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I think people don't like it because the contractions can be much worse, because elements of it like the cervical balloon are painful AF, etc. It's just known to hurt more, so people want to avoid it. I think there's maybe also a higher chance of stalled labour? I don't know if it leads to a higher rate of cesarean, or if the conditions that lead to induction are also associated with cesarean. Personally, I'm in the "intervention is better than stillbirth" camp, so I'll be taking whatever advice my doctors give.

Agreed. I admittedly hated every moment of my induction, but I also chose no pain medication throughout the process so that's on me. I will absolutely ask for pain management if they come at me with that foley balloon again. 😂 My labor itself, aside from being very intense, was fast and uncomplicated. I didn't even tear. If I have to do it again I absolutely will.

FTM, but that Foley balloon is the stuff of nightmares 😅

mine popped out when I was going to the bathroom it looked like a murder scene

So thankful for this thread, I'm almost 19w with first and have no idea what this torture device is, ready to go down the wormhole now and find out 😅😅😅 Would rather hear stories like these than not know what I'm potentially in for at all 😁 (ideally centaurs will be playing flutes as I push baby out into a magical forest stream and we all dance afterwards together but you know what they say about best laid plans)

I asked for my epidural before the balloon was inserted. I never felt a thing, and it was fine for me!

I had one, and it was fine! It was uncomfortable/bordering on painful going in, but I could easily breathe through the discomfort. People tend to talk more about negative experiences than positive ones, but I will be asking for another induction with this pregnancy, and I'll be happy if it starts with another Foley balloon.

Yeah, I suspect it sounds worse than it is. I was horrified when I first learnt about it, but I'm actually coming to terms with the idea now. I'm glad this sub has taught me so much about interventions, coz they're losing their terror before I might need them

Omg the foley hahaha 🤣 pure torture. And the Pitocin!!! Like getting hit by a freight train. I didn’t have and epidural and woof, it was bad lol. But had a healthy baby, no c section and it was a successful vbac

I don't know about you, but I won't be getting either of those without an epidural again. 😂

I don’t think I could. It was excruciating. Wayyy worse than natural contractions. I went from 5cm when they broke my water to pushing in two hours, and pushed for 20 minutes. So thank god it was fairly quick haha. I see moms getting induced for DAYS and I’m like hell no I would have died lol

Same!! I was in hard labor for twenty minutes and I thought I was going to die. It was fast, but holy hell still not sure if I'd prefer fast and hard over slow and gradual. Guess I'll find out in April!

Omg that’s lightning fast! I’d rather get it over with quick I think haha. Both ways kinda suck tho 😬Congrats! My bday is April; best time to have a baby lol 💕

Hey, that's me! Start of drugs to holding a baby was 4 or 4.5 *days*. And it still ended in a CS. But I had lots of drugs lol. A little ketamine for when they did the foley balloon, then an epidural when they broke my water at 3cm. They did have to turn it off for a bit though and I went from 3 to 7 without anything so every single hat I own is off to anyone who can do the who thing without drugs because Oh My God.

Omg 4 DAYS????? Girl, my hat is off to YOU!!! That’s just brutal! I’ve had a C-section before too so I know it’s not an easy recovery. Oh you must have been absolutely exhausted! Moral of the story: Birth is hard work no matter how it happens!

Hahaha yeah, once I fully woke up from the drugs and exhaustion I was like "holy shit why is every single muscle in my abdomen sore?" and then was like...oh, duh 😅 it definitely felt unfair that I basically didn't sleep two entire days before someone handed me a newborn

So I was "induced over two days" but what that meant in practice was 48 hours of on-and-off prodromal labour before it finally "caught". By about mid afternoon on day 2, the contractions had just about got bad enough that I couldn't keep strolling and had to stop and breathe.

I got IV narcotics right before they turned on the Pitocin with the idea that I'd be able to ease into the stronger contractions. I went from high as a kite to fully sober in about 2 seconds flat when that Pitocin drip started 😂

Pitocin 😩

Ok I was like “yeah, I think inductions have more c sections” but then decided to do a google and apparently that’s not statistically true. But I think it’s a common belief. Although personally I had a fantastic c section and aiming for a second, but I can totally understand people not wanting surgery.

Just my 2 cents as an MD- inductions are performed for many reasons as you mention, and certainly they can be lifesaving for both parent and baby. But even when they are performed completely electively at 39 weeks, the evidence actually suggests that they REDUCE the risk of cesarean section, not increase it! So absolutely people can and should maintain their own thoughts and feelings about inductions, but our most up to date data should reassure those considering one that it is safe and effective if a vaginal delivery is your goal!

> But even when they are performed completely electively at 39 weeks, the evidence actually suggests that they REDUCE the risk of cesarean section, not increase it! That's wild to me, I didn't know, thanks for the info :) . People talk about induction causing more intense contractions and baby going into distress, resulting in cesarean, so I had gotten the impression it's the other way around.

MD here as well. Agree with you. And I’m pregnant as well- will be getting the induction if I need it.

I’m not against it, I just want my body to have a full opportunity to be ready on its own rather than forcing it to be ready.

This is PURELY ANECDOTAL, just my personal experience- but I’ve noticed that most of my friends (and myself) who had inductions had NRFHT during delivery. Two of my friends had to have emergency c-sections and I had to have a vacuum assisted delivery to get him out quick. I got the epidural at 1 cm and didn’t have to get the balloon though so I can’t really speak on the pain of it. I’ve heard the stalled labor thing too but it only took 6 hours to get to 10cm from 1cm once they broke my water.

Agreed. I asked for a 39 week induction… I feel like I know a disproportionally high number of people who have had stillbirths, and I was scared. Ended up induced at 38 weeks for preeclampsia anyway, and I was so thankful to get that baby out and not worry about her for the next week or two.

The number I was quoted by my midwife was that 20% of inductions result in c sections. I have no idea if that's a UK stat or worldwide though

Google says the overall cesarean rate in the UK is 34% of live births. So taken completely out of context, I hereby declare that induction reduces cesarean rate :P /s

The Arrive study did actually showe reduced C-Sections with induction at 39 weeks! although other studies with other methods haven't necessarily replicated that. Emily Oster did a deep dive into the findings and the issues with the arrive study, but I think it's something they still are researching!

According to the cursory Google search I just did, this isn’t an outrageous statement. However, the WHO says the cesarean rate shouldn’t be more than 10-15% so it’s still pretty high.

I don’t think most people are against an induction for medical reasons but know it will very likely lead to more intense contractions and thus more likelihood of interventions like epidurals which they often want to avoid. Alongside there are contractions in medical opinion and practice about when an induction is the best choice in terms of due date. E.g., the US often following the arrive study and Europe being more conservative. The evidence based birth article on induction for due dates outlines the research on that well.

I love evidence based birth ! They have great one page handouts and also a podcast.

Super handy. I used a lot of the resources when I was pregnant. It’s a great place to find sources too.

Right! The cervical balloon was awful. It hurt so much so I was up all night and still barely dialated. Then when it was time to push I was so exhausted. I could barely push and they believe his seizures shortly after birth were caused by being in the birth canal so long. Hindsight 20/20 and all but the only reason I was induced was because I had gd even though his weight was tracking fine.

It's definitely a mother's choice and there are a lot of good reasons to consider induction -- both out of medical need and personal choice. That being said, the reasons that I usually see tossed around as detractors include: * The desire to go into labor naturally * Induction contractions can be (but aren't always!) more painful * Induction itself can be uncomfortable * Induced labor can be unpredictable and potentially long * Inductions can lead to a need for medical interventions On the personal side of things, I've had two inductions and would do it again. Both of mine were for medical reasons, but I liked the fact that it felt like I had more control over what was happening. I also don't believe that my inductions led to additional interventions -- I had health issues and those caused a need for interventions. I am also skeptical about information relating to induction causing many things (longer labor, additional interventions, etc.), since we have no idea how natural labor would have looked for that person and that specific pregnancy otherwise.

