OT: I wish inducing humans was like goats...
 

Okay, this is really just rambling, but anyway.

I hope I don't need to be induced; I am 2 days overdue, doc appointment on Weds...we'll see what they say, but I'm guessing they will recommend it if I am not in labor by some certain day. I didn't get induced with my daughter (kidded right on my due date), and don't want to this time either! I wish though, that induction in humans was as simple as getting 1 injection of lutalyse and that's all it takes..no pitocin, etc. I know that you aren't suppose to handle lute when pregnant (I guess it could maybe possibly abort/induce someone), but I am wanting to use the lute/cystorellin protocol here: http://www.extension.org/pages/63472...s#.U2hX0fldWqi on a couple does for fall kids. I was gonna wait to start it until after this baby comes or have the hubs give it, but maybe I will just give the first dose to them myself tonight....I wouldn't think I could hurt anything, even if I accidently splash some on myself (no, I'm not gonna do it on purpose, as tempting as that seems! ;)) at this point. Already, the goats will be kidding mid-Oct with this protocol, and I'd like to get them bred before I go to a show Memorial weekend (yes, I am nuts, with new baby in tow and all...!). Well, thanks for reading my random thoughts on humans and goats.

Oh, something funny. Earlier one of my milk customers called to see if she could get some milk. I said of course, and she was wondering if I was still gonna be selling milk or wanted to take a couple weeks off. LOL. Well, I don't have self-milking goats...so no reason to stop the sales either! ;)

It's not so bad. I was induced in 4 of my 6 pregnancies. No worse than the labors with the other 2 pregnancies. 2 weeks overdue was enough for me to say get this kid out!

I just wish we knew more about human labor--- labor in general. My water breaks every time well before any other signal of labor starts and they usually start giving me the pitocin a few hours in and that doesn't even start kicking in until 12-14 hours later. Three pregnancies so far and every one ended the same way.

ETA: upon searching just now I found information that says unless the discharge has meconium or other foulness you should wait to go to the hospital because your labor may still be up to 49 hours away! I need to research more, because it might change drastically how I handle things this next time.

Get someone who is not pg to give the lute. There is a danger of you getting too much and having a contraction that will not stop, which is very dangerous for yourself and the baby. Lute is sometimes given orally to humans to induce labor, but ONLY under medical supervision.

I will be induced on Saturday if this toddler decides she is not going to exit my body by then. Personally I homebirth due to the dr. and hospital midwives chasing me with a scalpel. Not to mention if I set foot into a hospital its an instant c section. My first was a section thanks to all the wonderful things the ob. did to get me going faster and harder so he could make his golf game.
There are so many natural things you can do to start off labor or get things going before induction. If my poor husband would have the energy for one last time in bed, this girl would come. If only he knew how to strip membranes.
I sit here looking at the estrumate thinking hum if I only get a drop or two on me it will help lol.
know dear you are not alone. there are several things to help get things going that are natural. were all pulling for you.

Lol myheaven..that ain't working either. When were you due? Cratercove...funny how different everyone is. My first labor, my water didn't break until I was pushing...mch to my doctors dismay I would not let him break it earlier in the labor when he wanted to. I had no drugs of any sort...didn't even get an iv until after when I was hemorrhaging and in shock. I hope to heck this time is less dramatic. My moms water broke with me and they tried to induce her which failed and endrd in a c section. Going over 24 hrs with ruptured membranes supposedly increases risk of infection.

Some of the recent stuff I have been reading suggests that the increased risk of infection is due more to increased internal exams to check the cervix than anything else. We'll see this time how things go for me. If things seem to be okay, no strange colors or smells and just a trickle not a flood, I might go ahead and wait a day before going in... but I'd start to get nervous any longer than that regardless.

I wish you guys luck! And I am crossing my fingers hoping we hit our mark this month lol. I have three boys, surely I am due a girl at some point!

It's taking all the willpower I have not to yell all the reasons induction is horrible... Instead... Congrats on the baby.

