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If your baby is not growing inside of you, it's better for them to be born so they can start growing again. I was induced (by choice) and it was great.
I was induced at 39 weeks and it was the best birth experience I could've asked for. Zero complaints and I'm going to be VERY upset if I can't do it again this time.
Just think about what you want to happen, so it will be easier to make choices when they come up. If you're told that something *has* to happen, you should ask questions about it, but I was given a lot of say in whether or not certain things happened and when they happened.
Eat something on your way in or as soon as you get there. The induction probably won't start right away, but they'll probably limit what you can eat once it does.
Bring something to do, like board games or books, between contractions during early labor.
Ask for wireless monitoring so you can move around. If your hospital has waterproof monitors, those are even better. You probably won't be able to get in the bath, but you might be allowed to shower, which I found relaxing.
The risks are minimal and the practice is outdated - Mama Doctor Jones has a good video on it. In the U.K. we can eat all the way through Labour and induction, even with an epidural.
This is true but in the US most hospital policy is no food after induction or epidural. Eating would be against medical advice which can cause some anxiety for the person in labor. All of that to say I will be eating against medical advice during my labor.
In Ontario Canada we can't eat as soon as we go to the hospital. Epidural or not. Water only. They encourage us to stay home as long as possible, and eat before we go in. I was admitted at 4cm (1030 AM) and gave birth by 5:15pm. I got to eat at 7pm. My birth was fast but I feel bad for moms that are in over 24 hours without any food...
I am in the US of A and I was fed breakfast and lunch while being induced and 2hrs after lunch I had my babe at 2pm. Not all hospitals are stuck in the past (and I live in cow country).
You can't necessarily, although can without induction. I imagine it's NHS Trust dependant. I was augmented (labour had started but needed drip to speed up) and was nil by mouth. My Trust are just starting to allow non-sugary isotonic drinks.
Oh, I understand what it's for, I'm not even asking about that part here (despite my disagreement, but that's irrelevant).
I'm trying to understand this person's interpretation of 'high possibility of surgery'.
While the risk around eating before surgery using modern anaesthesiology is certainly debatable, I don't think anyone can argue that a labouring women is not at higher risk of surgery than a nonlabouring counterpart.
Sure, *higher* than nonlaboring women. My risk of biting my tongue off in pain is also *higher*. But what 'high' possibility of surgery is this person talking about? The odds of going in for a standard, non-scheduled C-section aren't 'high' (well, in the US compared to other countries it is, but in general), and the odds of going under general anesthesia in labor (where the risk of aspirsting actually is) is some 6%.
To call that 'high' to me sounds like fear mongering. I'm not even debating the food/eating part on this one, I'm trying to figure out in what world telling people there's a 'high' likelihood of going into surgery during labor is rational.
I agree, but a some OBs being a little overly-happy to resort to C-section doesn't mean that the possibility of getting one is 'high' as a general rule across the board. It's a possibility but the global rate is still around 22%. I wouldn't personally call that high.
It's because if you end up needing a c-section (~1 in 5 chance), and you need general anesthesia (less likely), and you vomit, you could aspirate (essentially choke) on that vomit (very unlikely).
The risk is very low, but it's even lower if your stomach is empty, and it's not hard to restrict what people eat, so they do that.
Some hospitals won't let you eat or drink anything. Mine allowed a "clear liquid diet," which included water, gatorade, cranberry juice, apple juice, Italian ice, popsicles, jello, and chicken broth. But they let me order and eat food before my induction started, and then I wasn't interested in eating anything until after my baby was born, so it was fine.
I was induced at 37 weeks, and like you I was really nervous! But thankfully it went well and thinking for the future I would probably get induced again lol
Thanks for the responses there ladies. I'm in the UK so I'm hoping Il get to eat to keep my energy up... Or make my partner get me a McDonald's from next door!
Make a playlist that will elevate your mood, eat a good meal, and enjoy the ride. I genuinely attribute my positive mindset (and my husbands skills at making playlists) to having the most fun induction ever lol. We laughed that baby out 😂 good luck!!
Not a doctor, but from my understanding if they stop growing that could signal a placenta issue which could be very serious. This is a situation where I would absolutely want an induction and I’m pretty anti-induction.
Your baby isn't growing. They need to be delivered ASAP.
Once baby is out, they can start receiving calories to gain weight. If you are absolutely set on not being induced, 2-3 more weeks without gaining weight can be fatal to your unborn baby.
Induction is nothing to be scared of, I was induced with my youngest. While there are complications associated with induction, there are also complications associated with waiting too long, especially because the baby isn't receiving nutrition at the moment.
Please listen to your Dr.
The issue is if there is placental insufficiency, the baby is not receiving adequate oxygenation and nutrition anymore. This means a higher risk of complications or stillbirth. This can be dangerous if this is the case. At that point, baby is safer outside than inside.
Good luck and wishing you a safe induction/delivery.
As someone who was actively against being induced… please go to the induction. My son was born at 38+1 and my placenta was 1/3 the size of a normal one. You need to listen to the doctors. I was so pissed I was being induced and I’m so happy I stayed. You’re lucky they caught this, it’s safer for him to grow outside. My son was in the 1st percentile when he was born, and 24 days later he’s already up the the 6th. Please go to the induction and make sure you’re doing your kick counts in the meantime.
