labor was painful, but it built up gradually. All 30 hours were not excrutiating. The induction went from 0 to off the charts painful, but it was shorter, about 7 hours. In the end all that matters is that the baby and the mom are healthy.

Is there another OB in your practice that could give you a second opinion? In any case, I'm sure everything will go fine, and that baby James will be here before you know it.

I also wanted to say that frankly, I think the OB NURSES should get the majority of the fee. They do 95% of the work and in all of my experiences, that have been absolutely wonderful!

 

[Christine]

My first child was not induced. It took me almost 3 days to have her. I had latent labor which is not uncommon with the first child. I really didn't enjoy myself.

By the time the second pregnancy came along, I was living in a new town with a new OB/GYN. My due date was on December 24th. When I was about 4 months along, one of the doctors in the practice asked me if I would like an induction. I had no idea what an "induction" was and told the doctor "No thank you, I've already had one child before, I don't think I need a tour of the hospital." Then, he explained it to me and I said "oh, I see...." Well, the thought put me off immediately. But then, through all my visits, they explained that I may not want to have my child on Christmas, leaving my 3 year old at home, yada, yada, yada. Well the more I thought about it, the better it sounded. I really didn't want my son to have a Christmas Day birthday. Who knows, maybe he would have like it, but I digress.

I scheduled the induction for December 22nd. When I went in that morning I was already at almost 4 centimeters. The monitor was detecting very small contractions although I couldn't feel them. I'm sure I would have had my son in the next day or two. They didn't want to start the pitocin because my doctor wasn't there. So they broke my water just to get things going "naturally". By 9:00 a.m. my doctor still wasn't there and they learned that he had been in a car accident on the way to work. So about 10:00 one of the other doctors stepped in and ordered the Pitocin. My son was born about 5 hours later. All in all, I found it a very pleasant experience. The contractions did hit hard, but it really wasn't nearly has bad as my 3-day first labor. I got the epidural about 30 minutes after the contractions started and I was good to go.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[clkelley]

I was induced with my first son, but he was 2 weeks late. I showed up at the hospital at 7am and he was born about 5:30 pm!!

I didn't have an epidural and it was quite intense toward the end, but was SOOOO glad I didn't have one. I was up and about almost immediately and felt great!!

My second son was a different story. I walked around at 4cm for a month and then went into labor on my own at about 1 1/2 weeks late at 8:00 in the morning. I stayed at home till time for my Dr. appt that I just happened to have that day at 2pm. I was checked there and was 10cm and was sent to the hospital. I had just gotten into the labor/delivery room and set up when the doc walked in to break my water and place a monitor in the baby's head when he literally threw his tie over his shoulder, put on a gown, and told me to push, and 5 minutes later my boy was born at 4:36 pm.

No epidural for that one either and he was a breeze!!!

Carol

 

[DisOrBust]

The cream your talking about is called Emla cream. It numbs the area however not very "deeply". It's great for peds IVs and circs. Before placing an epidural/spinal The area is injected with a "numbing medicine". It feels like a bee sting at best. The actual eipdural /spinal needle is usually painless it is a very "thin" needle You feel more of the pushing on your back when the MD is finding placement.. The anticipation is the worse part of the whole procedure.

Good Luck!!
Sue


I am now steeling the line about natural childbirth is Childbirth without makeup..that made my day,lol!!

 

[GlennandAnn]

There is a reason why this stuff is called PITocin. I had it with my first and there was a big difference between the natural contractions and the pit ones. I wasn't induced, so I had the pleasure of experiencing both. You should be fine with your epidural. Best wishes for a safe and speedy delivery!

Ann

 

[Laurabearz]

Had to pipe in once more...

By the time Epi guy is set up... thus meaning your have decided to go that route... a little needle in the back in NOTHING compared to contractions. Shove a hose in there if it would help...

There are downsides to having and epidural... can slow contractions if given to early which can prolong labor and could lead to stressing the baby and c-section... In my case everytime my blood pressure dropped like a rock... so there was a flurry of activitie to shoot me up with some meds for that... but everything was normalized quickly...

The epi might not take.... or could only take on one side... if it is not working let them know, they prolly can fix it...

There are a couple of proceedures that people refer to as an epidural... spinal is another option...it is a one shot deal that lasts maybe a couple of hours. Less risk... not sure all the details..

