Due friday with my 1st baby?

Question

sooooo excited and nervous, but ive just got a feeling he wont be here on time and i wanthim to come naturally, i dont want to be induced, but if i have to what can i expect, is it painful or what do they do etc.

baglady i was only asking for peoples opinions, i do know sort of what happens but as i dont plan to be induced unless necessary

Answer 1

Depending on your doctor, they will not talk about induction until you are at least a week past your due date. And even then, you do have a choice to wait. As far as induction goes, they give you medication to help you start thinning out and dilating (some women already are they skip this step) then they put you on an iv and administer pitocin. The pitocin will cause contractions and labor begins. Induced labors are usually a little longer than natural births and the contractions are a little rougher but it is different for all women. I hope your baby comes this week!! Good Luck!!

Answer 2

Well induction isn't the worst thing in the world but certainly harder then natural as there is usually no lead up.
There are a few methods they can try depending on how far naturally dilated you are or thinned out.

1.) Breaking the waters. Usually done painlessly with a crochet hook looking thing. My doc actually pulled some of the babys hair (just a tiny bit!) out so I got to see the hair before I had even gone into labour!
2.) The 'Gel' which is put onto the cervix to help soften it and start the body into labour. Again, painless but uncomfortable and usually a good method to use first.
3.) Pitocin/Syntocin drip. This means getting a needle and canula inserted in your hand or arm to start labour. Painful and uncomfortable as you are restricted because of the drip attached to you. Also can start labour really quickly which can be a total shock to the body and you!

I would recommend discussing it at length with your doc when and if the situation arises. From experience I would try the Gel first to make sure your cervix is softening and ready for dilation. If that doesn't put you into labour within 12hrs or so then try breaking the waters. If that fails (which I doubt, the combo of the two usually does the trick) then go for the drip.
The first two are the more natural method and closer to naturally 'induced' childbirth. The drip just makes everything happen so fast that its hard to keep up sometimes. Sometimes they have the drip up too high and then turn it down and stuff everything up. Also the drip means you are more confined and less able to have an active labour and walk around freely to let nature do the hard work (gravity is great!!)

Also a good thing to keep in mind is the more medical intervention like drips, epidurals etc...the more risks are involved like labour stalling and ending in c-section. Research all your options and let your doc know your opinions and don't let them bully you into something because that is 'the way I do it' when you have other options.

Best of luck! Fingers crossed it happens soon and the way you want!

Answer 3

Hiya hun and congrat. firstly, try not to worry, your baby will come when he is ready.if not then these are the medical ways they will try to start your labour.

Some of the most common medical interventions include:

• A membrane sweep in which the membranes that surround your baby are separated from your cervix. A midwife or doctor can carry out this procedure during an internal examination. It's been shown to be effective in stimulating labour and is now offered routinely to women who are overdue before any other methods of induction. It can be uncomfortable if the neck of your womb is difficult to reach. You should be given a chance to ask questions or read information about the procedure before it's carried out.

• Inserting a pessary or gel containing prostaglandin into the vagina to ripen the cervix (neck of the womb). Prostaglandin is a hormone-like substance, which helps stimulate uterine contractions. Often this procedure will start labour; at other times it is followed by Syntocinon (see below).

• Artificially rupturing the membranes (ARM), sometimes called "breaking the waters". This procedure can be done during an internal examination. The doctor passes a long thin probe, which looks a little like a fine crochet hook, through your cervix and makes a small break in the membranes around your baby. This procedure is often effective when the neck of the womb feels soft and ready for labour to start.

• If labour does not start following the techniques above, or if your contractions are not very effective, Syntocinon - a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin - may be used. It's given through an intravenous "drip" - the hormone goes into your bloodstream through a tiny tube into a vein in your arm. Once contractions have begun, the rate of the drip can be adjusted so that contractions occur often enough to make your cervix dilate, without becoming too powerful. You may be offered an epidural for pain relief before or soon after the Syntocinon has been administered.

As induction is usually planned in advance, take some time to talk to your midwife or doctor. You have a choice about whether or not to have an induction and about what methods are used, although your midwife or doctor may suggest that one method is better than another, depending on how soft your cervix is. Think about what pain relief you would like if the induction makes your contractions very strong and difficult to cope with.

I have been induced twice and it was a bit of a long process but it was ok. You need to discuss it with your MW if you are at all concerend. Good luck hun and im sure it wont be long before he makes an appearance x

Answer 4

they will usually start with a progestragen gel, which causes the cervix to dilate, which starts the contractions, when you have dilated enough they will sometimes burst the amnio bag to release your waters which speeds things along. they may also put you on a hormone drip to make sure that labour continues. You may find that you'll need pain relief as the hormones can cause cramping in the back and sides above and beyond what the contractions do.

p.s sometimes inducing doesn't work the first time so be prepared to wait around alot, i was induced 5 times before anything happened :S

p.p.s some hospitals have a policy where you have to have pain relief if your induced... don't ask me why?!

Answer 5

I'm 37 weeks due and my sister in law said that the best way to make sure that your baby comes on time is for you and your husband/boyfriend to have a really good you know what and that will help the baby come on time and naturally! (and you get to have some fun as well!)
I have no idea as to if it will be painful or not as this is my first ( and I don't know about you but to be honest am sick of hearing about other people's horror stories!)
I'm sure that everything will be worth it when the baby arrives. Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 6

hi chick,
i would just would like to wish you all the best for the labour, hope everything goes to plan for you.
i don't know what you should expect if you have to be induced but I'm sure everything will be fine, i will be in your position very soon as I'm expecting my first baby in 3 wks!
good luck chick.

Answer 7

Well, hopefully if you do go overdue, you'll have one last check up with your midwife ( between your due date and 14 days after). If you last that long, you should ask her to sweep your membranes - it's a bit uncomfortable, but not really sore.
It certainly worked for me with my first! It just gives things a little push in the right direction!!

Good Luck!!! :)

Answer 8

....if you are induced they sometimes insert a Peserie (large pill) into you Vagina which triggers contractions. Having your baby induced often leads to a shorter labor. Best to call you Dr to ask him/her about the procedure.

Answer 9

i have been induced once and it really did not hurt me at all.as a matter of fact i didn't have any pains.its just an iv wit potassium in it.i hope I'm spelling it right.don't worry if you have to get one it will be alright

Answer 10

congratulations!!!! best wishes and health for the mother and baby....delivering a baby is one of the most painful things possible, but only a woman has the strength to do it...dont worry you will get through it