Post # 1
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
I’m starting to get increasingly nervous about labor. I’m not scared of the pain or any of that but more so about not going into labor on my own and being induced a week early because my DD is 12/22 – 12/25. Me, DH and my doctor all want to avoid Christmas and have planned a !2/16 induction but I’m really scared I’ll go in, be put on an IV, pumped full of pitocin and baby will stress and lead to a c-section.
I want to start trying to self induce a week or more early just so I can control my situation better. I would like to labor at home as long as possible and try and go drug free once I get to the hospital. What have you done or no someone who has self induced early? I know it’s easier to self induce late but I’m looking for early inducers.
And yes I know the risks of an early baby so please don’t start on that subject. My baby is measuring ahead already so I know his development is on track for him to come early.
Post # 3
Member
2867 posts
Sugar bee
Well first things first- just because your baby is measuring ahead size wise does not mean jack developmentally wise. Besides the fact that u/s weights are notriously wrong. That aside there really is no actual proven way to natually induce whether it be late or early. You can’t make your body do what it isn’t ready to do. People will tell you ” Oh I had sex/walked/drank x,y and z and BAM a baby” but it’s pretty much old wives tales, wishful thinking and just lucky timing. If you are set that you do not want to induce labor then don’t. There are worse things than a birthday around Christmas.
Post # 4
Member
45551 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@SouthernSunshine: Why not just wait until your body goes into labor naturally? There is really no reason to mess with nature’s normal progression. You have already pointed out that there is a risk of C-section being required after induction.
Post # 5
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
I’m really leaning that way. I mean I don’t want a Christmas baby but after looking at all of the alternatives, going naturally is really going to be best for me and baby. I’m also partly scared of going full term since I was a 9lb 6.5oz baby and broke my mom’s tailbone coming out 🙂 And I was 5 days late. I came about 3 hours after her water broke so she said for me to be prepared for a quick delivery. Oh thanks mom, now I’m even more scared! But hey I’ll take water breaking on its own and a quick delivery over induction and pitocin drip.
Post # 6
Member
7552 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
- Wedding: March 2014 - A castle!
I agree that waiting is better. The body will only let a pregnancy last exactly the amount of time the mother’s metabolism can support the baby. Once the baby’s needs exceed the amount of nutrients that the mother can supply, then it’s labor time. Messing with this fine natural balance could mean that the baby’s brain isn’t quite fully developed. The brain uses the most amount of energy, so in a way, your baby is “smart enough” to know when it’s time to evacuate the premises! lol
Post # 7
Member
5480 posts
Bee Keeper
@SouthernSunshine: I tried all the tricks to see if I could evict BabyDane by my due date:
I ate an ENTIRE PINEAPPLE. Not the prickly stuff, and not the whole core, but enough that I got a tummy ache and chapped lips.
I ate Mexican food, Thai food, spicy food.
I had a friend pick up some fabled Lemon Drop Labor Cupcake. I ate TWO of them.
I bounced on a yoga ball for hours on end.
I walked over 2 miles every.single.day.
We had more sex trying to get the baby out than we did to get it in there.
I used evening primrose oil.
Allllll that and NADA. No baby. Minimal contractions. No labor. FML.
One week after my due date, in a fit of desperation, as a last ditch effort, I drank a smoothie that contained 2 Tbsp of castor oil. I made it with frozen fruit, some greek yogurt, and a splash of fruit juice to sweeten it a bit. The midwife said that mixing it with protein (like peanut butter or yogurt) would help prevent some of the known “gastroinestinal events” but I still had some pretty severe cramping.
BabyDane was born the next day!
Post # 8
Member
10369 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
Fully developed baby = way more important than whether it’s baby falls on holiday.
Post # 9
Member
686 posts
Busy bee
My mom got induced a month and a half early since she went on a boat ride and her water broke prematurely. No C-Section and I’m pretty well developed 😛
But I was like 8 lbs and 22.5″ even a month and a half early….well on my way to being a 10 lb baby.
Post # 10
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
@DaneLady: I would try everything and anything to get him here but I’ve heard castor oil is nasty and can be dangerous. Did you have any negative effects with yours?
Post # 11
Member
314 posts
Helper bee
@SouthernSunshine: I would definitely suggest waiting to go into labor naturally. If you want to go natural, the chances of that happening with induction are very very slim. There’s really no harm in trying the natural induction techniques, but i wouldn’t put much stock in that. If anything, i think it’s much more important for you to be open and unafraid. You can do this! Good wishes to you 🙂
Post # 12
Member
7552 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
- Wedding: March 2014 - A castle!
@SouthernSunshine: Castor oil will make you have hard core diarrhea. Unless you want to be pushing more than a baby out, I would avoid that around your due date.
Post # 13
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
@msmaddox: Thank you! I’m very prepared for the whole birth experience and pray it goes smoothly. I just want him healthy and I will be happy.
And as for those saying having a Christmas baby isn’t the end of the world, I know it’s not but imagine being born on Christmas. You would feel jipped on gifts every year. I know my sister, who’s bday is 12/17, hates her birthday because she feels like she gets cheated on both days. I just want to be a good mom and give my kid a great birthday but then again it would be nice to have it on that day bc it will be exactly what I asked Santa for! 🙂 And also I’ve already told my whole family that he is their gift so that would be perfect
Post # 14
Member
5480 posts
Bee Keeper
@SouthernSunshine: Well, I was a week past due, so the risks of having explosive diarrhea (and subsequent dehydration) weren’t as dire as they would have been if the baby were not ready to be born. Oh, and yes it tastes nasty! I’m glad I mixed it in with other stuff to take the edge off the taste. I only did it under the direction of my midwife, because I had heard also that it can be risky and gross.
ETA- I meant to mention that I did not have terrible diarrhea, but I did have some pretty awful cramps.
Post # 15
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
@FutureDrAtkins: pooping during labor is one of my biggest fears just because I don’t want my DH to see that. I’m not a shy person but heck naw if he’s gonna watch me push a poop out haha
Post # 16
Member
1081 posts
Bumble bee
I have to agree with PP that “not wanting a Christmas baby” is a somewhat selfish reason to schedule an early induction….there is a whole heck of a lot of brain development that goes on in the last few weeks that goes much better in utero. If you want what is best for your baby, you will just wait and let it come on its own when it is ready..regardless of the date.
Honestly, if this is your first baby, and you are having no health issues (high blood pressure, etc.), there’s a really good chance you will go PAST your due date, too, which is perfectly normal and not a reason for an induction. Inductions are much more successful when there are cervical changes (effacement and dilation) already occuring, which is much more likely after your due date.
I think all the “natural” ways to bring on labor only work if you are ready to go into labor in the first place…correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that @DaneLady did the castor oil after you were already well past your due date?
Seriously…I would scratch the induction a week early and just be patient. Labors and deliveries go much better when they are not artificially brought on by pitocin, especially early. I can’t even believe that your OB let you schedule an early induction just for the convenience of not having a Christmas baby. If my OB would have let me schedule an early induction just for the heck of it, I would definitely have this baby out by now because my maternity leave is ticking away and I still have no baby (40 weeks tomorrow), but he is a firm believer that as long as mom and baby are healthy, you should at least wait until 41 weeks, and I have to agree with him!
PS I didn’t mean for this post to sound rude, but I think it is really important to just let babies come when they are ready (once again, pending no health problems with either mom or baby). I would recommend you reconsider your early induction because all the natural ways to bring on labor won’t really do much if you aren’t ready to go into labor in the first place.
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