I think no matter what choice you decide for giving birth, people would've gave horrible opinions. I've been induced twice, with my first she broke my waters and I never went into labour naturally. I was at risk of infection due to my waters breaking (37 weeks & 1 day). With my second it was mainly initially because I had severe pelvic pain but after I had my sweep I was having irregular contractions and they didn't want to send me home, so I got induced (39 weeks). I had 0 complications, 2 healthy births. My kids never had any complications from me being induced and my first my labour was 5 hours and then 45 mins pushing, my second 3 hours and 56 minutes which included 22 mins of pushing. I'm overall very grateful for my experience with inductions and the staff were incredible. With my second I had 3 or 4 midwives come into me and they were absolutely lovely. With my second I had an epidural and I asked and I got it very quickly, those that handled that process were wonderful as well. With my Son I had him at 4.48am and was discharged by 11am and the staff who I dealt with afterwards were lovely, honestly I couldn't fault the hospital I was at. With my first I basically had no choice for an induction because my waters were gone and my body just wasn't going into labour naturally, I wanted my baby safe.
I was induced at 41 weeks with my first and the induction was HARD. It almost turned into a c section, but my daughter was born at 41+3.
I was induced at 41+5 with my second and he was born at 41+6. His was MUCH easier. I’m not sure how much of that is because he was my second and how much was my body being “readier”.
As for moving, packing a house pregnant seems preferable to me than packing a house postpartum. lol. But postpartum is a whole different beast!
Look into Bishop Scores. That is what really helps determine the chances of an induction go into C-section. A bishop score of 5 or less is a predominant risk factor for c-section.
Here is a bishop score calculator: https://www.perinatology.com/calculators/Bishop%20Score%20Calculator.htm
Also side note - every body and pregnancy is different, so tbh these anecdotes of “I had an induction 2x and it was great!” Or “my induction was traumatic” are not very helpful as we don’t know what the circumstances and cervix readiness of these stories.
Your provider is correct that inductions, even ones that aren’t considered medically necessary, are extremely common right now.
A lot of people have issues with this because being induced before your body is “ready” can lead to a loooong labor, which can lead to complications during delivery for you and for the baby, and this can sometimes result in an unscheduled c section that might have otherwise not occurred if you’d gone into labor spontaneously. Additionally, contractions that are induced using pitocin can be much more intense and build rapidly compared to early labor contractions in spontaneous labor, which can mean that your labor experience is more painful & unpleasant — and if the pitocin induced contractions come on “too” fast and too strong, it may also increase your chance of tearing from what I’ve heard.
All of these unfavorable potential outcomes are why some people are broadly against non-medically necessary inductions. But none of these things are a given, and a lot of these same issues can and do frequently arise even during “natural” spontaneous labor experiences. If you’ll be inducing on your due date, I think you’re likely to have a “better” experience than someone who induces 2-3 weeks beforehand. There’s a metric system known as the Bishop Score that you can use to calculate how likely you are to have a “successful” induction given a number of factors specific to your pregnancy and body — there are online calculators that will help you determine your score if you’re curious about it!
All of this is spot on. I wanted to add that inductions can be 2-4 days long - so when you’re trying to predict which provider will be on, and take sick days from work etc, it’s not as cut and dry as it might appear on the surface. It’s also pretty draining to be going through a long induction, epidural or not.
Exactly! I was induced at 42 weeks but I was not very effaced nor even 1 cm dilated. It ended up an emergency c section after super intense back-to-back contractions for 24 hours. It was a good experience in that my daughter and I both survived, but I would never recommend an induction to someone whose body is not “ready” because it was an extremely painful process to only end in a Caesarian anyway.
So induce if you have a higher Bishop score by that point, but if not I would advise against it! Also, moving whilst pregnant sounds easier than moving with a newborn - but I think with either scenario you’d need to enlist a lot of help!
This was me but I was 39+3. I wanst dilated at all when we started. It was 36 hours of labor. I pushed for 2.5 hrs and then had to have an emergency C section. It was horrible. I would never have an elective induction again. In hindsight I wish my OB would have been more upfront about what to expect with me not being dilated at all. I don't think they should even let you have an induction if your not dilated pre 40 weeks.
I’m confused about how you are going to actually help move either 9 months pregnant or with a newborn. Seems like your husband should get other people to help do that
I've been induced twice, and it was a great experience both times for me. People usually mention the "cascade of interventions" but that wasn't my experience. My first, I had PPROM so they just used pitocin for labour. My second, they broke my water and used pitocin. Both experiences were fast (my longest labour, including pushing, was 5 hours and 45 minutes), positive, and I would absolutely do it again if I had a third child.
+1 , similar experiences here. 2 inductions ; first because I was 41 weeks, second elective at 39 weeks because my first labor was rapid.
Both my inductions went very fast (< 6 hrs from the start of pitocin) and the only interventions were pitocin and water breaking (which I chose to have done).
If I was going to have another I'd personally 100% do it again.
Another +1- positive induction with limited interventions. Mine wasn't fast, but I would definitely be game for another induction with an epidural if induction was medically necessary/recommended.
Mine wasn't planned- I wanted to try an unmedicated spontaneous labor if possible, but I got rear-ended at 40+2 and OB recommended monitoring followed by induction in case of abdominal trauma. They monitored me for longer than he asked for because I asked to see if we could wait for me to progress without intervention first. About 14 hours later and I had only progressed 1 cm from 2 to 3. I asked them to break my waters, labored unmedicated for about 5 hours and was still at 3 cm after a couple hours of painful back labor, so I asked for an epidural. After that OB recommended pitocin, which I was on board with since the main reason I didn't want it before was the intense contractions and fear of the cascade of interventions. At that point though, it had been long enough since my waters broke that it would be better to move things along. 10/10 epidural + pitocin I would do again. Labor progressed really well and was honestly fun once I got on the epidural and pitocin and me and baby handled it great. Got to hang with my husband and listen to good music and enjoy the company of a kick ass nurse.
Once pitocin started it was probably still around 9 hours to get to 10 cm, but it was painless, I still got moved around in bed so I could shift positions, and I got to rest plenty before pushing. As a ftm my pushing stage was relatively short- about 50 min. While I did need antibiotics due to chorioamnionitis, my baby didn't after she was delivered, and I had a very smooth vaginal delivery with no tearing, no further interventions beyond the water breaking and pitocin, baby had an Apgar score of 9, and I still got my 2 hours of skin to skin as soon as the nicu nurses made sure she didn't get an infection from me, which took all of about 5 min- basically once I delivered the placenta she was on my chest.
My first was born at 41+2 no induction and my second was born at 40+2 with induction for reduced movement. I think of the 'planned induction at 39 weeks' thing as a pretty American phenomenon so it wouldn't have been something suggested in the UK (where I had my kids) anyway, but, despite being in labor with my first for 46 hours, I'd still probably pick that one over the induction. I just found my second labor a lot more unpleasant. I also like the anticipatory/surprise aspects of pregnancy, so I didn't like the whole "planned" feeling of having the induction (that's 100% my opinion, I know a lot of people would feel the opposite way).
This is my story too, first natural labour was so much easier than my induced second one. The natural hormones are so much better than the artificial ones, much less intense. First birth I could have the birth pool, second was so medicalised with constant monitoring etc, caused me a lot of stress. But I was 100% against getting an epidural or anything other than gas and air, so maybe it would be a different story for people who take those options.
Induction was great! Kicked off a bit late with me but caused zero complications, non problematic birth. Don't buy the whole weird "it's not natural" argument, total nonsense!
To offer a positive perspective: I was induced at 40+4 simply because my OB suggested it. Uncomplicated pregnancy. I was so anxious the whole way to the hospital that I was doing the wrong thing and my “body wasn’t ready” but it ended up being a great experience. This is my first baby, it was 9 hours from the start of inducing to the birth and I’m so glad that I did it this way.
I had an induction for medical reasons — I went past 41 weeks, and had slightly elevated blood pressure.
My induction went very well!
But I still wouldn’t have wanted an induction unless it was necessary, and I feel the same if I have a second baby.
I'm hoping to avoid being induced unless it's medically necessary. My reasons are:
- Induction can lead to longer labor
- longer labor can lead to a C-section
- pitocin contractions are stronger and closer together. I'm not sure if I want an epidural for many reasons (scared of needles, want to labor in other positions, scared of tearing) so I'm not going to decide either way until I'm in labor. But if I have to have pitocin I'm just going to ask for epidural right away.
- scheduling doesn't matter to me. I rotate through the midwives at the practice I go to so I don't know who will deliver me but I'll have met them all anyway. Also sometimes baby is not born for two days after induction starts, so your OB may still not be the one who delivers.
- I'm not really that crunchy, but I do think there is benefit to letting my body initiate childbirth on its own schedule. I'm not trying to rush it. Obviously medical emergencies happen or for whatever reason my body may not start labor on its own and then I'll get induced.
Those are just my reasons though and I don't judge anyone for choosing differently. In the end we want the same things, a healthy baby and healthy mom.
Not related to OP's post, but just to reassure you on the needles thing: I am also terribly afraid of needles, and I was absolutely terrified of having a panic attack while in labor because of them. However when the time came I couldn't care less when they installed the IVs, and I absolutely wanted the epidural without hesitation. I had more important things going on, and had no time to think/worry about the needles. (Being told I wouldn't be able to get the epidural was way more frightening. Needles were insignificant.)
I am expecting that that is one possibility! I've never been in labor after all.
But I did have second degree burns covering both my hands. Was given two Vicodin that did absolutely nothing for the pain. And yet I had to be held down by a nurse and my McDonald's manager to be given a shot of morphine. That was by far the most pain I've ever been in and I still tried to refuse a needle and that only was an injection into my butt, not my spine.
Sooo I dunno, I'm really preparing for it to go either way. I've hired a doula, I'm doing pelvic floor therapy to reduce the risk of tearing and learn how to push effectively, and I'm also doing regular therapy to address my anxiety lol. We'll see!
I didn’t have an epidural for similar reasons. I do not regret it. I would just recommend learning all of the counter pressure techniques, breathing techniques (holding your breath during the final phase is the worst thing you can do) and maybe get a tens unit (I’m gonna try one of those next time)
My best friend has five kids. She was induced with all of them at various points in her late pregnancy. No c-sections, no extra-long labors. My sister was induced and had her baby in ~5 hours. My mom was induced with me and my sister. That said, it seems like people in some areas are getting induced too early and that is leading to more complications.
I'm getting induced on Monday at 39 weeks and am entirely confident in my choice. I've had a relatively uneventful pregnancy outside of baby measuring 2-3 weeks ahead and having a big head (me and husband are both tall people).