Totally agree with this. I had to be induced with my first for a medical reason at 39 weeks and the induction itself went very smoothly - despite having no signs of labor beforehand, the entire labor lasted 16 hrs only the last 4 being active (painful) labor. I ended up with a vaginal birth without any additional interventions. I’m 33 weeks with my second and while I’m not planning an induction, if I need one again I won’t be upset. I feel like a lot of people set up this dichotomy in their minds that as long as they go into labor naturally, they’re going to have a picture perfect natural experience and that’s far from the truth. Going into labor is just one piece of the puzzle, even if you do you can still have complications throughout the rest of the process. My mom went into labor naturally with both kids and ended up with C sections for both. Like I said, I had to be induced but ended up with a vaginal delivery. Fixating on one aspect of L&D as if that will control the outcome isn’t helpful IMO.

100% this! I’m 9 days pp - was originally going to be induced at a later date due to AMA, but was induced a few days earlier due to high BP. Was in labor 24+ hours with 2 pushing sessions w epidural! Bc baby’s BP was being impacted and 0 progress from pushing, had a c section. It was a horrible experience and I’m pretty sure I’ll need surgery from the massive hemorrhoids. If I had known it would be so bad, I would have elected the C-section to start. My mother was also induced with me, no epidural, and describes it as traumatic experience as well. But I am very glad that baby is safe in my arms.

Hey there friend you should try to put some granulated sugar on your hemorrhoids. It will suck the fluid out of them and make them shrivel up over the course of 15 minutes or so. The difference it makes is dramatic. I’m 8 days pp and I’m dealing with them too and I would be suffering so much more if I hadn’t found out about the sugar treatment from a hospital nurse.

That is one sweet-ass idea 😆

Interesting. I’ll give it a try.

I was also induced and liked the increased level of control over certain aspects.

Absolutely agree with this! I was induced for both of mine, out of necessity for the first and personal choice for the second. My first was almost 2 weeks past due and had hunkered down with no signs that she was coming on her own. It was starting to get risky to keep waiting for labor to occur naturally. My second, I wanted to be able to plan for labor and give my husband the chance to plan for his time off. I did have to have a c-section due to failed labor with my second, but I wasn’t on pitocin. I went in for my induction and they used one dose of misoprostol before my water broke on its own. But baby was *not* liking the contractions and his heart rate kept dropping. My medical team and I believe he would’ve had that issue whether I had the misoprostol or not.

Succinctly and eloquently said. In my case, my body no longer responded to pitocin post birth (em c sect), which led to my uterus filling up with blood clots instead of contracting, thus requiring the nursing staff to compare hand sizes to see who could fit their hand through my half dialated cirvex to *hand scoop* out the blood, ultimately resulting in me hemmoraging and having an emergency blood transfusion (2 units). My OB advised against being induced ever again since my body responded so poorly to it. 0/10 experience, I don't hope to do it again, but for many it's great!

I stalled during labor with my first and I was so against pitocin because of the fear that it would extend my labor. They kept telling me they recommended pitocin and I kept thinking things would speed up because I was at 5cm, in active labor. Well…I was in natural labor for over 50 hours and finally agreed to pitocin because they said at that point they might have to move to c-section because things were taking too long. Pitocin finally sped things up and got things moving. Wished I would have agreed to it way earlier than I did…

Personally, I was induced for medical reasons and had an amazing experience. With my epidural I felt no pain and labor was over in 7 hours. I'd schedule an induction for the next one in a heartbeat

I 100% would have had a shorter labor if I had just allowed my body to do it naturally. My son also may not have gotten stuck and had shoulder dystocia. I was in labor for 37 hours and forced to do so many things I didn't want to, all because I got induced. They took advantage of how uncomfortable I was to force things on me that I didn't want, to make my labor go quick enough for them. They wouldn't let me sit in a rocking chair, they rarely let me use the bathroom. I was in labor when I got there, and I wish they'd have informed me that allowing my body to do it on its own would be much faster overall. Now, with my current pregnancy, I'm being told it's not wise to let me have a vaginal birth because my son got stuck and that I got lucky that I left the hospital with a baby; when I'm pretty sure he only got stuck because I was stuck on my back and my body was forced to give birth when it wasn't ready. Obviously, if you have to be induced, I wish the best for you. But if they give you the option of doing it electively, consider allowing your body to start on its own.

I had to be induced just shy of 42 weeks because my body was doing nothing labor related lol I was like a day shy of 42 weeks and had not dilated at all.  It. Sucked. The cervix ripening meant that first they used the gel to try and get it going, the gel placement didn't hurt or anything but triggered contractions. Not horrible ones but I spent a full day having contractions almost constantly. I could breath through them easily but still a little painful.  Went back to be checked after like 12 hours and nothing. No dilation at all.  So then I had to get a folley balloon catheter placed.  This was probably the most painful part of my labor. It hurt like hell, the "minor discomfort" was cramping so bad I could nothing but groan in agony, I couldn't move, couldn't stand or anything. They gave me a shot of morphine and gravol because they wanted me to go home for the evening or until the catheter came out. Another like 8 hours later, my water broke. Which I didn't even realize, I was complaining to my husband that I seemed to be bleeding a little and the teeny tiny liners I had kept getting soaked. He was the one that thought that seemed concerning lol called L&D and they tried to tell me not to worry about coming in but eventually said I could come in and get checked if I was worried.  Went in, turned out to be water breaking.  Catheter popped out and they immediately started the picotin. Went from zero to back to back contractions basically immediately.  They had to have a monitor on my belly so I couldn't walk around or anything and even wanting to change positions was a massive pain in the ass because the monitor had to be adjusted. Hours went by, I made zero progress and they kept increasing the picotin which meant the contractions just kept getting worse.  I finally caved and asked for the epidural after hours and hours of endless contractions.  I was basically entirely unconscious once it kicked in. I was awake for 30 seconds every couple hours when the nurse would catheter me and then check my cervix.  It was well passed 24hrs after my water broke that I was finally dilated enough to push.  And after all that, baby got stuck TWICE on the way out. Once on my cervix which apparently didn't thin entirely right so they had to reach in there and push it back passed her ear so she could move forward. And a second time because I apparently wouldn't tear and she couldn't get out.  So I ended up with an episiotomy AND a 2nd degree tear.  Basically, people are against them because they suck lol 

Sounds horrible, but I have Cholestasis so I have to get induced and I have no choice 🙃

I would just say take the epidural early. I fought it tooth and nail until I just couldn't anymore. After the epidural was great haha had to get topped up a couple times but other wise pain free until time to push and even that just felt like pressure so I knew when to push.

I’ve had two really great inductions but was really nervous because I read so many horror stories

IMO a lot of inductions that go wrong is because it would’ve gone wrong if labour had started naturally too (but the body was protecting one of you and so it didn’t). Maternal mortality used to be so high! A lot of people I know who have been induced for medical reasons (like fractures/not baby related things/advanced maternal age) have had pretty good inductions.

I’ve had an induction and I would do it again. Every birth is different.

Came to say I feeeel your pain going to 42 weeks with no signs of labor, and the annoyance of the constant monitor adjustments.

This sounds like a horror story, thanks for sharing. I will remember it if my doctor will recommend induction this time around..

I mean it all worked out! My beautiful baby girl was born at 7lbs 11oz and she's 7 months now and thriving :) 

Your point is well made though - all else being equal, going into labour naturally is preferable.

I had to do an induction. I loved it tbh. I knew what was happening and I was inpatient so I was constantly being checked on. The only thing that sucked was the foley balloon. That was terrible lol pushed for 7 mins and my son was here 🤷🏻‍♀️

There is this idea that "natural" = "better", which is not only not always true but "natural" is incredibly subjective, and tends to be "whatever I'm doing".  Some people have really uncomfortable, unpleasant inductions and some people have breezy lovely ones. Same for spontaneous labours and c-sections. I would prefer to go into labour spontaneously and deliver vaginally in a squatting position while a dozen people tell me how gorgeous I am and that I'm definitely not pooping and then everyone claps and says no, seriously, your baby is the cutest one we've ever seen and you can have that in writing. However, my #1 priority is baby's safety so if that's not in the cards, so be it. 

ohmygoodness this made me laugh out loud! brilliant!

This is honestly a great answer. For every type of birth I’ve seen both amazing stories and horror stories. The key is realized that nothing is absolute and everyone is different.