I enjoy seeing the look on doctors' faces when they want to get out "The Wheel of When" to figure out when I was due (birth certificate purposes, I homebirth) and I tell them my last period was July 10, 2007 :heh:

So far for the past 2 "mystery" kids after my oldest I have been right about their estimated date of arrival. We'll see if I'm right this time.

My first labor my water broke before I started contractions. My 2nd and 3rd it broke right before the baby came.

Castor oil works but it was much more miserable than going into labor by myself.
Stripping membranes isn't that hard, I did it myself with my last two I'm not sure I'll be able to reach this time though. Lol

Evening Primrose Oil works pretty well, but the ones in wax capsules can be...messy...when inserted in the hoo-ha (I REALLY apologize to any guys reading this. Rofl) Progesterone is also quickly absorbed through the mouth.

Sex works and....see above

I don't like induction either but many states have dumb rules about midwives not being able to attend a birth after 40 weeks. Better trying to induce in gentler ways than being hooked to a pit drip.

And yes. New evidence my foot. It stands to reason that the more often internal exams are performed the higher the risk of infection. There's actually a purple line that a woman gets in her buttcrack that gets longer the more she is dilated. So internal exams aren't even needed.

I am ever more shocked at all the information that health care professionals simply will not give to you. My mother in law has lost all her teeth because her pain doctor forgot to tell her the meds he gave her would cause that to happen. If she had known she would have been pushing harder for alternative care.

I am pretty upset that I could have made a different choice but I didn't even know there was contrary or additional information to be had.

I had my water break with both my girls before labor started. My first one, I was actually walking to the goat barn to check on someone's labor...thought I peed in my pants! :)

Luckily for me I did a midwife because otherwise I'm sure I would have been induced. My labor started and stopped over the next 20 hours. It finally kicked in strong and I had the baby. But a doctor would have induced since I had no progress yet.

Second one, my labor did start about 4 hours after water breaking and didn't stop until I had her.

Stick to your guns about being induced but I do agree with Wendy...two weeks overdue and I'm sure I would have been screaming for the pitocin!

If you go to the hospital too soon, "their" clock starts too soon and you are more likely to have "interference" in your labor and delivery. If a family member is demanding that the staff "do something" you are more likely to have interference too. Stay calm and don't be too anxious or in too big a hurry.

I would love to have a midwife, but I am scared to death at the moment due to my hemorrhage last time. I passed out at some point and woke up to the smelling salts which ticked me off lol, and them reading my blood pressure, which I think was about 70/30...to which I responded, "Wow, that's really low!" and they said, "well, it won't be now that you know that. ;)" Good grief the whole thing was dramatic! My husband said I looked dead because of how white I was and being passed out, and the bed, floor, etc, covered in blood (I obviously couldn't see this too well). There was even meconium in the mix, as my daughter pooped as she was coming out...all down the doc's gown even. ;) I thought that was kind of funny.

I think there is only one midwife that delivers in hospital here and I won't go to that hospital due to some bad stories I've heard.

Doctors pretty much irritate me. I even asked last time to see my placenta, I was just curious, and my doctor just ignored me. I hate that they want to rush the baby off when they are born...I got to hold her for a couple minutes, but then they took her. Hindsight, I probably should have tried nursing her first to help the hemorrhage to stop and I even had thought of it, but didn't know what to do! Stupid that humans have to figure this crud out...goats just go for it. LOL.

Anyway, I just hope I don't need induction; we shall see what happens I guess.

And I agree on the internal checks...the first appointment they were planning to check me at this time, they gave me the option and I opted out. It really doesn't tell them anything anyway...people can be dilated forever before labor, and not dilated at all and have the baby soon after.

Thanks for the info on the purple line, Squeaky...guess I have something for my husband to check out tonight when he gets home. LOL!

Agreed, Cyngbaeld. Last time, labor started at about 5:30 am and I didn't go in until 9pm, when contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart. Had baby next morning about 5 am.