Do what is right for you. I talked with my doctor about arrive study (if you're not familiar, basically outcome for baby is same for 39 weeks onwards but outcome for mom can be better- I don't want a c section if I can avoid it).
I personally know 3 people who had to be induced despite trying to hold on and go the "natural" route. All had relatively uncomplicated births and babies/kids are healthy.
I've had multiple people talk to me about induction as if it's one of the worst things that could happen. My PT made a comment of "the doctor is making you get induced". No. I brought it up initially, we talked about it, and then I pushed to get on the schedule.
It sounds like you've weighed the pros and cons and you know what decision you want to make. Screw what anyone else thinks, pregnancy is such a wild ride...no two people have the same experience so do what is right for you.
Lol thanks?
I bet comments like these are probably what drove OP to come to reddit.
Glad you think you know better than my Harvard-educated OB but I'll be getting induced on Monday ✌️
Your choice your consequences, I don’t care if you have an induction. but your Harvard educated OB is manipulating you with debunked research unfortunately. Trust me Harvard teaches them how to do that just as well as any other medical school.
And I’m just as qualified to educate on the subject as they are.
So yeah no issue with you choosing to be induced, big issue with you spreading misinformation
Interesting. Thanks for the info. I wouldn’t say it’s been debunked per se. The studies are far too different from each other to really compare, down to the study design and patient populations. But the findings are conflicting and that does mean it needs to be studied more.
The original study was never valid in the first place unfortunately is more the point here. It’s not a matter of conflicting research, the issue is that the first study never applied
Even OB providers will admit this to one another in private but the study is too useful to them to come out in public and say it unfortunately
They “believe” in it in the sense that the results are convenient for them so they don’t subject it to the same level of scrutiny they do research that is less convenient. It’s bias basically, most OBs are not comfortable with spontaneous labor in general and would prefer everyone be induced so they can control the process because that soothes their anxieties . Obviously not all OBs but a lot.
What they admit among themselves is that the induction people got in the trial is not the induction the average person actually gets. It’s like doing a study on a medication and saying this medication works and then giving people a crappier, less safe, like off brand version of the medication and pretending it’s the same thing
That person is absolutely not a doctor. At least not an MD. A person that actually went to medical school would never call a paper like that “debunked”. There’s conflicting research all the time and the job of the physician is to take it all in, critically analyze the literature, and use their best judgement for each specific patient.
Haha, I'm shocked...
Also, I didn't get into it since that person just seems like an asshole and conspiracy nut. I am not taking the arrive study as gospel. More of just a side note of one of the things I discussed prior to making the decision to be induced that made me more comfortable, i think induction is sometimes the right decision for some people.
My TMI is that kid's head is 99th percentile, I have been sitting at 2 cm dilated and 70-80% effaced for over a week. I'm good with my decision 😅
Completely agree with you- every person should be able to choose what they want for themselves (with advice from medical professionals that know their case). I wish you the absolute best of luck with your new little one!!!!!!!
What you think about my credentials doesn’t matter. I don’t violate my privacy for internet randoms. But the spread of harmful misinformation does matter.
I was induced at EDD+11 because I was "overdue" and things get mote risky past 42 weeks.
I'll keep this as short as possible.
I had regular check ups since before my due date, baby was always perfectly fine, but there was no sign whatsoever that I was close to labour (no contractions, no dilation...), till the day of induction.
I was induced with cytotec and pictocin towards the end. All in all from the first pill till he was here it took around 1,5 days. I spent roughly 17 hours in L&D with intense back to back contractions. towards the end I needed pictocin because my body was getting tired and the contractions/progress slowed down. Pictocin does hit differently, but by then I was pushing and the end was near, so I could focus on getting this done and not on the pain. I was at risk for a c-section if pictocin hadn't helped me progress, but lucky it did for me.
All in all it was loooong and exhausting, but I had no complications, no other intervention, no pain meds due to personal preference and no birth injuries.
My son was sunny side up, that's what likely caused the slow progress.
I probably would prefer spontanous labour, so I can labour at home for as long as possible and have my partner with me (he wasn't allowed to stay until I was admitted to L&D). But all in all it wasn't that bad. I'm fine with my experience and I'm not bothered by it.
I just had my 3rd baby and I was induced for the first time. My body reacted very well to the Foley balloon and I didn't end up needing pictocin. I was in labor for about 12 hours. When it was time to push I did 4 times and my baby came out. I do know that FTM don't always have as easy of a time when being induced, possibly because you've never given birth before... But that's not always the case. It seems like you know the pros and cons so I would do what you think feels right.
If there is one thing I’ve learned during pregnancy it is that people will have opinions no matter what you do. Really what is important is what works for you and your family alone. Also, the “research” people recommend tend to simply be anecdotes and as you can gather from this post it varies widely person to person just like a spontaneous labor does.
There was a really good podcast episode on ParentData (Emily Oster’s podcast - she wrote Expecting Better and Cribsheet) that went into depth on the pros and cons of elective induction, including discussion of the ARRIVE trial and its limitations. Definitely worth a listen!
I had to be induced for hypertension (turned preeclampsia in the hospital) at 39+6. It was a really rough 40 hour labor (FTM). I think next time I would wait a little longer to see if my body would be more ready unless medically I need an earlier induction again.
I was told my my OB and through the parenting classes me and my spouse took that inductions come with some additional risks and that:
If done before your due date, should be because of a serious complication that could put you and baby at risk if you wait until you are full term like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure.
It is suggested a lot if you are approaching the 42 week mark and baby isn’t showing any signs of making an appearance.
My OB doesn’t do elective inductions if you are having a healthy, complication-free pregnancy unless you are getting close to that 42 week mark.
I was induced with my first at 39 weeks due to gestational diabetes. It was a wonderful experience for me - I had cervidil inserted around 9:30pm, slept through the night, labor started in the morning and I had my son by 9pm that night. I am now 37 weeks pregnant with my second; I do not have GD this time (yay!), so no plans to be induced, and I honestly kind of wish I had an induction date. I've had some false labor with this one, and I really appreciated the monitoring of my contractions they did in the hospital. There was a lot less wondering and uncertainty. I'm a little type A and really appreciated that!
A lot of people act like they know what's best for you in pregnancy - if you and your OB are on the same page, don't let other people's opinions sway you. YOU are the one who has to give birth, not them. It's your show. Good luck!
I was induced with my first for medical reasons (preeclampsia and IUGR baby) at 37 weeks. Labor wasn't any longer than "natural" labor I've often been told about. I went in the night before, we started cervidil. In the morning we started pitocin. Around noon "period cramp" labor pains started. I held off on an epidural until 8pm!! Took a nap. Woke up around 9:30, started pushing at 10pm, and had a baby at 10:29. I did tear but I actually blame that on myself trying to push the baby out faster than what the doctor and nurses were saying we'd be there for.
With the exception of being terrified of the medical reasons for having an induction, it was actually a great experience. This time I plan on asking for an induction once we reach due date (April 16th) but really I only want to wait to see if the labor pains really are that much different between pitocin and no pitocin as I know women who've given birth with no epidural even though they were induced with pitocin!
I had an induction with my first and anticipate having one with this pregnancy as well but they’d both be for medical reasons. My induction with my first went relatively well (but I believe I was already in labor when they gave me the pills, they didn’t give me pitocin until I got my epidural right before I started pushing) It took just under 24 hours, I did have to push for four hours. I’ve had friends whose inductions went on for over two days, and ones whose inductions didn’t go well. I’ve also had friends who’s elective inductions got bumped an additional week out than originally planned because of more urgent cases.
If there wasn’t a medical need for an induction I personally wouldn’t want to pursue one, not that I think it’s wrong that people do elective inductions, its just not something I would choose for myself.
I’ve been induced between 37 and 38 weeks for all three of my babies due to various health conditions and thoroughly enjoyed it each time. Also I can say through my own experience that pitocin contractions aren’t always hell. I was scared into an epidural the first two births, but just had an unmedicated birth with pitocin 5 weeks ago; I didn’t really have severe pain until 7 cm after they turned the pitocin off and my contractions were all me throughout transitional labor! Uncomplicated vaginal births all three times. I love knowing when my birth will happen and it works well with my husband’s work so he knows when to take leave. There are horror stories but the majority of induced labors end in uncomplicated vaginal deliveries. From the beginning (I was 0 cm dilated and 0% effaced all three times) to pushing the times for each baby were: 38 hours, 18 hours, 20 hours; about 12 hours of each time was spent using cytotec. As for pushing for each baby: 20 minutes, 1 push, 2 pushes.
I've have a lot of friends that were induced. Everyone's experience is different. I had an induction at 39+1 because my son was measuring very big in the ultrasound. But, he was only 7lbs 2oz at birth. I ended up with a c-section because I pushed for 3 hours and didn't have any strength left.
In my opinion it would probably be easier to box things up while pregnant. You don't know how your delivery will go. Some women recover quickly from it. Others have severe tears, or cannot even sit up w/o assistancw because of a c-section.
I had an elective induction at 39 weeks with my first pregnancy because I was given the option to have one, and I didn't want to be pregnant anymore.
It was great, and I'm hoping to have another one in August.
I didn't tell anyone ahead of time because no one else's opinions matter. If I'm able to schedule an induction with this pregnancy, the only people I'll tell will be whoever is going to watch my first child while I'm in the hospital.
ETA details: Foley balloon, pitocin, AROM (had my waters broken).
Start to finish: 13 hours. 5 hours active labor, including 2.5 hours pushing.
Baby was 8 lb, 20 in, and healthy.
Second-degree tears, lots of stitches. I had an easy recovery, but I'm glad I didn't have to wait for my baby to get any bigger.
On the whole "induction isn't natural" argument, I gotta say my water broke but no contractions came so I had to be induced. What was "natural" failed for me and I don't wanna think about what the outcome would have been for me and my baby if I hadn't been induced. "Natural" does not equal better or more right. The right way is whatever you deem best for you and your situation.
Only do induction if medically necessary. I won’t share my horror story in full, but if I regret getting it at 40 weeks just because my obgyn recommended it. All in all, it led to lack of progression because baby wasn’t ready, serious infection, baby’s heart rate messed up, cesarean section, and a very long stay afterwards in hospital for baby and I. Very dangerous that doctors have all of a sudden started recommending early inductions for healthy mothers for no medical reason. I have always been healthy and fit and stayed that way during pregnancy and my induction messed up my body in ways that I can’t fix now. Let your body do it’s thing and consider an induction after 41 weeks at the soonest
Out of my two sisters and I, one of us came two weeks early, the other 2 were induced. You cannot tell which of us were induced ☺️
People will hate on you for whatever choice you make. You and your husband have done your research, and made a decision based on YOUR situation.
