Conference moira::parenting_v3

    "Only" 2 cm. dilated?  I thought that 1 cm. was a lot for pre-labor
    dilation?  How much "should" you be 1 week beforehand?  2 cm. sounds
    like a lot to me.  Why would your OB be talking about induction now?  
    
    Anyway, I was induced (water broke by itself, but no labor).  I didn't
    mind at all.  I figured that since my water broke, the baby was ready
    to be born, and the drugs just gave him a kick in the pants, as it
    were!  Also, being a person who thrives on schedules and
    predictability, I really liked knowing when the baby would be born, not
    having to wonder if I'm in labor, when should I call the doctor, etc.
    :-)  My husband, on the other hand, expressed some of the ambivalence
    you mentioned.  He said he would have preferred to have me go into
    labor on my own.

    Everything else being equal (no indications of fetal stress), I
    wouldn't entertain the notion until I was a week "late" by my own
    reckoning.  (Alex was 8 days late according to my doctor's
    calculations, 4 days late if you ask *me*!)
    
    Then, when entertaining the notion, I probably would require some
    strong convincing before allowing induction sooner than 2 weeks
    "overdue".  Supposedly the placenta starts to deteriorate
    around that time, so the baby would need to be rescued PDQ!  But up til
    then, I'm all for letting baby+body decide.  JMO, of course.
    
    Leslie

    I too am confused about the 2 cm dilation.  I am under the opinion that
    many women do not even dilate any amount until they are in real labor. 
    Some do but some don't and they say that this is no indication of when
    actualy labor will really begin.
    
    Since you're not even at your due date yet, I question why your Dr. has
    even mentioned induction besides as a joke about the tax break.  
    
    I would at least wait until the due date and try to let nature take its
    course.  For what  it's worth, if they do use the drugs on you (which
    they would have to do if just breaking the water didn't do it because
    then you risk infection to the baby), many women I know say that the
    pain of the contractions is worse with the drugs (pitocin or oxytocin),
    especially because you go right into hard core contractions without the
    benefit of the earlier, mild ones.
    
    Nancy

    I was 10 days late with my second - I was 5 cm dialated, but not
    "effaced" at all.  I think that means my cervix was ready, but the
    pelvis wasn't - or something like that.  I had a fetal monitor test done
    on Tuesday morning, and was in labor by Tuesday at 2:00, however, my
    water was broken by the doctor (I had done a little trickling earlier).
    My water was broken about 4:00 and my son was born at 11:10 (with an
    hour of pushing).  9LBS 5OZS - 23IN tall - and I do mean tall!!!
    
    -sandy
    

    I'd, too wonder why at minus one week, he/she is talking
    induction....do you have a medical condition tht might make going past
    term risky?
    
    My wife has been induced with all three pregnancies, all three for
    different reasons. Josh was induced when her water broke but labor
    didn't commence on it's own. Carrie was induced on her due date, as my
    wife, who had toxemia, bacame pre-eclampsic with a blood pressure of
    205/150!! Daniel was induces one week early (scheduled) bacause my wife
    was gest. diabetic with him, and they felt he was getting quite big
    enough! All three were pitocin induced. The last two were pitocin first
    nad then the water was broken (I seem to remember them saying they
    can't break the water unitl you're about 3-4 cm.). My wife was usually
    one cm. dilated for anywhere from 4-6 weeks before due date....and for
    far into inducement! And then, bang, she would shoopt up to about 8,
    then almost as quickly to 10. Usually about 3/4 of lthe labor at less
    than 4 cm., and only about 1/4 from there to birth. With Daniel she
    went from 4 cm. to birth in less than one hour, after being at 4 or
    less for 6 hours. That's just her pattern.
    
    Pitocin inducement does lead to strong contractions, but not
    necessarily right away. With Daniel, she was on Pit. all day with
    nothing more than very mild cramps. They kept her overnite, and started
    it again in the morning. Pit started at 8, broke water at 8:15, *hard*
    labor by 8:30. Seems sometimes the uterus needs a rest in between to
    forn "receptors" on it's surface to use the pitocin. Whatever, it
    worked fast and hard the second day. He was born at 3 p.m. 
    
    --dave--

    
    With my second child, my OB suggested that I go in to have labor
    induced (after midnight, so we wouldn't get charged for an extra day in
    the labor room).   There are lots of reasons for this action - in my
    case I had had several days of "bloody show", combined with RH negative
    type and possible complications in other areas.   So late or early may not
    have anything to do with the decision or recommendation.  Perhaps your
    OB thinks that you are dilated *too* much for so long before labor is
    due to begin, and that the inducing of the contractions can lessen the
    risk? 
    
    Interesting enough, I never underwent the drug injection.  I began very
    strong labor before they had a chance.   Some doctors theorize that the
    plan to induce is often enough - and your body takes over an activity
    that it thinks you want it to do.
    
    
    -m

    I also would question why your Doctor is talking about inducing labor
    so soon.  I was 11 days overdue, and only because I was developing
    toxemia did my Doctor induce labor.  They do not like to go beyond 42
    weeks, but usually wait to see if it happens naturally.
    
    As for strong contractions, I started on pitocin at 1 pm, and was only
    dilated 1 cm - had been at 1 cm for the last 2 weeks or so.  At 9:30 pm
    I was still only 2-3 cm, but the baby finally came at 5:30 the next
    morning. Inducing labor sometimes confuses the body, but in my case it
    was the right decision.  Make sure you do it for the right reason.
    
    Mary

    My wife was induced for both of ours.  The first was almost 2-weeks
    Pitocin was started atr 8:30AM, Sarah saw the world at 4:30 weighing in
    at 9lb 10oz.  Our second was induced 3-weeks early.  We had had problems
    with early contractions due to a version (turning of the child.)  Since
    the results of the ultrasound indicated a rather large child (even at 4
    weeks early), it was decided to start the process.  Needless to say my
    son decided to be a pain even before birth.  Thursday morning the
    pitocin was started...  Thursday night... nothing.  Friday morning
    again the pitocin was started...  6:30 AM Saturday Alex was born at
    9lbs 8oz.  No bad effects either time.  The most exiting thing to go on
    during the whole affair was to find out that my mother-in-law tried to
    burn down my house with the woodstove.  But that is another story.
    
    The final conclusion is that each individual case must be looked at. 
    Don't be afraid of it.  I know that both my wife and I looked at the
    situation like this:  It is better to be induced and deliver naturally
    than to wait and possibly require a c-section.

    I was induced with Pitocin for my second child.  The reason being that
    I was 15 days late.  This little guy just didn't wanna come out!!  I 
    went in at 7am and they broke my water.  Mild contractions started, but
    not enough to really do anything.  By 12noon they decided to start the 
    Pitocin.  Contractions started a lot stronger, but they weren't
    continuous...  (I'd always heard that you don't have a break with Pit.)
    I had a minute or two between each contraction so it really wasn't bad.
    My son was born at 3:50pm weighing in at 9lb 14oz and 23" tall.
    I never had any labor with my first due to it being a planned
    c-section, but I would be induced again in a flash.  I'd rather have it
    be hard right away then slow and dragging on.
    
    BTW, Third one is due April 10th.
    
    Good luck with yours!
    Janice

    Hold out as long as you can without being induced.  I went into labor
    with my son Thursday night.  Friday night I checked into the hospital,
    five minutes apart with contractions.  Saturday morning, only two cm
    dialated, they decided to induce.  UGGH...it was awful....My
    contractions were shooting off the scale.  My poor husband went through
    an awful time with it (so didn't I).  I ended up having an epidoral,
    much to my relief...But the pitocin was putting a strain on Matthew's
    heart...every time they'd increase it, his heart rate went down.  They
    had to check his oxygen intake through sample in his head a few times
    while I was on it...Not a fun time though.  I was on the pitocin from
    Saturday 8am till Saturday 11:00 pm....and dialated up to 7-8 cm, when
    they decided to take the baby.  They had broken my water early Sat.
    a.m.  
    
    So really, if you can stay away from the pitocin, it will make your
    life, and contractions, so much easier.   Matthew was also 10 days late
    when he was born Sunday at 12:45 am.
    
    Ellen

My wife was induced with our second.

To be honest, it was a matter of convenience as much as anything.  We were 
close to the due date, and my wife was having contractions.  The OB had us go 
in to the hospital for a stress test.  It was a false alarm, but we decided 
that we were in the hospital, we had made arrangements for friends to take 
care of #1, so we quickly agreed when the nurse/practioner suggested inducing 
labor.

In the back of our mind was the fact that with #1, labor was a total of about 
two hours, and since we had heard that second labors are only about half as 
long, we thought that if we waited for labor to begin "naturally", it might be 
tense making it to the hospital.  As it turned out, once the pitocin started 
to work, Gary made his appearance in about an hour.

Our experience was not like .10 -- if anything our second labor was more 
textbook-like than the first, but I have no idea whether that had anything to 
do with the pitocin or not.

I don't think my wife feels "cheated", but then I guess if she would have 
felt that way that we would just have gone home from the hospital.  The first 
labor was very chaotic and didn't go according to the book anyway, so maybe 
that makes it different.  Seems to me that wanting labor to get induced 
"naturally" is one of those personal feelings that may not be rational, but 
are nonetheless very understandable.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Clay

    I don't know if it is considered induction or not but my doctor
    "stripped the membranes" which brought on labor about 10 hours later.
    My basic understanding is that she pushed the bag of waters up and
    ran her finger along the upper edge of the cervix to stimulate labor.
    I had been in and out of the hospital for 3 days with contractions
    that would start and stop and start and stop and....  No drugs or
    breaking of the water bag was involved so I felt it was very natural
    and gentle--no pain at all.  Joshua was born 3 hours after his due
    date ended after 5 hours of mild labor and 5 hours of hard labor.
    I definitely would consider 2 cm in the prior week normal, and would
    question the doctor why induction was brought up as a possibility.
    
    Pam

    Pitocin doesn't always work.  My doctor tried to induce me with Pit on
    my due date.  They had me plugged into that stuff for 6+ hours and
    nothing happened.  With twins, usually they are a few weeks early so
    my doctor said that if I didn't have them by my due date they would
    induce labor with Pit.  Well, they sent me home after more then 6 hours
    on that stuff.  The twins were born 1 week later.
    
    

    I was induced with my second daughter, Paige--three times!!  When she was
    about four days late, I was induced.  In my case, I really wanted  a
    VBAC, but we (doctor and we) really wanted to be sure we didn't have a 
    repeat of Caileigh's birth.  I spent a day in the hospital with the nurses
    cranking up the pitocin every twenty minutes.   Nothing happened.  
    
    A week later, we tried again, all day.  Nothing happened.  I was still
    about 1cm dilated with NO contractions (never even had B-H
    contractions).
    
    Three days later, on Caileigh's 2nd birthday, we tried it again.  At
    this point, we were one day short of two weeks late and of a C-section.
    I told the doctor if she didn't think it would work and I would have the
    setion anyway, send me home (I figured I'd do some Christmas shopping!)
    and I'll come back the next day.  She checked and I was 2cm, so we
    tried it.
    
    This time it worked and the pains were excruciating I thought, but I 
    had no un-induced labor to compare it with.  (With Caileigh, I had an
    emergency C after only "mild" labor.)  I got an epidural when I was
    only 3 or 4cm, though, so it wasn't bad for long.  Wonderful stuff,
    those drugs.  It still took 21 hours from the time I was started on the 
    pit until Paige was born.  She just did not want to come out!                         
    
    If I ever have another one (not likely), it will be by planned
    C-section.  Or adoption.
    
    -Tracy
    
    
    P.S.  Re not being able to break your water until 3 or 4 cm:  With
    Caileigh, the doctor broke my water when I was still about 1 cm and not
    yet medicated (to confirm her suspicions of meconium, while they were
    prepping me for the emergency C).   Very painful.

    
    Liz,
    
     I would never do it again unless I was past my due date. You are sure
    of your due date? I also found out it was done for convenience, my
    Doctor was going away for the weekend. I went in at 3:00 am Friday
    morning. At 4:00 am the contractions stopped and I wanted to go home. At
    5:00 am the nurses had me making laps up and down the halls. That got
    things started but as soon as I stopped the contractions stopped. At
    7:00 am the Doctor came in and broke my water. No chance then of going
    home. That did not help and at 10:00 am they put me on Pitocin. I had
    pains clear down to my knees and I had to lay there as I was hooked to
    the IV and there was a monitor on my stomach. I could not move because
    of all the junk I was hooked up to. Brian 7 lb. was finally born at 5:00pm.
    I was extremely tired, miserable and starving.
    
