induction

Pregnancy

Common Induction Drug, Pitocin, Found to Affect Newborns

It's one of the most commonly thrown-about terms in the third trimester — induction.

It's one of the most commonly thrown-about terms in the third trimester — induction. For pregnant women who are past their due dates, and those who've been laboring for what feels like forever, receiving a dose of Pitocin (a brand of oxytocin) is often music to their ears. The commonly used hormone can kick labor into high gear and increase the rate of contractions during labor, bringing moms-to-be that much closer to delivering their babies.

After years of use, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) just released a study finding that Pitocin may have adverse effects on newborns. Their research shows that full-term babies whose moms received the hormone have a higher risk for being admitted to the NICU and receive lower Apgar scores five minutes after birth. Though the doctors are not recommending that the hormone be removed from labor and delivery units, they are suggesting that "oxytocin use may not be as safe as once thought and that proper indications for its use should be documented for further study."

Knowing this, would you try to avoid being induced — or receiving Pitocin to move a labor along — in the future?

Pregnancy

10 Things to Know Before Being Induced

As expectant mamas, we assume that our babies will make their debuts when they are good and ready.

As expectant mamas, we assume that our babies will make their debuts when they are good and ready. So many women are thrown for a loop when the doctor announces it's time for the wee one to arrive via induction. Whether the procedure is scheduled because the infant is overdue or based on the amniotic fluid levels, there are a few things mothers should know about being induced. Here's what I learned after being induced twice.

Pregnancy

When Birth Plans Go Awry: I Was Induced Three Times

It's the climax of all maternity movies — that pinnacle scene when the woman's water breaks and the frenzied couple race to the hospital.

It's the climax of all maternity movies — that pinnacle scene when the woman's water breaks and the frenzied couple race to the hospital. It's the day that you envision the moment that your pregnancy is confirmed — when your baby finally decides it's time to meet you. Well, that scenario didn't happen for me.

There was no scramble to pack a bag or pull into the hospital's unloading zone, just me in a sterile smock two weeks overdue and exhausted from having walked my feet off, had sex, indulged in spicy foods, and done everything else I read would bring on labor, listening to my doctor say he was admitting me for induction. The news thrilled my husband, but he wasn't the one signing the papers to have our offspring evicted from my body. I was, and hadn't planned on it. I hadn't had caffeine while pregnant, and now they were going to pump me full of drugs and force my child out. So, I cried. To see what happened, read more

Pregnancy

Bringing Out Baby: Test Your Induction Knowledge

Many mamas-to-be aren't playing the waiting game as they anticipate the arrival of their lil ones.

Many mamas-to-be aren't playing the waiting game as they anticipate the arrival of their lil ones. According to new research, labor inductions nearly doubled between 1992 and 2003, bringing more babies into the world before a pregnancy reaches 40 weeks. Labor induction isn't always on an expectant mama's birth plan, so take this quiz to see just how much you know about the process.

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community

Every Child Has a Birth Story, Share Yours

A person's story starts before he or she is born.

A person's story starts before he or she is born. Heritage, conception, and pregnancy aside, there's an amazing tale to be told of how each baby enters the world. Here is my son's:

It was 3:53 a.m., almost 14 hours after I had been admitted for induction, and the monitor was no longer picking up my baby's heartbeat. The doctors rushed in and told me to push — I needed to deliver immediately! I bared down and practically threw myself across the room, but it wasn't enough. I didn't have time to breathe. Things became calm chaos — I was advised about the possible use of forceps and/or suction and that a room was being prepped for an emergency c-section. For a split second, I almost panicked, wondering if I would be able to do get my child out. The enormity of the situation hit me, but before I had time to even comprehend it, my husband vented his helpless frustration, turning and saying, "Get the baby out now!" the same way they say "Move that bus!" on Extreme Home Makeover. Holding back laughter, I pushed, giving it all I had, and felt every bit of my 10 lb. 2 oz. son — his head, his shoulders, his legs — leave my body. We welcomed him to the world at 4 a.m. Those were the seven most intense minutes of my life and perhaps also the most rewarding because our family of five was complete.

Share your child's story in our Birth Stories group over in the LilSugar Community.

Pregnancy

Did Your Doctor Schedule Delivery Before Your Due Date?

A due date is just an estimation of when a baby is expected to arrive, but most doctors will say that a wee one's debut is not set in stone.

A due date is just an estimation of when a baby is expected to arrive, but most doctors will say that a wee one's debut is not set in stone. For various reasons from mama's health to fluid levels and the positioning of the babe to convenience, deliveries are sometimes scheduled. Did your doctor pencil you in prior to your due date?

childbirth

How Well Do You Know Induction Terms?

There's much focus on home births and cesarean sections these days so many women are unaware of labor induction until their doctors suggest it.

There's much focus on home births and cesarean sections these days so many women are unaware of labor induction until their doctors suggest it. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, in 2005 the rate of induction of labor was 22.3 percent. That is double the number of inductions conducted in 1990. Since rates have increased so quickly, let's see how well-versed you are in your induction terminology.

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Take the Quiz

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me?: Induction

It's the climax of all maternity movies — that pinnacle scene when the woman's water breaks and the frenzied couple race to the hospital.

It's the climax of all maternity movies — that pinnacle scene when the woman's water breaks and the frenzied couple race to the hospital. It's the day that you envision the moment that your pregnancy is confirmed — when your baby finally decides it's time to meet you. Well, that scenario didn't happen for me.

There was no scramble to pack a bag or pull into the hospital's unloading zone, just me in a sterile smock two weeks overdue and exhausted from having walked my feet off, had sex, indulged in spicy foods and done everything else I read would bring on labor, listening to my doctor say he was admitting me for induction.

The news thrilled my husband, but he wasn't the one signing the papers to have our offspring evicted from my body. I was, and hadn't planned on it. I hadn't had caffeine while pregnant, and now they were going to pump me full of drugs and force my child out. So, I cried.

But before I knew it, the pill they had inserted made me dilate and the dreaded Pitocin drip was bringing on contractions. The next morning, on leap year, my fashionably late and awe-inspiring daughter made her debut.

The books talk about the physical way most women have babies, but whether you are induced, have a c-section or adopt; it doesn't make any difference when you meet your child.

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