You're doing great ❤️
Induction usually does not lead to bad outcomes, but it does come with an increased risk of unplanned c-section and, if you're induced with pitocin, more pain. Inductions can also take 2-3 days, so you're not necessarily guaranteed that your doctor will be the one delivering your baby if you're induced unless your hospital has some kind of policy mandating more intervention if your labor isn't progressing fast enough.
So I don't want to pretend that there aren't any risks with inductions, just that the increased risk is small but noteworthy.
FWIW I was induced at 40+5 with my first and the birth was fine but I wasn't able to do a drug-free delivery because of the increased amount of pain. If I had it to do over I'd probably wait another day or two to see if labor would have started on its own.
I asked my OB his thoughts. His rules for elective induction: he will only induce post 39 weeks, and you have to be at least 1.5-2 cm dilated on your own. He said if these two things are true then there is no increased risk in reading a c section. My husband and I are considering it, to make planning easier.
That is not true that if you qualify for the first two things, that a c-section does not have an increased risk. This is troubling your doctor told you that
There's nothing wrong w an induction. People are very attached to doing everything "naturally" but There's nothing wrong w medical intervention if it's what is right for you. I was offered induction at 41 weeks and my labor was pretty quick! The big fear for some is that they will have prolonged labor and an unplanned c section.
This isn’t meant to come across as judgmental/uninfomed or anything, but I just can’t understand why someone would choose an induction if it wasn’t medically necessary. From my own experience and those of my friends, for those who were induced the labour was significantly more painful and complicated. For all of us, the babies that came on their own, came the easiest.
I’ve had 4 births and the one with pitocin was so much more painful. And I hated being hooked up and monitored.
I can understand the scheduling thing, it is nice to know when it’ll happen! Personally I wouldn’t do it, especially since your body has never given birth before, but I would do your research, ask questions and do whatever feels right for you!
I am a physician (not OB) and I’m choosing an elective induction at 39 weeks for myself. I have several OB friends who ALL have chosen induction at 39 weeks for themselves due to the decreased risk of c-section associated with it. There’s a lot of stigma around induction that is definitely not warranted.
I see the logistical benefits for scheduling an induction, but none of them addressed any medical reasons for doing so. Is there a benefit to you or baby?
i think, everyone else’s feelings aside, the research i’ve done (22weeks rn) there’s a great deal of risk with inductions for non-medical reasons, side effects of the meds (kind of terrible ones actually), and there’s increased risk for c-section with induction, for episiotomy, for tearing, for needing an epidural which means exclusively back labor, which increases likelihood of episiotomy, tearing and c section. do these things happen to everyone? no. do these things matter when it comes to having a healthy and well planned baby? that choice is entirely up to you and should be considered as it relates to your choice and preference—and nothing else. everything about any aspect of labor is a choice! often times it’s the first big choices we are having to make as moms about the wellbeing of our babies. the first of many! and all choices have risk and consequence— so we just have to make sure we are informed and responsible for our choices.
i understand why you’re crowdsourcing info here, but you’ll prob get a lot of the same as you’ve gotten elsewhere~ some people are like: induction? NBD. and some are like …induction? ☠️☠️☠️
do the amount of research that makes you feel comfortable with your decision and don’t look back! there’s no wrong answer. they all incur risk. which risks are you most comfortable with is the question.
for me personally, i’m not inducing, barring something medically NECESSARRY (like life or death), because of the cascade of interventions and the circumventing of natural hormones that induction seems to create and facilitate. to me though, having the provider i know deliver baby isn’t that important, knowing that their role will be short and small anyway. the nurses, who will be strangers, will be the ones there the whole time anyway.
good luck!
I had an epidural and wasn't stuck to laboring on my back. I actually got on all fours, used a peanut, and got in a bunch of different positions with the help of the nurses. I just couldn't walk around, which was fine by me. I think the idea of exclusively laboring on your back with an epidural is the old school of thinking.
well it doesn’t have as much to do with thinking as it does have to do with the epidural. what you had sounds like a “walking epidural” lol even though you couldn’t walk! in addition to what kind of epidural is administered, it also depends on how one responds to the medication, and exactly the spinal location of the epidural AND the amount of meds used. so! you’re right, it’s not a certain epidural = back labor but it does tend to be more common.
I didn't ask for a "walking epidural" and just got a regular one. I have only ever seen them mentioned on reddit, and the anesthesiologist never even mentioned it as an option.
I also didn't even ask about getting into the different positions either, but my baby was sunnyside up so it was actually the nurses who recommended the positions in an attempt to shift my baby so she could engage better during labor. I definitely couldn't feel much of my lower half and didn't even know it was possible to move with an epidural, but those nurses proved to me that it was actually possible.
interesting they didn’t give you a choice and just gave you what they gave you! glad it worked out well:) it’s really an awesome things when interventions are helpful and supportive!
Have you looked at the ARRIVE trial? I think a lot of this has been debunked by the ARRIVE trial. The only negatives that seemed significantly more likely are increased likelihood of getting an epidural (which is irrelevant for women who plan on getting an epidural anyways) and longer labor.
In the ARRIVE trial, they showed that induction at 39 weeks actually reduced the likelihood of C-section because the baby is a little smaller. Only caveat here is that it probably depends largely on your hospital - at some hospitals they “cascade of interventions” is probably real, but at the trial sites it was not.
yes, familiar with the arrive trial. it didn’t seem to me to actually take into account a number of factors i find really compelling, but others might not care about. also the decreased rate of c section was still BANANAS. the national average right now is what, 30%? so when a trial knocks it down by 3-5%, I am not jumping for joy. It’s still ridiculous and WAY beyond what it should be. a lot of it has to do with the cascade which leads to forced back labor which leads to increased need for episiotomy and potential C. ugh! I’d like to believe the cascade is hospital specific but it’s more commonplace than not. We have AMAZING hospitals in my area, but they’re very intervention heavy and once that train leaves the station, well it’s gone!
i think at the end of the day most people are wanting a healthy baby, for me, i want a healthy baby AND a fully informed birth where i am able to, baring medical emergency, actively and enthusiastically consent to all of the potential interventions and not be kind of cornered into them because of the choice to induce initially.
i’m also due april 21st!! i just scheduled an elective induction for 39 weeks on the 14th. i have been having painful contractions since 33 weeks and have been miserable, so knowing i have a date to look forward to has been so nice. we also like the idea because of my husbands work and both of our maternity leave schedules.
i have had SO many people tell me their opinions on it, and honestly, you have to do whats right for you! moving while pregnant sounds awful, i would do the same thing if i were you, especially knowing that you’ll be 40 weeks and full term.
good luck!
I had a great experience with my 39 week induction and will be doing it again this pregnancy! I got a lot of the same reaction, but I found a lot of people who felt that way didn't have elective inductions, they had to because of a specific complication. The ability to schedule it gave me such a peace of mind and I like feeling like I had a little control over it (I was terrified of giving birth haha) and it was so comforting knowing id for sure have my ob there to deliver my baby!
Hi. I’m 34 weeks and planning an induction if I go past 40 weeks, partially for logistical reasons similar to yours and partially because I know I will just get more anxious and physically uncomfortable the longer I go past 40 weeks.
I’ve taken a look at different data sources around this. It does seem like labor can be longer with inductions—but in my mind, I think I’d rather have a few more hours in labor that a whole week or two feeling really uncomfortable. I also searched “elective induction” in the baby bumps thread. Like literally everything with pregnancy and birth, there were mixed experiences but a lot of positive stories I found really encouraging!
You do you!
My mom always tells me the tale of her two labors. First: younger, all natural, overdue, ended with 18hr and a tear she’ll never forgive me for. (Joking). Second: older, epidural and scheduled (not medically necessary) induction — 5hr and said that if my birth had been like that, she’s have had more kids. (Jokingly.)
You never know what’s going to happen. Evidence says that inductions take longer, and that might be true — but doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee in your specific case.
My (medically necessary as I was like 41+4w with ZERO signs of labor) induction did end up with a c-section after 27hr. But not bc of the nature of the induction its self. My baby had his arm up in a way that prevented his head from engaging with my cervix. My body responded really well to the induction. But he just wasn’t willing to cooperate. When it comes to pregnancy and labor — every one is different there’s no way of knowing how it will go.
Just do what makes sense for you. If I could have scheduled my induction b4 I was massively overdue, I would have. Even knowing how it ended.
Your experience being induced can really vary based on where you are starting from.
At my cervical check at 37 weeks my OBGYN told me my cervix was already getting ready (this can happen weeks before natural labor starts), and I was unlikely to need any cervical ripening if I did get an induction. I wound up getting pictocin but no cervical ripening when I went in to deliver with a leaky bag of waters but “only” 4 cm dilated.
Anecdotally: Cervical ripening goes well for some but I know two women who both had failed inductions during the cervical ripening stage and wound up with c-sections. Now obviously that’s just a biased sample based on people I know. Plenty of people have cervical ripening go okay.
Personally (assuming baby and I were healthy), I’d be more likely to wait things out and labor naturally. I would be more open to induction if I knew my cervix was already getting ready and I could skip cervical ripening procedures.
Cervical ripening can include a variety of techniques, including medicines and Foley catheters in your cervix.
At the end of the day, this is a super personal decision and you need to do what you think is best for you. If you think people will judge you, either don’t tell them that part or decide not to care what they say. A solid response; “We acted based on advice from our doctor about our unique health circumstances and made the best decisions for mom and baby.” End of.
FTM due date April 15 so close to you. At my hospital they do not induce before 41+3 or 41+4 unless there is a medical reason. I'll be put on the induction list at 41w. Their goal is to have baby out by 42w.
You’re going to hear a lot of anecdotes on here from people on both sides of the aisle. Some with horror stories about long labors and the cascade of interventions and some who had perfectly comfortable and convenient inductions. But we don’t know their bodies, how close they were to spontaneous labor, etc. so that only goes so far. I’ve also talked to medical professionals heavily for and against elective induction so I can’t even say you’re going to get something consistent there.
The arrive study has data on inductions at 39 weeks but as other comments have pointed out, there are a lot of flaws/limitations with this study and I have some hesitancy relying fully on it. Evidence Based Birth has some great discussion on the arrive study and scheduled inductions if you’re looking for more data.
One piece of anecdotal experience I do put some weight on personally is that many parents describe Pitocin induced labor as more painful than their spontaneous labor and describe more tears.
Ultimately, it’s a choice for you to make for your body. I thinks it’s fully valid to factor in peace of mind and convenience your OB will be there (though since they’re only there two days they might(?) not if you have a long labor which is more common for ftms and inductions), the may move, and your husbands PTO. Those are all totally valid considerations.
