Healthy YouBaby Girl will be one month old on September 22, and this week I’m finally sharing her birth story! Be sure to go back and read part 1 here!
This is a terrible phone pic…but it’s my last pic pregnant. I was 41 weeks here!
As I wrote in part 1 of my third baby’s birth story, at the very end I was impatient–and fearful. Each day after my due date seemed to last forever, and I woke up each morning incredibly discouraged.
Like my friend Leigh Ann, I don’t believe in inducing labor unless medically necessary. And although there are many ways you can try to naturally induce labor, I don’t believe in trying much of anything to bring on labor unless you are trying to avoid a medical induction for whatever reason.
And that’s the point where I was a month ago. My midwife group is overseen by OBs, and they do not let any woman go over 42 weeks pregnant. (And, honestly, the more I’ve researched it, I don’t know that I personally think it would be safe to go much past the 42-week mark…but that’s another post for another day.)
When my due date came and went on August 10, my midwives didn’t once pressure me to speed along an induction. In fact, at every visit, they encouraged me that they were sure this would be my final prenatal appointment, and my baby would soon come on her own.
But as days turned into a week “overdue” (I also think my due date was off my about 5 days, which would have still made my baby a week overdue), they told me I needed to get some tests run to make sure the baby was still OK. I would call myself a cautiously “crunchy” mama. I love natural living–don’t get me wrong. But I believe there is a time and a place for medical intervention, so I had no qualms to undergo these tests. I just hoped and prayed they would turn out OK.
Around 41 weeks, I went in for an ultrasound with an OB, Dr. Al, to check my amniotic fluid as well as a NST (non-stress test) with one of the midwives, Cindy. Both Dr. Al and Cindy said there was no reason to talk about induction because everything still looked fine. I did have a trace amount of protein in my urine (one indicator of pre-eclampsia), so they wanted me to collect a 24-hour sample to be tested the following day. I also asked for my iron levels to be re-checked since I was anemic. To my disappointment, my levels were even lower than before! I determined to get my iron levels up as quickly as possible. Cindy was sure I’d have a baby that weekend!
Image by blue2likeyou
But the weekend came and went–and no baby came. And it’s really a good thing because I believe I overdid it so much on the iron that I got iron poisoning! I literally spent that Friday and Saturday eating as many iron-rich foods as I could think of as well as take my iron supplements. I woke up Sunday morning feeling very nauseated and was sick all day. My doula came over and encouraged me. There’s no way my body could have handled labor that weekend!
On Monday, Aug. 20, I had another prenatal appointment. This time, I saw the midwife Lynn. I did not have an ultrasound, but I did have another NST. While the NST results weren’t quite as good as the week before, the baby still seemed to have a good heart rate and be moving well. My urine still showed some trace protein, which was concerning.
And Lynn had some disappointing news. If the baby didn’t come by Friday, I’d have to be induced. I don’t typically get cervical checks because I really see no reason for them, but at this point, I wanted to see if I were dilated at all because I knew if I were or weren’t would help determine any methods of induction.
Lynn checked me. I wasn’t dilated–at all.
Thinking it would be the more “natural” route, I asked about rupturing my membranes if I were to go much longer. She said my practice no longer does that after a baby whose mother was GBS positive died after the mother’s membranes were stripped.
I said I absolutely did not want cytotec. She said because my cervix was no ripened, the induction would most likely involve me coming in on Tuesday night to get cervidil–in hopes that it would start to ripen–and then get pitocin on Wednesday morning if I weren’t already in labor. I never once felt pressured by her for the Wednesday induction. I believe she knew who I wanted to deliver, and that particular midwife would have been on call Wednesday.
But she also knew my wishes for a completely natural birth–and to not be induced. I discussed a few natural induction methods with her, and I left with the agreement that I would call and let her know when I had made a decision.
Have you ever had the experience of being “overdue” with a baby? Did your OB or midwife run special tests on you once you passed your due date? Did you ever feel pressured to induce?
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Casey
I was 3 weeks overdue with my first one, she was fine but was induced because I LITERALLY couldn’t move without pain. They did do special tests on me and she is a perfectly rotten 11yr old princess today 🙂 I hope it all works out for you! I WOULD suggest however, walking. alot. walk until you feel l ike you are going to drop! And then do. on the couch. 🙂
Linda
Back in my day of having kids there was no such thing as induction or any of those awful meds they use now days. The older generation used to say ‘when the apple’s ripe it will fall’. I was over due once or twice but all was well. However the method of delivery was something from a horror story….strapped to a cold table with feet in stirrups flat on ones back…. still gives me chills to think how different it could have been…… my first delivery room doctor told me to ‘shut up it can’t be that bad’ ….and he knew this how? I was 16 and very small …….. it was just plain horrible.
