Positive Induction stories?

[7caldwell]

Just got back from my 38 week OB appointment and my doctor wants to schedule an induction for my due date if baby isn’t here by then, because if the combination of my BMI and baby’s size (he’s been measuring big the whole time but now he’s measuring like 98th percentile ) I know some people push back against inductions but tbh I don’t want this baby to have the time to get even bigger before I have to push him out so I’m ok with it lol.

I haven’t done a ton of reading about inductions so obviously I’ll be doing that over the next week and a half, but just wondering if any fellow plus moms have experience with this to share, ideally positive stories but also any tips or advice or suggestions for questions to ask my doctor about it are welcome!

 

[conhocgioi]

@7caldwell I’m 32 weeks and baby has been measuring 2 weeks ahead since 26 weeks. At my 30 week appointment I basically asked my OB to level with me and she confirmed that I’ll likely be induced around 38-39 weeks.

I’d ask your doctor about your Bishop Score and options of induction method. Personally, in terms of birth plan, the only thing I feel really strongly about avoiding is a long labor/failed induction followed by a c-section. When we get closer to the end, I plan to ask my OB about my Bishop score and, if it’s clear that my body isn’t even close to going into labor, I’d want to discuss scheduling a c-section.

 

[tyler82]

@conhocgioi Thank you for this info. At the 32wk scan my baby’s head measured in the 99th percentile. It’s obviously stressing me out because I haven’t gained a ton of weight (12lbs) but they gave me a lecture about not having too much sugar, simple carbs, or protein to maybe slow his growth? This all despite being slightly anemic, not having GD, and a history of big babies on my extended family side and on my husband’s side.

 

[johanaanderso]

@conhocgioi Yeah my firstborn was 99th percentile for everything (eventually born at 10.3 lbs) and I basically told my OB that my absolute worst case scenario was a prolonged labor and then needing a c-section anyway. Eventually he was diagnosed with macrosomia and I was having hypertension so they offered me the option of a scheduled c-section and I took it. No regrets.

 

[conhocgioi]

@johanaanderso Exactly my feelings. Having major abdominal surgery is hard enough that if I have to have a c-section I’d rather do it when I haven’t been completely exhausted by labor as well.

No GD, no other issues but my guy has been consistently in the 97th percentile and I just want to be realistic about how to avoid the worst case scenario

 

[7caldwell]

@conhocgioi My bishop score is really low as of this morning. Baby is still high up, I’m only fingertip dilated and cervix is thick. I still have almost 2 weeks so I’m going to do what I can (I’ve been really inactive lately so I’m hoping that walking more will help!) to try to raise my score by then. She did walk through the methods of what they would do so I can read up on that!

Since baby is measuring big it’s possible I may need a c section if his shoulders are too big to fit, but I’d prefer to avoid one if I’m able, so I’ve sort of accepted that a failed induction followed by a c section may be in the cards for me. It’s certainly not ideal so I understand why you’d make choices to avoid it!

 

[lhargrave89]

@7caldwell I was induced at 37w with my first. I was 1cm and not engaged at the start of induction. It only took 24 hours from start to delivery and I had a wonderful, uncomplicated vaginal delivery.

 

[7caldwell]

@lhargrave89 Thanks so much for sharing, I’m glad you had such a positive experience!

 

[jpocd]

@7caldwell My baby was estimated to weigh around 11lbs so I was induced at 39 weeks 5 days. We got there Wednesday night at 10pm. They inserted a foley balloon which honestly was the worst part of the entire birth. Afterwards my boyfriend said he heard the dr say something about not having the correct size, but he would make it work so I don’t know if that might have had something to do with why it was so painful. My regular dr kept assuring me that it wouldn’t hurt and would just feel like pressure which it didn’t. So if I ever go through this again I’d push to avoid the balloon and try something else if possible. About mid day Thursday they removed the balloon and broke my water manually. I got an epidural not long after. There was one spot in my right hip area that for some reason the epidural wouldn’t take to but it wasn’t unbearable.