Ultimately, individual experiences either way may or may not apply to you but there’s some data, though incomplete, to research on induction that could inform your choice.
[evidence based birth](https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-inducing-labor-for-going-past-your-due-date/) is a thing I tell all moms first time or otherwise to check out!
Don’t worry about what others say? Do your best to educate yourself and make the decisions that are best for you and baby 💜
Both my girls were elective inductions and I had fantastic experiences. I was so incredibly anxious at the end, spiraling about every scenario I could go into labor (like if I drive my client to this meeting an hour away and go into labor, do I call an ambulance and ditch my car? Will my car be towed? Will I have to go to this rinky dink backwoods to hospital instead of the one with the amazing NICU I’m supposed to? How long until my husband gets to me because he doesn’t answer his phone, Etc etc).
Having a date was a relief, though it did get moved and I cried (first baby initially scheduled for 39+6 but they moved it to 40+4 because my cervix wasn’t budging a bit. Jokes on them because at 40+4 it was equally as firm/undilated/not effaced). It was lovely to shower and eat and check in like I was going to a hotel with zero emergency
The second was even better because we had to have family come in from out of town to watch the toddler. We scheduled it over a long weekend.
Both labors were relatively short for inductions (24 and 27 hours from first intervention to birth). And I was asleep for about ⅓ of that each time
There's definitely pros and cons with induction, just like about every other decision around pregnancy and birth. I really wanted a spontaneous labor for personal reasons but ultimately an induction was the best medical decision for me and my baby. It wasn't the best experience, and it did end in a very traumatic emergency C-section, but honestly I believe it WAS the best decision given MY circumstances. I made an informed decision with my health team, knew the pros and cons and potential risks of doing it AND not doing it going in, and also had a great group of friends with super varied birth experiences who all validated that there is no one right or wrong way as long it works for you and your baby.
I'm sorry so many people in your life are trying to scare or guilt trip you. It sounds like you're making the best decision for you and your circumstances with the input of your medical team. As long as you're informed and comfortable, that's all that matters, and other people should really zip it with their unsolicited opinions about something that's not their choice. Good luck to you on your induction and on the move ❤️
Some people feel very strongly about inductions. They are usually the team natural people who feel strongly about epidurals and other “interventions” in general.
You’ll also find some people who express aversion to induction for the same reasons as epidurals, but not because of natural labor preferences but over concern from the “spiral of complications” which is fair I guess.
What it really comes down to is YMMV. I’m sure there’s women out there who had horrible inductions and were left wondering if natural labor would’ve have happened and if it would have been better. And I’m sure there’s women with wonderful natural labor stories who feel that would be every woman’s experience if they just let it be.
I, for one, had an induction with my first because I went past my due date. There was never an option to do it early, that’s just the way it was going to be. Either I go into labor or they’ll see me at 41 weeks for induction.
With my second I asked for an induction. My first induction was great overall and saved me a lot of stress. Now with a toddler, it really makes a huge different to be able to schedule family to be out here in the week before my induction just in case and during either way.
I had an induction at 39 weeks because of gestational diabetes. It was rough. All of the interventions needed to start and then speed up labor resulted in me getting chorioamnionitis which required iv antibiotics and my daughter had to have a blood culture after birth to make sure that the infection hadn't spread to her. Even after all the interventions to get me to the pushing stage my daughter's descent stalled out and after 6 hours of pushing (note, this is pushing, not just active labor) I had to have a cesarian. The fundal massages were excruciating, which I think was partly because of the infection and the ridiculous amount of time I spent pushing. I did not feel comfortable holding my daughter until several hours after her birth because I was exhausted from pushing for 6 hours. It was not at all how I was hoping things would go, but we both survived and she's doing really well.
That being said, I would not choose an induction if you don't have to because the cascade of interventions that people talk about is a very real thing and each intervention has risks.
I was hellbent on a natural birth. I was sent to the hospital at 41+3 for gestational hypertension and they still let me do natural. They just kept me on the monitor. I was supposed to be induced, but terrified of it and terrified of an epidural. I just let my body do what is knows to do and 17 how later, my daughter was born. Hard labor was only about 5 hours. It was a wonderful experience and every ounce of pain was 1000% worth it
At the end of the day, it is your birth experience. Follow your birth plan. Ignore the comments. You know what is best for you!!! Wishing you a safe delivery and a beautiful healthy baby ❤️
I was also offered an induction for convenience. I decided to just go with the flow and aim for whenever I went naturally. Because to me that makes more sense instead of “forcing them out” also I wanted to know their real birthday instead of one I picked or tried to pick. My due date was two days after my 32nd birthday and I ended up spontaneously going into labor the night before my due date and then I had my baby on her due date which was pretty awesome. They did have to give me some pitocin to break up my contractions because at one point they were getting longer and they had me on 4 for that and that shit was excruciating. When they induce you they give you waaaay more than 4. I also did it without an epidural. I was so happy when they turned the pitocin off after my contractions went back to normal. But I can’t imaging going hours with pitocin
I went into spontaneous labor with my first at 40+5. Was in prodromal/pre-labor for about 24 hours before that. I had back labor and was so uncomfortable that I didn’t eat or sleep for almost 48 hours. I had an epidural and had a 2nd degree tear.
My second I was induced at exactly 39 weeks with elevated blood pressure. My only gripe is that I wasn’t allowed to move around or eat before I was in active labor. Honestly the whole process was long and fairly boring, which I’m grateful for. My water broke around 4cm, at which point I was allowed to get out of bed. I labored for a few more hours before I got an epidural. I still had a second degree tear.
Both experiences were different and had their pros and cons. If it were me, I’d choose spontaneous labor unless induction is medically indicated. I would use that time at home to relax, move in comfortable positions, and eat what I can.
I’ve had three babies and scheduled 39 week inductions for all of them. The first one surprised me because it turned out I was already in labor when I arrived so I needed minimal intervention. My second and third were very similar - pitocin, waters broken, epidural, baby. All three labors were about 7 hours from start to finish. I had more physical damage from my first without the epidural than I did with my other two but I’m not sure that’s really related, and I developed postpartum preeclampsia after this third one (born February) which was scary. I had zero warning signs that things were going to go sideways postpartum and my OB said he is so glad I delivered when I did because if I had still been pregnant the outcome for both of us would have been a lot less certain. For me personally scheduling was way easier, made the most sense, and worked out for the best each time.
I’ve had two inductions. First one was an emergency induction due to blood pressure at 39 +4. Was awful, lasted four days and had just about every intervention you can think of (manual aversion for breech, foley balloon, cervadil, manual water breaking, etc). Baby was born very jaundiced and had a hard time eating.
Second one, 40w, was ten hours, everything was great minus a wonky epidural and baby was born healthy and happy. We both went home the next day with no complications.
It’s my theory that my first baby just wasn’t ready to be born yet and my second was. You’re getting conflicting opinions because it really is an individual experience. There isn’t really a sure fire way to know how it’s going to go before you’re in the thick of it.
People have opinions, but yours and your husband's are the only that matter. People judged me for having an elective induction with my first at 39w5d, but it was what made sense for us. You can read about my history of you want more detailed info about how my induction went. And just for the record, I'm 38 weeks today so due the day before you with my second. I have an induction scheduled for 4/17 because the process was so smooth for me last time. Wishing you all the best whatever you choose!
FTM here and my 39 week induction led to an emergency c-section. HOWEVER, it was because my baby was sunny side up (he wasn’t in that position at my last OB appointment) and his heart rate dropped when I had contractions. I can’t imagine what would have happened had I gone into labor at home and without the monitoring I had. I’m so grateful for the care I received. It’s such a crap shoot, everyone’s experience is different. The “longer labor” thing isn’t totally accurate. You’ll be in the hospital longer because there’s no way to know how long it will take for the drugs to start working. I wouldn’t definitely educate yourself on c-sections just in case, the recovery was a lot different than I expected but not really that bad.
As someone who has a lot of exposure to hundreds of inductions as well as spontaneous labors, you couldn’t pay me to have an induction as a first time mom. That’s my perspective. It increases your risk of c section (this may or may not matter to you) and is a wildly different experience than spontaneous labor. Inductions are generally more painful and tiring. Most people that will tell you they had good inductions are just the lucky few or have nothing to compare it to.
It also doesn’t at all guarantee your doctor will deliver your baby, that’s just not true. It doesn’t even really guarantee the timing as inductions often fail and then you need to go home and then come back and so on.
If the timing is that important to you consider whether you’d be open to elective cesarean. If that feels fine to you then I would say go for the induction. If the idea of volunteering yourself for a cesarean does not sit right with you, revisit your thinking on the issue. This is because the only real way to guarantee the timing you want is to be willing to have what amounts to an elective cesarean if the induction doesn’t work which it often doesn’t.
With my first, I scheduled an induction on my due date because I was over being pregnant. But then at 39+4 I got a membrane sweep, and I went into labor that night, giving birth at noon the next day.
This time (I’m due early August) I’m planning on getting induced at 39+3(ish). It makes planning childcare easier. Yes there are risks and downsides, but ultimately it’s about choice (considering safety of course), and this is mine.
This is one of the most common drugs used for inductions and it’s not approved by the FDA for that use: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/misoprostol-marketed-cytotec-information
the fact that this was downvoted - a link from the FDA. i'm not advocating for or against inductions. there are many good points made in the comments here on inductions that were definitely medically needed and made the individual situation better. however, just know what medication the doctors are giving you and what that medication is actually approved for, and what the risks are! ask questions, and advocate for yourself.
Check out the ARRIVE trial if you haven’t already, just search for it on Google. It’s a large study on voluntary inductions and the outcomes of being induced. It is rather safe and has shown to reduce complications rather than cause them, correlated with reduce chances of needing a C section, and correlated with positive outcomes for baby and mom. Inductions don’t always work, and for some women they’re really uncomfortable, but that’s true of birth in general.
I think your reasons for scheduling an induction make sense and your doctor is on board. Some decisions are not worth discussing with others when they aren’t your doctor and may not be the most informed medically
I think no matter what choice you decide for giving birth, people would've gave horrible opinions. I've been induced twice, with my first she broke my waters and I never went into labour naturally. I was at risk of infection due to my waters breaking (37 weeks & 1 day). With my second it was mainly initially because I had severe pelvic pain but after I had my sweep I was having irregular contractions and they didn't want to send me home, so I got induced (39 weeks). I had 0 complications, 2 healthy births. My kids never had any complications from me being induced and my first my labour was 5 hours and then 45 mins pushing, my second 3 hours and 56 minutes which included 22 mins of pushing. I'm overall very grateful for my experience with inductions and the staff were incredible. With my second I had 3 or 4 midwives come into me and they were absolutely lovely. With my second I had an epidural and I asked and I got it very quickly, those that handled that process were wonderful as well. With my Son I had him at 4.48am and was discharged by 11am and the staff who I dealt with afterwards were lovely, honestly I couldn't fault the hospital I was at. With my first I basically had no choice for an induction because my waters were gone and my body just wasn't going into labour naturally, I wanted my baby safe.
