James asks…
castor oil to induce, anyone ever tried it?
I’m 39+4. I’ve been measuring 2 – 3 weeks ahead my entire pregnancy, and I was never sure of my lmp so I figure Im probably further along.
Bottom line is my baby is huge. At my appointment 2 weeks ago they said he was already 9lbs. I know doctors are wrong all the time, but he is huge, I can tell. They are going to induce me if I don’t give birth by my due date because if I am farther along it will obviously be dangerous for baby to stay in there. I have tried raspberry leaf tea, primrose oil, sex, tons of walking, acupressure, squats, you name it.
I’ve just been kind of wary to try castor oil. I’ve heard that it might cross the placenta but I have done so much research on it and haven’t found any evidence whatsoever to support that, or any horror stories for that matter.
I’d rather try to coax baby out in the most natural way possible, and honestly I’m scared of induction. I’ve heard lots of bad stories. Has anyone actually tried castor oil and had it work, or has anyone had any very negative experiences? (Besides the obvious)
Sorry this is kind of long and rambly, just kinda stuck on what to do…thanks in advance for any input! 🙂
Michelle answers:
I refuse to try it!
It’s extremely dangerous to your baby. It will not actually induce labour, it will however annoy your baby and give you extreme diarrhea!
The doctor should induce you at your next appointment, if they don’t mention anything ask them to stretch your cervix, that will help you, I’m surprised they didn’t last week since the baby is so big.
38weeks 6days.
Jenny asks…
Being Induced VS going into labor naturally?
So I am 40 weeks pregnant and labor is not even close to coming :(. My doc checked my cervix today and she said it was fully closed and not even 1 cm open. It sucks and I was really hopping to going into labor naturally, I still have 1 1/2 before I am induced if I don’t go into labor naturally. My question is if I am induced, is this more painful than natural labor? I am still trying to not get the epidural but my friend said the induction increases your contractions and it’s more painful than natural labor. I am very disappointed because I’ve tried everything I could to make sure this was a healthy pregnancy, did my workout and eat right but non of that helped with going into natural labor. So can you still have labor without pain meds if I am induced? Or it’s impossible since the drugs they give you to be induced increases your contractions? Please share any info you can, I would really appreciated. I don’t want to try castor oil or any of that stuff people say help with labor. Thanks a million. It’s my first baby and I really wanted this labor to come naturally and have my baby girl naturally, it’s still possible but I don’t know anymore :(.
Thank you soo much guys, this really helps. I had no idea, I thought if I am not dilated at this point the chances of natural labor is out of the picture, soo relieved to know that’s not the case. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see now. My doc said they wait a week and half after my due date then I am induced, but I’ll tell her I wanna wait at least 2 weeks after my due date. She scared me and said the baby and the placenta can die after a week and half but I don’t believe that. I think I am OK to wait for at least another 2 weeks. I am due date is not til this Wed anyway, so I have some time. I pray that I go into labor on my own. I just didn’t know. Thank for your wonderful answers, you put my mind at ease :).
Michelle answers:
Just because your not dilated any doesn’t mean that labor still isn’t around the corner for you –
You can be closed up tighter than a drum and have labor start that night or be 3cm for weeks and need to be induced
Being dilated or not doesn’t mean a thing in the grand scheme of things
Induced contractions from MY experience were much more intense and much more stronger than those of my natural labors – I managed without an epidural and only used Demerol through my IV
**Edit: I have to agree that Pitocin is the devil drug and I ended up having an emergency section as well after enduring many hours of painful contractions
Donna asks…
A question for moms who have been induced…?
So I am 40 weeks 1 day pregnant with my first. I have not dilated or effaced AT ALL, and I have not had ONE contraction. The baby has come down, and my doctor can feel his head, but that is all. My birth plan, since before we conceived, has always been to give birth at what is called ‘The Alternative Birthing Center’. It is basically all of the good things of a home birth, only it is at a hospital. So if, god forbid, anything were to go wrong the baby would be safe, but I would not be hooked up to monitors or IVs, I would be able to walk around, labor in the shower, tub, push in any position that I want. Bottom line, very little, if any, medical interventions are used at the birthing center. It is completely 100% natural. At this point I am nervous that I will not go into labor by myself and will have to be induced. This means I will no longer qualify to give birth at the birthing center, which I am okay with, as long as my son comes out healthy and happy.
My problem is I have done TONS of research on natural child birth, and know pretty much all I can know about it, with out actually being a doctor of course. I have not, however, looked into modern birth practices, which I will be doing that after posting this question. I was hoping to read the induction stories of other moms. I just have never seen pregnancy and birth as a medical condition needing a medical procedure, and it all scares me.
My question is for moms who have been induced (I have quite a few…):
– Were you able to labor with out any pain medication?
– If you did end up needing an epidural did it slow your labor tremendously?
– Did you end up with a c-section?
– Were you still able to successfully breastfeed?
– Just any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you so very much for your help.
Thank you everyone! All of your answers and advice are stellar! I don’t want to have to choose best answer :o( I have done a bit more research, and I do feel better now. I also think that due to my long cycles, yeah 33 days on average, that really my due date should probably have been this Friday (April 16th) and NOT this past Monday (April 12). So, we are feeling good, and hubby is takin’ me out to dinner tonight, woohoo! Thank you again so very much!!!
Michelle answers:
I was induced at 40w9d. They put a little ‘tampon’ thing up inside me that started my contractions.
I was doing alright until hard labour hit. We found he was posterior. So I had killer back labour. I made it through 99% of my labour with nothing but gas. (my contractions were coupling and tripling so I needed something to take the edge off) I didn’t want an IV either, and again made it through 99% of my labour without it. When I reached 9 1/2cm we realized baby had NOT dropped and was in fact stuck in my pelvis. We tried different positions to get him to move but he wouldn’t budge, so… C-Section.