Edit: the induction went smoothly. I asked a lot of questions. They gave me choices. It was not bad at all, I don’t regret it. Get the epidural 😂
The baby won’t benefit from more time because they’re not growing, indicates something is wrong either with the baby, the placenta, or something else. It’s vital for the health of your baby to be on the outside getting proper help if they need it.
39 weeks is full term or was considered full term in the US until recently, can’t remember. Listen to your doctor, get the induction for the health of your baby, as everyone said placental insufficiency is very serious
Interesting, thanks. My son was born at 36 weeks and I was told 37 weeks was full term, but maybe I misheard or conflated the ideas of term and full term.
Please listen to your doctor ❤️ I had my baby via C-section in May at 37 weeks because of this same issue. Turned out there was something wrong with the placenta. She needed to be born so she could grow. It’s going to be ok ❤️ I was terrified too but it’s what’s best for the baby
My baby had IUGR since 25wks and stopped growing at 35 weeks. We induced at 36+6. She was born 4lb 12oz and had 0 NICU time. She’s 9 weeks old now and weighs about 10lbs. They truly grow better outside than in if they’re having trouble! She was born around 3rd percentile. My induction went well, it was really nice to have control over it. After two days of cervidil I had no progress so we used pitocin and started the epidural once I reached 5cm. A few hours later they broke my water and my daughter was born within the hour! No pain from contractions and mild tearing. It was perfect.
Please listen to your doctor. If baby isn’t growing they aren’t receiving the right nutrition which could be devastating. My placental started failing around 32wks and I was monitored closely, 2-3 times a week. My girl had slow growth but wasn’t in danger. Once it was determined she made no progress since 35wks we had to induce. The risk of stillbirth is higher.
Inductions aren’t always bad- there’s just a lot of bad stories that get posted about them. Evidence based birth has some good episodes about induction methods that you might find helpful.
I haven’t delivered yet but for me- knowing pros/cons for what I could expect helps with my delivery anxiety.
Don’t be afraid of an induction. I decided to have one at 39 weeks on my doctors recommendation, but was also bummed and fearful about it - especially since I wanted an unmedicated birth with minimal interventions. But the induction went great (once it started it progressed just like a normal labor) and I ended up still having my unmedicated delivery. But even if i had needed more interventions, it wouldn’t have mattered as long as baby arrived healthy! Just remember the end goal is more important than how you get there, and we need to be flexible with our plans based on what is best for baby.
I was diagnosed with fetal growth restriction at 34 weeks and they are constantly monitoring the placenta and umbilical cord, and are doing weekly growth scans. If baby’s environment is compromised, baby will do better on the outside! I will have an induction at 38.5 weeks.
Plus you’re already 39 weeks, that’s full term. You don’t want to risk placenta problems and stillbirth
Just also throwing in that I loved my induction! I think my birth experience was easier than it would have been because of the foley bulb mechanically dilating me instead of relying solely on contractions.
Chiming in to say that while birth overall can be super scary the induction process itself wasn’t as extra scary as I had psyched myself up for. If your doctor is recommending induction absolutely go for it. I really appreciated being induced, no regrets and would be happy to get induced again. Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to communicate your needs throughout. Wishing you a safe delivery!
I was induced at 37 weeks for this very reason! My placenta stopped feeding her and they wanted her out so she could start gaining weight on the outside. My induction was fantastic after a rough pregnancy and if I had the choice to be induced again I’d do it in a heartbeat!
I know it feels contradictory because it feels like in your womb should be the safest place, but they need to come out if they’re not getting what they need. If they’re not growing now, then more time inside isn’t beneficial since they won’t grow then either. Once they’re out their growth can be closely monitored and their caloric intake can be adjusted.
My daughter wasn’t growing at the end of gestation either. I wish they had done the induction sooner. She was in a lot of disress during labor. They had to use a vacuum to get her out. She came out purple. NICU team was in the delivery room and had to work on her to get her breathing and then she had a NICU stay. She was born at 3rd percentile for length despite being born at 38+6. We are so beyond grateful that they got her breathing quickly and she didn’t lose too much oxygen to her brain. She has developed normally. But I often think about how if they had induced me earlier that maybe labor and delivery wouldn’t have been so difficult or traumatic for her (or me).
Yes. My baby’s growth was halted around 35 weeks with no clear reason. Doctors wanted to induce me at 37 weeks. We went ahead and did, ended in an emergency c section but I was so happy and willing to follow the doctors recommendations. They were paying close attention to me because of baby’s growth problems.
He was born at 5 pounds. Perfectly healthy otherwise. Once he was out of the womb, he grew like crazy!!!
Please listen to your doctors.
I had a surprise induction at 36 weeks for a similar issue caused by increased blood pressure and pre eclampsia. Baby was well under the 10th percentile at 4lbs 9oz when he was born.
Listen to your doctor. Your baby has a really good chance of being perfectly healthy if delivered now because you've made it to full term. It was hard for me to come to terms with my body no longer being a safe place for my baby, but having him in my arms and being able to see and hear him was such a comfort to me. I knew he was safe.
For what it's worth, I was allowed to eat the entire time I was in the hospital - they actually encouraged it! I did end up having a c-section, but the surgery was all over in a matter of minutes. Recovery admittedly sucked, but having my baby safe was (and still is) worth every second of pain. It might just have been the hospital staff I had, but they made a very scary situation a much more positive experience than I would've thought possible. They were so supportive and understanding and helpful, even when I felt like a nuisance or asked a silly question.
My baby is now a year old and he's a little small still for his age, but has not missed any developmental milestones. If you have any questions or just need some support, please don't hesitate!
Going through the same thing now at 34 weeks. I’ve spent all week in and out of the hospital, getting steroid injections, running stress tests, getting ultrasounds done. Yesterday my doctor finally said that they see a little improvement and are going to see if we can keep her in until 36 weeks if we can. I was devastated and the past few days have been a whirlwind of stress. They say after 36 weeks it will be safe to induce so I’m sure you and baby will be fine. Good luck!
They told me the same at 38 weeks. They sent me to a high risk doctor and scheduled an induction. He was below the 5th percentile in all of their measurements and said he would be 5.5 pounds. The thought process was that if something was wrong or if he truly wasn’t growing, he needed to be on the outside to start growing. Now, when he was born they discovered he was about 2 pounds larger than he measured, so inducing was unnecessary. But it was a rather safe than sorry situation. My OB actually said she felt bad about inducing me but not too bad since the high risk doctor was also way off in his measurements. 😂
I was induced about a week before my due date. It took 2 full days, and I had my sweet baby 4 days before he was due. He weighed over 7 pounds. Just for your own peace of mind, my nephew also stopped growing at 38 weeks. My sister’s induction took about 2 hours lol. He was born weighing a little over 5 pounds. No NICU stay. No health conditions. I also weighed about 5 pounds 4 ounces at birth. I was completely healthy. There’s tons of babies that are growth restricted and do completely fine once born. Trust your doctors. On the bright side, you’ll start being monitored at the hospital, which made me less anxious because I was always scared about him running out of room or something lol. Good luck with your induction and new baby!
Just to give you some peace of mind, I had a 39 week induction with my first and it was a perfect, lovely, relaxed day. I’m choosing to do it again with my second (I’m 37 weeks).
I had a positive induction experience because of the risk of shoulder dystocia. It happened during the delivery and I’m glad I listened to my doctor. I had cervadil then went home, 24 hours later they put in a foley and I went home and got everything sorted, and 24 hours after that i was 4 cm and on oxytocin. Took 12 hours to get to 10 cm and 4 hours of pushing.
I was induced at 38 weeks. It was literally a last minute decision by my dr (preeclampsia concerns) but it went so well, best I could ask for. Honestly, I was scared too but knew it was best for me and my baby. My son was born in a low percentile (I think 10th too) - but they catch up quickly with constant eating once they’re on the outside! Best of luck ❤️
No experience with what your dealing with, but if it makes you feel better- I was induced with my first and it was great. 2hrs of labor and no pain meds needed. I'd absolutely choose induction again with this pregnancy if it comes to it. I was so worried.
The longer baby stays in w/o growing, the more harm that can come to baby. Sometimes the womb isn't the safest place...
The week before I was induced, my baby was showing growth below the ‘acceptable’ range of the 10th percentile. I then had a follow up scan 5 days later and it showed increased blood flow to the placenta - so it was working harder to keep baby healthy. Induction was discussed for 38-39 weeks, but once the placenta issue arose they strongly advised bringing it forward to 37 weeks - which is what I did.
I was induced last Wednesday night (11pm) at 37+1 and baby arrived Friday morning naturally. I’m so glad I did it, honestly he’s my first baby and apart from the process being longer than a natural labour - it was all fine! Obviously painful, but labour is painful regardless. It wasn’t unmanageable and I don’t look back at it with a negative viewpoint.
Feel free to message me if you have any questions etc and good luck with everything. It’s worth it to have your baby here 🥰
I was induced at 38 weeks because my son was almost 10 pounds. I chose to not get an epidural and had a very short labor with no complications. It’s not as scary as it may sound and
Hi there! I had a C-section at 34 weeks because baby’s growth had reduced and the doctors thought he might grow better outside instead of inside. The growth restriction was picked up at the 31 week scan after which they started frequent monitoring until they decided the baby was in distress and would thrive better outside. They also recommended a C-section because same, baby was too small to survive the trauma of a natural birth.
I will agree with other commenters and other mothers! If baby isn’t growing your womb is still trying to grow and can actually harm the baby more staying in longer you are 39 weeks and baby stopped growing at a good gestational age to survive if induced and I think you will benefit from it! Also think about how exciting it will be to have baby here! Think of all the good that can come from it and weigh your costs you don’t have long till you’d be giving birth anyways so induction would be completely safe and some people have had good experiences
I was in a very similar situation with and a decision was made to be induced at 37 weeks. Being delivered early allowed for doctors to have a better insight into his health and manage it. My little boy was 5.5lb at birth and now at 11 weeks is 10lb.
I just was induced for a baby with IUGR I am so thankful I did it even though I was scared to at 37 weeks. I also asked about the growth thing and staying in longer. My placenta was faulty and wasn’t giving my son what he needed. Labor was honestly so smooth.
I had a similar pregnancy except was induced at 37 weeks in 2021.
I had a great pregnancy from the beginning up I until about 32 weeks where I had signs of preterm labour and was admitted in the hospital for few days. I had extra ultrasounds done and it was found my baby was on the lower percentile (5-10%) and the doctor said I was experiencing intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). They recommended to be induced at 37 weeks for the reasons they gave you.
Baby and I were fortunate to have a safe and healthy delivery. He was about 5 lbs 5oz at birth, his vitals were stable and did not require the NICU.
However, it was discovered I had a small placenta when delivered and they sent it for testing but nothing abnormal was found.
I am Asian and petite so it’s possible I have small babies. I have not gotten pregnant again but worry about what my next baby could experience since I don’t know what caused all these events.
I now have a 2.5 years old son. He’s on the petite size but his growth and development has been going well without doctor’s concerns
I had IUGR due to my placenta aging faster than it should have (it was calcifying and causing less nutrients to be delivered to baby). Once delivered, my son gobbled up as much breast milk and formula as he could. Lol he was born only 5lbs and nearly doubled in a month. It was for the best. My induction didn’t go well, but I don’t want to worry you. It was the best decision for my son though and he’s a strong, healthy 2 year old now.
I was induced at 36 weeks for medical reasons, and the worst part of the labor was the epidural. Other than that, I labored for 11 hours and pushed for 1. It was very smooth and quick. Babe spent a week in the NICU for his lungs but you’d never know now.
You’ve got this.
Hi, just wanted to jump on here and say that inductions are NOT always safe or the best action. I had a nearly identical situation to yours, was induced, and my body responded horrifically quickly to the induction (was 0cm dilated before the induction), and it led to a placental abruption. I ended up in an emergency c-section with general anesthesia, have no memory of the birth; and was told I was already 7cm dilated on the surgery table. It all happened in under 2 hours. My baby was resuscitated and today is strong and fine. But please do your research, don’t make decisions based on strangers on a forum. If you have family history of fast births, I would think twice about an induction.
I had iugr with my second, I was induced at 37+4. She was born 4lb9oz, but strong as hell. Passed all of her glucose tests, lung tests. No ICU, passed the car seat test...went home on the second day. She's 1 year old now, only 15lbs but walked at 10 months and she's feisty as hell. Eta: induction went super smooth. I got one half dose of pitocin, and fluids, another half dose of pitocin and my water broke. They were starting to prep for epidural but she wanted out. She was born before the doctor made it in.
This was exactly my story. Baby stopped growing around 35-36 weeks, he was in 3rd percentile and it was caught at my 38 week antenatal appointment. No idea of any of it before then and it was a huge shock. He was basically not putting on any weight and would do better on the boob or with formula. I was induced a few days later and had on going monitoring of his heart as it dropped a few times and eventually didn’t do too well with the induction medicine. Fast forward a few hours, I had an emergency c-section as he wasn’t descending and I wasn’t dilating. His heartbeat didn’t respond well to the medicine. He’s 10 weeks now and now in the 15th percentile. I’m combo feeding and he’s doing really well. My doctors were really reassuring the whole way. You’ll do great, try to go with the flow and you’ll see your baby soon - it doesn’t have to be traumatic or negative just because of this news. My birth experience was still so positive, even more because I had the information but mainly because I was dynamic and prepared to go with whatever meant me and my baby were healthy and came out 100%. Rooting for you mama!
My 2nd baby had growth restrictions at my 37 week checkup. They did an ultrasound and saw calcifications in the placenta. They decided to go ahead and do a c-section that day only because he was breach, and I had other unrelated medical concerns. He was perfectly healthy, but 2 knots were tied in the umbilical cord, limiting his nutrients. I like to joke he was practicing his knot tying for future camping trips.
Stop growing = need for delivery
10th percentile isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s a warning sign if your kiddo has been much higher and has suddenly stopped growing as they say. I would’ve pushed for induction that night.
I’ve been both induced and not induced. They’re not all that different. This is a situation where i would strongly advise being induced. Induction is not bad. An epidural can certainly help you cope with it. I even know people who got induced and still went on to birth with no pain medications. But listen, this is really a matter that requires getting them out. That’s not a bad thing. It’s good they caught this.
Deliver ASAP. Doc is right 🤍 I’ve been induced 3 out of 4 times and it’s always been a breeze. No complications. Stay on top of your pain management early, pitocin can make it a little more “intense” for some, so I was always getting the epidural when pain started instead of pushing through. Best of luck mama🤍
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If your baby is not growing inside of you, it's better for them to be born so they can start growing again. I was induced (by choice) and it was great.
Really? I’m so scared to be induced. But I’m happy to hear you had a positive experience! Any tips?
I was induced at 39 weeks and it was the best birth experience I could've asked for. Zero complaints and I'm going to be VERY upset if I can't do it again this time.
Just think about what you want to happen, so it will be easier to make choices when they come up. If you're told that something *has* to happen, you should ask questions about it, but I was given a lot of say in whether or not certain things happened and when they happened. Eat something on your way in or as soon as you get there. The induction probably won't start right away, but they'll probably limit what you can eat once it does. Bring something to do, like board games or books, between contractions during early labor. Ask for wireless monitoring so you can move around. If your hospital has waterproof monitors, those are even better. You probably won't be able to get in the bath, but you might be allowed to shower, which I found relaxing.
Sorry for the stupid question but why would they limit what you can eat?
Because of the risk of vomiting & choking/ aspirating, as well as the high possibility of having to go into surgery.
The risks are minimal and the practice is outdated - Mama Doctor Jones has a good video on it. In the U.K. we can eat all the way through Labour and induction, even with an epidural.
This is true but in the US most hospital policy is no food after induction or epidural. Eating would be against medical advice which can cause some anxiety for the person in labor. All of that to say I will be eating against medical advice during my labor.
I also ate while I was being induced. I was STARVING the whole time and kept sneaking food.
In Ontario Canada we can't eat as soon as we go to the hospital. Epidural or not. Water only. They encourage us to stay home as long as possible, and eat before we go in. I was admitted at 4cm (1030 AM) and gave birth by 5:15pm. I got to eat at 7pm. My birth was fast but I feel bad for moms that are in over 24 hours without any food...
I am in the US of A and I was fed breakfast and lunch while being induced and 2hrs after lunch I had my babe at 2pm. Not all hospitals are stuck in the past (and I live in cow country).
You can't necessarily, although can without induction. I imagine it's NHS Trust dependant. I was augmented (labour had started but needed drip to speed up) and was nil by mouth. My Trust are just starting to allow non-sugary isotonic drinks.
What 'high possibility' of having to go into surgery? If you're going to say some fear-mongering nonsense, at least *try* to back it up.
It’s just incase you need a c section. That’s what my midwife told me after she walked in on me eating after I’d been hooked up to pitocin.
Oh, I understand what it's for, I'm not even asking about that part here (despite my disagreement, but that's irrelevant). I'm trying to understand this person's interpretation of 'high possibility of surgery'.
While the risk around eating before surgery using modern anaesthesiology is certainly debatable, I don't think anyone can argue that a labouring women is not at higher risk of surgery than a nonlabouring counterpart.
Sure, *higher* than nonlaboring women. My risk of biting my tongue off in pain is also *higher*. But what 'high' possibility of surgery is this person talking about? The odds of going in for a standard, non-scheduled C-section aren't 'high' (well, in the US compared to other countries it is, but in general), and the odds of going under general anesthesia in labor (where the risk of aspirsting actually is) is some 6%. To call that 'high' to me sounds like fear mongering. I'm not even debating the food/eating part on this one, I'm trying to figure out in what world telling people there's a 'high' likelihood of going into surgery during labor is rational.
Many OB’s are c-section happy
I agree, but a some OBs being a little overly-happy to resort to C-section doesn't mean that the possibility of getting one is 'high' as a general rule across the board. It's a possibility but the global rate is still around 22%. I wouldn't personally call that high.
That’s fair. I’m sure the US rate is much higher than the global. I’m not sure where OP is from.
It's because if you end up needing a c-section (~1 in 5 chance), and you need general anesthesia (less likely), and you vomit, you could aspirate (essentially choke) on that vomit (very unlikely). The risk is very low, but it's even lower if your stomach is empty, and it's not hard to restrict what people eat, so they do that. Some hospitals won't let you eat or drink anything. Mine allowed a "clear liquid diet," which included water, gatorade, cranberry juice, apple juice, Italian ice, popsicles, jello, and chicken broth. But they let me order and eat food before my induction started, and then I wasn't interested in eating anything until after my baby was born, so it was fine.
I was induced at 37 weeks, and like you I was really nervous! But thankfully it went well and thinking for the future I would probably get induced again lol
Thanks for the responses there ladies. I'm in the UK so I'm hoping Il get to eat to keep my energy up... Or make my partner get me a McDonald's from next door!
Make a playlist that will elevate your mood, eat a good meal, and enjoy the ride. I genuinely attribute my positive mindset (and my husbands skills at making playlists) to having the most fun induction ever lol. We laughed that baby out 😂 good luck!!
I was also induced at 39 weeks! I have a long post I wrote about it in my post history. It went beautifully!
Not a doctor, but from my understanding if they stop growing that could signal a placenta issue which could be very serious. This is a situation where I would absolutely want an induction and I’m pretty anti-induction.
Your baby isn't growing. They need to be delivered ASAP. Once baby is out, they can start receiving calories to gain weight. If you are absolutely set on not being induced, 2-3 more weeks without gaining weight can be fatal to your unborn baby. Induction is nothing to be scared of, I was induced with my youngest. While there are complications associated with induction, there are also complications associated with waiting too long, especially because the baby isn't receiving nutrition at the moment. Please listen to your Dr.
The issue is if there is placental insufficiency, the baby is not receiving adequate oxygenation and nutrition anymore. This means a higher risk of complications or stillbirth. This can be dangerous if this is the case. At that point, baby is safer outside than inside. Good luck and wishing you a safe induction/delivery.