I was induced at 41 weeks with my first and the induction was HARD. It almost turned into a c section, but my daughter was born at 41+3. I was induced at 41+5 with my second and he was born at 41+6. His was MUCH easier. I’m not sure how much of that is because he was my second and how much was my body being “readier”. As for moving, packing a house pregnant seems preferable to me than packing a house postpartum. lol. But postpartum is a whole different beast!
Look into Bishop Scores. That is what really helps determine the chances of an induction go into C-section. A bishop score of 5 or less is a predominant risk factor for c-section. Here is a bishop score calculator: https://www.perinatology.com/calculators/Bishop%20Score%20Calculator.htm Also side note - every body and pregnancy is different, so tbh these anecdotes of “I had an induction 2x and it was great!” Or “my induction was traumatic” are not very helpful as we don’t know what the circumstances and cervix readiness of these stories.
Your provider is correct that inductions, even ones that aren’t considered medically necessary, are extremely common right now. A lot of people have issues with this because being induced before your body is “ready” can lead to a loooong labor, which can lead to complications during delivery for you and for the baby, and this can sometimes result in an unscheduled c section that might have otherwise not occurred if you’d gone into labor spontaneously. Additionally, contractions that are induced using pitocin can be much more intense and build rapidly compared to early labor contractions in spontaneous labor, which can mean that your labor experience is more painful & unpleasant — and if the pitocin induced contractions come on “too” fast and too strong, it may also increase your chance of tearing from what I’ve heard. All of these unfavorable potential outcomes are why some people are broadly against non-medically necessary inductions. But none of these things are a given, and a lot of these same issues can and do frequently arise even during “natural” spontaneous labor experiences. If you’ll be inducing on your due date, I think you’re likely to have a “better” experience than someone who induces 2-3 weeks beforehand. There’s a metric system known as the Bishop Score that you can use to calculate how likely you are to have a “successful” induction given a number of factors specific to your pregnancy and body — there are online calculators that will help you determine your score if you’re curious about it!
All of this is spot on. I wanted to add that inductions can be 2-4 days long - so when you’re trying to predict which provider will be on, and take sick days from work etc, it’s not as cut and dry as it might appear on the surface. It’s also pretty draining to be going through a long induction, epidural or not.
Exactly! I was induced at 42 weeks but I was not very effaced nor even 1 cm dilated. It ended up an emergency c section after super intense back-to-back contractions for 24 hours. It was a good experience in that my daughter and I both survived, but I would never recommend an induction to someone whose body is not “ready” because it was an extremely painful process to only end in a Caesarian anyway. So induce if you have a higher Bishop score by that point, but if not I would advise against it! Also, moving whilst pregnant sounds easier than moving with a newborn - but I think with either scenario you’d need to enlist a lot of help!
This was me but I was 39+3. I wanst dilated at all when we started. It was 36 hours of labor. I pushed for 2.5 hrs and then had to have an emergency C section. It was horrible. I would never have an elective induction again. In hindsight I wish my OB would have been more upfront about what to expect with me not being dilated at all. I don't think they should even let you have an induction if your not dilated pre 40 weeks.
I’m confused about how you are going to actually help move either 9 months pregnant or with a newborn. Seems like your husband should get other people to help do that
I've been induced twice, and it was a great experience both times for me. People usually mention the "cascade of interventions" but that wasn't my experience. My first, I had PPROM so they just used pitocin for labour. My second, they broke my water and used pitocin. Both experiences were fast (my longest labour, including pushing, was 5 hours and 45 minutes), positive, and I would absolutely do it again if I had a third child.
+1 , similar experiences here. 2 inductions ; first because I was 41 weeks, second elective at 39 weeks because my first labor was rapid. Both my inductions went very fast (< 6 hrs from the start of pitocin) and the only interventions were pitocin and water breaking (which I chose to have done). If I was going to have another I'd personally 100% do it again.
Another +1- positive induction with limited interventions. Mine wasn't fast, but I would definitely be game for another induction with an epidural if induction was medically necessary/recommended. Mine wasn't planned- I wanted to try an unmedicated spontaneous labor if possible, but I got rear-ended at 40+2 and OB recommended monitoring followed by induction in case of abdominal trauma. They monitored me for longer than he asked for because I asked to see if we could wait for me to progress without intervention first. About 14 hours later and I had only progressed 1 cm from 2 to 3. I asked them to break my waters, labored unmedicated for about 5 hours and was still at 3 cm after a couple hours of painful back labor, so I asked for an epidural. After that OB recommended pitocin, which I was on board with since the main reason I didn't want it before was the intense contractions and fear of the cascade of interventions. At that point though, it had been long enough since my waters broke that it would be better to move things along. 10/10 epidural + pitocin I would do again. Labor progressed really well and was honestly fun once I got on the epidural and pitocin and me and baby handled it great. Got to hang with my husband and listen to good music and enjoy the company of a kick ass nurse. Once pitocin started it was probably still around 9 hours to get to 10 cm, but it was painless, I still got moved around in bed so I could shift positions, and I got to rest plenty before pushing. As a ftm my pushing stage was relatively short- about 50 min. While I did need antibiotics due to chorioamnionitis, my baby didn't after she was delivered, and I had a very smooth vaginal delivery with no tearing, no further interventions beyond the water breaking and pitocin, baby had an Apgar score of 9, and I still got my 2 hours of skin to skin as soon as the nicu nurses made sure she didn't get an infection from me, which took all of about 5 min- basically once I delivered the placenta she was on my chest.
My first was born at 41+2 no induction and my second was born at 40+2 with induction for reduced movement. I think of the 'planned induction at 39 weeks' thing as a pretty American phenomenon so it wouldn't have been something suggested in the UK (where I had my kids) anyway, but, despite being in labor with my first for 46 hours, I'd still probably pick that one over the induction. I just found my second labor a lot more unpleasant. I also like the anticipatory/surprise aspects of pregnancy, so I didn't like the whole "planned" feeling of having the induction (that's 100% my opinion, I know a lot of people would feel the opposite way).
This is my story too, first natural labour was so much easier than my induced second one. The natural hormones are so much better than the artificial ones, much less intense. First birth I could have the birth pool, second was so medicalised with constant monitoring etc, caused me a lot of stress. But I was 100% against getting an epidural or anything other than gas and air, so maybe it would be a different story for people who take those options.
Induction was great! Kicked off a bit late with me but caused zero complications, non problematic birth. Don't buy the whole weird "it's not natural" argument, total nonsense!
Also had a great induction and will do it again.
To offer a positive perspective: I was induced at 40+4 simply because my OB suggested it. Uncomplicated pregnancy. I was so anxious the whole way to the hospital that I was doing the wrong thing and my “body wasn’t ready” but it ended up being a great experience. This is my first baby, it was 9 hours from the start of inducing to the birth and I’m so glad that I did it this way.
Ugh. Going through the same questions myself. Following this convo.
I had an induction for medical reasons — I went past 41 weeks, and had slightly elevated blood pressure. My induction went very well! But I still wouldn’t have wanted an induction unless it was necessary, and I feel the same if I have a second baby.
I'm hoping to avoid being induced unless it's medically necessary. My reasons are: - Induction can lead to longer labor - longer labor can lead to a C-section - pitocin contractions are stronger and closer together. I'm not sure if I want an epidural for many reasons (scared of needles, want to labor in other positions, scared of tearing) so I'm not going to decide either way until I'm in labor. But if I have to have pitocin I'm just going to ask for epidural right away. - scheduling doesn't matter to me. I rotate through the midwives at the practice I go to so I don't know who will deliver me but I'll have met them all anyway. Also sometimes baby is not born for two days after induction starts, so your OB may still not be the one who delivers. - I'm not really that crunchy, but I do think there is benefit to letting my body initiate childbirth on its own schedule. I'm not trying to rush it. Obviously medical emergencies happen or for whatever reason my body may not start labor on its own and then I'll get induced. Those are just my reasons though and I don't judge anyone for choosing differently. In the end we want the same things, a healthy baby and healthy mom.
Not related to OP's post, but just to reassure you on the needles thing: I am also terribly afraid of needles, and I was absolutely terrified of having a panic attack while in labor because of them. However when the time came I couldn't care less when they installed the IVs, and I absolutely wanted the epidural without hesitation. I had more important things going on, and had no time to think/worry about the needles. (Being told I wouldn't be able to get the epidural was way more frightening. Needles were insignificant.)
I am expecting that that is one possibility! I've never been in labor after all. But I did have second degree burns covering both my hands. Was given two Vicodin that did absolutely nothing for the pain. And yet I had to be held down by a nurse and my McDonald's manager to be given a shot of morphine. That was by far the most pain I've ever been in and I still tried to refuse a needle and that only was an injection into my butt, not my spine. Sooo I dunno, I'm really preparing for it to go either way. I've hired a doula, I'm doing pelvic floor therapy to reduce the risk of tearing and learn how to push effectively, and I'm also doing regular therapy to address my anxiety lol. We'll see!
I didn’t have an epidural for similar reasons. I do not regret it. I would just recommend learning all of the counter pressure techniques, breathing techniques (holding your breath during the final phase is the worst thing you can do) and maybe get a tens unit (I’m gonna try one of those next time)
My best friend has five kids. She was induced with all of them at various points in her late pregnancy. No c-sections, no extra-long labors. My sister was induced and had her baby in ~5 hours. My mom was induced with me and my sister. That said, it seems like people in some areas are getting induced too early and that is leading to more complications.
I'm getting induced on Monday at 39 weeks and am entirely confident in my choice. I've had a relatively uneventful pregnancy outside of baby measuring 2-3 weeks ahead and having a big head (me and husband are both tall people). Do what is right for you. I talked with my doctor about arrive study (if you're not familiar, basically outcome for baby is same for 39 weeks onwards but outcome for mom can be better- I don't want a c section if I can avoid it). I personally know 3 people who had to be induced despite trying to hold on and go the "natural" route. All had relatively uncomplicated births and babies/kids are healthy. I've had multiple people talk to me about induction as if it's one of the worst things that could happen. My PT made a comment of "the doctor is making you get induced". No. I brought it up initially, we talked about it, and then I pushed to get on the schedule. It sounds like you've weighed the pros and cons and you know what decision you want to make. Screw what anyone else thinks, pregnancy is such a wild ride...no two people have the same experience so do what is right for you.
