Questions about Induction and C-Sections

So, tomorrow afternoon I'm going into the hospital so they can start softening my cervix. My doctor knows that I REALLY don't want a C-section, but he says I'm one waiting to happen, because my cervix hasn't softened, she hasn't dropped, and I'm not dialated. But, he's going to try to get me dialated to at least 4 cm within a few days, before going to C-Section.

What I want to ask is if any of you have been through this, and how it went. Or even, how softening the cervix (What exactly do they do, anyway?), induction, and C-sections went for them.

Thank you for any stories, or tips  

I haven't gone through it, but my friend did about 2 months ago. She was the same as you, no progress at all. She went in and they put the cervadil in and then 4 hours later they checked her, and nothing. They put another in and four hours later she was at 3cm so then they started pitocin and broke her water. Then she got the epi right away. This was about 5pm, and then at 6am the next morning, she was at 10cm and they started pushing. The baby still didn't drop into her pelvis though and after 3 hours of pushing the baby's head got stuck and they couldn't even use the forceps or vacuum. She ended up with a c-section. Don't mean to scare you though....

Thank you for the story  
It doesn't scare me, I just really want to go through the pain of childbirth (I know, I'm weird haha), but it's good to know you can go in there with no progress and dialate up to 10 cm lol. I was just worried there was no hope for me and my doctor was just trying to make me feel better (I started crying in the appointment when he mentioned C section lol)

Dec. 15 '05 I went in at 6 pm to be induced with my daughter. I was dilated 1-2cm when I went in. They started the cervadil and a few hours later checked me and then eventually put another one in. The next day the doctor came in and checked me....I don't remember if I was 3cm or 4cm, but they decided to break my water and start me on pitocin. I don't really remember any time frames (sorry) because I didn't get much sleep (stupid contactions lol). Anyway, around 4 pm on the 16th I was still only 4 cm and my water had been broken for 7 or 8 hours (again, I don't remember   ) so I had to have a c-section. Honestly, the induction sucked worse than the section, so if it ain't gonna happen vaginally, don't stress about it too much. Easier said than done I know.   Good luck to you, I hope everthing works out.

the same thing happened to me..my cervix didnt soften and he didnt drope .i went in and i was induced and in labor u could say for 25hrs til finally did a c-section b/c i stopped dilating at 8cm...plus on top of that they decided to induce me at 41 weeks.

I think a planned c-section would be better then what I went through. Which was my entire labor and then having to be knocked out for an emergency c-section. I missed the first 1 1/2 hrs of my son's life.

I wasn't induced but I did have a c-section. My daughter got stuck and was in distress. I'm just wondering why you're already getting ready for induction and talking about a c-section. You're only two days overdue...If it were me I'd give it at least a week and see what happens. I know that can be hard because you just want the baby out. But if you're that scared of a c-section then waiting a little while is probably the better choice. Now if it's a medically necessary induction then good luck! And even if it's not, good luck!. lol

Thank you everyone for your stories  
It's definately made me feel a little better about going in tonight knowing others' experiences.

trilla_marion wrote: I wasn't induced but I did have a c-section. My daughter got stuck and was in distress. I'm just wondering why you're already getting ready for induction and talking about a c-section. You're only two days overdue...If it were me I'd give it at least a week and see what happens. I know that can be hard because you just want the baby out. But if you're that scared of a c-section then waiting a little while is probably the better choice. Now if it's a medically necessary induction then good luck! And even if it's not, good luck!. lol

My doctor is just worried because she's really big, and he's afraid she's going to run out of room lol. But, he said he'd give it a few days for me to dialate before talking about anything else.

I went in on the 14th of May to get the gel to start to soften my cervix. She hadn't dropped and I was only 1 cm dialated. Her heart rate was acting funny though, so they kept me overnight and the next morning they started me on pictocin. But after 6 hours of that, I had only progressed 2 cm. My contractions were a minute apart and I had the epi, but still nothing, and her heart rate was dropping to about 80 with each contraction, so they rushed me to OR for a c-section.. I don't know if everything would have been fine had her heart rate not been iffy, but it ended up that the cord was around her neck 3 times, and the doctor said if I had tried to push, there is a good chance she wouldn't have made it with it around that many times.

Here is a link to information on the Bishops Score this is an assessment of how ready you are for induction the higher the number the better your success rate. Typically inductions have a higher rate of c-section mainly because the body is not ready for labor. It is rare that baby won' fit through moms pelvis and be born healthy the more interventions done to you the harder it is to have a successful vaingal birth/

http://www.mother-care.ca/bishop.htm


The other thing I would do is ask your care provider about the babies growth rate at this time. Most babies by 40 weeks have slowed in their growth they are still growing yet not adding the pounds like they do from about 32 weeks to 38 weeks. As well baby is not adding to its structure that has been in place for a long time. Baby is adding soft tissue something that you the mom can push out.  
At 40 weeks a few days I too would wait on baby. Most 1st time babies take a 40 weeks 4 days to make their appearance.  

I was induced with my son. With the softening of the cervix they put this thing that looks like a tampon in/on your cervix and they let the meds absorb in your cervix and its supposed to soften it and after it starts softening of course then would come dialation. In my case it didn't i did start contracting pretty good which got things moving and the next day they started the pitocin which did all for me.... I haven't had a c-section so no advice there.... Good Luck with everything

well, I think I'm coming to the opposite conclusion. I have medical complications- too numerous to list. the most painful though is gallbladder and liver disease which has caused the most prolific constant pain in my upper right quadrant. doctors prescribed me vikadin to deal witht hte pain but I'm scared to take it.
anyway, this is my first pregnancy and my dr. said he would induce me at 39 weeks which is beginning of August. fair enough. he has said though that he thinks realisticaly I'll end with a section anyway. but then I started hearing all these horror stories about induction in first time moms and how it is so painful when you are in significant pain to begin with. I don't know- I am so scared, I think I'd rather have a section. I don't like the idea of having to go through all the pain of labor and induction and then wind up with a section anyway.
Also, I'm a graduate fellow at stanford and must return to class in september three days a week. otherwise I loose my salary. I;m just bantering now, but I am feeling really guilty about everything. my mom is always telling me how horrible it is not to have a natural birth and leaving my baby with my husbands parents three days a week. I feel just terrible...
-jen

I was the EXACT same way. They gave me cervadil which is basically a pill that they put up in your cervix and you can't sit up for an hour, and they put a new one in every 3 hours i had 3 of those put in to soften my cervix then they started the pitocin. the cervadil started some contractions but none that did much good. the pitocin didn't do much better so they finally came in and broke my water. So I ordered my epidural, 36 hours later I still hadn't dialated past 3cm so they did end up doing a csection. But they iduced me 3 weeks early my daughter wasn't really ready to come out. I was induced due to low fluid. It turns out that she was facing the celing instead of the floor so her head wasn't putting enough pressure on my cervix to dialate. But I know it is possible when you are all closed up to still not have a csecion. Just remember you need to do what is best for your baby put what you want aside.

I was induced at 41 weeks with my son. I went in, they did the cervadil every 4 hours, and started the pitocin the next morning. I dilated to a 2. Then they broke my water, and I dilated to 3, then stopped. The contractions were coming in pairs, 2 minutes apart, and off the charts. Nurse(s) checked me, got worried and brought in the doc, who realized "Oh...that's not his head...". So, they gave me a shot to stop the contractions, did a quick epidural, and did an emergency c-sec.
After 16 hours of labor (no drugs, I didn't need them), it sucked, the pressure they told me I'd feel was really bad pain. The meds didn't take full effect, and I blacked out from a bad reaction to them. My blood pressure crashed, took them an hour to fully stabilize me. I wasn't lucid enough to hold or nurse my son until he was almost 5 hours old.
He was breech, and the cord was around his neck. All those nurses and the doc were pokin' my poor little guy right in the butt cheek while they were checking me, lol.

My daughter was a scheduled c-section...a breeze. I lie there BS'ing with the doc the whole time, meds were perfect, no bad reactions, all in all a good experience.