     With my second I vowed to go into the hospital at the last second. My
    water never broke but I was there 3 hours before Andrew arrived at
    8 lbs 8oz. He was very easy and I was not tired. He was born 2 days
    before my due date.
    
     You should take a nice long walk in one of the Malls !!
    
    -Nancy
     

    
>>     You should take a nice long walk in one of the Malls !!

I keep doing that!  Actually, the nurses suggested walking and intercourse.
I just figured Lonny's knees would give out after a few minutes :-).

Liz

    So, Liz, did you have the baby yet?
    
    I had pitocin for the last baby, when my waters broke and
    contractions didn't start.  They were worried about a variety of
    possible  complications, none of which materialized, thank God. 
    
    It wasn't too much fun, and it was the worst pain of any of my
    three labors, but I didn't need medication with any of them.  I
    wouldn't choose it again (not that I'm planning to be pregnant
    again!), but if the doctor felt it was safer for the baby, I
    wouldn't hesitate.  
    
    --bonnie

Well, Liz, if you still need advice, here's mine.

I would NOT be induced again unless there was a problem with the baby.
Evan, as you know, was 2 weeks late, and we KNEW when I got pregnant. :-)
He was *not* ready to be born yet, and I found out from my mother (after
Evan's birth) that when she was pregnant with me, I was THREE weeks
late.  (for those of you who don't know, I had the same wonderful Ob/Gyn
as Liz, and was induced under nearly identical circumstances, but my labor
was 30 hours, I was on pitocin, and they still had to use vacuum extractor,
etc - he wanted to stay inside!)

If I get pregnant again, I will let the baby decide when to be born,
and if necessary, I will go to the hospital for daily tests to make
sure that it is okay.

I know this may sound funny, but I keep wondering what it was that was
"supposed" to be developed on Evan, that I didn't allow to happen.

       Carol

Hi all, I'm still waiting!  Only two days past due.  Went to the Dr.
yesterday, am another .5 cm dilated (2.5 now) and about 20% effaced.
She never mentioned the I word this time!  I suspect that the 31st 
will do it, there's a full moon!  Hopefully we'll either get the tax
break or all the new year's baby presents.  New Year's day is also
our wedding anniversary (11 years!) so that would be fine!

Thanks for all the replys, I'll keep you posted!

Liz

    Liz,
    
    Just to give you an idea....I walked around 2 cm dialted and 75%
    effaced for 3 weeks! I was 6 days overdue, had a stress test done on the
    6th day the next day went in to labor (water broke and contractions
    started 5 min apart). I really don't think they would induce unless
    there was harm to the baby or if you were at least 2 weeks overdue
 
    Any way, good luck!
    Mine was born in sept. tax write off fer sure!!!!!!

My next appointment is tomorrow.  If she says, "Let's set an appointment"
I'm about ready to say, "I'll meet you across the street in 30 minutes!"
That's where the hospital is.

Honestly, I've walked, I've seen the full moon, I've had intercourse
and still it's Orca the Beached Whale!!  Sheesh, no tax break, no
"first baby of the year" presents, no anniversary present...ah, but
hubby did mention that this way the little one will have his or her
very own birthday!  YES, shouted I, and shall get LOTS of presents
bought on sale at the after Christmas sales!  Leave it to him to find
the good.

I'll keep you updated.

    My daughter in law finally had her baby yesterday morning..
    
    14 days after her first due date and 11 after the second one.
    
    Babies seem to take their own time!
    
    good luck and hugs to you
    
    Bonnie

    Liz,
    
    Remember they all eventually come out.  
    
    Meg

Liz,

Lonny is GREAT for you! Getting toys on sale! Great idea!

Hope little one isn't too cozy that s/he doesn't want to leave a
warm place! We'll hear the loudest whoop when the little one
decides on the birth time.

cal

Thought I'd give you all an update.  Went to the Dr. today and she
said if I haven't delivered by Monday (I'll be 42 weeks then) that
she'll break my water.  Actually, at this point, it's fine with me.
Now I'm hoping this one will not make its appearance this weekend
because my Dr. is not on call and will be skiing!  (can you imagine
the nerve of her putting her personal life ahead of my desire to
have her deliver my baby? :-).   )  She did send me for a non-stress
test and things are fine.  The nurse who did it jostled my belly
quite a bit as she wasn't real certain that the heartbeat was
responding to the movement as she would have like it to.  Well,
at one point she said, "I don't think he liked that" - no, the
heartbeat went to 164!

