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How Will My Baby Be Born?

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am 38 weeks pregnant today and 2cm dilated but baby's head is to high only 1 5th engaged. I wanted an early induction like my last child but they said it's to risky to break my waters as baby's head is too high and there is a risk of cord prolapse. They don't give the prostin gel after the third baby as this over stimulates the womb making baby unhappy and this is my sixth.

I wanted to know if I go over due what will they do if they can't do any of the 2 induction methods.

ANSWER

There are other induction methods that are safer for women who have had more than 5 babies. But the key, from what you say, is to stop stressing about when the baby will come. The best way to get into labor is to ignore it, so you don't make the stress hormone adrenaline, which stops labor.

Have some fun with your other kids, have a date with your husband, visit a friend, see a movie. Try to do things you won't be able to do once the baby is born. Good luck!

-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.