Induction

cleaneater80

Hello Beautiful Mom's

Well June is here - hope everyone is doing well. I'm due on the 6th and because it looks like I will be late we had a discussion about induction. I'm booked to be induced on the 16th if things don't move before that date. I'm really hoping I'm not induced and will be trying everything to get this baby evicted out of here.

Any tips to bring on labor?

Has anyone been induced with cervadil - how was your labor?

This baby has a eviction notice so i'm hoping it leaves before being kicked out

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

I'm due on June 6th as well. Last week I was having some major cramping (never really had Braxton Hicks, so I was pretty sure that it was a good sign that things were progressing well and I was convinced that baby was going to come earlier this week) but now this week there's nothing happening at all. I'll be meeting with my midwife tomorrow and I'll be asking about how long they'll let me go. I definitely do not want to have an induction though....

Will they try a stretch and sweep before gel or Pitocin for you?

tiggerhammon

Commenting on here for further follow up. Do not have time right now but I do have lots of suggestions for you.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Commenting on here for further follow up. Do not have time right now but I do have lots of suggestions for you.

I am anxiously awaiting your follow up!

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat a truckload of dates.

tiggerhammon

Okay... So, first there is the old wives tales ones ... There are many many stories of these working. Personally, I believe they only work if you were right on the verge anyways, they simply help tip you over the little edge if that is all you need. Things like:
~ Bumpy Car Rides
~ 4 wheeler ride
~ Jumping on a Trampoline
~Spicy Foods
Pros- might work, never know unless you try.
Con's - may cause unnecessary discomfort

Then, there are all the labor prep stuff. A little late for these if you have not been doing them but it doesn't hurt to start now, may help. Things like:
~Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
~Herbal Tincture Mixtures for labor prep
~Dates
~Essential Oils
~Evening Primrose Oil. (Highly suggest you start doing this right now)
~theres a few more, dont have my book with me and my mind is slow tonight...
Pros: increases your body's ability to help itself.
Cons: none. None of these things can hurt you in any way.

I combine Evening Primrose Oil and Loving Care essential oil for perrenial massage. This will help soften and prevent tearing.

Remedies that have been proven to trigger labor. Things like:
~Sex: There are 3 major components to why this works and works best if all 3 are utilized each time. 1: hitting the cervix 2:semen directly to cervix 3:your orgasm.
Pros: even if it doesn't trigger the real thing, these three things will all still help your body to progress closer naturally.
Cons: can cause unneccesary aches if it just makes you hurt and nothing happens.
~Herbal Remedies: these need to be used with caution and proper education. Why? Because they WORK! Black cohosh and blue cohosh, uses simultaneously are the ones I feel most comfortable suggesting. Highly effective and low risk. Don't use the homeopathic forms.
Pros: works!
Cons: if you had kids before and know your labors are quick, don't take these. They can work too quickly and too effectively. Also, on the flip side, they could not work at all. I have never heard of a side effect with them not working though (unlike with sex, they won't cause cramping and do nothing. If they do nothing, they will simply do nothing.)
~ Essential Oils and massage. There are a few different essential oils that help stimulate labor and when used in conjunction with proper massage, can really do the trick.
Pros: no ill effect at all. If it doesn't work, you got a good foot massage.
Cons: you have to have someone that knows what they are doing. Any really good massage therapist will know their oils and the trigger points. I don't know them well enough to explain it over text, nor do I feel comfortable doing so.
~Cascara Sagrada: have you ever heard of someone using Castor Oil to stimulate labor? Well, this is the same idea. Except, without the disgusting horrible castor oil that will likely make you vomit and will cause serious diarrhea. Cascara Sagrada is an herbal formula designed to stimulate the bowels for a colon cleanse. It is gentle enough that it doesn't have the same effects as castor oil, but strong enough that it works for the same reason. When your colon starts contracting, it can cause the uterus to contract too.
Pros: might work - if it doesn't, you got a gentle cleanse before birth and have a lower chance of pooping on the delivery table now that your bowels have been emptied.
If it doesn't work, it won't cause unnecessary pain.
Cons: might not work.
If it does work, however, you now have a much higher likelihood of pooping on the delivery table.

There is really something to be said about babies loving to ruin plans. My sister tried everything and at 8 days overdue she decided baby just wasn't coming and she went for an up in the mountains fishing/camping trip with some family. She went into labor as soon as they arrived. Another friend, had a $150 pair of pants that she absolutely loved and did not want ruined. She put them on and just then, her water broke and baby was born that night.

Personal suggestion: don't pick one of these things. Pick like 6 and do them all at once, or as close together as possible. Apply some Evening Primrose Oil and labor triggering essential oils to the cervix, then have sex, then take some caullophyllum and go out on a very bumpy car ride with plans to not come back anytime soon. Maybe baby will give you a reason to hurry back.