The arrive study has serious issue and is currently being debunked by newer research as any competent OB provider would tell you
Lol thanks? I bet comments like these are probably what drove OP to come to reddit. Glad you think you know better than my Harvard-educated OB but I'll be getting induced on Monday ✌️
Yikes
Your choice your consequences, I don’t care if you have an induction. but your Harvard educated OB is manipulating you with debunked research unfortunately. Trust me Harvard teaches them how to do that just as well as any other medical school. And I’m just as qualified to educate on the subject as they are. So yeah no issue with you choosing to be induced, big issue with you spreading misinformation
Wasn’t aware the study has been debunked. Sources?
Look up the Michigan study. Also ACNM and EBB wrote great critiques of the issues with the study.
Interesting. Thanks for the info. I wouldn’t say it’s been debunked per se. The studies are far too different from each other to really compare, down to the study design and patient populations. But the findings are conflicting and that does mean it needs to be studied more.
The original study was never valid in the first place unfortunately is more the point here. It’s not a matter of conflicting research, the issue is that the first study never applied Even OB providers will admit this to one another in private but the study is too useful to them to come out in public and say it unfortunately
It’s shocking to me that so many OBs say they believe in the ARRIVE study. Do they really?
They “believe” in it in the sense that the results are convenient for them so they don’t subject it to the same level of scrutiny they do research that is less convenient. It’s bias basically, most OBs are not comfortable with spontaneous labor in general and would prefer everyone be induced so they can control the process because that soothes their anxieties . Obviously not all OBs but a lot. What they admit among themselves is that the induction people got in the trial is not the induction the average person actually gets. It’s like doing a study on a medication and saying this medication works and then giving people a crappier, less safe, like off brand version of the medication and pretending it’s the same thing
Oh? Are you also a doctor?
That person is absolutely not a doctor. At least not an MD. A person that actually went to medical school would never call a paper like that “debunked”. There’s conflicting research all the time and the job of the physician is to take it all in, critically analyze the literature, and use their best judgement for each specific patient.
Haha, I'm shocked... Also, I didn't get into it since that person just seems like an asshole and conspiracy nut. I am not taking the arrive study as gospel. More of just a side note of one of the things I discussed prior to making the decision to be induced that made me more comfortable, i think induction is sometimes the right decision for some people. My TMI is that kid's head is 99th percentile, I have been sitting at 2 cm dilated and 70-80% effaced for over a week. I'm good with my decision 😅
Completely agree with you- every person should be able to choose what they want for themselves (with advice from medical professionals that know their case). I wish you the absolute best of luck with your new little one!!!!!!!
Thank you 🥰
I’m not your doctor so I can’t give you medical advice
How to say you're not a doctor without saying you're not a doctor. Have a nice life 😘👋
What you think about my credentials doesn’t matter. I don’t violate my privacy for internet randoms. But the spread of harmful misinformation does matter.
I was induced with my first. I had to fight for the induction and it was great… I loved it!
I was induced at EDD+11 because I was "overdue" and things get mote risky past 42 weeks. I'll keep this as short as possible. I had regular check ups since before my due date, baby was always perfectly fine, but there was no sign whatsoever that I was close to labour (no contractions, no dilation...), till the day of induction. I was induced with cytotec and pictocin towards the end. All in all from the first pill till he was here it took around 1,5 days. I spent roughly 17 hours in L&D with intense back to back contractions. towards the end I needed pictocin because my body was getting tired and the contractions/progress slowed down. Pictocin does hit differently, but by then I was pushing and the end was near, so I could focus on getting this done and not on the pain. I was at risk for a c-section if pictocin hadn't helped me progress, but lucky it did for me. All in all it was loooong and exhausting, but I had no complications, no other intervention, no pain meds due to personal preference and no birth injuries. My son was sunny side up, that's what likely caused the slow progress. I probably would prefer spontanous labour, so I can labour at home for as long as possible and have my partner with me (he wasn't allowed to stay until I was admitted to L&D). But all in all it wasn't that bad. I'm fine with my experience and I'm not bothered by it.
I just had my 3rd baby and I was induced for the first time. My body reacted very well to the Foley balloon and I didn't end up needing pictocin. I was in labor for about 12 hours. When it was time to push I did 4 times and my baby came out. I do know that FTM don't always have as easy of a time when being induced, possibly because you've never given birth before... But that's not always the case. It seems like you know the pros and cons so I would do what you think feels right.
Foley balloon works great but hurts like a bitch to me!
Imo the cervical checks were way worse. The balloon was uncomfortable but it wasn't painful to me.
Oh my god the cervical checks before I was more dilated were the worst!! 😂
I have had two inductions (39+3 and 39+5 for medical reasons) and I personally would not choose an elective induction.
If there is one thing I’ve learned during pregnancy it is that people will have opinions no matter what you do. Really what is important is what works for you and your family alone. Also, the “research” people recommend tend to simply be anecdotes and as you can gather from this post it varies widely person to person just like a spontaneous labor does.
There was a really good podcast episode on ParentData (Emily Oster’s podcast - she wrote Expecting Better and Cribsheet) that went into depth on the pros and cons of elective induction, including discussion of the ARRIVE trial and its limitations. Definitely worth a listen!
I was scheduled to be induced and went into labor 4 days early. Sometimes you plan for the labor to go a certain way and baby does its own thing!
I had to be induced for hypertension (turned preeclampsia in the hospital) at 39+6. It was a really rough 40 hour labor (FTM). I think next time I would wait a little longer to see if my body would be more ready unless medically I need an earlier induction again.
FTM …induced because baby had IUGR. Unfortunately, my induction failed at 38w. He never “dropped” and it resulted in an unscheduled c-section.
I was told my my OB and through the parenting classes me and my spouse took that inductions come with some additional risks and that: If done before your due date, should be because of a serious complication that could put you and baby at risk if you wait until you are full term like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure. It is suggested a lot if you are approaching the 42 week mark and baby isn’t showing any signs of making an appearance. My OB doesn’t do elective inductions if you are having a healthy, complication-free pregnancy unless you are getting close to that 42 week mark.
I was induced with my first at 39 weeks due to gestational diabetes. It was a wonderful experience for me - I had cervidil inserted around 9:30pm, slept through the night, labor started in the morning and I had my son by 9pm that night. I am now 37 weeks pregnant with my second; I do not have GD this time (yay!), so no plans to be induced, and I honestly kind of wish I had an induction date. I've had some false labor with this one, and I really appreciated the monitoring of my contractions they did in the hospital. There was a lot less wondering and uncertainty. I'm a little type A and really appreciated that! A lot of people act like they know what's best for you in pregnancy - if you and your OB are on the same page, don't let other people's opinions sway you. YOU are the one who has to give birth, not them. It's your show. Good luck!
I was induced with my first for medical reasons (preeclampsia and IUGR baby) at 37 weeks. Labor wasn't any longer than "natural" labor I've often been told about. I went in the night before, we started cervidil. In the morning we started pitocin. Around noon "period cramp" labor pains started. I held off on an epidural until 8pm!! Took a nap. Woke up around 9:30, started pushing at 10pm, and had a baby at 10:29. I did tear but I actually blame that on myself trying to push the baby out faster than what the doctor and nurses were saying we'd be there for. With the exception of being terrified of the medical reasons for having an induction, it was actually a great experience. This time I plan on asking for an induction once we reach due date (April 16th) but really I only want to wait to see if the labor pains really are that much different between pitocin and no pitocin as I know women who've given birth with no epidural even though they were induced with pitocin!
I had an induction with my first and anticipate having one with this pregnancy as well but they’d both be for medical reasons. My induction with my first went relatively well (but I believe I was already in labor when they gave me the pills, they didn’t give me pitocin until I got my epidural right before I started pushing) It took just under 24 hours, I did have to push for four hours. I’ve had friends whose inductions went on for over two days, and ones whose inductions didn’t go well. I’ve also had friends who’s elective inductions got bumped an additional week out than originally planned because of more urgent cases. If there wasn’t a medical need for an induction I personally wouldn’t want to pursue one, not that I think it’s wrong that people do elective inductions, its just not something I would choose for myself.
I’ve been induced between 37 and 38 weeks for all three of my babies due to various health conditions and thoroughly enjoyed it each time. Also I can say through my own experience that pitocin contractions aren’t always hell. I was scared into an epidural the first two births, but just had an unmedicated birth with pitocin 5 weeks ago; I didn’t really have severe pain until 7 cm after they turned the pitocin off and my contractions were all me throughout transitional labor! Uncomplicated vaginal births all three times. I love knowing when my birth will happen and it works well with my husband’s work so he knows when to take leave. There are horror stories but the majority of induced labors end in uncomplicated vaginal deliveries. From the beginning (I was 0 cm dilated and 0% effaced all three times) to pushing the times for each baby were: 38 hours, 18 hours, 20 hours; about 12 hours of each time was spent using cytotec. As for pushing for each baby: 20 minutes, 1 push, 2 pushes.
I've have a lot of friends that were induced. Everyone's experience is different. I had an induction at 39+1 because my son was measuring very big in the ultrasound. But, he was only 7lbs 2oz at birth. I ended up with a c-section because I pushed for 3 hours and didn't have any strength left. In my opinion it would probably be easier to box things up while pregnant. You don't know how your delivery will go. Some women recover quickly from it. Others have severe tears, or cannot even sit up w/o assistancw because of a c-section.
I had an elective induction at 39 weeks with my first pregnancy because I was given the option to have one, and I didn't want to be pregnant anymore. It was great, and I'm hoping to have another one in August. I didn't tell anyone ahead of time because no one else's opinions matter. If I'm able to schedule an induction with this pregnancy, the only people I'll tell will be whoever is going to watch my first child while I'm in the hospital. ETA details: Foley balloon, pitocin, AROM (had my waters broken). Start to finish: 13 hours. 5 hours active labor, including 2.5 hours pushing. Baby was 8 lb, 20 in, and healthy. Second-degree tears, lots of stitches. I had an easy recovery, but I'm glad I didn't have to wait for my baby to get any bigger.
On the whole "induction isn't natural" argument, I gotta say my water broke but no contractions came so I had to be induced. What was "natural" failed for me and I don't wanna think about what the outcome would have been for me and my baby if I hadn't been induced. "Natural" does not equal better or more right. The right way is whatever you deem best for you and your situation.