Jane Finn
When I was first pregnant and went to the doctors, I have to say I worked out exactly when I should be due myself, from ovulation dates and then ‘adjusted’ my last period date so the doctor would come up with the ‘right ‘due date, not one based on my last period start date, so I did feel confident that my due date was at least correct. I was told I would have to be induced, no question, at 10 days over, which I refused, to then be told, actually, you can go up to two weeks, but we don’t advise it and it’s at your own risk, etc, etc and then we really will have to induce you. Fortunately, on an Easter Sunday morning, two weeks over exactly, labour started. Don’t think I worked out what to do if I’d gone past the two weeks!
Faith McCracken
Yes, I was 6 days past due date and although I was content to wait the CNM practice I was with was getting anxious. They stripped my membranes 1x but it didn’t do anything so they told me if I dilated at least a little that they could help me dilate by using a foolery catheter balloon. They wouldn’t use cyotec or cervedel on me because of possible stress to the previous c-section scar. I started having contractions on a Wednesday and that evening I was dilated to a 3cm and they used the cath that night and by morning I was 6! I had baby girl by that evening. They did insist on a small dose of pitocen during pushing since she was supposed to be a big baby. I had an epidural at the very end and hope to avoid it next go around. Over all it went very welll an 9 lb 5 oz baby was healthy.
Faith McCracken
Correction : Folley Cath
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I had my first baby last spring, and she arrived on her due date. I was not induced, but my midwife started talking about doing an induction a good week and a half before my due date. She scared me half to death because I do NOT do well with outside pain (pain from my own self, I can handle), and don’t like to be touched or constrained (I have PTSD), so I ended up doing a bunch of fairly stupid “tricks” to try to induce labor on my own. I think my daughter would have happily cooked another few days or even a week, but I ended up taking Castor Oil the same day I ate five or six bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, and ended up with the world’s worst case of gas I’ve ever had in my LIFE, and that finally started labor – right about the time I thought maybe I would go ahead and just die, already. It. Was. HORRIBLE. NEVER EVER AGAIN, my friends. Also, everyone says doctors won’t “let” you go past 2 weeks over due. If your baby is still healthy, and you can stand it…why? What exactly are they going to do if you refuse induction, tie you down and force you?? Pretty sure that’s assault.
Erin
Oh no! I have always, always been afraid of castor oil! 🙁
Hailey
I’m not sure if all of NC (where I live) is like this, but my cousin was threatened by the midwives. They said if she didn’t come in to be induced, they would call the police to pick her up and escort her to the hospital to be induced. She ended up going on her own, so I’m not sure if they would have gone through with it, but she said they sounded serious.
Felicia
That sounds awful. I went to 42 weeks and 2 days. I had to grab the hand of a nurse who “joked” about rupturing my membranes during my only vaginal exam! ( 3 days before I went into labor and birthed naturally) I’m in NC and this was Greensboro where I delivered. Pretty sure this is illegal for them to threaten you, but verbal abuse seems to be the norm in hospitals everywhere.
Amber
NtS With my 3rd I had a doctor offer to induce me a week before my due date because of my history of fast deliveries and large babies. But we declined. Then at my due date they started saying we should think about induction. At a week late they said I should not go past2 weeks and wanted to schedule an induction . We said wait a little longer. They said you have to be induced on Friday, we saidTuesday we’d do cervadil and hopefully that would start things enough we wouldn’t need petocin on weds. They had been monitoring the past 3 weeks with ultrasounds and such and everything looked fine and I doing fine. So tues we headed up to the hospital and my contractions started and wete 4 mins apart by the time we got to the hospital. The doctor broke my water nd i had a perfectly healthy baby boy 5 hrs later. The doctors were not happy with us going 16 days over but Igot a natural labor and a healthy baby in our own time.
Dianna
My daughter was 2 weeks overdue. The Monday she finally canned was the day the doctor say I would be induced. Once I was a
Week over the doctor ordered fluid checks, brain function, heart, vein and artery function etc all during an ultrasound! Everything was perfect so he said to wait and if she don’t come by Monday I would be induced! Luckily things started to happen that
Friday night and she finally arrived Monday right before lunch! And let me tell you she was perfect, even the nurses loved all the hair she had on her head! I am glad she came later because she weighed 8.5 pounds and for my family that is normal, anything smaller would of freaked out! So with this new baby I am hoping or a shorter labor but am expecting her to be a week late or on time… 🙂
Lesa Harris
I was 19 days overdue. My fluids were checked but never once was there a mention of me being induced. My daughter was born 8 lbs 5 oz and was in perfect health. That was 29 years ago. My eldest daughter has been induced with all three of her children and she was only a week past her due date. I think that now a days the doctors are in a hurry and go right away to inducing labor.
