I was induced w/both my kids for other reasons, and although I have nothing to compare it to, I think it makes labor more painful and is harder on the baby as well.

Julinda

Babies belong in the womb…except in rare circumstances it is the healthies place for them. And I always tell other Mommas…the womb is the easiest place for the Momma! No diapers, no sibling rivalry, no univited guests!

#2 - hospital VBAC - 37 weeks AROM because I was contracting regularly and was dilated to a 5 at my Dr. appointment that same day. 7lbs 10oz - 4hr L&D

#3 home waterbirth - 37 weeks - 9lbs 8oz - 1hr 40min L&D

#4 unassisted homebirth - 37 weeks - 9lbs - 3hr L&D

#5 Unassisted waterbirth - 38 weeks - 7lbs 15oz - was dilated to 10 for a couple of days without any labor, due to a horrible chronic cough at the time. - 1hr 30min L&D

#6 Unassisted waterbirth - 37 weeks - 10lbs 9oz - 45min L&D

#7 Unassisted waterbirth 38 weeks - 7lbs 15oz - 35min L&D

I just cook mine fast and big, LOL no signs of GD either. I think it would be a very interesting study to do though. I remember a documentary that was done profiling several pregnant mother’s. One needed to be induced so the mom could get medical treatment for something (I think it was cancer). They took her baby via c/s at 34 weeks and the baby already weighed 10+ lbs at birth. My jaw dropped! She did have GD but it didn’t sound like it was managed well.

I also find it odd for some doctores to allow pre-term vaginal deliveries, while others will automatically do a c/s because “it’ll cause brain swelling and damange if they don’t” But studies have shown that even termed babies have some brain swelling and that it’s just part of the process. So I see it as just another excuse.

I am always reminded of those identical Dionnes quints Born May 28, 1934 in Ontario, Canada at home and kept warm in the oven. I believe they were born at 26 or 28 weeks and all survived without a c/s, without ventilators, IV’s and more. I’m sure it was scary as all get out but it really shows how strong infants are and can be.

Sorry hunny, can’t have sex in February or March, since we don’t want me going into labor on a holiday. Heck, let’s tack on January and April too.

At least it wouldn’t cut into the precious OB Dr’s vacation time.

It happened to me. My last pregnancy, everything was normal, and I went to 42 weeks, and was dilated 3 cm for 2 weeks with no real contractions. The doctor said I’d better get induced or my baby might get too big. After poking around on my belly for a few minutes, he confidently said, “Yep, feels like he’s already gonna be over 8 lbs, probably closer to 9. How does next Friday sound for you?”

So I went in to be induced in the evening, they put the cervix-relaxing cream on there and said they’d start me on the Pitocin in the morning and to just go to bed. Within 2 hrs I was in full-blown labor, and the nurse didn’t believe me at first! She said, “You haven’t even started the Pitocin yet! You can’t be in labor!” Meanwhile I’m clutching my husband’s hand and screaming as another contraction zags across the monitor, never mind I’ve been in labor before and know what it feels like.

I wanted an epidural (silly, naive old me), and they got the anesthesiologist in and was trying to put it in, when I said, “Forget it! There’s no time, he’s coming out right now!” Again, they didn’t believe me. I said, “Look down, idiot” to the nurse, and sure enough, she could see my son’s hair. I pushed probably 3 or 4 times and the doctor came in just in time to catch the baby.

Guess how much he weighed??? A healthy 7 lbs 14 oz. I would not say that’s too big, would you? His Apgar score was only a 6 (of 10) and was blue at first because he was pushed out so quickly. He soon pinkened up though and is healthy (but a string-bean), but I think labor would have been easier for both of us if I had just let mother nature take it’s course. And I wonder if they hadn’t miscalculated my due date to begin with, and I was actually 2 weeks early instead of 2 weeks late.

BTW, the doctor DID go on vacation soon after that… Coincidence???

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=health&id=5760037

But I don’t think doctors know what the hell they are doing, anyway. They knew my sister’s first baby was big in terms of weight (10 pounds 4 ounces), but despite having ultrasounds they never tried to estimate the size of his head. That turned out to be the big part, and of course he got stuck at a point when it was too late to push him back in and intervene surgically. TWENTY MINUTES with the vacuum forceps, and poor boy comes out to an Apgar of 3 with a misshapen head. Throughout the whole thing, though, my sister didn’t tear! No episiotomy, either. So much for technology. (Baby is fine now.)

Second baby my sister chose a C section because of what happened the first time. This baby weighed more (10 pounds 6 ounces) and his head was big, too. Again, they only knew that after the baby was born.

The hospital here (Portland, OR) has what I consider to be a unique approach. If you want to you can have all your prenatal checkups done at a midwifery clinic. You rotate through all their midwives so you are sure to know everyone there and when your time comes, whoever happens to be on duty that day delivers your baby. This way you don’t have to worry about vacations or holidays and you are familiar with the woman who assists you. I really liked this approach and was happy with my care and treatment. The only drawback I could find was that I didn’t develop a really close relationship with my midwife (though I liked them all). But then again, some women who have only one don’t either.

When I had my daughter, I was all set to let nature take its course. That led to me being 42 weeks pregnant (unlike most of my friends, I knew when this baby started, or at least I can tie it down to a 48 hour timeframe based on ovulation). After a lot of shlepping back and forth to the hospital, they told me that the baby was FINE, right position, tons of movement, good heartbeat, etc. but I was feeling like crap. I finally agreed to be induced, which took a while (we joked that my daughter was like a trust fund baby in Maui, who didn’t want to come out of the whirlpool).

Problem - turns out my baby had passed meconium, and not during labor, either - she’d been “marinating” for possibly weeks and had it deep in her lungs.

Much as I would have preferred a natural labor and delivery, I’m worried about the next baby - if I’m very sure about the gestational age, what will I do when I get close to that due date?

#1, 42w 3d, 8lbs 11oz
#2, 36w 5d, 7lbs 9oz
#3, 39w 6d, 9lbs 2oz

My kids like to throw the curve. LOL Love the question, “Do your babies come early or late?” Uhh, I think, yes.

Well for natural birther’s babies come on time and when ready. Dates are arbitrary for the homebirther.

For hospital birthers then there is the “due date” or “expiration date”, and “over due date”. Although babies rarely are allowed to go “over that due date”. That date is one that changes with repeat u/s scans as “they” guess as to the day the baby will be “done” like the baby knows when it will actually emerge. People forget that these babies don’t come with calendars! They don’t know what day it is even if you told them! All they know is that they are not “done” if nature hasn’t told them they are done. Nature is what it is and does things on it’s own time table.

Taking a baby from it’s womb for any other reason other than “it’s really time as labor has begun” doesn’t need to leave that womb! Big babies is a myth thought up by doctors. Small pelvies is another myth thought up by doctors to manipulate a natual birth and to make your birth sound scary and medical.

Birth is not scary when you understand it and take the time to learn about it from your peers who have BTDT as well as any other logical resource.

Babies just don’t normally come early or late unless a doctor is involved. (*yes there are exceptions)