There is also a 'walking epidural' which is a light version.... I had this with my third and it was wonderful. I could feel the baby moving down the canal, where before I only felt the crowning (they turn the epidural off during pushing...) which was an interesting sensation let me tell you

And since I am gabbering on... I suggest holding off on all drugs until the Epidural... skip the demerol or whatever.. change positions... breath.... chant... whatever.. the stuff zoinks you and and you still are in pain, but mentally out of it... (well you experience may vary)

Oh and I highly recoomend using a mirror for pushing. They tell you it is like a bowel movement, but I think that is wrong... and if your all epi'd up you really cant feel if your making progress. With a mirror it is instant feedback as to how well your doing.

Okay okay TMI TMI TMI sorry

 

[whirlsy]

sorry meant to post a new thread and jumped into this one.

 

[MosMom]

8'4 and 8'1

 

[candykisses]

It wasn't too, too bad. Kind of like lightning hitting you.

I was induced with my second son. I was 2 wks late. My water broke at 6am & I went to the hospital. Labor didn't start. By 3pm we were out of movies to watch, so they started the drip. I delivered at 3:12 pm. No drugs, so it was pretty intense, but it beat the 4 hr labor I had with my first son.

You'll be fine.

 

[tar heel]

If there's no medical reason, no way would I be induced. I especially would not be induced so early. I believe term babies are generally 37-42 weeks. My ob actually scheduled an induction with my third (he was about two weeks overdue), but I managed to have him before the appointment!

I'm surprised no one has yet recommended nipple massage to you since that came up on the last induction thread. Midwives recommend it to get labor going because it releases the natural form of pitocin. You can get your dh to help.

 

[wdwnutze]

I was induced with my 2nd and 3rd children. 2nd baby was 14days late and I wasn't dialated at all. They started the pitocin at 7am on Aug 11 and I had her at 4pm on Aug 12. I made very little progress the 1st day. I was in pain but wasn't far enough along to get an epidural. My 3rd baby I went in Oct. 22 in the evening and they put in Cervidil(sp?) gel to soften the cervix. They started the pitocin the next morning(10/23) at 8am and I had my DD at 2pm. The contractions were no different than what I had with my 1st baby. I agree with skipping the demoral and just waiting for the epidural if that's what you're having. The Demoral made me really "foggy". Good luck. I really think it is different with every woman.

 

[KimR]

I was induced with my 3rd baby and I didn't really notice any difference in the strength of the contractions between induction and natural labor (although I still had to have pitocin after labor started with the first 2 because labor wasn't progressing). My labor was MUCH shorter when I was induced, though - only 4 hours! I had an epidural with all 3 and it was wonderful; I never really had any significant pain. Good luck!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I was induced 2 days after my due date. I highly recommend it. I was in labor for just 3 hours (start for finish) and it wasn't very painful. Yep, induction is the way to go.

 

[preshi]

3 bags of Pitocin 1 shot of Demerol (which stopped all contractions hence so many darn bags of Pitocin) and 14 hours later after my water broke I had DS in my hands. Good Luck.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

It was one of the WORST experiences in my life.

It was planned because I had broken a toe two weeks earlier, and had a nasty cold, and could NOT take any sort of mediciation for pain or cold relief. I was allowed to take one medication (I think Tylenol Cold? Can't remember now) since it was the only "safe" drug to take while pregnant...and it still got Maddy high.

The started the pitocin at 8 a.m. on Monday morning. By noon, nothing was happening. I was having some slight labor pains, but that was it. By 6 p.m., the doctor turned it off because I wasn't progressing. They were going to turn the pitocin back on in the morning.

Well, I guess that's what Maddy wanted...that pitocin to be turned off. My labor kicked into overtime within half an hour of the medication being turned off, and I was in horrible, horrible pain from about 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. At 10:30, I asked for an epidural, and found out that we had not pre-paid for it! At my hospital, if you do not pre-pay for an epidural, you can't have one!!

Oh my goodness. I know I pretty much passed out from 10:30 to when Maddy was born (1:18 a.m.). I was told I didn't scream, cry, just whimpered a bit.

Whenever I have another child, I am going to try REALLY HARD to not be induced. An artifically contracting muscle hurts much worse!

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Gotta stick my nose in here. I would definitely question why on earth the induction. You are already progressing. You are not past due. There seems to be no medical reason for doing so. I would definitely question him. Make sure it's not an April Fool's joke. Seriously though, find out!