Best way to get a baby to come is to say "I give up!! This baby is NEVER going to be born. I'm going to be pregnant forever!!" Then convince yourself it's true LOL! Not that I'd know:D

I'm due sometime! I have a due month. I always go 9-14 day over my due date. This time all they hype is the baby is HUGE!!!!!! last time I went this big (I'm now bigger) MY BABY WAS 9 LBS. I know I can get this baby out. My midwife has all the faith in me to do it too. I hemorrhaged with my last baby too. I lost his at 4 mts pregnant and died once due to blood loss. This is why I'm going to her birth center this time and not doing it at home.
Fun fast fact most Amish women go 43 weeks. they don't use the wheel of doom like the medical community does. only from 1940 was 40 weeks the "term" chosen and adhered too. Now in the 1990 38 weeks became the normal delivery time frame. Now 40 weeks is considered over due now. Our body did not change just the medical malpractice insurance policy has.
Evening primrose oil 1000 mg 3x a day and one next to the cervix at night will ripen it. once its ripe sex or castor oil will throw you into labor. Or like in my case as my dh is exhausted from work a breast pump will do the trick. Breast pump can work too well so I will do it at the birth center. After the midwife strips my membrane.
I highly suggest looking up ina may gaskin and her take on ruptured membranes. The infection comes from so many cervical exams. I get one at the start and only if I get stuck am I checked again. a good midwife can look at a woman and tell from the look of her how many cm she is dilated.
I will go to the hospital if I have to but I will stay the heck away with all I have.
TO say how serious my midwife is, in her 43 years of midwifery she has only ever induced 7 times.
btw I did go into labor on April 19th but I stopped it as my dh was called into work. No way was I going to do it without him. I should have had the baby then, ugg.

Nancy, licensed midwives are allowed to carry oxytocin so if you do hemmorage bad enough to require transfer, you can be given the same shot a woman in the hospital would.

I carry it, oxygen, and an ambu bag for emergencies (I'm a midwife when I'm not herding goats, lol)

I guess it's bad for doctors' bottom lines to let people know that prescribing medications and performing c-sections are the only things they can do that midwives can't. I also bring food and do laundry :P

I want to be a midwife. Just have to find money for school.

I do wish I had known a lot more about midwives in my other pregnancies. I might see if I can go that route this time.

Yup, my first one had an umbilical cord not even a foot long. The placenta was pulled out as she was born and it was pretty bad but I got the shot, had oxygen as I was passing out and was stitched up all right there. No doc required!

Well, at my appointment last week, my cervix was 70% effaced and 2 cm dilated. I don't know if that means it's "ripe" or not? Sex is not helping, but guess it don't hurt anything to keep trying. LOL. (husband will be happy) :P

It doesn't help that the hubs has been working overtime, my daughter who was pretty much potty trained has been pooping her pants just about every day, I have too many goats, and my father-in-law who owns this property is harassing me about them tearing up the hill in the one little path they now have down to the pasture. Argh, can't wait for the hubs to get some time off from work so he can help me out some!

Oh, another thing that ticks me off about the doctors...why on earth can't a laboring mom have water!! They only let you have ice chips! That's not gonna keep ya hydrated for hours on end! And no food, but then I couldn't hardly eat anything for just about my whole labor last time anyway...even threw up a banana.

I wouldn't want to have to deal with all that blood in my house that I had from the hemorrhage, other than just the fear of dieing! They at first gave me a shot (meth something) IM when I was having problems, then gave oxytocin, I think just in a IV drip. They had 2 IV's running into me, one in each hand, to help with the shock. I think I had oxygen too, can't remember. I know I had it while pushing because I kind of fainted during that time as well, but that was just a quick jerk thing..hubs didn't even notice. After having her, first time I tried to walk to bathroom, I was fine then almost passed out on the toilet...the nurses hit me with that nasty smelling salt stuff again and grabbed a wheel chair to get back to the bed. I don't remember ever being so so so tired in my life, after laboring 24 hours on 5 hours of sleep and then being anemic to top it off! They said my blood counts were just under the point where they would automatically want to do a blood transfusion. Instead, they gave me the option, and I chose to just build my blood back myself. The whole thing was very scary, and hope to heck I don't have to repeat it!

Nancy, my first labor was scary but not quite like yours. I admit to being very nervous when the time came for my second one. She came out like a breeze! Don't worry, your time will come and it will be easier than the first one!