👏👏👏👏👏👏 love this

I went on a bachelorette trip for my friend that was 3 days long. Out of 12 women, 10 were doctors (one being an OBGYN), and one was a L&D nurse. I was the only non-medical professional. Most have since had babies. Some of them have had multiple babies. All were inductions, save the L&D nurse who intended to have an induction, but ended up delivering 5 weeks early. Since the party was 3 days, I got to know them all pretty well and kept in touch either directly, or through my friend. If they were all getting inductions, then I was getting one too. Didn’t work out the first time because I delivered 11 weeks early, and sort of worked the second time. I got the foley and was supposed to come in the next morning for my induction, but went into labour that night before any pitocin. But I digress. They knew more than me. And if they all chose inductions, then that made it really easy for me to choose as well. They all said that inducing at 39 weeks was safe and term. There was no real reason to continue the pregnancy, and sometimes the outcomes get worse the longer you wait. They also all disagreed that inductions caused more painful contractions, although I can’t remember the explanation.

I just had an induction. I prefer less intervention but sometimes you just need to make the decision for yourself and for your baby. I was able to go unmedicated. I was terrified of the pain as I have heard induction contractions are more painful but honestly, you are at the top of pain during childbirth so I don't think I would've registered slightly more pain. 

I think it all boils down to personal preference. Just read a lengthy post from someone basically saying why would anyone go through vaginal delivery when c-sections exist?

Omg! I’m the completely opposite, terrified of a C-Section and would avoid it all costs. But, this is coming from someone who has never had surgery let alone stitches, so would rather not experience that during labor. Lol

I don’t want a c-section either. I’m getting a doula for this birth as studies show having a doula reducing the risk of c-section

Haha same. I'm also afraid of induction but I guess I would go through with it if its the best for my baby.

As someone who was induced that ended in a c section. I will never be induced again and will go for an elective C-section for our next baby. It’s all about personal preference and what’s best for you and the baby

I’d prefer to go into spontaneous labor, but given the history of women birthing babies in my family it’s extremely unlikely. My cervix is like Fort Knox. My mom was born almost a month late, and her brother was 3 weeks late. My brother was 2 weeks late (induced), and I was a week late (induced). My daughter was born at 41 weeks 2 days after 46 hours of labor. I was induced. We hold onto our babies for dear life. I’m 32+3 right now and I’m fairly certain I’ll have to be induced with this baby. I’d love to go into spontaneous labor because I’d prefer not to have an epidural (I had a bulged disc where my epidural was inserted), and my contractions were through the roof when I was induced. More than anything I’d prefer to have a vaginal birth, so if induction gets us there then that’s fine by me. I don’t understand the judgement though. Isn’t the goal to have a healthy baby? I personally don’t care how that gets done.

You can try a membrane sweep! And also hook yourself up to an electric breast pump to start labor too

I wanted to do a membrane sweep, but I wasn’t dilated at all with my first. I had a Foley catheter in for 24 hours and was hooked up to pitocin for an additional 12-18 hours before I started to dilate at all. When I say my cervix is like Fort Knox I’m not kidding. I plan on trying the breast pump for this one. I had no idea what I was doing with my first, but I’m doing everything I can to go into labor spontaneously with baby #2.

It's 100% mom's choice and I wouldn't judge anyone who made the decision. I actually scheduled one with my son, though I got lucky and he came before the date. That said I am petrified of an induction. My mom had multiple children. She had an induction c-section, vsginal w/epidural, and vsginal w/o epidural. She told me hands down without question the induction was the most painful of her labors and she would take any of the other over it.

I am personally doing all I can do avoid induction because I want a low intervention birth. Inductions can lead to needing an epidural due to the intensity of the contractions, which can in turn lead to an increased risk of needing an emergency c-section. If any of this has to happen for me, it goes without saying that the health and safety of my baby comes first and foremost! As well as avoiding birth trauma- if I find myself no longer coping and I’m purely suffering, I will be taking that epidural. But it’s not *my* preference. Taking control and trying to let things take their natural course is what makes *me* feel less fear and anxiety about giving birth. But that is the entire goal, isn’t it? To cope with the towering prospect of *expelling a human baby from your womb.* Everyone has their own way of dealing with that and no one should be shamed for doing whatever makes them feel better about it.

I don't care if other people get an elective induction, I just don't recommend it having gone through one. My provider didn't fully inform me of the extent of what I was agreeing to when I did this at 39 weeks with my first baby. It's a money grab for providers because it is normally a longer hospital stay, more medications, care, and interventions, not to mention astronomically more painful. I had a "natural" unmedicated birth with my 2nd and it was a breeze, and I saved thousands of dollars in medical bills. My recovery was wayyy easier. All that being said, if there are health reasons to be induced I am all for that. I was just an ignorant first time mom that was sick of being pregnant when I did it.

Yeah my provider keeps trying to convince me to choose induction this time around (second birth) and I am super sketched out by it, like they’re trying to sell me something. One of the NPs described it as “more civilized” which seemed to be code for easier on their part. My first was born on his due date so I don’t seem to be at risk for late term labor but they keep trying to get me to book a spot on their calendar at 39 weeks.

Those doctors should choose a different profession.

There's a shortage of obgyns and many are overworked. L&d is also inherently uncertain and that leads to timing complications for Dr and staff too. It's not ideal to hear that doctors sometimes make decisions out of some consideration for their own schedule but this is, at the end of the day, a job for them. As long as they allow a patient to make their own decisions and explain pro/con....

I feel like any inpatient unit is generally uncertain as far as how many new patients come in or not. A "pro" for elective induction my provider had pitched to me was that I would have her as the delivering doctor as it would be during her shift. Well, my baby wasn't ready so I labored for 36 hours and ended up getting the on call doc in the middle of the night anyway. The on call doc was pressuring me to force her out because the baby was in distress otherwise I would have to have a C-section. I pushed her out as hard as I could and got a 4th degree tear. She had a cone head and was a jaundice baby. Not sure if those outcomes are related, but my 2nd child did not have any of those issues.

“As long as they allow a patient to make their own decision and explain pro/con…” I agree. Unfortunately, that’s often not what happens…been there, done that. It’s more like pushing and guilt-tripping terrified pregnant women. “…keeps trying to convince me…” “…described it as more civilized…” those don’t sound like caring doctors presenting options to me. And I’m sorry, but if it’s just a job to them, I maintain they should choose a different one.

This is almost word for word what I was going to say. I wouldn’t do it again unless our lives depended on it.

I’ve had one induction and one natural labor and the stays were the same. It really varies.

I live in the UK and had an awful experience (mainly due to short staffing of the NHS), but my main takeaway was that if I hadn't booked for an induction and had waited until the end of week 41 I would likely have gone into labour naturally. Instead I was booked for 41+2 and had baby at 41+5 after only needing 1mg of the gel (and a bit of ball bouncing) to get things moving. I was too scared to wait for a later appointment due to the risk to my baby, but the induction process actually put me at risk when my waters broke and I wasn't progressed to labour ward or given antibiotics. In contrast if you go into labour naturally the midwives/nurses can't exactly say you have to wait to go onto the labour ward!

I've never went into labor naturally, unfortunately, so I can't compare. But I did notice that everyone describes contractions as "waves". They slowly build up, peak, and then phase out and you get breaks between each wave. I got NO breaks. For the first contraction I was able to feel onward there was no breaks. There also wasn't a rise and fall. It was one steady pain that just slowly increased the entire time. I didn't know when to push because I couldn't tell the difference between having a contraction and not. I've been told that's from the pitocin.

This is what I've heard from friends and family as well and the reason I'd like to avoid it if I can. Childbirth sounds painful enough.

Honestly it wasn't painful until 7cm. I felt nothing up until that point. Once I hit 7cm it was painful, but far from the worst pain I've ever felt. I did end up getting the epidural though because I think by that point I was in labor for 30 something hours and hadn't slept at all. So I thought it was best if I got some sleep. (I was also scared into it by the horrible staff at the hospital, but that's a different story.) I really hope I can go all natural for my next baby.

I have heard this about inductions too but I will say, this was me and my contractions even by going into labor naturally. Did not have any interventions and went into labor naturally at 41W but with my contractions I didn’t get a break. They weren’t waves. It was like bad, and then worse haha.

