I can now tell you that none of the old-wives tales about inducing labor work. I have had more sex and spicy food in the past few weeks than I thought was possible, and have logged more miles walking than my pre-pregnant self could run in this amount of time. Nothing. Works.
We have reached a point at which my OB is drawing the line in the sand. Actually, that line has always been there - he told me from the very beginning how much past my due date he could let me go if baby and I were doing ok, and that time frame has not changed one bit, we've just reached the end of it. My body is just now barely starting to acknowledge that it is supposed to give birth, and the OB is not holding his breath over me making enough progress all on my own quickly enough. I have officially been scheduled for an induction.
As much as I don't like it, the reasons make sense. While there is no such thing as perfect statistics, risking my baby's well-being doesn't seem to be worth it; I would much rather take the risks upon myself.
The plan has 2 parts to it. The first will be done on day 1; if it is sufficient to force my body into labor, the OB might have to come in in the middle of the night to deliver. Otherwise, we will proceed with part 2 the next morning, where he can take all day to work with the meds so that if all I need is a gentle nudge, that is all I am going to get. One way or another, the baby will have to be born on that day. Lets just hope my body responds to the meds without freaking the kid out!
It is still hard for me to believe it has come to this, but I seem to have run out of options. I can't help but feel like this situation is completely out of my control as there is no way to tell how/if my body will respond to the meds (this is pretty worrisome as I tend to have weird reactions and the worst side effects any time I am given anything stronger than a Tylenol), if the baby will tolerate them, etc. I am glad I picked an OB I can trust to do what is best for both of us, but it still feels strange to start down the path that could lead to so many things I did not want to go through for good reasons. Yet I know this is the right decision to make at the moment, and soon I will be holding our daughter in my arms. And that is the only thing that really matters.
The perverse incentives of academia
6 years ago
13 comments:
Sorry to hear that baby still isn't wanting to come out on her own. Good luck, ScienceGirl!
I can only tell you that I am an induced baby, they thought that I was going to be born around Christmas, since I was already that huge by then, but January the 14th I still wasn't prepared to come out. The only part my mum said was uncomfortable was me being so huge being born naturally. Apart from that neither her nor me had any side effects that I know of.
The only thing I can think of is that I am always late, always cold, do not want to get out of bed, and never want to leave a comfy place, be it the house when going on vacation, or the vacation location to go home :-)
Oh and I slept right through the nights from almost as soon as it was possible. My mum even got advice to wake me to feed me bu I responded that bad to that that she decided I was big enough to let me sleep through the night.
The baby fat is gone now, so don't worry about that either ;-)
Bottom line, try not to worry! And when is this date? (To stop me from checking in every other hour ;-) )
All the best to you, your husband, and your daughter. I'll be thinking of you and check every day for news. Hang in there!
Sorry it's not working out. I had a friend that was induced when she was 3 weeks overdue...everything went fine, and her daughter is now a beautiful 6-year-old girl.
Just remember, you have a doctor you trust that will be with you and you'll be in the safest place possible as you do this. Good thoughts coming your way, ScienceGirl! :)
This is out of your control. As much as we wish we could, we can not control how are bodies react. Wishing you a safe delivery, can't wait to hear about your little princess
Sorry it's come to an induction, but it does sound like you are running out of other options. Wishing you all the best for a smooth delivery!
BTW lin, a friend of mine who was born 3 weeks late is always late for everything too :)
When I was 10 days overdue, the midwife gave me an exam to test how dilated and effaced I was, and while she was there, she gave my cervix a little pinch. Well, it stung for a few hours then I went into labor that evening. That was a Wednesday, by Friday (still laboring), they decided to give me a boost with Pit and I insisted that they do so gently. That was noon on Friday and the baby was born close to 4pm. And I did it withOUT an epidural.
The interventions, if given gently and sparingly, can be your friend. I was in labor for a loooong time, but it wasn't really THAT painful or torturous, and the Pit did not turn the pain way up, like you may have read. Everyone is different, but fear not, friend!
Good luck, - think about it: next time you'll be blogging will be post-birth ;-) It happens as it does, and we can't control it. So, go with the flow!
It sounds like you have done everything, and I mean everything, possible. Although I am sorry things didn't go in the direction you wished, I am glad that your baby will be here soon. I am very excited for you.
Amelie said (sorry, I somehow rejected this comment and there is no way to undo??):
I'm sorry that it's not going the way you were hoping. The lack of control can be difficult.
I hope that the side effects of any drugs are minimal and that your daughter will soon be in your arms!
Rebecca - thanks!
Lin - perhaps we shouldn't tell her that she was fashionably late to arrive ;) I had to be "forced out" as well, but it nearly killed my mother (I am trying hard to chalk it up to poor health care in the USSR...)
I should be home by Tuesday, so I will try to post the news then!
Makita - thanks for the well wishes!
Dr.O - thanks for the reminder and well wishes!
SM - thanks!
Cath - thanks, and we are most definitely not telling her that she was late ;)
PUI prof - I am quite surprised that my cervix is yet to begin doing anything; that's why it's a 2-day ordeal. I hope they don't have to give me so much drugs as to make the baby's heart rate flounder!
Fia - I keep telling myself that I would have had just as little control if my body went into labor itself. Trying not to worry is tough :)
MXX - thanks; while it is odd to feel helpless, I am excited to meet her very soon now too!
Amelie - thanks for he well-wishes!
Tuesday is so close. I hope all goes well.
If it's not too late I just heard at lunch today that acupuncture can help put the cervix into place. Maybe that was recommended already?
I'm also wondering how much leeway they are giving you. It is really hard to know the date of conception if you are not charging your temperature (and i.e. when you are ovulating and how long your luteal cycle is) and thus the date of your birth. If they are just guessing that you ovulate on day 14, ect. they could be off by many weeks if you ovulated on a different date.
But enough of that, its sounds like you are at terms with the situation and I'm so excited your baby girl will soon be joining you outside the womb.
Jennie - I was told I could go 10 days past due date, 2 weeks max - and was induced 12 days past. As I was charting when I got pregnant, I knew my due date was actually a day later than what my charting indicated, so I was not going to make the doctor delay any longer. The Little One did have a few indications of being overdue when she was born, luckily none of them real problems.
I have not heard about acupuncture being helpful, although I doubt this would be something I would try - not a big fan of needles :) I wonder how many things like that are coincidences rather than cause and effect though :)
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