Elective induction?

Question

I am 39w1d and my next OB appt isn’t until Tuesday when I will be 39w5d. Last night, I had some serious contractions a few hours after losing my mucous plug but they went away after about an hour. I’m honestly tired of being pregnant. I’ve started getting some anxiety (I suffer from anxiety/PTSD/depression/BPD and have been able to cope well through pregnancy until now) to the point where I’m terrified of giving birth, probably due to history of stillborn in my fiancé’s family. I have a natural birth planned and I know that if this baby doesn’t come in the next few days, I’m gonna wind up getting an epidural due to the fear. I had a full on panic attack last night over this and I haven’t had a panic attack this whole pregnancy. I’ve tried walking, sex, nipple stimulation, nothing works. So my question is, due to recent research, I have read that babies born before 41 weeks but after 39 weeks have lower rates of C-sections and medical interventions. I am considering asking my doctor to be induced but I am unsure if I should call and discuss this with her or wait until my appt on Tuesday. My last appt the doc said I was 1CM and 90% effaced and she didn’t expect me to last another week, let alone more than a few days. Here we are, though, I’m still pregnant, more anxious than ever, and absurdly uncomfortable. I’m a FTM and I’m really not sure what to do.

Answer

Most doctors won’t induce until a week after your due date, and generally (not always) induced labor is much harder than labor that occurs naturally.

Answer

My ob will induce but it's a little risky being only 1cm when going in. The further dilated you are going in,  the less chances of ending up in c section. I've been induced twice and induction is not the way to avoid an epidural. Pitocin contractions are very very painful, more than natural contractions in my opinion. And if you're only 1cm going in, they may have to crank up that pitocin pretty high. They did for me. It was excruciating and luckily I responded well top the epidural.  If you don't want an epidural then definitely try to wait for a natural labor. Otherwise, I'd personally give it until early next week. If you're concerned about stillbirth just really monitor baby's movements.

Answer

Honestly honey, if it's not life-threatening, I'd reccomend against it. But, I'd also force your OB to give you an ultrasound. I was having problems with my heart the last 3 months probably, and they still wouldn't induce me until 41 weeks because the risk for c-section was much higher. I was incduded at 41 weeks and 2 days on Monday at 5PM, pushed for 4 hours straight on Wednesday night, then winded up in emergency c-section at 11PM because my baby's head was cocked to the side and the cord was around his neck. When he was born he sad severe Meconium Aspiration and spent a week in an advanced NICU. Had they done an ultrasound earlier in the labor process, they would have known he wasn't coming out vaginally, saved me and my son the physical stress, and possibly kept my son from inhaling the meconium.

Answer

I was induced the day after due date for discomfort. I had a challenging pregnancy so I couldn’t take it any longer. I had an epidural and it wasn’t bad. But every doctor is different!

Answer

My sil was induced wk 39 due to discomfort

Answer

I had our little babygirl at 6 this morning. I didn’t even know I was in labor lol

Elective induction?

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey