Why are you ladies so afraid of inductions? It's fine!

I went overdue to 41 weeks and had to be induced. If this is your first baby, you will also probably go overdue. That's very normal.

Obviously when I was told I was being induced, I was a little annoyed cause I wanted to labour at home, which isn't possible when you're induced. Also I wanted to use the birthing ball, walk about, get a back massage etc. Again not possible, as you have to lie on your back strapped to a machine which monitors the baby and your contractions when you are induced. So it has it's cons. But it was generally fine.

Within 30 minutes of being induced (by prostoglandin gel) I was in active labour, I laboured naturally for 11 hours, and I gave birth naturally, with only Gas and Air for pain relief (BTW Gas and Air shouldn't be classed as pain relief. It did nothing for me). Labour is agony, but it's worth it. No need to be scared.

Also, my baby was 8lb 3oz at birth, and I'm not big at all, but the baby fits through fine. Nature has it just right.

And what is your definition of overdue?

40 weeks is just a date for reference. The AVERAGE gestation for babies is 41-42 weeks. Half of women go earlier than that, but half of women go LATER.

Don't let the docs bully you. You can be monitored if you go beyond the 40 week reference.

OTOH, don't be afraid of inducement either. I was induced with my first and other than being quite immobile (as a previous poster mentioned) it wasn't a big deal.

Hang in there!

Im not exactly scared to go overdue, I just dont want to be "physically" pregnant for another 6 weeks! Im having a rather tough time right now...

The only reason Im worried about it is being immobile... not being able to get up if I want to. Same reason I don't want an epidural.

Ive also heard that it's more intense and painful than going naturally.

I don't really want to smoke him out, Id rather he just came out when he was good and ready.

As long as its not like... 53 weeks or something.

xxx

Very good reasoning - Inductions are fine for some, but others like yourself have very valid reasons for not wanting one - and it's their right to refuse the induction and let their baby come when they are good and ready (which they will!) You can go for the extra monitering and if yer tummy stops being the nurturing environment that bubs obviously loves so much, then you can go for the induction then - when (and only when) it is absolutely necessary.

The thing about inductions that makes me super sure I absolutely wouldn't want one, is the immobility - I had to be strapped up to a monitor throughout my labour with Anna as she was in distress and she kept going form bein tachiacardic (sp?) to having a dangerously low heartbeat - I HATED not being able to move, and having to lay down - in the end I said "sod it" to listening to the midwifes and doctors and sat up anyway! (but obviously you can't do that if you have an epidural / are on a drip to be induced).

It is true that the induction can intensify the contractions for some women (though it's not the case for all) - My mother was induced with her last pregnancy and it was horrendous - whereas all her previous pregnancies were completely natural, she found the contractions after being induced so painful that she did not think she could cope - She was terrified, though so that could have added to that.

It's a different experience for every woman. If you're happy to go ahead with an induction, it's good to be aware of what's involved, but otherwise that's absolutely fine - and congrats on getting to see your child sooner! If you don't, then that is fine, too - you're reasons for not wanting one are totally valid and don't let the doctors bully you into making the decision that they think is right - Docs don't always know what is best for you. Trust that your body and your baby know how to work together to bring your baby out to you - If they are not doing it now then they are probably not ready - baby must be enjoying it in there! Everyone is different and different babies take different legnths of time to cook - maybe yours isn't finished yet, but it will be soon and then it will come out to you.

Remember that it is your body and your baby and your birth, you will know what is best for you - trust in it and stick with it.

i hope none of us o to far over we have suffered enough x

To be honest, my baby would have come in the next 24 hours if I hadn't been induced. The doctor said this himself, which is why only a little gel put me into labour so quickly. (30 minutes) Just because you are induced doesn't make it unnatural! I laboured naturally and gave birth naturally. I was just given a nudge in my opinion. I've known women who went into labour 'naturally' and had to be put on a drip to keep their contractions going. In fact I know several women who this has happened to. I didn't have anything of the sort. So my labour was more natural than theirs.

I was induced 7 days overdue, as there was an availability that day, but there weren't on subsequent days, (in the hospital I used you aren't allowed to go more than 11 days past your due date) So I was just told "it'll be Tuesday 11th". And that was it. While I would have preferred to give my body the chance to labour spontaneously by going on for the full 11 days, it just wasn't practical for the hospital. And the way I saw it, I'd rather be induced 7 days past my due date, than go into labour spontaneously 10 days past my due date, only to find there weren't any delivery rooms available and be forced to give birth in a different hospital than the one I'd gotten used to.

I have a friend who went into labour spontaneously but after 2 days ended up having an emergency C Section. It's got little to go with how you go into labour how it will go, but it's always worth it.

As for the pain being worse with Inductions, well, I'm not sure. The first 7 hours of my labour went beautifully. I was allowed to walk about during this time, I only had 2 paracetamol, and I was coping really well. Then my waters broke, and I was strapped down to the monitoring machine, and that's when the pain kicked in, and it was extreme, but I only had Gas and Air for pain relief even then ... And yet everyone I know whose gone into labour spontaneously have begged for epidurals. I didn't even consider one.

But I think my pain was only so extreme because I went from 2cm - 10cm in 3 hours, which is SUPER quick. I pushed for 45 minutes, and Joey was born.

One thing I will say, is the previous poster is right - don't let anyone tell you what to do.

After I gave birth, I held Joey briefly, then he was taken off me! And taken to another room where a midwife gave him a bottle (even though I'd told them I wanted to breastfeed), but they insisted that he needed feeding, and when I asked for him so that I could feed him myself and hold my own baby, they told me that they wouldn't return him to me until my blood pressure came down. Even though it was risen as I was upset due to being separated from my baby in the first place! Every time I asked for my own baby I was patronised by a narky midwife who kept my baby from me and told me to "go to sleep". Hmmm ... I don't mean to worry anyone by telling them this; I just wanted to warn you, so that it won't happen to anyone who reads this. If I could go back in time, I would have demanded my baby back.

As my health visitor has now confirmed, they WRONGFULLY kept my baby from me till he was 8 hours old. It meant it was harder for me to breastfeed when I did get him back as he'd been bottle fed, it disrupted my bonding with him, and it to this day makes me furious just to think about it. Do not let any lazy midwife tell you you can't have your baby.

Otherwise, good luck with your births. But honestly, if you have to be induced, so what. You can still labour and birth naturally. And you'll be just fine. x

I think thats my main worry too. Im sooooo over this being fat and tired thing, and not being able to do anything for myself. I am ok with being induced if it comes down to it, but I would much much rather go into natural labor. My mom had to have an emergency c section because her pelvis wasnt wide enough for me to fit through, so thats a worry for me, I dont want the same thing. I would be perfectly happy if my water just broke on its own and then I could just go to the hospital and know I was in labor for sure. I worry that I will think Im in labor and not really be and that they will send me home.