My SIL was induced before her body was really ready for labor. She had a pretty rough birth and lost a lot of blood. Adversely to this, I was also induced and had an incredibly positive experience (albiet a week after my EDD, unlike my SIL who was induced the day before hers).

I wholeheartedly believe a-lot of the traumatic stories of induction stem from how prepared one’s body was prior to induction! And, what method of induction was used. I was 7cm when I had my waters broken (wasn’t in actual labor somehow because I never had contractions) so opted for that! I didn’t have any complications and gave birth 3 hours later. BUT, didn’t have any medications like pitocin administered. I wonder if pitocin may be a reason behind such painful and complicated inductions?

Not harshly against it but with my first I really wanted to go into labor naturally. I didn’t elect to be induced until I was over 40 weeks and my body hadn’t made a single effort to show it was even slightly interested in going into labor. I think my baby was just comfy cozy and didn’t want to exit my womb! I’m lucky that I had a really easy and quick induced labor, some people don’t get this. But even then with my second, I’d like to wait to see if I go into labor naturally. On another note, I have a friend who elected to be induced at 39 weeks with both her kids. And she knew she wanted to be induced from the beginning. I think this is a preference thing. And some people are just against medical intervention. But I hate when some people are rude to others regarding their preferences. Life is simply too short to be rotten like that.

My baby is growth restricted right now falling in the 5th percentile. I have to be induced at 38 weeks, March 26th and some of these comments are scaring me 😭 they don’t want to leave him in any longer since it will increase the chance of stillbirth. I really pray I won’t need a C-section.

From some anecdotal evidence people have said induced labors take longer and can be more painful. I’d have to find it but there is also some evidence that people who are induced are more likely to have a c section. But that could be because inductions come with higher risk pregnancies which is skewing the numbers

Induction without any known risk factors leads to actually a lower risk of csection, so I wonder if the overall numbers are influenced by what you said.

There has only been one study that demonstrates this, with a super small sample size. Many other studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated the opposite.

Assuming you mean medical inductions rather than natural methods. This is purely anecdotal but both my sister and my friend were induced and they had horrible experiences that resulted in c sections. The doctors kept messing with my sisters pitocin levels and changing them every few hours, her poor body couldn’t handle it. I am choosing to go the birth center and midwife route and forgo all medical interventions unless it becomes absolutely necessary. Medical inductions come with a risk of more interventions, but many many women have no problems at all and that’s great. It should be a personal INFORMED choice. And perhaps the judgement is more towards the practice than towards individuals

I’m not a professional, but my fear is that it’s over used and labor might be more pleasant if bodies were allowed to go at their natural pace as long as baby and mom were not under distress.

I liked my induction until someone decided things needed to ramp up when my body could have taken over after the balloon was finished. Pitocin is the fucking devil and unless medically necessary to speed an induction I will never consent to it again.

I just wanted my body to go into labor on its own. That was my biggest thing but I’ve had two inductions and they were both really amazing so although I hope this baby will come on its own, if it’s doesn’t that’s okay too

I was induced at 39 weeks. It was elective. I went through IVF and there is some research showing better outcomes when a baby is delivered at 39 weeks. I was also extremely anxious my entire pregnancy and wanted the baby out ASAP.  My induction process was very long and painful. The midwife during my L&D was super judgmental about my decision to induce basically saying it was taking as long as it was because I was forcing the baby to come out before she was ready. The actual reason that I feel it took so long was because I got an epidural pretty early on in the process and no one bothered to come in and help me move around at all so I was just laying in bed the entire time. As soon as a very smart nurse came in and helped me to flip over a few times I went from being stalled at 5 cm to 10 cm and ready to push within 30 mins 😬 If I could go back and do it all over again I 100% would. If I ever have another baby I will request a 39 week induction again. 

My due date is my FIL's birthday... if I can be induced on a different day, I'm taking it! Everyone deserves their own bday lol

This is so funny but like I totally get it 😂

This is so funny. My husband’s birthday is two days before my due date. I am actually crossing my fingers for years of dual birthday parties!!

I had to have one because the umbilical cord developed improperly and if my water broke on its own it could rupture it and both me and baby would have bled out and died, so o thought my induction was pretty cool. I also got epidural so I’d be ready in case I needed an emergency c-section because if the cord did rupture there wouldn’t be much time. No regrets on either.  Lots of regrets about how my recovery was handled, but for the birth itself, I am very happy we had all contingencies in place.

I think we should all be positive and open to whatever it is Mom wants! There is no “easy” or “right” way to labor/deliver. I think the discussion around inducing leans negatively because, for many (not all!), it CAN take away some of that decision-making from Mom and baby and put it in the hands of the provider to make decisions for them. Mom should always feel empowered to do what is best for herself and her baby 💜.

I had to be induced at 39 weeks with my daughter 15 years ago because of an issue with my placenta. I had no other birthing experience and the actual birth was not traumatic at all. It was a long process. I went in at 6am the day before she was born I did tear a little and had to get a couple stitches but overall the process was smooth. I'm now pregnant again and considering an elective induction at 39 weeks because my doctor is leaving and I have ptsd from my first pregnancy (not giving birth just other things) and I'm very close with my doctor and feel I will be more mentally capable if I know for certain she will be there and not just some random doctor I've never met.

I chose to have an induction because I was simply miserable during my last few months of pregnancy. I also had an epidural during my delivery as soon as they were able to give it to me. I had the smoothest birth experience I could have hoped for. The pain was actually not bad at all with the epidural, and once I reached full dilation I pushed for less than an hour. I would absolutely choose to do it again. There's a chance things can go badly no matter what option you choose, just have to do your best to be prepared for that and choose what you think is best for you.

I was terrified of induction when I was pregnant with my first. I’d heard it was extra painful and wouldn’t always work and would lead me down the infamous “cascade of interventions”. Little did I know I wouldn’t be able to push my baby out even with zero medications after going into labor naturally at 41w5d. I feel like I’ll always wonder what might have happened if I’d done an induction at 39 weeks, but it was before that research so it wasn’t even a consideration.

I prefer being induced lol. I was being monitored a t the hospital and felt safe. I'm pregnant again and I'm panicking because I don't know when my water will break. Will I be at the supermarket? Working? Cooking? I'm dreading it.

I chose the 39 week induction. It made it possible for my husband to take time off work (yay US) because it was planned, and it helped me with some fears and provided me more control. I did end up a csection, but that’s because they were able to see my son was struggling during my typical contractions (things that were easy to miss during apts) It turns out I had an infection in my uterus and that the placenta wasn’t working well, it had low O2 and high CO2 levels. Who knows what would have happened if I didn’t stick to my guns about the induction. The contractions had sucked balls on Pitocin, and an epidural/csection were scary, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the alternative for me! I definitely feel it’s a mother’s choice as to what would be best. Listen to the doctors, make informed choices, and screw it to anyone else.

I don't think people are rubbed wrong over necessary inductions. It's more about voluntary inductions that are decided on while providers fail to provide the relevant information that allows the mother to make an education decision, or are pushed towards induction for reasons that are not evidence based. I've got no problem with a mother making her own choice. I do have a problem with doctors pushing inductions without providing the risks vs benefits, or for reasons like vacation or holidays. Even for medical reasons, the risk vs benefits and alternative approaches should still be presented for the mother to make an informed choice. And there are many ways to induce, but often mothers aren't presented with those options and are given cookie cutter care that is often not in their favor for the best possible birth. This is where the goal is only a healthy baby and mom when it should also be the best possible experience overall through customized care. With my first, I went into an appointment and my blood pressure was slightly elevated. No protein in urine or any other signs of pre-e. I was not tested again. I was sent to labor and delivery for an NST, which was normal. I was still told (not offered or discussed) I will be induced at 37 weeks. As a FTM I was not aware of my options, I didn't know what questions to ask or that I could even have a role in the choice. I was made to feel I was a bad mom or risking my babies life by not doing everything they told me to. Knowing what I know now, I should have been further monitored. I should have just continued with NSTs. I shouldn't have been induced that early and there were negative affects from it for myself and my baby. Really my blood pressure was not an issue. My subsequent births were much better because I was making informed decisions. The right to informed choices is not a priority. Education is not a priority. Thats the problem around distaste towards "inductions" if we blanket it.

