Stop inducing labor just because... I mean it! Stop!

proud mom with baby sofia

My little darling Sofia will be three years old in 2 weeks. I can't believe it has been so long. She is growing up way too fast! Her birthday and some other experiences that I have recently heard of bring to mind some serious thoughts regarding labor induction.

In a previous post I described my labor induction experience with Sofia. Here are some cliff notes if you are just tuning in. I was 4 days late the first time they wanted to induce. I just didn't feel right about it.... so I called the hospital and literally cancelled my appointment and didn't show up. I was 10 days late the next time my doctor called for induction. Being it my first pregnancy and that when the doctor talked to me he used the term "placental decline," I agreed reluctantly. My whole pregnancy I was waiting for my water to break in the middle of the grocery (clean up- aisle 4!) or to wake in the middle of the night - "I think this is it!". Unfortunately I got up at the crack of dawn on the day of my induction and packed the car and drove there- no pains, no urgency. To top it all off, at the hospital they insisted on wheeling me up to my room- as if I was really in labor or something. Talk about adding insult to injury!

I got all set up- dressed in my gown, "checked" for progress, hooked into an IV, bands put in place to monitor fetal heart rate and contractions. Enema- check! So much for moving around- it was hard enough using the bathroom. Next- induction drugs. I was given a 1/4 tab of cytotec vaginally every hour for 4 hours. Then the pitocin. Then my water was broken. Then the stadol (a narcotic administered through my IV without my permission that didn't help with my contractions and only made me feel less present during birth). Eventually an epidural. And, at 9:24 pm, my daughter Sofia was born with a little help from a vacuum extractor. Thanks a lot.

While I was overjoyed and super-thankful that we were both healthy, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in how things shook out. It wasn't until later that I realized how common my not-so-good experience really was. 

So, recently, I had the opportunity to come along side a friend during her pregnancy. It has been a joy getting to know her and being able to share with her what I have learned from my experience. She recently had a beautiful baby boy... via induction. The night before her induction we met and she told me what the doctor had suggested. She was 39 weeks and 3 centimeters. Oh, and her doctor was leaving for vacation in 2 days. I think I did a great job encouraging her despite the anger that I felt towards her doctor for a morally defunct decision regarding her patient. 

When I went to visit my friend, who did (thankfully) have a successful induction, she told me about 3 of her other friends who just had or are about to have their babies. All had been or had appointments to be induced. Including herself, 2 women had bad experiences with epidurals and one birth culminated in c-section. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing.

It is estimated that upwards of 20% or 1 in 5 births are induced in hospitals today, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. I actually saw 40% on some sites but could not find information to back it. keep in mind that less than 10% are medically necessary. The problem is that it is so common that we think it is normal now. Also, around 40% of all inductions will end with birth by c-section because the body is not ready. This rate could be higher among first-time mommas.  

Some risks of induction :

• Increased risk of abnormal fetal heart rate.
• Increased risk of fetal distress.
• Increased risk of shoulder dystocia.
• Drastically increased risk of your baby being admitted into the NICU.
• Increased risk of vaccum extraction or forcep delivery.
• Increased risk of a cesarean section.
• Increased risk of prematurity.
• Increased risk of jaundice.

If you are not a high risk pregnancy, here is an example of normal labor:

Between 37 and 42 weeks, you go into labor on your own. You labor naturally by breathing, moving, getting into different positions. If you are having a hospital birth you choose whether to proceed with or without medication. You push when your body is ready. Your baby is born.

I am not trying to minimize or idealize birth- it is a process that can take days and it hurts like hell. Straight-up, no joke. What I am trying to show is that our bodies were specifically designed to procreate and birth! Birth is an amazing experience and a gift, not to mention something that sticks with us for the rest of our lives. The medical industry is trying to sabotage the birth experience by shouting lies at us like:

• "Your baby is too big for you to birth on your own"
• "You don't have to suffer during birth"
• "Allowing the baby to stay in the womb past 40 weeks is dangerous"
• "The baby is going to grow too big"
• "You only have so long and then we will have to do a c-section"
• "Inductions are harmless"
•  "C-sections are no big deal"
• Oh, and here's some formula in case you probably don't make milk like most women (what?!?)

I know there are doctors who truly do care and take their profession and patients very seriously. Those doctors unfortunately are far and few between. The thing that pregnant woman MUST KNOW is that they are in control of their bodies and that their doctors provide information to be considered and that is about it. It is undeniable that doctors get paid more for performing c-sections than standard births- check your bill. You don't think they get paid by pharmaceutical companies for using induction drugs like cytotec or a narcotic like stadol? They sure do. Doctors can only have one master- their patients or big dogs who pay the bills. Who wins? Unfortunately it is not you and I.

Modern medicine has a place, don't get me wrong. There are certain situations that require medical intervention for the health and safety of mom and baby. Too much intervention is happening in a realm that should be more personal, exciting and empowering. Patients are being taken advantage of every single day. 

Labor induction is an epidemic. Women- be encouraged! Your bodies were made to grow and birth babies- on their own. Read, read, read! You are in charge. You can birth your baby. You can have a great birth experience. You are awesome! 

Please read more about inductions and the drug cytotec from the blog Pregnancy, Parenthood & Playtime

http://blog.ctnews.com/elwood/2009/09/15/labor-induction-what-you-may-not-know/

The risks of induction list from above was borrowed from this site.