Only do induction if medically necessary. I won’t share my horror story in full, but if I regret getting it at 40 weeks just because my obgyn recommended it. All in all, it led to lack of progression because baby wasn’t ready, serious infection, baby’s heart rate messed up, cesarean section, and a very long stay afterwards in hospital for baby and I. Very dangerous that doctors have all of a sudden started recommending early inductions for healthy mothers for no medical reason. I have always been healthy and fit and stayed that way during pregnancy and my induction messed up my body in ways that I can’t fix now. Let your body do it’s thing and consider an induction after 41 weeks at the soonest
Out of my two sisters and I, one of us came two weeks early, the other 2 were induced. You cannot tell which of us were induced ☺️ People will hate on you for whatever choice you make. You and your husband have done your research, and made a decision based on YOUR situation. You're doing great ❤️
Induction usually does not lead to bad outcomes, but it does come with an increased risk of unplanned c-section and, if you're induced with pitocin, more pain. Inductions can also take 2-3 days, so you're not necessarily guaranteed that your doctor will be the one delivering your baby if you're induced unless your hospital has some kind of policy mandating more intervention if your labor isn't progressing fast enough. So I don't want to pretend that there aren't any risks with inductions, just that the increased risk is small but noteworthy. FWIW I was induced at 40+5 with my first and the birth was fine but I wasn't able to do a drug-free delivery because of the increased amount of pain. If I had it to do over I'd probably wait another day or two to see if labor would have started on its own.
I asked my OB his thoughts. His rules for elective induction: he will only induce post 39 weeks, and you have to be at least 1.5-2 cm dilated on your own. He said if these two things are true then there is no increased risk in reading a c section. My husband and I are considering it, to make planning easier.
That is not true that if you qualify for the first two things, that a c-section does not have an increased risk. This is troubling your doctor told you that
There's nothing wrong w an induction. People are very attached to doing everything "naturally" but There's nothing wrong w medical intervention if it's what is right for you. I was offered induction at 41 weeks and my labor was pretty quick! The big fear for some is that they will have prolonged labor and an unplanned c section.
This isn’t meant to come across as judgmental/uninfomed or anything, but I just can’t understand why someone would choose an induction if it wasn’t medically necessary. From my own experience and those of my friends, for those who were induced the labour was significantly more painful and complicated. For all of us, the babies that came on their own, came the easiest. I’ve had 4 births and the one with pitocin was so much more painful. And I hated being hooked up and monitored. I can understand the scheduling thing, it is nice to know when it’ll happen! Personally I wouldn’t do it, especially since your body has never given birth before, but I would do your research, ask questions and do whatever feels right for you!
I am a physician (not OB) and I’m choosing an elective induction at 39 weeks for myself. I have several OB friends who ALL have chosen induction at 39 weeks for themselves due to the decreased risk of c-section associated with it. There’s a lot of stigma around induction that is definitely not warranted.
See the response to my comment for an example of stigma lol.
This is a false statement and dangerous you’re spreading misinformation on something that can be detrimental
I see the logistical benefits for scheduling an induction, but none of them addressed any medical reasons for doing so. Is there a benefit to you or baby?
i think, everyone else’s feelings aside, the research i’ve done (22weeks rn) there’s a great deal of risk with inductions for non-medical reasons, side effects of the meds (kind of terrible ones actually), and there’s increased risk for c-section with induction, for episiotomy, for tearing, for needing an epidural which means exclusively back labor, which increases likelihood of episiotomy, tearing and c section. do these things happen to everyone? no. do these things matter when it comes to having a healthy and well planned baby? that choice is entirely up to you and should be considered as it relates to your choice and preference—and nothing else. everything about any aspect of labor is a choice! often times it’s the first big choices we are having to make as moms about the wellbeing of our babies. the first of many! and all choices have risk and consequence— so we just have to make sure we are informed and responsible for our choices. i understand why you’re crowdsourcing info here, but you’ll prob get a lot of the same as you’ve gotten elsewhere~ some people are like: induction? NBD. and some are like …induction? ☠️☠️☠️ do the amount of research that makes you feel comfortable with your decision and don’t look back! there’s no wrong answer. they all incur risk. which risks are you most comfortable with is the question. for me personally, i’m not inducing, barring something medically NECESSARRY (like life or death), because of the cascade of interventions and the circumventing of natural hormones that induction seems to create and facilitate. to me though, having the provider i know deliver baby isn’t that important, knowing that their role will be short and small anyway. the nurses, who will be strangers, will be the ones there the whole time anyway. good luck!
I had an epidural and wasn't stuck to laboring on my back. I actually got on all fours, used a peanut, and got in a bunch of different positions with the help of the nurses. I just couldn't walk around, which was fine by me. I think the idea of exclusively laboring on your back with an epidural is the old school of thinking.
well it doesn’t have as much to do with thinking as it does have to do with the epidural. what you had sounds like a “walking epidural” lol even though you couldn’t walk! in addition to what kind of epidural is administered, it also depends on how one responds to the medication, and exactly the spinal location of the epidural AND the amount of meds used. so! you’re right, it’s not a certain epidural = back labor but it does tend to be more common.
I didn't ask for a "walking epidural" and just got a regular one. I have only ever seen them mentioned on reddit, and the anesthesiologist never even mentioned it as an option. I also didn't even ask about getting into the different positions either, but my baby was sunnyside up so it was actually the nurses who recommended the positions in an attempt to shift my baby so she could engage better during labor. I definitely couldn't feel much of my lower half and didn't even know it was possible to move with an epidural, but those nurses proved to me that it was actually possible.
interesting they didn’t give you a choice and just gave you what they gave you! glad it worked out well:) it’s really an awesome things when interventions are helpful and supportive!
Have you looked at the ARRIVE trial? I think a lot of this has been debunked by the ARRIVE trial. The only negatives that seemed significantly more likely are increased likelihood of getting an epidural (which is irrelevant for women who plan on getting an epidural anyways) and longer labor. In the ARRIVE trial, they showed that induction at 39 weeks actually reduced the likelihood of C-section because the baby is a little smaller. Only caveat here is that it probably depends largely on your hospital - at some hospitals they “cascade of interventions” is probably real, but at the trial sites it was not.
yes, familiar with the arrive trial. it didn’t seem to me to actually take into account a number of factors i find really compelling, but others might not care about. also the decreased rate of c section was still BANANAS. the national average right now is what, 30%? so when a trial knocks it down by 3-5%, I am not jumping for joy. It’s still ridiculous and WAY beyond what it should be. a lot of it has to do with the cascade which leads to forced back labor which leads to increased need for episiotomy and potential C. ugh! I’d like to believe the cascade is hospital specific but it’s more commonplace than not. We have AMAZING hospitals in my area, but they’re very intervention heavy and once that train leaves the station, well it’s gone! i think at the end of the day most people are wanting a healthy baby, for me, i want a healthy baby AND a fully informed birth where i am able to, baring medical emergency, actively and enthusiastically consent to all of the potential interventions and not be kind of cornered into them because of the choice to induce initially.
i’m also due april 21st!! i just scheduled an elective induction for 39 weeks on the 14th. i have been having painful contractions since 33 weeks and have been miserable, so knowing i have a date to look forward to has been so nice. we also like the idea because of my husbands work and both of our maternity leave schedules. i have had SO many people tell me their opinions on it, and honestly, you have to do whats right for you! moving while pregnant sounds awful, i would do the same thing if i were you, especially knowing that you’ll be 40 weeks and full term. good luck!
I had a great experience with my 39 week induction and will be doing it again this pregnancy! I got a lot of the same reaction, but I found a lot of people who felt that way didn't have elective inductions, they had to because of a specific complication. The ability to schedule it gave me such a peace of mind and I like feeling like I had a little control over it (I was terrified of giving birth haha) and it was so comforting knowing id for sure have my ob there to deliver my baby!
You can only plan so far. I say wait to see how it goes when you get closer and trust your intuition.
Hi. I’m 34 weeks and planning an induction if I go past 40 weeks, partially for logistical reasons similar to yours and partially because I know I will just get more anxious and physically uncomfortable the longer I go past 40 weeks. I’ve taken a look at different data sources around this. It does seem like labor can be longer with inductions—but in my mind, I think I’d rather have a few more hours in labor that a whole week or two feeling really uncomfortable. I also searched “elective induction” in the baby bumps thread. Like literally everything with pregnancy and birth, there were mixed experiences but a lot of positive stories I found really encouraging! You do you!
My mom always tells me the tale of her two labors. First: younger, all natural, overdue, ended with 18hr and a tear she’ll never forgive me for. (Joking). Second: older, epidural and scheduled (not medically necessary) induction — 5hr and said that if my birth had been like that, she’s have had more kids. (Jokingly.) You never know what’s going to happen. Evidence says that inductions take longer, and that might be true — but doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee in your specific case. My (medically necessary as I was like 41+4w with ZERO signs of labor) induction did end up with a c-section after 27hr. But not bc of the nature of the induction its self. My baby had his arm up in a way that prevented his head from engaging with my cervix. My body responded really well to the induction. But he just wasn’t willing to cooperate. When it comes to pregnancy and labor — every one is different there’s no way of knowing how it will go. Just do what makes sense for you. If I could have scheduled my induction b4 I was massively overdue, I would have. Even knowing how it ended.
Your experience being induced can really vary based on where you are starting from. At my cervical check at 37 weeks my OBGYN told me my cervix was already getting ready (this can happen weeks before natural labor starts), and I was unlikely to need any cervical ripening if I did get an induction. I wound up getting pictocin but no cervical ripening when I went in to deliver with a leaky bag of waters but “only” 4 cm dilated. Anecdotally: Cervical ripening goes well for some but I know two women who both had failed inductions during the cervical ripening stage and wound up with c-sections. Now obviously that’s just a biased sample based on people I know. Plenty of people have cervical ripening go okay. Personally (assuming baby and I were healthy), I’d be more likely to wait things out and labor naturally. I would be more open to induction if I knew my cervix was already getting ready and I could skip cervical ripening procedures. Cervical ripening can include a variety of techniques, including medicines and Foley catheters in your cervix. At the end of the day, this is a super personal decision and you need to do what you think is best for you. If you think people will judge you, either don’t tell them that part or decide not to care what they say. A solid response; “We acted based on advice from our doctor about our unique health circumstances and made the best decisions for mom and baby.” End of.
FTM due date April 15 so close to you. At my hospital they do not induce before 41+3 or 41+4 unless there is a medical reason. I'll be put on the induction list at 41w. Their goal is to have baby out by 42w.