Friday afternoon one of the nurses asked me if I wanted to just go ahead with a c-section and I said I would do whatever the dr suggested because I trusted her. She said to give it two more hours and if I still wasn’t ready then we’d move to a C-section. About an hour later I was pushing. I pushed for about 40 minutes and then he was born weighing a little over 8lbs.

Overall I thought the experience was fine and didn’t have any major problems. I really trusted my dr and followed her lead on what to do. I do wish I myself was more prepared and knowledgeable on the process though. I just kind of showed up and didn’t really know what to expect. I would really recommend bringing a personal fan with you. That thing was my lifesaver but I also get hot easily and absolutely hate being hot. Just try and relax and remember that everything will all be worth it when you’re holding your baby.

 

[quickbiblicalportraits]

@jpocd I was induced at 37 weeks and got a Foley balloon too. It was absolutely the worse part of the whole process! My nurse really cautioned me against it but I usually have a good pain tolerance but that thing man. I think the worst part is that the pain and discomfort is just unrelenting. I would never get one again.

 

[7caldwell]

@jpocd I had been suspecting that the foley balloon is the worst…I’m going to spend the next 2 weeks doing anything I can to encourage baby to come down/encourage my cervix to dilate and thin to see if maybe I can avoid it And thanks for the tip on the fan- my sister in law gave birth at the same hospital and mentioned being warm so I already have our stroller fans packed in our hospital bag!

 

[lazvre]

@7caldwell I was induced at 40+2 because my NST that day showed one deceleration. I hadn’t wanted to be induced, which my doctors knew because I had refused induction twice beforehand (I had a high BP reading in their office, but when I went to the hospital both times, I had completely normal BP for 2+ hours, so I declined induction). So I’m not sure if that’s why they took a gradual approach or if it’s because it’s their normal practice.

They had me take cytotec pills orally every four hours for the first 12 hours to ripen my cervix. By the end of the 12 hours, I was starting to have regular contractions - although still pretty mild - and was at 2 cm, but my cervix was getting softer which is what they wanted. Since they knew I wasn’t super keen on pitocin since I heard it made labor more painful, they decided to do 2 more cytotec doses and then start the pitocin at 7 am. Well at 6 am I was having regular, more painful contractions and was at 3.5 cm, and I wanted an epidural because I hadn’t slept in almost 24 hours at that point and knew I wouldn’t be able to last through the rest of labor without it.

They gave me the epidural at 7 am. Unfortunately it didn’t get rid of my worst pain since that was happening in my vaginal area which is below where the epidural covers. However it did make me relax enough for things to really speed up, and within the next two hours I was at 7.5 cm. They broke my water when I was at 8 cm, and within the next two hours I was at 10 cm and pushing. I only pushed for 3 minutes and then the baby was out.

So I never had to do the foley balloon or pitocin. Overall, I was really scared to be induced because I had heard & read so many stories of it leading to a C-section. I don’t regret getting induced though. Once I was in the hospital, the nurses were so great with explaining everything and reassured me that I would have a say in any further interventions. They helped me with all of my pain relief options before the epidural, and made sure that I actually did want one when I asked for it. I never felt pressured to do anything and once it was go time, I was ready to do anything they said because I trusted them. It helped that my husband was there too and knew what I wanted.

My advice is to expect it to take a long time, plan to be bored for a while, sleep if you can (and eat!), and have planned pain relief options ahead of time so you have options to choose from / know what you want. I read the book Transformed by Birth which talks about the mental process during labor and I loved it, so I recommend reading that too if you can. Good luck & you’ve got this!

 

[7caldwell]

@lazvre Thank you! I know my doctor said they don’t allow eating during labor but I’m going to clarify if they mean active labor (reasonable/doable, I’ve heard people say they’re too nauseous to eat then anyway) or the whole time of the induction (seems very unreasonable and possibly days long!)

 

[slowmarathoner]

@7caldwell My induction was 4 days long and ended in a c-section, but I still consider it positive. I had an induction at 37+5 due to gestational diabetes and risk factors for pre-eclampsia. I felt really supported and like I had a lot of choices. We had a really positive outcome with healthy mom and baby.

