Usenet Writings

Induction for Me

I was induced for both children

©1995 Beth Weiss, Posted to misc.kids Usenet newsgroup, May 4, 1995

Even though I don't like the whole idea of induced labors, I had two of them.  I wrote this shortly before my 2nd child was born.

I expect to be induced in the 38-39 week range. Why?

• gestational diabetes (diet "controlled"; I put "controlled' in quotes because it's not as well controlled as it was with my first child, but enough so that I'm not on insulin)

• prior birth of a large baby

• prior shoulder dystocia (same large baby :-)

• unusual blood problem that causes me to create antibodies that destroy my platelets; this is getting worse as my pregnancy progresses

I don't want an induced labor (although I'm sick of pregnancy!), and have talked to my doctor at length about this.  Our current plan is to do an ultrasound at 38-38.5 weeks and see how big the baby is.  If the baby appears to be over 8 pounds and my cervix is favorable, we'll induce.

I know women birth large babies vaginally of the time.  I also know that my first born was induced at 39.5 weeks, weighed 9lbs, 2oz, and broke his right clavicle being born--there's some real concern that I couldn't get a bigger child out, and would need a c-section.

I know that lots of women have c-sections without many complications.  But I'd be looking at a c-section under a general aesthesia (due to the platelet problems) and I don't recover well from general anesthesia.  In addition. women generally lose more blood during a surgical delivery than they do from a vaginal delivery, and with the clotting problems resulting from a low platelet count, that's pretty risky for me.

As I've posted before, it's hard to give up my dream of a natural childbirth.  But I can't imagine I'd be any happier if we waited and didn't induce, and I ended up with a c-section because the baby was too big for me to get out.