By the way, I did midwife at a birthing center. So they had to deal with all the blood. :) Plus they had a HUGE awesome tub that I relaxed in when my labor stopped with the first one. The second one I actually had in the tub - not a planned water birth but I was sitting in there when suddenly the urge hit me to push and there was no way I was hauling my body out of the water!

*hugs* You'll be fine and the farm will be just as crazy and out of control when you are done having the baby. :D

There is no birthing center here. :/

my last full ter delivery was a land birth and it was not a clean birth. While my dd and I got a bath my midwife cleaned my house, made my bed, did my laundry and made me something to eat.
I feel its total crap that a mom has to starve in a hospital. TO me that sets her and the baby up for failure. My second child (vbac) came out with low blood sugar due to them starving me for 18 hours. My midwife encourages eating and drinking. Makes such a huge difference. Baby comes out vigorous looking to eat. My last labor was 27 hours of labor. way abnormal for me. I normally deliver from first contrax to placenta is max 3 hours. most the time 1.
Starting out 70% and 2 cm is great. ripe is when you are soft and stretchy. If you are exhausting yourself with work you will not go into labor. Put your feet up and take it easy for a few days. then have a good snuggle time with dh. so far the last 4 kids labors started after sex. Dh took tomorrow off so he could "prime the pump" before the midwife appt. I know tmi sorry. I find position is key with it. The massage of the cervix and proper delivery placement of his prostaglandins is key.

Go for a long walk up and down the aisles at WM...just be sure to carry
one of those big 1gal pickle jars in case you need to drop it to mask
your water breaking ;)

LOL Suzy!! That's too funny. I have been going on daily walks around my property with my daughter. The weather has been pretty decent lately. How I wish I could take a break, Myheaven! Not gonna happen until D-day though, 'cuz the hubs is having to work so much until then. Maybe I can convince him to milk for me tonight. I feel bad asking though; I know he is exhausted too. But, when I am actually in labor, I also know that he will have the ability to rest, at least in early labor, while I probably will not, if it is like last time. I made sure not to wake him too early last time, 'cuz I need him to be with me for labor time! :)

And the first induction I had was 15 days overdue & he weighed 10 lbs.!! I managed to deliver with no drugs or epidural though. Don't let people scare you about being induced. It's not that bad.

I can only speak from one experience (very limited, obviously). With DD2, my water broke 24 hours before the first contraction. My midwife was not worried, came over a couple times to check heart tones, and said to not insert anything into my vagina. The biggest concern about water breaking before labor starting is infection. As long as you're not inserting anything into your vagina, the chances of infection are relatively low.

I will say that once labor started, it was crazy rough. DD2 was born 3.5 hours after my first contraction and it was the most intense, painful 3.5 hours of my life. I hit transition within 1 hour of the first contraction and couldn't wrap my head around what was happening due to the lack of build-up/mental preparation. My MW was present for 30 minutes before she was born. DD1's labor lasted 24 hours, with 12 of those hours being hard labor. I almost, maybe, probably would prefer to have the 24 hour labor next time vs. the crazy, intense 3.5 hour labor.

I am due with #3 in September and I have strict instructions to call my MW with the very first contraction, as she lives a little over an hour from here. Wondering if #3 will come faster that #2. I am already shaking my head with dread about labor. It's no joke and freaking hurts. It hurst something wicked bad. Lord help me, lol.

I have felt backed tablecloths and chux pads to protect furniture and floors for land births and an inflatable birth pool with a liner for water births. Easy clean up :thumb:

For my own births, I have my husband make a path of old towels from my chosen birth location to the bathroom. This time the stains aren't going to matter though since the numpty tracked red construction chalk down our hallway :hammer:

We kept extra towels and used a shower curtain under spare black sheets on our bed. I spent most of my labor with my youngest on the couch though... so it's always good to be prepared.