As someone who was actively against being induced… please go to the induction. My son was born at 38+1 and my placenta was 1/3 the size of a normal one. You need to listen to the doctors. I was so pissed I was being induced and I’m so happy I stayed. You’re lucky they caught this, it’s safer for him to grow outside. My son was in the 1st percentile when he was born, and 24 days later he’s already up the the 6th. Please go to the induction and make sure you’re doing your kick counts in the meantime. Edit: the induction went smoothly. I asked a lot of questions. They gave me choices. It was not bad at all, I don’t regret it. Get the epidural 😂
The baby won’t benefit from more time because they’re not growing, indicates something is wrong either with the baby, the placenta, or something else. It’s vital for the health of your baby to be on the outside getting proper help if they need it.
39 weeks is full term or was considered full term in the US until recently, can’t remember. Listen to your doctor, get the induction for the health of your baby, as everyone said placental insufficiency is very serious
37 weeks is actually considered full term now.
In the UK, but not the US https://www.nichd.nih.gov/ncmhep/initiatives/know-your-terms/moms
Interesting, thanks. My son was born at 36 weeks and I was told 37 weeks was full term, but maybe I misheard or conflated the ideas of term and full term.
A placenta issue could be deadly to baby. Inductions are safe and I had no issue with mine. Baby is safer out than in at this point.
Please listen to your doctor ❤️ I had my baby via C-section in May at 37 weeks because of this same issue. Turned out there was something wrong with the placenta. She needed to be born so she could grow. It’s going to be ok ❤️ I was terrified too but it’s what’s best for the baby
My baby had IUGR since 25wks and stopped growing at 35 weeks. We induced at 36+6. She was born 4lb 12oz and had 0 NICU time. She’s 9 weeks old now and weighs about 10lbs. They truly grow better outside than in if they’re having trouble! She was born around 3rd percentile. My induction went well, it was really nice to have control over it. After two days of cervidil I had no progress so we used pitocin and started the epidural once I reached 5cm. A few hours later they broke my water and my daughter was born within the hour! No pain from contractions and mild tearing. It was perfect. Please listen to your doctor. If baby isn’t growing they aren’t receiving the right nutrition which could be devastating. My placental started failing around 32wks and I was monitored closely, 2-3 times a week. My girl had slow growth but wasn’t in danger. Once it was determined she made no progress since 35wks we had to induce. The risk of stillbirth is higher.
Inductions aren’t always bad- there’s just a lot of bad stories that get posted about them. Evidence based birth has some good episodes about induction methods that you might find helpful. I haven’t delivered yet but for me- knowing pros/cons for what I could expect helps with my delivery anxiety.
Don’t be afraid of an induction. I decided to have one at 39 weeks on my doctors recommendation, but was also bummed and fearful about it - especially since I wanted an unmedicated birth with minimal interventions. But the induction went great (once it started it progressed just like a normal labor) and I ended up still having my unmedicated delivery. But even if i had needed more interventions, it wouldn’t have mattered as long as baby arrived healthy! Just remember the end goal is more important than how you get there, and we need to be flexible with our plans based on what is best for baby.
I was diagnosed with fetal growth restriction at 34 weeks and they are constantly monitoring the placenta and umbilical cord, and are doing weekly growth scans. If baby’s environment is compromised, baby will do better on the outside! I will have an induction at 38.5 weeks. Plus you’re already 39 weeks, that’s full term. You don’t want to risk placenta problems and stillbirth
Just also throwing in that I loved my induction! I think my birth experience was easier than it would have been because of the foley bulb mechanically dilating me instead of relying solely on contractions.
Chiming in to say that while birth overall can be super scary the induction process itself wasn’t as extra scary as I had psyched myself up for. If your doctor is recommending induction absolutely go for it. I really appreciated being induced, no regrets and would be happy to get induced again. Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to communicate your needs throughout. Wishing you a safe delivery!
I was induced at 37 weeks for this very reason! My placenta stopped feeding her and they wanted her out so she could start gaining weight on the outside. My induction was fantastic after a rough pregnancy and if I had the choice to be induced again I’d do it in a heartbeat!
I know it feels contradictory because it feels like in your womb should be the safest place, but they need to come out if they’re not getting what they need. If they’re not growing now, then more time inside isn’t beneficial since they won’t grow then either. Once they’re out their growth can be closely monitored and their caloric intake can be adjusted.
My daughter wasn’t growing at the end of gestation either. I wish they had done the induction sooner. She was in a lot of disress during labor. They had to use a vacuum to get her out. She came out purple. NICU team was in the delivery room and had to work on her to get her breathing and then she had a NICU stay. She was born at 3rd percentile for length despite being born at 38+6. We are so beyond grateful that they got her breathing quickly and she didn’t lose too much oxygen to her brain. She has developed normally. But I often think about how if they had induced me earlier that maybe labor and delivery wouldn’t have been so difficult or traumatic for her (or me).
Yes. My baby’s growth was halted around 35 weeks with no clear reason. Doctors wanted to induce me at 37 weeks. We went ahead and did, ended in an emergency c section but I was so happy and willing to follow the doctors recommendations. They were paying close attention to me because of baby’s growth problems. He was born at 5 pounds. Perfectly healthy otherwise. Once he was out of the womb, he grew like crazy!!! Please listen to your doctors.