So, expect to hear from me S O O O O O N!!

Liz

    
    I got word today that everything is a-okay with Liz & child --
    Announcement as forwarded to me follows:
    

    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    
PRODUCT NAME:		        Rachel Melissa Wilcox

SPECIFICATIONS:     

	Height:			21.5 Inches
	Weight:			9 Pounds 6 Ounces
	Sex:			Female

FIRST CUSTOMER SHIP DATE/TIME:  January 7, 1990 at 14:21 PM

PRE-REQUESITE SOFTWARE:         Liz and Lonny Wilcox

OPTIONAL SOFTWARE:	        Kathryne Wilcox (sister node)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTON:		Soft, round mushy singular configuration
with 2 arms, 2 legs, 10 fingers, 10 toes.  Well developed, robust lungs.  
Runs in 24 X 7 mode, high availability with downtime limited to changes of 
diaper versions.                                                        
    

    Congrats to Liz and Lonny on another Baby Woman.
    
    Meg

    
     A perfect ending to a long story!! 
    
     C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! ! 
    
    
    
    Gee, will there be a sequal??
    
    
Sandy

Daddy, do you see baby yet?

Yup, baby was born on monday.

Well, when can I play with baby?


We'll see.

Congrats, Lonny, Liz and kathryn.

cal, judy and Sammy (too)

    Congratulations Liz!
    
    Nanci

    Well - it's about time - congrats!
    
    Lorrie
    

    
    ***********************************************************************
    *             H O O R A Y  LIZ!!!                                     *
    ***********************************************************************
    
    Please, tell us how much easier this labor and delivery was!
    
    Quote by big brother Sean, the day we brought his sister home from
    the hospital.  "Aunt Linda, put her on my back and see if she'll
    crawl!"
    
    
    Rochelle

    re: .33
    
    No, Liz, tell us that Rachel is a breeze of a baby and doesn't
    have colic!!!   :-)  :-)  That's what I'd really like to hear!!
    
    cj/

    
    I visited Liz and her new baby yesterday and what an angel she is.  I
    was there for about an hour and I never heard a word or noise from her.
    She sleeps good and eats good and hardly ever fusses. No wonder she
    never wanted to get out into the world, she's so easy-going and such
    a mellow baby.   She's so quiet that you forget that the newborn baby
    was around while Liz's older daughter and my two kids (age 3 and 2)
    were screaming and running up and down.   Both of my 2 kids yelled and
    screamed a lot when they were little babies, makes me wonder what did I
    do wrong ?????
    
    Masami
                                   

Well, since you all asked...

I had my water broken at about 8:30 AM and had Rachel at 2:20 PM.  
It was quite interesting...the tip of the amni hook broke on the
first try, so the Dr. tried a second one.  Couldn't burst my bubble
wtih that one, either, so she finally threaded an internal monitor
onto the baby.  That way we at least had a little hole from a wire!
She didn't think that there was enough leakage to start the contractions,
and thought she'd have to give me pitocin, but the contractions
started nicely on their own (thank you).

The labor was honestly easy.  I did ask for some staidol and got it.
I was looking forward to sleeping between contractions as I had
done with Kathryne (I was dog tired because the anticipation kept
me awake most of the night), but, about 20-30 minutes later this
baby was born.  It was really weird as I could feel her moving
down the birth canal and I didn't experience that with Kathryne.
Lonny and I were alone in the room and all of a sudden I felt like
this one was going to make an appearance!

She did hurt on the way out, but what do you want with one this size?
Once she started on the way out all I could think of was continuing
to get her out!

As Masami said, she really is a mellow baby.  She has her daddy's 
personality (thank God!).  She also has his mouth, beautiful little
Cupid's bow!  She only gets up 1-2 times per night!  (so far?)  She
eats quietly (she's bottle fed), rarely spits up (twice so far), burps
fairly easily, can take or leave her pacifier and swing.  A real 
contrast with her sister.

Kathryne is handling things wonderfully.  She adors her little sister!
We're trying to make her feel very special ('cause she is!) and we
tell her often how much we appreciate her.  She is maybe a little
clingier, but that's ok.  

Liz