I've got a question about inducing?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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I usually hang out on the student nurses board, but I am pregnant with baby #5 so I thought I'd pop in and ask you wise ladies a question. I recently switched OBs and I really regret it. I don't really want to switch a second time this pregnancy so I am praying the midwives at this group are better than the doctors. (If you see the midwives you deliver with the midwives, if you see the doctors you deliver with the doctors) I should mention I had midwives deliver with 3 out of 4 of my pregnancies so I am optimistic that the midwives at this group will be better. Anyhow, on to my question. My last two babies I delivered in 2 1/2 hours (timing from my very first contraction at home). I probably was at the hospital an hour or so before they were born. Ok, well for me this is fine. I have had my last two with no epidurals and I think my body is just gotten good at delivering. Well, I have been to 3 appointments at my new OBs and 2 of the 3 doctors have already said they probably would induce me 2 weeks early because of my history of fast labors. I think this is a pretty lousy reason to induce! I am 5 minutes from a hospital. I am waiting to see what the midwives are like at this group before I decide what to do. I know I should have said something to the doctors, but I just didn't at the time. Anyhow, my question to you ladies is this, is there any medical reason to induce someone for fast labors? Do you see there being medical risks to having labors that fast and would induction truly be a safer thing or do you think this is just a matter of convenience to the doctors? I have never been induced with my past 4 and I really don't want to be induced, but I would think about it if there were real medical reasons for it.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Teresa

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Teresa- There is NO medical reason why you should be induced for your history of fast labor. It is probably just for the doctor's convienence. They should instruct you to head to the hospital within your first few contractions and all should be fine. Don't let your doctors pressure you into inducing. Change your doc's again if they insist. In my experience with Midwives, they rarely induce except for medical indications or post dates > 41.5 weeks.

Good luck!!!

Meg

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Talk to the doctor/midwife about your concerns, mention how close you live to the hospital. They are probably just concerned about getting you into the hospital before you deliver. I have seen history of fast labors/precipitous deliveries used as an indication for induction before, usually the patient lives 30 + minutes away from the hospital and has real concerns about getting there in time.

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Specializes in OB, Post Partum, Home Health.

I agree, you should talk to the MD's about this. Do they know that 1-you are so close to the hospital, 2-you don't plan on getting an epidural and 3- you don't want to be induced? I have seen dr's induce pt's due to hx of fast labors but it is usually because they live a long way from the hospital, or they want to be sure that they get an epidural and believe it or not, there is a huge percentage of people that would jump at the chance to be induced 2 weeks early just because they are so sick of being pregnant!! If you talk to the doctors and they are still insistant that you be induced, you need to change doctors because you are the one in charge-remember, they work for you and if they are not willing to do what you want to do, you need to fire them!!! Good luck and congrats!!!!

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Wugh. I know lots of OB's induce for hx of rapid labor. Here's my solution to that.........

SAY NO. THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO YOU WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT. :D

You're fine. Just do what you've always done. If you were my patient I'd be thrilled if you arrived fully dilated. That's my kinda patient. :)

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Thank you all, I was pretty sure there was no real medical reason to induce for fast labors, but wanted to double check on it. I will stick with my guns on this.

Thanks,

Teresa

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I agree with Shay. Simply say no!! I have seen it done before, inducing for hx of fast labors that is, but I think most of the time that reason basically means patient or doctor convenience. And not that it is a rule or anything, but every precipitous delivery I have ever seen has gone off without a hitch. In that I am saying that mom and baby both were fine. I'd love for it to happen more often. Much better than having to take care of pitocin/epidural/can't walk, cant shower/cant be off the monitor.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

NO medical reason.....Be assertive in all that involves your care. Have you a birth plan? if so, make it known to all your care providers, being open to possible changes if medical conditions change ........YOU ARE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT! Good luck

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I will be induced for my next child b/c of fast labor. I went in less than an hour, and we live an hour from the nearest hospital. No, I didn't deliver in the car! My hubby wanted to tour a house in that town and dragged me along, even though I had felt like crapola all day. Thank God I went. I got to the hospital and I was fully dilated, but my water hadn't broke. They broke it (pea soup chunks), and basically ripped her out of me w/ forceps. It was shift change, and in all the commotion (and 14 people in the room), they forgot to numb me before the episiotomy. My daughter ended up with a fractured clavicle which went undiagnosed until 8 days after her birth (they kept saying it was prob a pinched nerve, but if you would have seen the way she came out....).

People came in gawking in amazement like they had never seen this before. They told the lady next door (who was on hour 43) about me and all I heard through the wall was, "Well, you can tell her to f**k off!" Like it was my fault.

Bad experience all around, but I still am happy about getting induced next time. I would like to be in a controlled environment for the next one.

But, it sounds like you don't have a problem with your labors, so I wouldn't let them do it. Do you start dilating early? I started at 32 weeks w/ preterm labor and then they let me walk around dilated to 5-6 for 3 days. No wonder.....

I wish you luck with your baby. Sounds like you're really gonna have your hands full with school! Good luck!!!

Kristy

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Don't let the docs force you into inducing. The worse thing that could happen is a precipitous home delivery . Being 5 minutes from the hospital, you would have to accidentally sneeze the baby out to have that happen.

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