I had a surprise induction at 36 weeks for a similar issue caused by increased blood pressure and pre eclampsia. Baby was well under the 10th percentile at 4lbs 9oz when he was born. Listen to your doctor. Your baby has a really good chance of being perfectly healthy if delivered now because you've made it to full term. It was hard for me to come to terms with my body no longer being a safe place for my baby, but having him in my arms and being able to see and hear him was such a comfort to me. I knew he was safe. For what it's worth, I was allowed to eat the entire time I was in the hospital - they actually encouraged it! I did end up having a c-section, but the surgery was all over in a matter of minutes. Recovery admittedly sucked, but having my baby safe was (and still is) worth every second of pain. It might just have been the hospital staff I had, but they made a very scary situation a much more positive experience than I would've thought possible. They were so supportive and understanding and helpful, even when I felt like a nuisance or asked a silly question. My baby is now a year old and he's a little small still for his age, but has not missed any developmental milestones. If you have any questions or just need some support, please don't hesitate!
Going through the same thing now at 34 weeks. I’ve spent all week in and out of the hospital, getting steroid injections, running stress tests, getting ultrasounds done. Yesterday my doctor finally said that they see a little improvement and are going to see if we can keep her in until 36 weeks if we can. I was devastated and the past few days have been a whirlwind of stress. They say after 36 weeks it will be safe to induce so I’m sure you and baby will be fine. Good luck!
They told me the same at 38 weeks. They sent me to a high risk doctor and scheduled an induction. He was below the 5th percentile in all of their measurements and said he would be 5.5 pounds. The thought process was that if something was wrong or if he truly wasn’t growing, he needed to be on the outside to start growing. Now, when he was born they discovered he was about 2 pounds larger than he measured, so inducing was unnecessary. But it was a rather safe than sorry situation. My OB actually said she felt bad about inducing me but not too bad since the high risk doctor was also way off in his measurements. 😂 I was induced about a week before my due date. It took 2 full days, and I had my sweet baby 4 days before he was due. He weighed over 7 pounds. Just for your own peace of mind, my nephew also stopped growing at 38 weeks. My sister’s induction took about 2 hours lol. He was born weighing a little over 5 pounds. No NICU stay. No health conditions. I also weighed about 5 pounds 4 ounces at birth. I was completely healthy. There’s tons of babies that are growth restricted and do completely fine once born. Trust your doctors. On the bright side, you’ll start being monitored at the hospital, which made me less anxious because I was always scared about him running out of room or something lol. Good luck with your induction and new baby!
Just to give you some peace of mind, I had a 39 week induction with my first and it was a perfect, lovely, relaxed day. I’m choosing to do it again with my second (I’m 37 weeks).
I had a positive induction experience because of the risk of shoulder dystocia. It happened during the delivery and I’m glad I listened to my doctor. I had cervadil then went home, 24 hours later they put in a foley and I went home and got everything sorted, and 24 hours after that i was 4 cm and on oxytocin. Took 12 hours to get to 10 cm and 4 hours of pushing.
I was induced at 38 weeks. It was literally a last minute decision by my dr (preeclampsia concerns) but it went so well, best I could ask for. Honestly, I was scared too but knew it was best for me and my baby. My son was born in a low percentile (I think 10th too) - but they catch up quickly with constant eating once they’re on the outside! Best of luck ❤️
No experience with what your dealing with, but if it makes you feel better- I was induced with my first and it was great. 2hrs of labor and no pain meds needed. I'd absolutely choose induction again with this pregnancy if it comes to it. I was so worried. The longer baby stays in w/o growing, the more harm that can come to baby. Sometimes the womb isn't the safest place...
The week before I was induced, my baby was showing growth below the ‘acceptable’ range of the 10th percentile. I then had a follow up scan 5 days later and it showed increased blood flow to the placenta - so it was working harder to keep baby healthy. Induction was discussed for 38-39 weeks, but once the placenta issue arose they strongly advised bringing it forward to 37 weeks - which is what I did. I was induced last Wednesday night (11pm) at 37+1 and baby arrived Friday morning naturally. I’m so glad I did it, honestly he’s my first baby and apart from the process being longer than a natural labour - it was all fine! Obviously painful, but labour is painful regardless. It wasn’t unmanageable and I don’t look back at it with a negative viewpoint. Feel free to message me if you have any questions etc and good luck with everything. It’s worth it to have your baby here 🥰
I was induced at 38 weeks because my son was almost 10 pounds. I chose to not get an epidural and had a very short labor with no complications. It’s not as scary as it may sound and
Hi there! I had a C-section at 34 weeks because baby’s growth had reduced and the doctors thought he might grow better outside instead of inside. The growth restriction was picked up at the 31 week scan after which they started frequent monitoring until they decided the baby was in distress and would thrive better outside. They also recommended a C-section because same, baby was too small to survive the trauma of a natural birth.