They did sweep my membranes at my appointment. I forgot to ask and they didn't say how dilated I was this time. I was hooked up to a baby heart monitor and had to push a button every time baby moved, to see how he responded to moving and then they did a quick ultrasound to see how much fluid was in there. All well there. They will do the same on Monday, if I've not had baby. I'm sure they will want to induce me then, but if there's no problem with fluids, baby, etc, I really don't see the need to.

You have been on my mind all day Nancy. I went in today and the mw stripped me too. Have been getting contrax 3 min apart for the last 8 hours.
Mw has put me on a strict diet. No carbs no fruit. Lots of veggies and protein. Baby's already over 9 lbs. I have to be back at 9 am Saturday. See if baby is ready to come. if she isn't then I just go home and wait.
I'm excited for you and pray you have an easy uneventful birth.

It's a race! Ready, set, go!

Wow, if your contractions are that close together, I don't think you will last till Saturday! Good luck! Yay babies! :D How can they tell she is over 9 lbs?

I have had contractions infrequently I guess. They are pretty much painless, so I thought it was just baby doing something. LOL. I thought the same with my last baby. :D Not really sure how frequent these contractions are, as I haven't paid much attention to them...but when doc when to put doppler on for heartbeat, he had to wait a min cuz I was having one; I was like, Oh really...? Haha.

Nancy will win. With a smooth easy labor and birth. I have declared. I will never birth this child. She just Plans to be stuck in my butt forever!

My mw was my MW for my last 4 children. one was 9 lbs 7 .14 one was 8.8 and 6.12. This babies head is larger then the 9 lb baby and has been tracking larger the whole time. Also in ultra sound. I normally measure small unless I have twins. She has been correct on each ones size. After 43 years you kinda get good at guessing. she reassured me not to freak out if this baby takes time an pushing to get out. Not my normal few pushes and pop here's baby. It's ok to take some time. I'm use to sneezing out a baby. Pretty good for a tiny thing like me and the enormous heads my husband like to put on our children.

My babies have thus far been small 6 pound girls and a 7.5 pound boy....but my son was so kind as to decided he wanted to see where he was going, didn't tuck his chin, and was born eyes and nose first. Ooooooooooowwwwwww

Yeah we got the big head thing going here too. My husband had a very hard time finding hats of any kind that fit. My daughter was 8 lb 2 oz. And 23! Inches long. She has always been tall. I was around the same weight as well and 22.5" long at birth. I am a pretty much average size person but I feel sorry for my 5'2" lil mom. Ah well she chose my 6'4" dad so whatdoya expect. ;)

Hey Nancy, You having a baby yet? I was able to sleep last night. No change on my end yet.
I knew what I was getting myself into when I married dh. hes 6 foot tall and built like a tank. One sold chunk of meat. His mama told me all the horror stories of her births. Her second they took 6 weeks early and he was 8. 8lbs. All my children have had at least 14 inch heads. I may be small (5 ft and small framed)but I have a very large roomy pelvis. Matter of fact this sweet little girl still will do summer saults if I don't empty my bladder fast enough.
I know I need to just relax and let her come. Its just so nerve wracking knowing I have to travel an hour to the birth center and I often cant get ahold of dh during the day. He is often gone 18 hrs a day. I just need to relax. I keep telling myself this but its not helping. lol!

Nope, nothin going here yet. I guess it'll happen when it happens. ;) Maybe he is going to give me a mothers day present. :) Someone is coming out today from Montana, looking at my goats, and then tomorrow taking home a buck and a doeling. So, I kind of need to be not in labor (if I say that loud enough, will this kid hear and start things up? ;)).

There are like 5 or 6 delivery doctors at the office I go to, and whoever is on call is who you get. The doc I saw yesterday wanted me to come in on Friday to get induced if I haven't gone by then. HA! He said because they "normally" induce at a week past due, which is a Saturday for me...so...babies can't be born on Saturdays?? I am liking doctors less and less all the time. lol. A Friday induction to me just sounds like it's just asking for a c-section! I'll be back on Monday if still no baby, and I'm sure they will be pushing more for induction. I'll tell them I'll come in as often as needed to get on the monitor and check out fluids and whatnot, but not gonna get induced if there is no reason to (baby fine and all that).