Quick Reply - Avoiding Labor Induction

There are plenty of ways of avoiding induction.

1st - don't go in for the appointment. I know this seems flippant, but you really should keep in mind that all decisions are YOURS to make, with your doctor's advice. They are not your doctor's decisions, your doctor's body, your doctor's baby, etc.

Next, consider the reasons your doctor is recommending induction. If you have not yet reached 42 weeks and everything looks normal and healthy, there may be no medical reason to induce, in which case, inducing may be more dangerous than waiting. Even if you have passed 42 weeks, you still have the option of monitoring the baby and placenta to make sure things are doing well as you wait. If you are not interested in inducing except for when medically indicated, then let your doctor know this and work from there.

There are a number of natural induction methods that are not usually dangerous for you or the baby (consulting medical professional, of course), and certainly not as dangerous as chemical induction. Acupuncture can work (see link below) as can nipple stimulation.

I have only heard of nipple stimulation being dangerous if you continue doing it after a contraction has started... it's much safer than chemical induction though because when you stop stimulating the nipples, the contraction goes it's course and stops. This is unlike chemical induction methods, which can hyperstimulate the uterus to the point of distressing the baby and causing very bad things for the mother. "Hyperstimulation" is also possible with nipple stimulation, of course, but is not nearly as likely as with chemical induction and it is also avoidable simply be stopping the stimulation when a contraction starts. Nipple stimulation is also not as "efficient" as medical inducing agents, meaning that it could take longer to work (good, in my opinion). The other thing is that nipple stimulation isn't done with hospital monitoring, usually, so docs worry about that.

A good question to ask yourself and your doctor when thinking about induction (natural or unnatural) is how likely it is to succeed. If your cervix is not favorable (i.e. closed, hard, posterior), medical induction is more likely to fail and result in a cesarean and "natural" induction may succeed but will probably take a long time.

So the things to do to get your body ready for labor now are to have sex (to start effacing the cervix), walk (to get baby into a good position), and possibly take measures to start contractions (acupressure, nipple stimulation, etc).

While these are ultimately your choices to make, it is not advisable to do anything behind your doctor's back. Letting him/her know what you are thinking or doing is of utmost importance in helping them adequately do their job as your care provider. There may be medical reasons for you NOT to do something that a lay person suggests, and you may only know about these if you talk with your doctor about them. There are always risks to every intervention, and naturally inducing your labor is still an intervention.

You shouldn't necessarily be afraid of doing anything, but you should know the risks involved in all choices before you move forward.

Also... find out what your doctor would do to induce you. What drugs would s/he use. Learn about those drugs. I wouldn't wish a Cytotec/misoprostol induction on anyone in the world. Look into that drug and make your own choices.

http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/Defaul... - acupuncture for pregnancy, childbirth, etc.