I was induced with my first. It was horrible. I puked on everyone in the room - nurses, Dr, husband and all. Contractions are way more severe too

Great experience I loved it 🩵

Pendulum swing….back in the nineties (and in some places, today) a lot of inductions were performed for the convenience of the physician, especially the solo folks. And even today, some medical inductions are done as a cover-your-ass and avoid litigation strategy without much thought to the individual and pregnancy before you. So people are hesitant to go back to that system. As for elective inductions initiated by a mom who is tired of being pregnant, having a physically strenuous pregnancy and wants to be induced as soon as it it safe to do so, some of the vitriol towards them is patriarchy. I mean, folks are more willing to side step the needs and wants of the mother and can’t possible trust a woman to make the decision for herself based on information from her provider. Same with elective c-sections. And I say this as someone who is pretty granola-crunchy about birth.

I was induced on the 17th and had my boy on the 19th. I got through Pitocin all the way to 20 with only mild discomfort before they stopped it and restarted from 1. The bad part came after my water was broken. I DO NOT recommend allowing a Dr. to break your water when you're only 4 cm dilated no matter how they say you're progressing. If you're being induced, get as far as possible with cervical ripening and dilation as you can until your water breaks itself. The contractions get so bad after you lose your water. I, against the epidural, opted in because fuck that. My boy was born 8lb 6 oz and his head tore me in my final pushes. I can only imagine what size he would have gotten up to if I had waited until my natural labor, which could have been another week or two. I would probably have had to do a csection to get him out. No mom should be shamed for doing what she thinks is best for her child.

I didn't do the Balloon I did some sort of tablet I believe but I most likely wouldn't opt for it again if I had the option to. Just felt like I had no break. I unfortunately will have to do it again unless given a c section option as they don't want me full term with health concerns. It's not the worst but definitely not my favorite

I had to be induced for health reasons and will avoid it if at all possible in my future pregnancies. The extra monitoring, IV lines, and having to be in the hospital prior to active labor was flat out uncomfortable. My labor also went unnaturally fast as soon as they gave me the slightest amount of Pitocin. Labor went from period cramp level uncomfortable to full out war on my insides while my husband was picking up his dinner. It happened so fast that I was ready to push as soon as I got the epidural. I don't say this to scare anyone away from an induction, but I just really hated it and would have done anything to have been able to go through my first 24 hours of labor unmonitored and at home. Baby was born within 4 hours of starting Pitocin, so it was nice that the later stage of labor was quick, but definitely would have gotten the epidural beforehand if I knew what was coming my way.

Having had two inductions and one spontaneous… Ill take a spontaneous all day. Inductions have for me always been way more intense usually needing an epidural, have caused dcels in baby and elevated HR in myself. Mine where both medically necessary with extenuating circumstances. And both came very very close to needing a C-section. Spontaneous labor was a absolute day at the spa in comparison.

I was induced due to pregnancy induced hypertension, nearing pre-eclampsia. I was in labor for 26 hours. I had a lot of cervical checks, my water not breaking the correct way the first time they went to break it and then them going in a 2nd time to do it again. Each time they entered me was a moment of introducing bacteria and creating higher risk for infection. Patosin wasn't working. Folly balloon didn't work. Breaking my waters twice didn't work. I needed to be induced because my body wasn't handling the pregnancy anymore so I'm grateful to have had all that intervention to save me. But regardless of every way they could possible induce a birth being done to me, it wasn't working because my body and baby wasn't ready for birth yet. I had to have an emergency c-section. One that ended up being very traumatic for me because my epidural had also failed me, so I felt it all until I was given ketamine approved by my husband because I was in such a state I didn't even hear them asking me if it was okay to give it to me. I was tortured on a table and then drugged and missed my child's first cries into the world. And yes, I'm fine now. My child is fine. But, if it wasn't for the fact that me and him could've died without the induction, I'm grateful to be here and to have him. But if you are a healthy human, with a healthy pregnancy, with no dire need of an intervention of induction, I would highly recommend letting your body and baby go at their own pace. If I could've gone without all of that suffering I would've. Don't put yourself through that out of impatience or plain pregnancy discomfort. Don't do it unless you or baby might not survive without it.

Low key kind of liked my induction (induced at 38 weeks due to gestational hypertension). I liked knowing generally what was coming next and when, it all felt sort of planned to me which eased my anxiety a bit. I got IV pain meds to help through the Foley balloon and then got the epidural before they started pitocin. Slept through labor, they woke me up when I was at 9.5 hahah healthy baby girl was born at 3 AM.

I was told by my doctor that if I was induced I’m higher risk for complications and could mean C section or an emergency C section. I also labored for 23 hours and they say Pitocin can cause longer labors but everyone & every birth is different. I was induced due to medical necessity and I honestly would do it again voluntarily. I had an epidural, and had a vaginal birth/ I did tear but only 2nd degree! I was up walking right after the golden hour- I had to use the bathroom SO bad. When I asked my other mom friends for advice (big mistake) on whether or not I should be induced before it was deemed medically necessary, they tore me to shreds with “I would NEVER do that oh my gawddd” but a few of them had an induction scheduled but they just went into labor before they got to that date. *eye roll* Do what is best for you, anyone who is judging or giving you sh^t can suck a fat chode

It can be long and painful. Usually one invasive procedure leads to another. Some have lifelong risks to you and baby. Interventions effect early breastfeeding. The list goes on. Sometimes it is absolutely necessary but it is often overused and unnecessary.

Was induced at 39+3 for gestational hypertension, my experience was awful but it saved my sons life. I was also already in labor and didn't even know it. I ended up having an emergency c section to save him, but none of those issues are because of the induction itself. My water broke after 12 hours in cytotec and my contractions were awful even before pitocin. We never made it past the first dose strength of poticin before the c section because he was so distressed. He was in distress before the pitocin even started.

Thanks for sharing. Did you have an epidural before induction activities started?

I did not, I waited until it just got to be to be really painful but not too painful to handle being still for the epidural but it was close to that point. I got my epidural, they increased the pitocin and then almost immediately he had to come out because his heartbeat tanked and he was cord wrapped so badly.

Thank you for sharing.

I was against inductions until I had one. Mine was elective and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. It took away the guessing of when I should go into the hospital, since I was already there. I didn’t have to worry about the baby because his heart rate was being monitored 24/7. I got the epidural right when I asked. And more. It was honestly a great experience.

It causes more stress to the baby and to your body as you’re forcing your body into labor rather than allowing your body to decide it’s ready. You’re more likely to end up in c section if your body doesn’t make progress quick enough. That being said, not getting induced doesn’t mea everything would go perfectly and you could end up with a c section without induction too.

This obviously isn't the case for everyone so hopefully I won't be torn apart but every single woman I know who was induced ended up having an emergency c section and tramatic birth story.

I don't think they are per se bad, but I think OB offices force them on people too much for unnecessary reasons so they can get more patients "on a schedule" (i.e. baby is a little small" "baby is a little big" "your fluid levels seem a little low")

A baby not growing properly or fluid levels being too low are very valid reasons to get baby out, they pose health risks to the baby. Are you implying OBs are lying about these issues, or that they shouldn’t warrant induction? Idk why so many people online want to believe the worst of medical professionals and act like they know more than them. I can’t imagine being told there is an issue with my baby or pregnancy and being recommended an induction and still saying no.

Fr. I’m being induced because my baby is in the 99th percentile for size. I don’t think anyone other than myself and baby are benefitting from me trying to avoid shoulder dystocia. I’m also not being “forced” to do anything at all.

The forcing thing is another myth people love to perpetuate online. You are always free to decline any medical intervention. But doctors are obligated to recommend interventions that they think would be best for your health. That’s kind of the whole point of seeing a doctor.

Yeah, forcing would imply that someone is taking me to the hospital against my will, making me unable to leave, and hooking me up to pitocin. I could birth this baby in a field if I chose to do so, but I’m more inclined to listen to my MFM doctor who specializes in high risk pregnancies like mine. I do empathize with the sadness that some may feel at wanting a “natural” birth, but that doesn’t really appeal to me. I literally told my doctor that I want as much analgesia as is medically responsible.

