Inducing a late baby and my doctor's thoughts

Due date has come and gone. We went to the doctor on Monday (40+3 weeks) to make sure all was still okay and to see what was going on.

Weight: 146.6
Blood pressure: 112/62

Non-Stress Test: I was having contractions so the nurse kept saying it must be time, but I told her that I’d been having those contractions for almost 2 months. Nothing exciting! My OB came in to check and said “hmm, how far along are you?” – UH, 40 weeks, I just saw you 4 days ago! Baby’s heart rate was a little low (115-120) so I was nervous, but anything over 100 is still ok, right? Anyway, then they sent me to the ultrasound.

Ultrasound: Baby was asleep (explains low heart rate). Fluid levels were excellent, which they even said was unexpected, being that I was past my due date. Baby reacted to the buzzer, breathing fine, just a bit cramped. All ok.

Doctor’s office:
*Fundal height: 35
*Internal: this is where it gets frustrating. I don’t even think I was supposed to have an internal because I just had one on Thursday and they didn’t tell me to plan on it. But I think after seeing the contractions on the NST (and having no idea who I am and that I’ve been having contractions all along ANYWAY), my doctor thought she’d get things moving. The internal was normal, just like Thursday (1-2 cm dilated, 70% effaced), until she started swirling her fingers around. It hurt. When she was done, all she said was “I helped things move along by stretching the cervix and releasing prostaglandins. I’d bet you’re in the hospital tonight for labor.”

I didn’t realize until we were out the door that what she REALLY did was strip my membranes. Where’s informed consent?! I would have said no. Steve and I went to the mall after for some Xmas shopping and to help walk the baby out, but I was in so much pain I couldn’t even walk. We went home and I had intense cramping and contractions for quite awhile. If I had listened to the doctor and called with contractions 5 minutes apart for an hour, we would have ended up in the hospital for sure, just as she was betting. With false labor. And ended up getting induced? I’m almost sure of it. But I know my body, and I knew those weren’t REAL contractions. Just a side effect of stripping membranes, so I never called in.

I’m still in shock she’d do such a thing without asking- or even telling! It’s an invasion and it’s unethical. And my body clearly wasn’t ready for it (because it didn’t work). OH she also said after the internal that she was hoping she had broke my water while she was in there!!! Um, what?! So glad she wasn’t successful. I can’t believe it. I may look like I’m 16, but I’m 24 and know very well what’s going on. Besides that, even a 16 year old shouldn’t be treated that way with their own body.

So… my induction date was set for Saturday the 26th at 7:30am. I didn’t argue then because I believed her enthusiasm that I’d be at the hospital in labor that night.

But when that didn’t happen… and it didn’t happen the next day… I decided to call them today and move the induction date. That put me at 41+1 and I just want baby to have more time to come on his own. Especially because I’m healthy and he’s healthy.

WOW I wasn’t expecting what I got. First I spoke to a nurse/surgery scheduler. I requested Tues. the 29th (41+4) and she said “no, you can’t go that late, you’ll need to be induced at 41 weeks, even that’s late.” I said, but baby is healthy and as long as he stays that way, why can’t I give him more time? The midwife from their clinic told me at my very first appointment I could go to 42 weeks. The nurse told me that the midwife was wrong and she no longer works there. She was getting cranky and so was I. My body, my baby, my choice. So she said she’d have to talk to the doctor and call me back.

My OB called me back in a few minutes. She said after looking at my ultrasound (honestly, I call BS she even went to look at it–bc if this were true, why didn’t they tell me that on Monday after I had the US???) that it was aged as much as it could be and she would have scheduled my induction for Friday if it weren’t for Christmas.

I said–isn’t it normal for first time moms to go late, past 41 weeks even? She said no. (BS.)

I said–but baby is healthy and I want to give him more time to come on his own. She finally said OK, but that she’d have to make a note that I refused earlier induction so if something goes wrong, it’s all on me (awesome). Then she continued to say that it makes a higher risk that baby ends up in NICU, passes his meconium in the womb, the placenta stops working.. used the phrase “fetal demise” several times. Said she’s done 5,000 births so she knows how much risk there is to waiting. But really, if she always induces by 41 weeks, that means she’s seen these things happen earlier. Pregnancies have these risks at any point. And first-time moms DO usually go late, past week 41.

So, I got what I wanted–induction is now Tues, Dec 29th at 6am, but I feel awful. She scared me and put all this guilt on me.

Don’t treat me like I’m stupid. Don’t treat me like I don’t know what’s best for me. Doctors DON’T always know best and I’m in shock from this whole experience about it. In shock at how much they do for their own convenience. I wouldn’t harm my baby and if I sense something isn’t going right, I’ll know it and I’ll call in. But baby still moves a TON. And what’s 4 more days?!

Some people are like–what does it matter, as long as you get the baby? But it matters a lot. Maybe to some it really doesn’t. But 90% of women induced with pitocin end up with an epidural and 40% end up with a c-section. And a VBAC is nearly unheard of (my clinic doesn’t even do them!) And to me, that matters a lot. It matters that you’re forcing your body to do something it isn’t ready for. Baby will come when he’s ready.

I need to go take a nice long bath and stop being angry with my OB. She’s also the doctor on call the 29th for the induction–now that she’s mad at me, how wonderful.

Everybody send the baby labor thoughts to come out now! Before the 29th at least 😉