Labor Induction

I will be 40 weeks in 2 days, my husband is in the military and will deploy in 2 weeks.  My doctor will not induce because I am effaced yet not dilated, he said he is unable to strip my membranes since I am so closed, I am still at a 0. I have been using Evening Primrose Oil orally for 3 weeks and began using it vaginally for 2 weeks which has helped.  I made the famous Eggplant Parm with loads of oregano and basil.  I work out 7 days a week and have my walking fast with swinging hips a staple.  My husband will be back in tonight for the next 2 weeks before he deploys so we can have sex which the doctor recommended.  He was gone for training for 4 weeks now.  His deployment is for 4 months in Afghanistan so please do not tell me to not rush labor, we had 2 friends die in the past 3 months.  I am full term and my doctor will not induce at all, he said he will not do anything till 42 weeks.  Does anyone have any suggestions??? 

When my water broke I went to the hospital and was still not dilated, so they sent me home. 6 hours later I had my daughter. It can all happen really fast, and hopefully for you it does.
I know that doesn't help at all, but hopefully it can give you some hope that it will happen sooner rather than later.
good luck!

I'm very surprised that your doctor isn't more willing to schedule an induction. My OB couldn't WAIT to schedule mine during my first pregnancy. She made me schedule it 6 weeks before my due date for exactly 41 weeks. They really like to jump the gun in most cases (at least in my experience).

I don't know what else to suggest. I know that castor oil can induce labor but it can also have some nasty side effects and it's not recommended unless your doctor tells you to take it (I think midwives recommend it more than OBs). Here's some info on it:

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/induction/a/cas toroil.htm

I am in no way telling you to use it since I am not in the medical field but it might be something to bring up with your doctor to see what he thinks.

Good luck! I hope everything works out!

ETA: You probably already know this but even though you're at 40 weeks, your baby may not be. Since doctors count forward 40 weeks from your last period, it's not 100% accurate. This may be why your doctor is hesitant to induce labor. The baby may not actually reach 40 weeks until you're at 42 weeks pregnant. Make sense?

I watied 10 days over my due date (past 40 weeks) and then he induced!!  I worked full time up until that day-  AND; that included walking from the train station to the office!  I was 0 dialted by the 10th day and I was like pls.... INDUCE!!

Pineapple.  I swear that helped (I was a week late)

Note that inductions lead to epidurals, and once you've had an epidural, you're more likely to have a C-section.  I say wait.  You'll recover faster from your delivery if you can deliver vaginally.  Inductions don't always work (the doctor is right to not even try yet), and once you're on that road, they'll go for a C-section.  You do NOT want your husband to go to Iraq while you're recovering from a C-section, so be patient.  I've had a vaginal birth & a C-section, and the recovery from the vb was MUCH quicker.

Your doctor is doing the right thing.  40 weeks is not always accurate, and babies born before time even a few weeks can have lung problems, issues with nursing, etc.  You do not want that.

Hey, I scheduled to be induced exactly on my due date. I was 1cent. dilated for about a month but no contractions. It was a tough decision to make but I was too big and could not wait any longer. I was glad I made this choice since my baby had a bowel movement and that could have resulted on worst side-effects if I would have waited a week or so. Also, getting induced does not mean getting an epi. I chose to get the epi but I was given the option of not getting it or getting it. I did not have a c-section and had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. In total, labor was approximately nine hours from start to finish. I guess that everyone's experience is different, depending on your body and your baby. If you thought this through and it is what you want, then tell your doctor.

Keep us posted. Good luck

Nothing worked for me all 3 of mine were 2 weeks to the day late.  All 3 came the morning of the induction on their own.  I was stripped many times and it did nothing.

I even tried Castro oil (near the ex-lax)  3 tbsp with OJ and chug.  Don't let the oil touch your tongue It taste like melted plain chap stick.  It will make you go to the bathroom A LOT. But hey no poop on the table.  It causes cramps sometimes too.  After all that It still may not work.

I second pineapples plus they are yummy.  Fresh is best. 

walk walk walk do you have a treadmill?  watch Tv and walk for a bit sit and chill do it again

Start a project,  He/She may decide to start interrupting you now.  They know the most inconvenient times.

On the plus side I had 5 hours of labor max.  If I add the total hours for all 3 I was in labor for less then 13 hour.

When he gets home have fun with him. Lots of big "o"'s and nipple stim. 

Oh and spicy but dont mix that with the oil.  Bad combo.  wait a week and ask Dr. if you are closer. 

have them check amnio fluid levels, tell them you are getting cramps (not bracks but cramps)  and dizzy. 

Ah, military docs. As much as everyone thinks government run health care will save the system, those of us IN government health care definitely know the disadvantages.

What service are you guys in? Is there a chance your hubby can arrange for a delayed arrival date? It takes some time, but two weeks should be enough... My friend's husband had his commanding officer arrange for an early return because she was having a baby... If his orders have already been cut, it means that the deployment office will need to rewrite them and have the General sign off on it, but sometimes that's easy enough to do.

I hope it works out! In the meantime... spicy food! :)

Sex, sex, SEX! Inductions are done sometimes using prostaglandin vaginal suppositories. Semen contains prostaglandins in abundance. (Children, turn away!) Prop your butt up with a pillow and get your legs up high! Make sure to stay there for a while afterwards. Got to make sure to let those hormones drench your cervix. It worked for me. Plus, it's lots of fun, and after the baby comes there won't be any more. If nothing else it is an enjoyable pastime and preferable to any medical method. LOL Good luck!

speaking out vaginal suppositories   PLEASE do NOT let them give you (or anyone)  Misoprostol (Cytotek)  It's used for ulcer treatment and "off label" to start labor.  It can cause your uturus to erupt.  they brake a pill up and apply it so if you have a adverse reaction they can not remove it.  Here is wiki link about it.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytotec

There is a safe suppositorie it looks like a OB tampon with a string so it can be pulled out. 

I had Miso with my first, never heard of it before then and was in labor so couldn't check it.  I was fine but there is always a chance.  And if there is something safer I would use that. 

Oh and sex is the funnest.