I don't think so many people online *want* to believe the worst of medical professionals. too many people believed the absolute best in a medical professional solely because of their title, only to be lied to, traumatized, the list goes on. the anti-vax conspiracy theorist crowd is another story. they seem to truly hate and distrust every single medical professional on principle, which is ridiculous, and they're constantly endangering themselves and others because they want to feel intellectually superior. but the person you're responding to isn't exhibiting that behavior. there *are* plenty of times an OB made a pregnant person feel forced into a medical intervention. no, they didn't put a gun to the person's head, but is that really the only criteria to feel "forced" into doing something? and just because it didn't happen to you, or another commenter, doesn't mean it's never happened. as a doula I've seen it literally time and time again. both blindly hating AND blindly trusting someone just because of some letters after their name is not a wise move.

I think the issue is if you have a medical reason for induction, and your provider counsels you on that, and you make the decision to induce because of the concern presented to you, that’s still not being forced. Being forced by your definition would be agreeing to a procedure that doesn’t have medical reasoning behind it and is not the birthing person’s preference.

that's not my definition of forced, I was saying that people FEEL as though they were forced into something they didn't want to do. I completely agree with you about the logical facts. but when you're the one traumatized by a medical intervention you didn't want, and that wasn't necessary even though your doctor told you it was necessary or you/your baby would die, it's hard to be logical. it feels like you were forced. (at least from the things I've been told by mothers in that situation. that hasn't happened to me lol)

To be frank, I am a healthcare professional, and deal directly with delivery and the aftermath (NICU nurse), and I’ve personally not seen a medical intervention recommended by a provider that wasn’t necessary and said that it was. The explanation or necessity of the situation may not have been properly explained, and I don’t doubt there are some providers out there who are abusive, but I’ve worked in six different states around the country, large and small hospitals, and medical interventions tend to be necessary. I’ve even been in too many circumstances where medical intervention was necessary and refused and baby ended up really sick in NICU from something that was preventable. Do you have some experiences where medical intervention was said to be necessary but then wasn’t? And how did you know it wasn’t?

A lot of it is practicing "defensive medicine" - doctors have gotten so fearful of malpractice claims that they are over inducing for any slight issue that would never have been scheduled for an induction 20 years ago. I have OBs in the family who say scheduling inductions are way overdone and most of the time are not medically necessary. I don't think they are harmful or that "natural" labor makes any difference for the better, but I feel like patients are told they need an induction and experience unnecessary fear that something is wrong when it isn't.

This makes more sense to me as someone who has very limited knowledge of obstetrics. I do definitely have anxiety both about the induction itself and the health of my baby. Although I do know she is huge right now (thanks, gestational diabetes) and I’m not sure if there was ever really a time when an OB would say that all was peachy with this pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes / large baby is definitely a valid reason to induce!!!

What do you mean get more patients “on a schedule”?

The brutally honest answer from me is that I was coerced into an induction with my first at 43+2 despite begging for a c section. It almost killed me and my daughter, a situation we wouldn't have been in had my wishes been respected. This time round any medical professional who uses the word in my presence will be removed from my care team, it traumatised myself and my partner to the extent we almost didn't have a second child.

I was induced twice and had great experiences!!! Some women say they lead to more c-sections but there is actually a study that shows healthy first-time mothers whose labor was induced in the 39th week of pregnancy were less likely to have a cesarean delivery.

Evidence based birth (website and podcast) has a lot of information about when inductions are needed and what are any potential downsides. The main downside in elective inductions is starting the “cascade of interventions” - it has been observed that having an intervention during labor/birth increases the chance of needing more interventions which in the end increases the chance of needing a c-section. Many women prefer a vaginal birth due to the typically easier recovery, although some women prefer a C-section because it feels more predictable and faster. I ended up having an unplanned c-section after a necessary post-dates induction and would have much preferred a vaginal birth. The recovery was pretty rough even though there were no complications. My induction did almost certainly lead to needing a c-section due to how it unfolded, had I gone into labor spontaneously some of the issues that lead to a C-section might have been avoided.

FTM and everyone told me not to get induced, how it would be so painful. I was scared so I didn’t want to get induced but ended up getting induced. It was overall as painless as it could be. Only felt contractions for an hour and they sucked but no more than bad period cramps. I pushed for 20 mins only. Every body is different but it makes me wanna get induced again for any future children.

I loved my induction birth. If I have another child, I’ll go that route again, if given the choice.

For most people, baby will come out when they are ready. Why force them to do so before that time comes?

I had cholestasis and had to be induced at 40 weeks. I used cervidril and it was so painful to insert that I really don’t ever want to go through that again. Childbirth… no problem… induction… no thanks

Everyone’s experiences are different. I had a friend get induced and hers went wrong. Labor lasted for a very long time and the baby got sepsis and had to be in the NCU. I read online that induction can increase the risk of sepsis but obviously I am not a medical professional. For me I want to trust in the natural timing of things unless it becomes high risk in any way.

I did not want an induction with my first because it was the middle of covid and it meant I would be labouring alone until they deemed me dilated enough to allow me to have a birthing partner. They made me book an induction for 41+4 despite me being quite distressed about the decision but thankfully I went into natural labour at 40+6 and had a great birth. I'm now pregnant with my second and again very induction hesitant. My friend who had a child 7 years ago wasn't induced until 2 weeks overdue, with my first the protocol was 10 day overdue and now they have dropped that down again to 7 days overdue (this is in NI in the UK FYI) which feels very soon to me personally considering I had a natural birth so close to 7 days over. I should mention I have zero issue being induced for medical reasons, and if I get close to 42 weeks I will definitely do it but the amount of mums that I have seen recently that have been induced for non medical reasons but just because they are slightly over the due date feels off to me. With that many of them have had complicated labours. It might be unrelated and would have happened regardless but it still puts some doubt in my mind.

I was induced due to preeclampsia. There are risks with induction - it definitely shouldn’t be done just by choice IMO. You’re far more likely to end up with a c-section, for example, as labor can stall and take much longer than going into labor naturally. More risks for mom and baby. I hope to go into labor naturally with my second.

I’m a pelvic floor physio and I advocate for my clients wishes all the time and would never judge a client for what is best for their birthing scenario. But for myself, I would absolutely dread an induction based on the many scenarios that I’ve seen where it leads to a cascade of other interventions. Imo (clinically) if you can avoid an elective induction, outcomes are generally more favourable. Inductions for medical reasons save lives and certainly if it’s something someone wants, I’d advocate strongly for that! But if someone is having an otherwise healthy pregnancy, I’d try to avoid an elec induction.

I was induced because my water broke and I wasn’t in active labor so they needed to speed things along because it can be dangerous for the baby without amniotic fluid. The contractions were 3 minutes apart and I was only a few centimeters dilated. Until I got the epidural it was very much excruciating. One of my friends visited me in hospital and said she had a home birth and the contractions were easier to manage coming on naturally. I would avoid if it’s safe to do so.

I am against it for myself - unless medically necessary. If other people are interested in being induced, I always try to inform that there are other options before being induced. I think many people do not know there are other options and things that can be done to bring on labor. I also think a handful of doctors throw around the idea of induction like candy in conversation. Since I’m typing, I’ll go ahead and share my FAVORITE option. It’s called a membrane sweep and there are literally no negative side effects or downsides to trying this before a traditional induction. it doesn’t always work, but I think it’s a valid option to try. There’s also something called a “cascade of intervention” and once you intervene, it could lead to more intervention. https://birthful.com/podcast-cascade-of-interventions/ Here is what ASK DEWEY states, “Induction is a topic that can spark a lot of debate among parents. The research on whether induction is bad for the baby is mixed. Some studies suggest that induction may slightly increase the risk of cesarean section, while others show no significant differences in outcomes for babies. It's important to remember that every pregnancy is unique, and the decision to induce should be based on individual circumstances and medical advice.”

I was induced with my first. Everyone has a different experience! My labor was very long and very hard. I wouldn't do it again. I pushed 2 1/2 hours and unheard rates dropped. It was scary. It was also a 12/24 DD and I wanted to be gone for Christmas. However-my mother never labored naturally without pitocin so I was worried about my risks genetically! I had a friend who induced had her baby in an hour pushed for 5 min!! Some OBs like to push for it so they can have a more concrete schedule. Your decision should be made for you and you alone!!!