 

[7caldwell]

@slowmarathoner Thanks for sharing, I’m so glad you felt supported! I feel like there are induction stories where people feel bullied into choices and I’m glad that wasn’t your experience! I’m worried about mine ending in a c section since baby is measuring really big and they’re concerned about shoulder dystocia, but in the end as long as baby and I both get through it healthy I’m fine with however it goes.

 

[wandwaving]

@7caldwell I was induced at 36 weeks because we couldn’t get my GD under control and the baby was getting too big and other related complications. It was a long labor/process that ended in a c-section, but each step was very intentional and we tried everything to not have to go that route. Found out afterwards that the cord was wrapped around her neck, which explained why contractions were causing her heart rate to drop which is why they wouldn’t increase the pitocin to further along labor. The csection itself was so smooth I would almost call it pleasant. Hearing my baby cry for the first time, even unseen on the other side of the drape, was one of the happiest moments of my life.
Almost all of my mom friends were induced and none are plus sized. Half or less had c sections - it really all just depended on each person and their baby’s journey and health.
I didn’t know anything going into it - I found out two days before it was scheduled and I just didn’t have time! It all worked out, just took longer than I imagined.

 

[7caldwell]

@wandwaving It’s good to have a heads up about how long the process can take, thank you! We’re also trying to figure out how to manage our families expectations and that’ll be important for them to know (my husbands siblings have kept the family chat updated every step of the way when their kids were being born, whereas my brother just texted our family chat a picture of the baby once she was born lol) so we’ll be somewhere in the middle, communication-wise.

 

[hopefulinthebayarea]

@7caldwell Girl, are you me? I‘m due on march 8 and they want me to be induced by then if he won’t come out by himself. He‘s absolutely HUGE they say and I had covid while pregnant, so thats 2 reasons to induce.

I was induced with my first 9 days after my DD. I hoped to give birth more naturally this time. It was not a bad experience but I needed some pain medication including an epidural. I believe it could have been a result of the induction since the complex hormones didn’t kick in naturally. But who knows.

Anyway, on the pro side of my rather long labour I didn’t tear! Not even one bit. And I was on my feet the second the epidural wore off.

 

[7caldwell]

@hopefulinthebayarea Thank you for sharing!! I’m pretty sure I want an epidural anyway (though was hoping to make it through at least some of active labor without it so I could be mobile and use different laboring positions) but it seems like there’s a decent chance I’ll end up wanting it earlier. In the end I’m happy to go with the flow, whatever gets me and baby through the process safely and without too much trauma

 

[mrssnowqueen1]

@7caldwell Oh I do! I went in at 38+1, on a Thursday, and my midwife said let’s have a baby tonight! It was literally scheduled the day I found out. We got there at 8 that night and we got started with the IV (which scared me the most) and the medicine to start thinning out your cervix. I was 1 cm when we got there and I stayed there until around 5 pm Friday. My midwife broke my water around that time when I was 4 cm and we started the Pitocin. I felt some contractions starting and immediately asked for the epidural. You have to have a bag of liquids before they do the epidural so it takes about an hour to get things going. Once I got the epidural it was easy peasy and I finally got to sleep and not feel like I need to pee constantly! They got the peanut ball and we flipped back and forth for a while and I was at 10 cm around 10:30 PM! I had to do the penicillin because I’m GBS positive so they had that going before we started pushing. I labored from 10:50 PM to 1:25 AM on Saturday. We were about 5 minutes from my midwife calling the OB to get the vacuum contraption to assist with labor. But my midwife knows me well enough that she was able to get me mad enough to push him out! He had one vein and one artery in his umbilical cord, that’s one of the reasons we did an induction, and turns out he put a knot in his umbilical cord too. He was and still is in the 98th percentile for growth and I only had a one degree tear. We got moved to the postpartum room and it was smooth sailing for me there. We did have to come back because my son had jaundice but that’s another story for another day lol. But I liked having an induction because there was some control and I didn’t want to worry about when it was going to happen. Most likely my midwife already knew she was going to induce me that day and didn’t tell me because I would agonize over it looking back on all this. You’re going to do great!