Lenzie
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Lenzie
I was 3 weeks early I had an amazing Doctor I refused to be induced my entire pregnancy when it was offered bc I wanted a natural birth he respected that, however after having one of my last weekly apts I had said I wanted to be induced it was my first and I wanted him out of me.. I was huge and in severe pain.. My sweet dr said no way I was not anywhere near ready and I may go past my due date I was not even dialated a finger tip. I started having contractions aftery apt thought they were Braxton hicks 2 days later my water broke (both sacks) in the middle of target buying my hospital essentials.. Over 20 hours of hard labor I delivered 3 weeks early to a healthy 7lb baby boy. So not all dr’s are into pushing for inductions and scheduling c-sections I waited til the bitter end I had one push left had he not come I would have had an emergency c-section. I had the best doctor and nurses they made sure baby was healthy at all times we had oxygen issues and my nurse stayed with me all day and night and next morning switching positions every 30 minutes to help push my labor along and help his oxygen.. He came on my husbands birthday of all the days 🙂 love reading birth stories!
Kaitlin K.
I am so glad I didn’t go over. The Woman’s Health Center I am a patient at scheduled me for a NST the day after my due date… I told them I would not do it until 41 weeks because it is perfectly normal for first time moms to go over by 2 weeks. They argued with me but they changed it. I went into labor on my due date so I didn’t even have to worry.
Kat
On my 4th I was a week over due….I had just my water broke and labor began quickly with no drugs. I also have larger baby’s which could be a concern the longer I go so I believe this was right for us. Sometimes our bodies need a little help…. there is nothing wrong with that especially when it assures the safety of mother and baby. Pray and ask for God’s wisdom…he will help you make a good decision.
Heidi
I was regrettable induced with my son back in 2010, and wish so badly that I wouldn’t have been. I wasn’t overdue, but my doctor actually pre-planned to induce me ON my due date because she would be in Texas for a family reunion. Please keep in mind that we live in a very small town in Northern Idaho, and winters are harsh, so I agreed to this induction fearing that something would go horribly wrong, and my doctor wouldn’t be there to deliver our baby…I was also 22 and naive. I had a horrible delivery experience which I think deterred my husband and I from having another child. My body was just not ready to deliver yet. I was not allowed to eat solid food for 24 hours while in the hospital, and was only given broth, water, or popsicles. (This was supposedly in case I needed a C-Section?) And I had to walk every 45 minutes and only rest for 15 minutes, from 9am until about 8 pm, and I was exhausted. The whole experience left us with a bad taste in our mouths. We have recently been discussing the possibility of having another baby, but we are both a little nervous about the “labor/delivery” aspect again. If we decide to bring another baby into this world, I will adamantly refuse induction, and will also do what feels comfortable for my body in terms of eating and walking around. I am now 28 years old, and our son just turned 5 in March.
Heidi
Typo: I walked from 9 am until about 3 pm. Sorry! 🙂
Jennifer p.
I had the same exact experience almost to a T. I was forced to go in and take the cytotec but I would not do it orally. I had a short labor and pushed her out in 5 pushes. I didn’t come in on my scheduled induction date and went in the next day because the doctor wouldn’t allow me to go any longer. After 42 weeks in pose a risk and I certainly didn’t want to do anything that would harm my baby. My earliest ultrasound said I was due Jan 6th so I was on time according to that but since my doctor wasn’t the one who did it, he would only go by what he had from his ultrasound. Either way she was born healthy but did have a moderate amount of meconium. She was 9 lbs 3oz and is a very healthy baby.
N
I have to say while I am sorry all these mommas had a horrible time being induced, mine was just about perfect. I was induced a week early because of preclampsia. I had hypertension throughout my pregnancy and had biweekly non-stress tests starting at 34 wks. At my check up a week before my due date my doctor and I decided that I should be induced – I was spilling protein in my urine and my liver enzymes were elevated, next stop was full out eclampsia with risk for seizures. I walked across the street to the hospital was dilated using a foley catheter that afternoon, started on pitocin and magnesium (to decrease risk of seizure). I didn’t have an epidural at first but once my water broke around midnight I changed my mind. I slept surprising well until around 7am when the nurse and doctor said its was time to start pushing. I was so tired from the mag drip but pushed which felt like 30 minutes to me but was more like 90 min according to m husband. The room was so peaceful and quiet that I couldn’t believe I was giving birth. In the end I had a healthy little girl who is now 3 yrs old. I only share this because there might be mammas out there that need to be induced and I want them to know that not all inductions are horror stories. In no way am I promoting being induced but no one should feel bad or a failure if that is the path they must take to welcome their new loved into the world.