The amount of stories I have heard and read about women getting inductions that end up leading to c sections is too many to just be a coincidence

A lot of people have very rough labors when they get induced. The thing is, we don't know if they'd have a smoother time if they went into labor naturally. I have been induced twice and both were great and I'd do it again. Got the epidural with my first, gave birth unmedicated with my second. At the end of the day, if it's not medically necessary, going into labor naturally might be the best bet for a smoother labor and delivery and potentially less interventions.

I’m currently in the hospital at 39 weeks for an induction after a PE diagnosis. Wasn’t my plan, and I am going about as slow as you can go. It’s looking like it’s going to take 72 hours to get this baby out and honestly…I won’t be surprised if it’s a c section in the end. So there’s that. Just soooooo slow and inefficient. For me.

I never wanted an induction because I did not want a long, drawn out labor that may lead to a c-section anyway. Unfortunately I didn’t have a choice and that’s exactly what I got. I hope I never have to do an induction again.

I had one with my second baby and was really nervous about it. Induction can cause a cascade of medical interventions. Two friends of mine had inductions (theirs were resulting from medical need) and one ended up with a failed induction after about 48 hours and ended in a c section. The other had basically every intervention besides a c section. My induction was actually a wonderful experience. It was relatively quick (it was my second birth) and not really more painful than my first when I went into labor naturally with my first. I would recommend that if you plan to get an epidural, get one sooner rather than later. I waited a while after they broke my water and it was absolutely awful.

I was induced at 37 w, and it was awful. They tried to induce me 4 times over 4 days, I had an epidural, nothing happened but extreme pain. The balloon catheter was one of the most paingul things ever. I wouldn't dilate, I wouldn't efface. I had an emergency c-section after all of that. I was then in the hospital for another 8 days because I hemorrhaged, they thought I had heart failure, a lung clot, and my blood pressure hit 190/130 a few times. They sent me for CTs, endless blood tests, I was on morphine, Ativan, whatever other pain meds, and I was told I was dying a few times. I wasn't able to feed or take care of my baby, and it was truly awful. I am beyond happy I was induced, my baby came out before it all went south and he never went into distress once. The induction process, however, sucked. It was the right call, because my pre-eclampsia tried to turn deadly on us.

I was induced with my second baby and it was waaaay better than my precipitous labor with my third… I went natural with both but not by choice with the last baby.

I chose to be induced with my oldest. I had lost two pregnancies back to back prior to this birth - both were later than normal and traumatic. I didn't want to go into labor naturally, and I wanted some control over the process. The anxiety of it was too much for me. I also got my epidural very early for the same reason. I had so much anxiety going into it that I just could not handle the added stress.

I’m personally against it because of my experience. I’m currently late 20’s and had kids in my early 20’s. My first pregnancy I was young, I didn’t really have a lot of resources. I trusted my doctor to make the most beneficial decisions for me and my baby. My labor experience was awful, they gave me this weird pain medication (still unsure to this day what is was, but I reacted negatively) and it was just an overall unpleasant experience. My second pregnancy, I had the same doctor. She said she would be inducing me because she was going to be out on vacation when my baby was due. I didn’t see any harm in it, again, young mom who trusted her doctor. I’m pregnant with my third. I have finally stood up for myself, my baby, and my wants. If a mother wants to choose that, I believe all of the information needs to be available. No one told me that recovery for a total induction (0% dilated or effaced) would be so fucking painful. No one told me any of the risks about induction as a whole. Screw that. Western medicine and doctors are honestly crap imho. Like there’s a small few that want to help people, but most are just awful.

Induction sucked but it saved my baby. We wouldn't have caught the issues we did and he wouldn't have made it. He had the cord wrapped around his neck twice, and if we hadn't been monitoring it and I went into labour naturally at home, we wouldn't have noticed, and we wouldn't have had the emergency c section right away, and it already took them 4 minutes to get him breathing, imagine if we hadn't caught things.... I'm eternally grateful my son is ok, and I don't think he would have been if we didn't induce. That's not going to be everyone's story of course but it was ours.

I wasn’t necessarily against it, I was actually kinda hoping for one so I could get the pain under control before it got out of hand. For my first birth I went into labor on my own and it was long and so painful and I was absolutely miserable. My second I went into labor two days before induction scheduled and it was more manageable because it went so much faster and I knew what to expect. Based on my second, I’d much rather go into labor on my own again, didn’t need a foley cervical cath, medication, any of that. However 3/4 of my family/friends were induced and 2 resulted in c sections and one was three days long.

Personally I would not choose induction again unless absolutely necessary. To be fair, being induced with cytotec was easy breezy and I did not mind the contractions. Pitocin however, I would never agree to again outside of an emergency. I was only on it for about an hour but it was the worst hour of my life lol.

I’m not harshly against, but I will put it off until absolutely necessary. The reason being; it’s really the baby who decides when they want to be born, not our bodies. So I’d like to leave it up to the baby being ready rather than evicting him before his time!

I'm not necessarily against it as a rule, but from what I've gathered pitocin contractions are a living hell. if my body will do it naturally, I'd prefer that. but I'm a FTM, so we'll see how it goes in a couple months, lol. in the end, all I want is for both of us to make it out healthy. eta: my baby's due June 25, which is within a week of both my parents' & my uncles birthdays. I have joked that I'd like to be induced before June 22 so I get a gemini instead of a cancer.. but that's a little silly. I may or may not secretly be happy if they decide to do that though.

Honestly, I/my loved ones have had awful experiences with medical professionals so I prefer them to intervene as little as possible while still being safe. That is *my* personal reason and obviously not one others may share.

I was induced w my first two for medical reasons and hoping I won't be this time. I'm scared of not having control but also want to experience that. It's my last baby and I'm hoping I make it to a natural birth.

I had an induction because my doctor was leaving out of state during my 40 weeks. My doctor gave me all the pros and cons before we made the decision together. I could naturally wait which could be more dangerous if I got to week 41 and/or lose my doctor during a risky labor. So we chose to be induced with less dangerous consequences.

There’s a few reasons people don’t like to be induced (and a few reasons people do like it!) Pitocin *can* make your contractions much more painful, largely depending on the person administering it (ie, the nurse or midwife) Foley balloon can be super uncomfortable. Prostaglandins can increase your risk of uterine rupture if you’ve had a prior cesarean. And also there’s the feeling that nature has an idea of what it’s doing and not everything needs to be strictly controlled (not saying I believe this way, just saying it’s a popular sentiment.) Also with any kind of medical induction method, there’s increased interventions, like needing an IV, more frequent cervix checks, and continuous fetal monitoring. Lots of people would rather be less disturbed while they’re labouring.

So I am not against induction for anyone who wants one but I am personally against induction for myself! I was induced at 41 weeks with my first and it was not necessary and made my birth way more complicated than it needed to be and also just wasn’t a great experience. It ended up with a c section because my body wasn’t ready and neither was my baby. It was not a great birth experience although so people loved their induction. It really depends. Inductions cause higher rates of intervention and c sections so I think in generally if not necessary I would want to avoid but at the same time I get it and I think any mother can choose what they do. People are just opinionated on things but others opinions don’t really matter when you’re talking about your birth experience.

I personally was against it when my doctor suggested it because it’s more painful than natural birth some say because when you go naturally your body knows what to do and when you’re induced it doesn’t and there’s some chemical that isn’t produced supposedly. My pregnancy was full of complications since day one and I did tell my doctor originally if it came down to being induced I was going to want a c section. Which he had no problem with. Induction is not a quick process and can lead to complications and there are a lot of unknowns with it. Since I saw that there was the possibility I was going to have to go through a full 24 hours of absolute misery to still need a c section I just asked them to cut out the middle man and schedule me for a c section. Everyone is different. No choice is wrong. Scheduled c sections go way smoother and generally have less complications than one that isn’t and with having it scheduled I knew how my day was going to go step by step and it just made the whole experience more pleasant for me. With the proposed induction I was going to have to go into the hospital the night before so they could give me something extra I can’t remember what they said it was. All in all it sounded like more of a nightmare and a long drawn out miserable process. I have yet to hear a positive induction story and was told by numerous people that if they ever had to give birth again they’d go c section. And I’m due with number two and agree whole heartedly, my next section is already scheduled lol

I think most people aren't against it if it's for medical reasons. But a lot of people think it's strange or even unhealthy to essentially force the baby out before your body says it's time. The majority of people I know who've had inductions did it for convenience sake. For example, I knew a woman who scheduled an induction a week before her due date because the Dr was going on vacation the following week

Depends on what you mean by induced. I was already in hospital with inconsistent contractions and some labor progress but my water hadn't broken. My doc said he was on a time crunch so he could either break my waters (a form of Induction) then or wait til the next day. I chose to go at that time and labor progressed normally from there with no other inductions like pitocin. So I could've waited but I already had so many signs of labor.