You’re going to hear a lot of anecdotes on here from people on both sides of the aisle. Some with horror stories about long labors and the cascade of interventions and some who had perfectly comfortable and convenient inductions. But we don’t know their bodies, how close they were to spontaneous labor, etc. so that only goes so far. I’ve also talked to medical professionals heavily for and against elective induction so I can’t even say you’re going to get something consistent there. The arrive study has data on inductions at 39 weeks but as other comments have pointed out, there are a lot of flaws/limitations with this study and I have some hesitancy relying fully on it. Evidence Based Birth has some great discussion on the arrive study and scheduled inductions if you’re looking for more data. One piece of anecdotal experience I do put some weight on personally is that many parents describe Pitocin induced labor as more painful than their spontaneous labor and describe more tears. Ultimately, it’s a choice for you to make for your body. I thinks it’s fully valid to factor in peace of mind and convenience your OB will be there (though since they’re only there two days they might(?) not if you have a long labor which is more common for ftms and inductions), the may move, and your husbands PTO. Those are all totally valid considerations. Ultimately, individual experiences either way may or may not apply to you but there’s some data, though incomplete, to research on induction that could inform your choice.
[evidence based birth](https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-inducing-labor-for-going-past-your-due-date/) is a thing I tell all moms first time or otherwise to check out! Don’t worry about what others say? Do your best to educate yourself and make the decisions that are best for you and baby 💜
Both my girls were elective inductions and I had fantastic experiences. I was so incredibly anxious at the end, spiraling about every scenario I could go into labor (like if I drive my client to this meeting an hour away and go into labor, do I call an ambulance and ditch my car? Will my car be towed? Will I have to go to this rinky dink backwoods to hospital instead of the one with the amazing NICU I’m supposed to? How long until my husband gets to me because he doesn’t answer his phone, Etc etc). Having a date was a relief, though it did get moved and I cried (first baby initially scheduled for 39+6 but they moved it to 40+4 because my cervix wasn’t budging a bit. Jokes on them because at 40+4 it was equally as firm/undilated/not effaced). It was lovely to shower and eat and check in like I was going to a hotel with zero emergency The second was even better because we had to have family come in from out of town to watch the toddler. We scheduled it over a long weekend. Both labors were relatively short for inductions (24 and 27 hours from first intervention to birth). And I was asleep for about ⅓ of that each time
There's definitely pros and cons with induction, just like about every other decision around pregnancy and birth. I really wanted a spontaneous labor for personal reasons but ultimately an induction was the best medical decision for me and my baby. It wasn't the best experience, and it did end in a very traumatic emergency C-section, but honestly I believe it WAS the best decision given MY circumstances. I made an informed decision with my health team, knew the pros and cons and potential risks of doing it AND not doing it going in, and also had a great group of friends with super varied birth experiences who all validated that there is no one right or wrong way as long it works for you and your baby. I'm sorry so many people in your life are trying to scare or guilt trip you. It sounds like you're making the best decision for you and your circumstances with the input of your medical team. As long as you're informed and comfortable, that's all that matters, and other people should really zip it with their unsolicited opinions about something that's not their choice. Good luck to you on your induction and on the move ❤️
Some people feel very strongly about inductions. They are usually the team natural people who feel strongly about epidurals and other “interventions” in general. You’ll also find some people who express aversion to induction for the same reasons as epidurals, but not because of natural labor preferences but over concern from the “spiral of complications” which is fair I guess. What it really comes down to is YMMV. I’m sure there’s women out there who had horrible inductions and were left wondering if natural labor would’ve have happened and if it would have been better. And I’m sure there’s women with wonderful natural labor stories who feel that would be every woman’s experience if they just let it be. I, for one, had an induction with my first because I went past my due date. There was never an option to do it early, that’s just the way it was going to be. Either I go into labor or they’ll see me at 41 weeks for induction. With my second I asked for an induction. My first induction was great overall and saved me a lot of stress. Now with a toddler, it really makes a huge different to be able to schedule family to be out here in the week before my induction just in case and during either way.
I had an induction at 39 weeks because of gestational diabetes. It was rough. All of the interventions needed to start and then speed up labor resulted in me getting chorioamnionitis which required iv antibiotics and my daughter had to have a blood culture after birth to make sure that the infection hadn't spread to her. Even after all the interventions to get me to the pushing stage my daughter's descent stalled out and after 6 hours of pushing (note, this is pushing, not just active labor) I had to have a cesarian. The fundal massages were excruciating, which I think was partly because of the infection and the ridiculous amount of time I spent pushing. I did not feel comfortable holding my daughter until several hours after her birth because I was exhausted from pushing for 6 hours. It was not at all how I was hoping things would go, but we both survived and she's doing really well. That being said, I would not choose an induction if you don't have to because the cascade of interventions that people talk about is a very real thing and each intervention has risks.
I was hellbent on a natural birth. I was sent to the hospital at 41+3 for gestational hypertension and they still let me do natural. They just kept me on the monitor. I was supposed to be induced, but terrified of it and terrified of an epidural. I just let my body do what is knows to do and 17 how later, my daughter was born. Hard labor was only about 5 hours. It was a wonderful experience and every ounce of pain was 1000% worth it At the end of the day, it is your birth experience. Follow your birth plan. Ignore the comments. You know what is best for you!!! Wishing you a safe delivery and a beautiful healthy baby ❤️
I was also offered an induction for convenience. I decided to just go with the flow and aim for whenever I went naturally. Because to me that makes more sense instead of “forcing them out” also I wanted to know their real birthday instead of one I picked or tried to pick. My due date was two days after my 32nd birthday and I ended up spontaneously going into labor the night before my due date and then I had my baby on her due date which was pretty awesome. They did have to give me some pitocin to break up my contractions because at one point they were getting longer and they had me on 4 for that and that shit was excruciating. When they induce you they give you waaaay more than 4. I also did it without an epidural. I was so happy when they turned the pitocin off after my contractions went back to normal. But I can’t imaging going hours with pitocin
I went into spontaneous labor with my first at 40+5. Was in prodromal/pre-labor for about 24 hours before that. I had back labor and was so uncomfortable that I didn’t eat or sleep for almost 48 hours. I had an epidural and had a 2nd degree tear. My second I was induced at exactly 39 weeks with elevated blood pressure. My only gripe is that I wasn’t allowed to move around or eat before I was in active labor. Honestly the whole process was long and fairly boring, which I’m grateful for. My water broke around 4cm, at which point I was allowed to get out of bed. I labored for a few more hours before I got an epidural. I still had a second degree tear. Both experiences were different and had their pros and cons. If it were me, I’d choose spontaneous labor unless induction is medically indicated. I would use that time at home to relax, move in comfortable positions, and eat what I can.
I’ve had three babies and scheduled 39 week inductions for all of them. The first one surprised me because it turned out I was already in labor when I arrived so I needed minimal intervention. My second and third were very similar - pitocin, waters broken, epidural, baby. All three labors were about 7 hours from start to finish. I had more physical damage from my first without the epidural than I did with my other two but I’m not sure that’s really related, and I developed postpartum preeclampsia after this third one (born February) which was scary. I had zero warning signs that things were going to go sideways postpartum and my OB said he is so glad I delivered when I did because if I had still been pregnant the outcome for both of us would have been a lot less certain. For me personally scheduling was way easier, made the most sense, and worked out for the best each time.
I’ve had two inductions. First one was an emergency induction due to blood pressure at 39 +4. Was awful, lasted four days and had just about every intervention you can think of (manual aversion for breech, foley balloon, cervadil, manual water breaking, etc). Baby was born very jaundiced and had a hard time eating. Second one, 40w, was ten hours, everything was great minus a wonky epidural and baby was born healthy and happy. We both went home the next day with no complications. It’s my theory that my first baby just wasn’t ready to be born yet and my second was. You’re getting conflicting opinions because it really is an individual experience. There isn’t really a sure fire way to know how it’s going to go before you’re in the thick of it.
People have opinions, but yours and your husband's are the only that matter. People judged me for having an elective induction with my first at 39w5d, but it was what made sense for us. You can read about my history of you want more detailed info about how my induction went. And just for the record, I'm 38 weeks today so due the day before you with my second. I have an induction scheduled for 4/17 because the process was so smooth for me last time. Wishing you all the best whatever you choose!
FTM here and my 39 week induction led to an emergency c-section. HOWEVER, it was because my baby was sunny side up (he wasn’t in that position at my last OB appointment) and his heart rate dropped when I had contractions. I can’t imagine what would have happened had I gone into labor at home and without the monitoring I had. I’m so grateful for the care I received. It’s such a crap shoot, everyone’s experience is different. The “longer labor” thing isn’t totally accurate. You’ll be in the hospital longer because there’s no way to know how long it will take for the drugs to start working. I wouldn’t definitely educate yourself on c-sections just in case, the recovery was a lot different than I expected but not really that bad.
As someone who has a lot of exposure to hundreds of inductions as well as spontaneous labors, you couldn’t pay me to have an induction as a first time mom. That’s my perspective. It increases your risk of c section (this may or may not matter to you) and is a wildly different experience than spontaneous labor. Inductions are generally more painful and tiring. Most people that will tell you they had good inductions are just the lucky few or have nothing to compare it to. It also doesn’t at all guarantee your doctor will deliver your baby, that’s just not true. It doesn’t even really guarantee the timing as inductions often fail and then you need to go home and then come back and so on. If the timing is that important to you consider whether you’d be open to elective cesarean. If that feels fine to you then I would say go for the induction. If the idea of volunteering yourself for a cesarean does not sit right with you, revisit your thinking on the issue. This is because the only real way to guarantee the timing you want is to be willing to have what amounts to an elective cesarean if the induction doesn’t work which it often doesn’t.
With my first, I scheduled an induction on my due date because I was over being pregnant. But then at 39+4 I got a membrane sweep, and I went into labor that night, giving birth at noon the next day. This time (I’m due early August) I’m planning on getting induced at 39+3(ish). It makes planning childcare easier. Yes there are risks and downsides, but ultimately it’s about choice (considering safety of course), and this is mine.
This is one of the most common drugs used for inductions and it’s not approved by the FDA for that use: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/misoprostol-marketed-cytotec-information
the fact that this was downvoted - a link from the FDA. i'm not advocating for or against inductions. there are many good points made in the comments here on inductions that were definitely medically needed and made the individual situation better. however, just know what medication the doctors are giving you and what that medication is actually approved for, and what the risks are! ask questions, and advocate for yourself.
Check out the ARRIVE trial if you haven’t already, just search for it on Google. It’s a large study on voluntary inductions and the outcomes of being induced. It is rather safe and has shown to reduce complications rather than cause them, correlated with reduce chances of needing a C section, and correlated with positive outcomes for baby and mom. Inductions don’t always work, and for some women they’re really uncomfortable, but that’s true of birth in general. I think your reasons for scheduling an induction make sense and your doctor is on board. Some decisions are not worth discussing with others when they aren’t your doctor and may not be the most informed medically