Cytotec induction?

[Mommabeebritt]

Thanks for your input everyone. I've been having what I think is contractions well at least mild ones every 10 to 15 minutes lasting about a minute to two minutes each. I'm hoping these means he is making his arrival sometime soon. On the non stress test I was having contractions but I didn't feel them at all but the mid wife said they were 6 minutes apart

[PoshPants]

can you ask for a sweep (or two) and also pumping or manual expression is known to help move things along

[HeatherlovesCDs]

Originally Posted by 7 for now I would never consent to a Cytotec induction. Once inserted, if you get contractions that cause decels in baby's heart you can't turn it off. It can also cause contractions that last too long and are too close together and again can't be reversed. The risk it too great for me to ever consent to it. Sent from my iPhone using DS Forum

They were talking about inducing me and mentioned cytotec. I went home and researched. I also happened to watch More Business of Begin Born. The first episode with Ina May. I decided under no circumstances would I consent to Cytotec and the biggest reason is above. It can't be stopped. Ina May said it's like a freight train that you can't stop and can't control.

I hope you don't need anything, but if so, I'd refuse that.

[Bella Catalina]

Sounds like you may have a baby before Monday, but if you don't, I wouldn't consent to cytotec, either, for all the reasons already mentioned. I'd ask to have my membranes sweeped/stripped, and if that doesn't start labor, a foley balloon/catheter, with pitocin if needed afterward. There is a risk they could break your water with a sweep, but I wouldn't allow them to rupture my membranes to get things moving, as it puts you on the clock and you're committed to having a baby, not to mention that ctx without intact membranes are much harder on both of you.

[Christylkeller]

I had Cytotec to induce my miscarriage at 17 weeks. While it worked great, I would NEVER choose it for a full term induction. There are just way more risks with cytotec then with other induction drugs, mostly because it can't be controlled.

Hope you go into labor on your own and don't have to even worry about an induction!

[Heather8183]

Originally Posted by Christylkeller I had Cytotec to induce my miscarriage at 17 weeks. While it worked great, I would NEVER choose it for a full term induction. There are just way more risks with cytotec then with other induction drugs, mostly because it can't be controlled. Hope you go into labor on your own and don't have to even worry about an induction!

I had Cytotec to induce my miscarriage as well, at around 6 weeks...it didn't do anything but give me diarrhea! Not a single cramp or anything...I didn't miscarry for a few more weeks, and then I went naturally.

[cheezpoofs]

You have already gotten some great advice about Cytotec specifically and the same that I would have given (can't be stopped and I wouldn't consent to this method). I just want to point out to you that if your "postdates" testing is coming back as the baby being fine and your health is fine, you absolutely can refuse the induction completely. The average gestation of first time mothers is forty-one weeks, so you're not even there yet and will barely have passed it on induction date. It is still your body and your baby and you can opt to continue having non-stress tests and biophysical profiles done regularly until you go into labor. There are plenty of "natural induction" methods you can try as well, though none will work unless your baby and body are ready to go into labor anyway. There are pressure point massages, sex, walking, membrane sweep, black and blue cohoshes (should be done by medical provider only), etc.

I hope you have the birth experience that you want and are holding a healthy and happy baby boy very very soon!

PS: My babies were born at forty-two weeks plus three days and forty-three weeks plus three days respectively.

[bigmamakelsey]

Originally Posted by Mommabeebritt I'll be 41 weeks on Sunday, I'm 2 cm dilated and 90% effaced. I didn't know anything about this drug so I didn't even ask questions I assumed it was just a normal thing. My midwife wants to induce because she doesn't want him to get to big. I had a non stress test today and it went very well. Personally I think she is just eager to deliver him.

Maybe just tell her you prefer to wait until 42 weeks. If you're already 90% effaced and 2cm, I doubt you'll even make it that long. In all reality I doubt you'd even make it to Monday, but if you don't want to be induced I'd just tell her you want to wait. Growing babies too big for your pelvis is actually a medical condition and it's very rare.

[JennTheMomma]

I would refuse Cytotec. Cytotec has a warning on it's bottle not because it can induce labor, but because when used as a labor inducer it can cause hyperstimulation of the uterus, uterine rupture, fetal bradycardia, amniotic fluid embolism, death of the mother, and death of the child. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684033/

Cytotec is not used in many hospitals because of those risks (but still used in many others).

However, it does sound like you may be having a baby this weekend The contractions you're having are "early labor" contractions. It means you're in labor, but not active labor yet. You're in the beginning stages and within hours or days you should be in active labor.

[MDever]

The other posters have pretty much said it all. I am hoping that you are well in to labor now and this is a moot point If not I would try some other methods before trying anything medical and I personally would not use that particular medication. I would have lots of sex(yay prostaglandins), pumping and or nipple stimming, even the dreaded castor oil smoothie.