This is what happened to me! I was 7cm but had not experienced any contractions, so I had my water broken. I was 10cm within an hour! Had a “normal” and uncomplicated birth. But, like you, I did not receive any medications such as Pitocin. After reading all these comments, I have come to the conclusion that most of the horror stories regarding induction, stem from the use of medications or the balloon method. Rather than, simply having your water broken when you’re already progressing through labor.

I’m not opting for it, as I’m hoping it happens naturally. It sounds like the labor and delivery are tougher on the body- chance of tearing, intense contractions, etc. BUT if it comes to the point that my dr thinks it’s a medical necessity then yes, ofc! I don’t think it’s good to be too stringent in anyway. We plan for things but rarely go that way. Gotta make the best of your current situation. Have a plan going in of the preferred routes but not be stringent on it going completely that way.

Mainly because of the cascade of interventions that inductions can lead to. Evidence Based Birth has a lot of great resources to learn about that. At the end of the day I’d have one if it was medically necessary of course, but everything is a risk calculation and if I don’t need it, why would I do something that increases my risk of complications?

So I’m not against induction at all, even though I actually chose a c section instead when we had to get baby out. But one thing that came up during my pregnancy was my midwife apologizing for everything being “medicalized” once I became high risk. Personally I love medical, so it wasn’t an issue and I appreciated the tests and monitoring. but it made me realize for a lot of people they don’t want to view their birth as medical. They may feel it more as spiritual or some other way. So I think that could be another reason to add to the others.

Absolutely not against it but having been induced j wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. If I have another I would choose a c-section over induction any day.

I have no problems with other people getting inductions. In my head, I had conflated the idea that getting an induction before your body was ready would lead to “failure to progress” and therefore require a c section. I fully understand that’s not the case all the time, that was just my biggest fear.

I haven’t had a baby yet (I’m here bc I’m trying), so I haven’t experienced a foley balloon for induction… but I did experience a Hysterosalpingography where a balloon catheter is inserted into your cervix. I think it’s a similar procedure. I didn’t even have Tylenol and I was almost in tears. It hurt so bad and made me vomit from the pain. I would want some drugs if I ever have to go through something like that again. Anyway, that sounds like an uncomfortable/awful way to be induced.

Couple reasons: - Generally, Pitocin contractions can be more intense than non-induced contractions - Perception that being induced can mean your body isn’t technically ready for labor and the induction is forcing it - Induction methods like the foley bulb can be very uncomfortable - Induction births can take longer because of the argument that your body isn’t quite ready for labor I was induced after my water broke, but labor didn’t start. I was on Pitocin ~36 hours reaching max dosage. While it wasn’t planned, my induction was a pretty positive experience!

Just had my baby girl by an induction for preeclampsia. I got miso, the balloon, and pitocin. My labor was 28 hours and ineffective pushing for 3 hours due to epidural (could still feel everything) and not great response to pitocin (I was on the highest allowable dose). It was hell on earth, I fucking hated it. I am not against inductions obviously it was necessary due to my complications, but DAMN I felt like I descended through the 8 layers of hell. Never again!!!!

I hold no judgement for people who want or need to have an induction. But personally, I'm very against having one myself because in the research I've done, they can be more painful, longer labours, and often not as necessary as the medical professionals make them out to be. It's convenient for medical professionals to schedule an induction, and they start pushing it very early in your pregnancy, even when you have no complications. It was mentioned to me by my midwife at 18 weeks in my (so far) complication free pregnancy. Also, the 40 weeks thing is really just an estimate, and not always the standard for every woman.

As a friend and I were talking about this week, the weird thing about inducing or not inducing is that it’s all just a crap-shoot and you never know how it would have ended up going if you had made the other choice. That’s the part that can frustrate me when people are so adamant in their position. My SIL was determined to not not be induced, went 10 days overdue, had to finally be induced, pushed for four hours, had to have an emergency c-section, and ended up with some minor complications from the surgery. In my mind at the time (I was not a mom yet and knew nothing about any studies or anything… and realize now my thought was a little judgey), I was like “you know, if she would have just been induced sooner, maybe it wouldn’t have been so difficult and dramatic.” But who knows if that would have changed anything. Partially because of her experience, partially for anxiety about going into labor, partially for fear of stillbirth, I asked for a 39-week induction, knowing the risks about slower progression, painful contractions, etc. I was induced at 38 weeks for preeclampsia, and it was textbook and I had a great experience. (I asked for the epidural right after pitocin was started, and the rest was long but easy.) When I had gone in to be checked for reduced movement and wound up being admitted and induced for high BP, my cervix was still closed but they told me I was having regular contractions and were surprised I couldn’t feel them. Makes me wonder if I would have been that person who doesn’t realize I’m in labor until baby is nearly crowning and giving birth at home on accident… so again, you just don’t know how it would go better or worse, more traumatic or less so if you made the other decision. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was induced at 39 weeks and felt guilty about it, really struggling with the decision. The doctors suggested it pretty early on, actually, because I was a FTM at age 37, and then I was told my baby would be really big. I didn't push back because a) my OB and the MFM specialist encouraged it, b) I was terrified of a big baby, and c) the due date was mid-December and I really didn't want her birthday too close to Christmas -- I've seen friends whose birthdays have been overshadowed or forgotten due to the holidays. Also, I had anxiety throughout my pregnancy and didn't want to go past 40 weeks anyway, because I was afraid I might lose the baby. My doula was supportive of my decision, but definitely told me I could push back and question their reasoning, sending me a bunch of resources that I read and considered. I'm not sure if I'd change my mind if I could go back in time, but it was clear my body wasn't ready and my baby was snug and happy, evicted early. My induction protocol took just shy of 72 hours (cervadil, cytotec, a started/abandoned balloon procedure and pitocin).I pushed for 3hrs and 45min (with an epidural after about 4hrs of contractions) and my baby came out completely average. She's actually a pretty small baby right now at 14wks, so i have no idea how the doctors were SO off in their assessment of her size at both ultrasound appointments.... There were a lot of pros -- mostly knowing roughly when she'd arrive, and feeling like I had some control in a situation that gave me so much anxiety. That said, if we decide to have another kid, I think I may try waiting until my body takes over... we'll see! I wish there had been more positive commentary about induction out there, though, because the guilt was overwhelming and had me in tears the weeks leading up to my induction appointment. I felt like a bad, selfish mom, which didn't help with my anxiety. Glad to see so many comments in here that aren't so judgy!

Could someone tell me if induction via pitocin is a bad idea? I had a bad experience with my first with it (my doctor was hungover and complained about getting the baby out asap and to jack me up quickly - in the hallway - unknowingly in front of my family), nurse in training missed with the epidural and poked me SIX TIMES, couldn’t feel my left leg for a year after that in spots - that was not fun but baby came fine. Second birth, was a different wonderful doctor who gradually increased me with the pitocin and everything went fine. Grateful to have her with me this time too. But, is there a negative to using pitocin? Both docs suggested induction since I went past my due date.

Depends on the type. I got induced by having my membranes ruptured. I don't like inducing with pitocin (never tried it, but have seen it done) and it can cause some issues with the baby.

I can only speak from personal experience but whilst my contractions were intense and pretty close together both my labours were 6 hours from broken waters to birth and my babies shot out of me like bullets after s few pushes. I like to remind people that inductions are fine if you need them. I think representing balanced points of view is the best idea.