At this point I did have an epidural. I would have had to wait 6 hours for an OR, and I was in serious need of some sleep! It was really nice! I was able to get some rest before my surgery. I was rushed to the OR after my son’s HR dropped dramatically.
I was able to breastfeed with no problem, and that was after not being able to see him for 8 hrs after he was born (stupid drug man put the spinal too high and I stopped breathing and had to be put under a general) and a bottle of formula (STUPID NURSES!!!).
I personally, will never be induced before 10 days (if I can help it!). Every woman in my family has gone 10 days over with the majority of their pregnancies. After 10 days, it’s open for dicussion, but before… They better leave me alone!!
Giving birth in a hospital wasn’t bad at all. You can request no IV or drugs and you can even as for the gas without an IV. You will need to be drinking a lot of water tho! So get your Husband or SO to fill a large cup with ice and water (AND STRAW!!!) and have him shove it in your face in between contractions!
I personally liked the lights dimmed and hushed voices. I liked complete silence except for me, so I could focus on each contraction. Remember that each contraction brings you closer to your LO and that you NEVER have to have the same contraction twice!
ALSO – if you really can’t handle it, you are NOT a wimp for getting an epidural. (Heard not to get IV meds, they make you woozy and sick and also effect baby, whereas an epidural does not!)
Good Luck!
Mandy asks…
Did anyone else have/has trouble bonding with one child more than another? very long question, sort of venting?
With my son (first born) i loved him the minute he was born, natural birth, 8 hours from start to finish, everything about it was perfect. He was healthy and no problems. He is now almost 20 months old and he in my eyes is the most perfect boy ever, i look at him and i cant help but smile. even when he really gets to me he will do something totally cute the next minute and il totally forget about what hes done to pi** me off.
I got pregnant with my daughter (now 4 months) when my son was only 6 months old, she was not planned and we were only using condoms. As soon as i knew i was pregnant i had a gut feeling something wasnt right, throughout the whole pregnancy i felt great. All the scans showed that she was fine, no downs syndrome, nothing wrong. then i went for my midwife appointment at 36 weeks and my belly was only measuring 34 weeks so i was sent for a scan. She in fact was on the small side, she was only just measuring the acceptable limit (any smaller and i would have to have been hospitalized and monitored for the rest of my pregnancy) she was measuring 33 weeks and 4lb 5oz.
So i got referrered to hospital and had to go for scans and to have her heartbeat monitored every 2nd day (3 times a week). Found out my placenta was failing and i had low amniotic fluid which was causing her poor growth. then at 38 weeks 6 days while i was hooked up to all the machines a doctor came in and said to me “ok, we can do your induction this morning”. I knew i was going to be induced but i didnt know they just spring it on you like that. I went home and got my bags and went back to hospital and they started the induction. I hated it. I was in labour for 36 hours before i asked for an epidural, it was an epidural and get pumped full of drugs to help me contract or get a c section. My hormones (you know the feel good ones when you have a natural spontaneous birth) never turned up, i never felt that excitment that you feel when alol of a sudden you realise your in labour.
Anyway she was born 7lb 6oz. i got to hold her, then the midiwfe gave her a check and turns out they thought she didnt have an anus, well she ended up having one but it comes out her vagina, or they share the same hole, if you get me. She spent a night in the NICU and then we spent an extra 4 nights in hospital. She has had one operation so far and she has a colostomy bag, she is scheduled for her next one in the next 3 months. We named her Lyla roase elizabeth, i didnt particularly like the name, its pretty. But not what i wanted to name her, the whole pregnancy i had been calling her alfie, but no one (mum, dad, partners parents, grandparents) liked the name so partner refused to let me name her alfie rose elizabeth (he told me this while i was in labour, before that i was 100% sure her name would be alife) so he decided that lyla was a good name and we can call her that. I look at her and i see an alfie, weird i know because its aparently a ‘boys’ name, she suits lyla, but she is so an alfie that its not funny. When she was 3 weeks old i told my fiance i wanted to change her name because i didnt think lyla was the right name for her, he told me not to be stupid and that its a good name.
I breastfeed her and i play with her heaps but i just dont have the bond that i have with my son. I have been tested for post natal depression twice once at 6 weeks when i told my midwife my feelings, then again at 3 months to be re evaluated. Turns out i dont have it, just having problems bonding. I hardly ever have just 1 on 1 time with my daughter which may be part of the problem. She smiles at me, i can make her laugh and its great. But i dont get that warm fuzzy feeling i get with my son. I have even thought about switching to formula because i dont seem to be bonding, but then i thought if i stop breastfeeding i will loose what little bond i have.
Just wondering if anyone else felt like this and if it ever got better? Or any tips on what i can do, i so badly want the special bond that i have with my son, with my daughter too
Michelle answers:
My second pregnancy was much easier than my first. So was my second delivery; and while I did love my second (as you surely do) I had the same problem with bonding. I was concerned cause I did not want to become one of those parents that have a favourite child. It did not help that one of my aunts was always telling me that she could see I loved my first more.
Suddenly one day, I realised that I did have that “fuzzy” feeling. It was not the SAME fuzzy feeling as with my first, but it was definitely fuzzy. It was around the time when his definitive personality started to show (don’t recall the age). I realised that I loved my two little ones equally but differently. Now that they are much older it is much the same. I love them equally but differently… According to their needs.
Just keep on taking care of your LO as best as you can and eventually you will get that bond. You will find that it will be different, but it will be there.
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