Inducing before due date

[flashy09]

I learned so much from this board two years ago about inducing when my DD was overdue. I put everyone off long as I could and luckily went into labor the day of my induction. It was a somewhat hard birth - baby was posterior and did not want to come under the pelvic bone (I tried all sorts of positions) and made no progress for quite a while and I had a big (unserious, I guess connective tissue?) bleed about one hour in. The nurse kept mentioning a c section, but finally after 2.5 hrs I got her down enough to be vacuumed out. She came out screaming and pink, had 9 Apgars, and weighed 7 lbs, 12 oz.

I had a scan with this baby at 38 and 2. My bump is measuring way bigger and the baby's weight is estimated to be 7.12 already. She is posterior as well. My doctor thinks the best chance of having her naturally (vaginally) is to induce at 39 weeks (probably 39 and a few days). While I am scared this baby is bigger, posterior and going to get stuck (DD also has broad shoulders although don't think they were a problem), I know I did get the first one out and am sure everything is stretched out- my hip bones look about 2 inches wider just to my naked eye.

Is a few days until my due date going to make a difference? What about if she goes over 40 weeks so it's more like a week difference? How much bigger will she get between the scan and 40 weeks? Should I pass up the 39/2 induction and wait for 40 weeks? Or not induce at all? My dates are definitely correct.

My cervix is far more favorable this time around, 2 cm and 60 -70% effaced. I have a lot of fluid (19 AFI) and am not sure if that's from the big baby or just my body.

I know ultrasounds can be a pound off at this stage, but it was pretty accurate for my last baby.

Not sure if this matters, but I am 5'3 and 98 lbs not pregnant. Come from a very small boned family that has 5 -6 lb babies so although I know 7.12 at 38 weeks is not unusual, it sounds enormous to me.

I also know all the risks of induction and am frozen with indecision. Normally I know you don't induce for a big baby and this baby isn't even that big, but not sure if my situation makes things different or not. My Dr seems to think so.

[Philly Mom]

I was in the same situation two months ago and chose to be induced at 39 weeks, 2 days. I do not regret it at all. DD2 was 8lbs 4 oz. My neighbor was not induced and had a c because the baby got to big even though she already had a vaginal birth. I was never concerned during delivery, just very uncomfortable .


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[flashy09]

I was in the same situation two months ago and chose to be induced at 39 weeks, 2 days. I do not regret it at all. DD2 was 8lbs 4 oz. My neighbor was not induced and had a c because the baby got to big even though she already had a vaginal birth. I was never concerned during delivery, just very uncomfortable .


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Thanks so much! Did you have a scan in the final weeks? Was it accurate? What was your cervix like on the day on induction? Sorry so many questions.

[Philly Mom]

Thanks so much! Did you have a scan in the final weeks? Was it accurate? What was your cervix like on the day on induction? Sorry so many questions.

I had a scan at 36 weeks and she measured 7lbs so I think it was accurate. My stomach was measuring big the last few weeks too. I was 3cm when I checked into the hospital.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

My ds2 was estimated at 9lbs when I was 41w+. We just talked about good positioning during labor vs intervening. His birth was so easy, as is more common for second babies. Because this isn't your first, I don't know if I would be really worried that it'll be trouble. Good luck with the choice though!

[mommylamb]

I have to say that I don't trust those scans at all. I had GD with DS2 and so I was getting growth scans frequently, even though I hadn't gained a lot of weight (thanks to the GD diet). At 38 weeks, the doctors at the high risk clinic estimated him to be at 7lbs 2 oz. And I asked her how accurate they are because I had only gained 14 lbs at that point. She insisted they were pretty accurate. Well, I ended up going full term and they induced me on my due date. 5lbs 11oz. He was a little bitty one, and much smaller at 40 weeks than they had suggested he would be at 38. I don't think my care was bad at all. But I do think the scans are often very inaccurate.

[flashy09]

I really am not pro inducing for just a big baby, but do you think the posterior position and tough time with the first is a valid reason? My bump measures right on, but the last baby measured a few weeks behind, yet was still good sized, so I also worry perhaps this one is way bigger. She certainly feels huge in my stomach!

I feel weirdest about the before the due date part. I am less gung ho about going over due, but I feel guilty forcing her out beforehand. However if something goes wrong and it's on my terms, I will always wonder if I was silly not to listen to Dr.

I have a labor inducing pressure point massage tomorrow morning. Not much faith in it, but it can't hurt. Sounds a lot more fun than walking or scrubbing the floors!

[petesgirl]

I'm not sure what I would do in your situation, but the possibility of a c section would worry me more than an induction. I was induced at 38 weeks with DS but it was because my stomach was measuring small (stopped growing altogether at 34 weeks) and my placenta was beginning to die so nutrient deprivation was an issue.

I'm having the same issues this time but my (same) dr is willing to give it more time as long as I'm doing non stress tests weekly.

[BabyBearsMom]

I really am not pro inducing for just a big baby, but do you think the posterior position and tough time with the first is a valid reason? My bump measures right on, but the last baby measured a few weeks behind, yet was still good sized, so I also worry perhaps this one is way bigger. She certainly feels huge in my stomach!

I feel weirdest about the before the due date part. I am less gung ho about going over due, but I feel guilty forcing her out beforehand. However if something goes wrong and it's on my terms, I will always wonder if I was silly not to listen to Dr.

I have a labor inducing pressure point massage tomorrow morning. Not much faith in it, but it can't hurt. Sounds a lot more fun than walking or scrubbing the floors!

DD1 was posterior and her position during labor meant she wasn't pressing on my cervix and I just would not dialate, even when they tried to induce me. Then she started having heart decelerations so I had a C Section. DD2, they told me she was 8lbs when I was 39 weeks and they estimated that she would be 8.5lbs by the time I hit 40 weeks.. She was also posterior. She turned (which I think she did due to all of the yoga I did), and I had a vaginal deliver without a hitch. In fact, I almost didn't make it to the hospital. My midwife had to deliver her wearing herstreet clothes! And FWIW, she was a week late and 7lbs 8oz, so 8.5lbs my a$$. So I don't think a posterior baby or trouble with a past birth should impact a decision about this birth. That being said, and I know that this is not a popular opinion on the BBB, I don't think you would be making a mistake if you decided to induce before your due date, so long as it wasn't more than a week or more before the due date. Personally, that would not be my choice. I would rather wait until she comes on her own and if the labor isn't working out have a c-section, but I would prefer to try to let things progress on their own first. But that is what I would choose for me and you need to choose what is right for you. Also, as far as the baby feeling bigger, I think seconds just feel bigger in your stomach. My theory is that you don't have the same stomach muscles that you had the first time so the weight is more pressing.

[flashy09]

Is 39 and 3 far enough long that I don't have to worry about any last minute brain development or important things happening? Is it really just a case of adding fat at that stage? I am very sure of my due date.

Would the fact that my cervix is dilated to 2 cm (was 0 cm at 36 so I know I don't walk around with it like that) and quite effaced mean that even with the posterior position, the baby is putting pressure on my cervix? Or does the cervix dilate due to braxton hicks and hormones more than pressure?

Is inducing this late even worth it? Even if I go a week over that's just 1/2 lb at this stage, right? The bone structure and head size is pretty much set and some extra thigh rolls won't matter - or is that not correct and the whole baby will get bigger?