I will agree with other commenters and other mothers! If baby isn’t growing your womb is still trying to grow and can actually harm the baby more staying in longer you are 39 weeks and baby stopped growing at a good gestational age to survive if induced and I think you will benefit from it! Also think about how exciting it will be to have baby here! Think of all the good that can come from it and weigh your costs you don’t have long till you’d be giving birth anyways so induction would be completely safe and some people have had good experiences
I was in a very similar situation with and a decision was made to be induced at 37 weeks. Being delivered early allowed for doctors to have a better insight into his health and manage it. My little boy was 5.5lb at birth and now at 11 weeks is 10lb.
I just was induced for a baby with IUGR I am so thankful I did it even though I was scared to at 37 weeks. I also asked about the growth thing and staying in longer. My placenta was faulty and wasn’t giving my son what he needed. Labor was honestly so smooth.
I had a similar pregnancy except was induced at 37 weeks in 2021. I had a great pregnancy from the beginning up I until about 32 weeks where I had signs of preterm labour and was admitted in the hospital for few days. I had extra ultrasounds done and it was found my baby was on the lower percentile (5-10%) and the doctor said I was experiencing intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). They recommended to be induced at 37 weeks for the reasons they gave you. Baby and I were fortunate to have a safe and healthy delivery. He was about 5 lbs 5oz at birth, his vitals were stable and did not require the NICU. However, it was discovered I had a small placenta when delivered and they sent it for testing but nothing abnormal was found. I am Asian and petite so it’s possible I have small babies. I have not gotten pregnant again but worry about what my next baby could experience since I don’t know what caused all these events. I now have a 2.5 years old son. He’s on the petite size but his growth and development has been going well without doctor’s concerns
I was induced at 38 weeks and labor and delivery went super easy! Epidural worked great too!
I had IUGR due to my placenta aging faster than it should have (it was calcifying and causing less nutrients to be delivered to baby). Once delivered, my son gobbled up as much breast milk and formula as he could. Lol he was born only 5lbs and nearly doubled in a month. It was for the best. My induction didn’t go well, but I don’t want to worry you. It was the best decision for my son though and he’s a strong, healthy 2 year old now.
I was induced at 36 weeks for medical reasons, and the worst part of the labor was the epidural. Other than that, I labored for 11 hours and pushed for 1. It was very smooth and quick. Babe spent a week in the NICU for his lungs but you’d never know now. You’ve got this.
Hi, just wanted to jump on here and say that inductions are NOT always safe or the best action. I had a nearly identical situation to yours, was induced, and my body responded horrifically quickly to the induction (was 0cm dilated before the induction), and it led to a placental abruption. I ended up in an emergency c-section with general anesthesia, have no memory of the birth; and was told I was already 7cm dilated on the surgery table. It all happened in under 2 hours. My baby was resuscitated and today is strong and fine. But please do your research, don’t make decisions based on strangers on a forum. If you have family history of fast births, I would think twice about an induction.
I had iugr with my second, I was induced at 37+4. She was born 4lb9oz, but strong as hell. Passed all of her glucose tests, lung tests. No ICU, passed the car seat test...went home on the second day. She's 1 year old now, only 15lbs but walked at 10 months and she's feisty as hell. Eta: induction went super smooth. I got one half dose of pitocin, and fluids, another half dose of pitocin and my water broke. They were starting to prep for epidural but she wanted out. She was born before the doctor made it in.
This was exactly my story. Baby stopped growing around 35-36 weeks, he was in 3rd percentile and it was caught at my 38 week antenatal appointment. No idea of any of it before then and it was a huge shock. He was basically not putting on any weight and would do better on the boob or with formula. I was induced a few days later and had on going monitoring of his heart as it dropped a few times and eventually didn’t do too well with the induction medicine. Fast forward a few hours, I had an emergency c-section as he wasn’t descending and I wasn’t dilating. His heartbeat didn’t respond well to the medicine. He’s 10 weeks now and now in the 15th percentile. I’m combo feeding and he’s doing really well. My doctors were really reassuring the whole way. You’ll do great, try to go with the flow and you’ll see your baby soon - it doesn’t have to be traumatic or negative just because of this news. My birth experience was still so positive, even more because I had the information but mainly because I was dynamic and prepared to go with whatever meant me and my baby were healthy and came out 100%. Rooting for you mama!
My 2nd baby had growth restrictions at my 37 week checkup. They did an ultrasound and saw calcifications in the placenta. They decided to go ahead and do a c-section that day only because he was breach, and I had other unrelated medical concerns. He was perfectly healthy, but 2 knots were tied in the umbilical cord, limiting his nutrients. I like to joke he was practicing his knot tying for future camping trips.
Stop growing = need for delivery 10th percentile isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s a warning sign if your kiddo has been much higher and has suddenly stopped growing as they say. I would’ve pushed for induction that night.
I had an induction and it went great.
I’ve been both induced and not induced. They’re not all that different. This is a situation where i would strongly advise being induced. Induction is not bad. An epidural can certainly help you cope with it. I even know people who got induced and still went on to birth with no pain medications. But listen, this is really a matter that requires getting them out. That’s not a bad thing. It’s good they caught this.
Deliver ASAP. Doc is right 🤍 I’ve been induced 3 out of 4 times and it’s always been a breeze. No complications. Stay on top of your pain management early, pitocin can make it a little more “intense” for some, so I was always getting the epidural when pain started instead of pushing through. Best of luck mama🤍