Hubby is nagging me I promised him we would start a movie a while ago. I have to go again. I will find my book later and fill in some blanks because I know I forgot things.
Feel free to ask any questions, I will be back on in a few hours after I watch a movie

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

I didn't know about the essential oils!!! I'm going to buy some today and start doing that (who knows, baby might not come for another two weeks, right?)

tiggerhammon

Sorry, never did end up getting back on... Was (still am) tired.

Evening Primrose Oil and an essential oil called Loving Care mixed and applied as close to the cervix as you can helps to soften and loosen your mucous plug.

cleaneater80

Thanks Tiggerhammon - I didn't realize that I should have started this before my due date so this weekend will be busy and I'm not going to really panic or change my plans for delivery with induction for a while but was really shocked that I have to consider this.

My Dr. doesn't normally use pitocin and would rather use cervadil and break my membrane to get things moving but I'm trying not to panic as I still have time.

I've never heard of some herbal remedies like black cohost sound interesting I'll look into it more

RatherBeInTheShire

I just can't believe they let you go 9 days past your due date!! EEK! That seems like such a long time.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

I had my 40 week appointment today and I've got a tentative date for induction at 41 1/2 weeks. So that would bring me to the 16th or 17th I think.

Personally, I still think my due date should have been June 11th instead of the 6th...so I'm not too concerned just yet.

tiggerhammon

Sorry it has taken me so long to find the time to come back on here and I don't really have a lot of time today either.

If using the cohoshes to induce labor, be sure you are showing at least some sign of progress first - cervix should be soft, dilated to at least a 1, preferably a 2 and baby should be at least a little lower. You should be at or past due date. Take black and blue cohoshes together.

Acupunture is another method I missed that can be used, please be sure to use someone that really knows what they are doing, to induce labor.

Having your membrane stripped (this is best to wait until after the full 40 weeks and shouldn't be done prior to that): there is a couple problems with this - the biggest is that doctor's will want to strip your membranes too early, in which case it will only cause pain and not help at all. The second, is doctor's have been known to break your water while they are doing it, accidentally and on purpose. If you water breaks while having your membranes stripped, you are now on the clock.

Walking helps. I know, your doctor is going to try and tell you it doesn't help. But, it does. Simple science, baby moving back and forth with his weight on your cervix, how could it not help?

Evening Primrose Oil should be taken externally and internally. You can gradually increase the internal doses by 2 capsules at each increase once you have reached 39 weeks and implement the increase every 2 days.

Things to be aware of that slow labor:
If you are having little contractions at home, it is easy to feel the urge to want to lie down and take it easy. Especially if you lie down flat on your back, this can slow and even stop what may have been something starting. Each time you feel contractions, even if you are fairly sure they are just little Braxton Hicks, walk through them. Get up and moving. Dance. Or, just bounce on a birthing ball.

Epidural: be aware that an epidural has been proven to slow the process and has been proven to contribute to failure to progress. If you so choose to have an epidural, be sure your labor is steadily progressing first. If you are slowly progressing already (taking longer than 1 hour per centimeter) and get the epidural, the chances of your labor slowing way down or even completely stopping are much higher.

The IV: this is not protocol in every hospital, every time, but in most cases when you are arrive at the hospital in labor an IV with saline solution is placed. They will tell you "don't worry, it is only saline solution.' However, what happens is by having a constant stream of water in your system, your bladder remains full. When your bladder is full, it causes the baby to float above the bladder, hindering the baby's ability to fully engage and remain engaged deep in your pelvis. Unless there is an absolute medical reason, refuse the IV line - yes, you have every right to refuse it. If they try to tell you that the IV has to be there 'just in case' they need it later, please ask that the IV needle be placed and taped and no IV line attached to it.

Laying down while in labor: I am really unsure of why doctors and nurses feel that it best that the patient stays lying down, and they may even ask you to. This is not in your best interest. Lying down has been proven to slow labor by 20%, keep up and moving as often and as much as possible.... while on this, you can also request to be able to try a variety of positions for pushing and not push just lying down.

Essential Oils: yes, there are some that can help progress and induce labor and there are some that can stop labor.

.....
I would like to add, I am not a fan at all of inducing labor prior to the full 40 weeks. You really need to give your body the time and ability to progress and to prepare for this process prior to pushing it. Trying to force/induce your body into doing something it is not ready for is not the best option.
Also, some women just need to bake their babies longer. There are so many women that go a whole month over due day with no problems and go on to have perfectly healthy babies.
If your baby's heart rate drops below 100bpm, you have a fever or your safety is in danger do not hesitate to let them do what is medically necessary and take the baby out. Aside from absolute medically necessary reasons - you have every right to refuse to let them induce labor and refuse a Csection. So long as there is no reason for concern, there is no harm in letting your baby bake longer. You may just need more time.
Don't allow yourself to give in and let the doctor's take away control simply because you are impatient.
.....

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Just had my first stretch and sweep today. That was... uncomfortable... but if it helps I'll be thrilled!

I've got an ultrasound booked for Friday and then another one to be booked for Monday. After that I'll be booked for an induction for either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of next week.

Come on baby! I don't want to induce you, but I will if I have to!