Just in case you’re interested in catching up on baby #3 updates so far, here are all of my baby/pregnancy-related posts in one place:
- Pregnancy Announcement: Our Family is Growing!
- Baby #3: All the Details (So Far)
- 27 Weeks with Baby #3
- PBF Baby #3: Pregnancy Weeks 28-30
And now here is a recap of how the past month of pregnancy has been going around here along with some random thoughts and birth plan considerations I’ve been tossing around lately…
Note: These recaps were written in real time, so you’ll notice I’m writing in the present tense in both sections. I just felt the need to specify so as not to be confusing!
PBF BABY #3: WEEKS 31-34
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31 & 32 Weeks Pregnant
(31 weeks pregnant — These were the only belly shots I had from that week!)
Weeks 31 and 32 of my pregnancy blurred together largely because I’ve spent most of them in Florida with my family but also because the way I’ve been feeling from week-to-week is rather similar. I keep telling Ryan how fortunate I feel that this pregnancy has truly felt like the easiest of all of my pregnancies and I worry that by saying this I will somehow jinx myself but I’m choosing to focus on feeling incredibly grateful to be experiencing what I can only call a relatively “easy” pregnancy from a physical standpoint.
This experience also makes me think about just how varied women’s pregnancies are from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy. Having experienced some really rough nausea that lasted well into my second trimester and surfaced again in my third trimester in past pregnancies and sacroiliac pain that made it incredibly painful to even walk for weeks when I was pregnant with Chase (that was truly BRUTAL), I feel like it’s so incredibly important for expectant mothers to give ourselves grace when our bodies are changing so much and growing a baby. I remember feeling discouraged when I’d read about women loving pregnancy when I was so nauseated and frustrated because I couldn’t walk around our house without experiencing stabbing pain and was admittedly a bit disheartening so I just feel the need to include this here because while I want to be honest and share that this pregnancy has, comparatively, been much easier for me, I know how it feels to be pretty discouraged and frustrated during pregnancy as well, despite having a heart filled with gratitude and excitement.
(32 weeks pregnant)
But back to the past two weeks! Things are going well and, for the most part, I feel like I’m trucking right along. The shortness of breath I mentioned in my last pregnancy recap surfaced again a couple of times over the course of the past two weeks but felt a little more extreme. While I felt like I could always breathe and take deep breaths, at the same time I felt really stifled and uncomfortable when sitting on a handful of occasions. When this happened, I needed to stand up or lie down for a few minutes and focus on breathing deeply. This helped every time but I can only describe the breathless feeling as an almost claustrophobic feeling, despite the ability to still breathe fairly normally. It was very strange!
I also had a couple of back-to-back nights of what I can only assume was pregnancy-related insomnia. I was up for several hours around 3 a.m. but the little baby in my belly was up with me kicking and flipping around so at least I had some company. Ha!
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33 & 34 Weeks Pregnant
(33 weeks pregnant)
I went back to the doctor for an in-person visit at 33 weeks and also returned to maternal and fetal medicine for a growth scan since Chase was such a little guy when he was born (5 lbs. 10 oz.) and my doctors want to keep an eye on things. I learned that our baby is face down (a change from my 30-week exam) which was good news and his or her size is trending closer to Ryder’s size (he was 7 lbs. 7 oz.). Our baby is already approximately 4 lbs. 10 oz.! During the ultrasound, they were able to show me little spikes of hair on our baby’s head which was just amazing! I cannot wait to see what hair color this one has since Chase was such a blondie when he was born and Ryder’s hair was so dark! Maybe this little one will have red hair and really keep us guessing!? (I was actually born with red hair!)
In terms of how I’m feeling physically, just when I thought pregnancy insomnia was going to be a little blip in my pregnancy experience this time around, it surfaced again with a bang. Numerous times I’d find myself wide awake in the middle of the night for hours and couple that with already waking up to go to the bathroom a million times a night and the 33rd week of my pregnancy was one of my most restless. Yeesh! Needless to say, I’ve had a few days where I’ve felt very low-energy all day long which can be a challenge with two extremely active boys to care for all day!
With increasing frequency, I’ve also noticed Braxton Hicks contractions. The lower half of my belly gets extremely hard for short periods of time multiple times a day right now. It’s not painful at all but the rock-hard sensation isn’t exactly comfortable, though it tends to soften again rather quickly. Odd things like getting out of bed in the middle of the night seem to trigger my Braxton Hicks contractions which is kind of crazy to me!
My appetite is strange but mostly consistent with the rest of this pregnancy. I’m ravenous in the morning and then my appetite tapers through the day and often I find myself completely disinterested in dinner. Despite not really caring about dinner too much, I still have to eat a decent amount in the evening otherwise I become quite nauseated but know that after 4 p.m. most days food will sound less and less appealing with the exception of fruit and ice cream which I’m eating a LOT of these days.
As far as fitness is concerned, my workout motivation ebbs and flows. I have a pretty low pressure approach to exercise during pregnancy and try to listen to my body and exercise when I feel good and energetic and take a day or two off when I don’t. This usually flushes out to four(ish) workouts a week and they’re almost all strength based since I feel like all the walking I do chasing after the boys has to count as some kind of cardio, right!? You may see what a full week of my workouts looked like at 33 weeks pregnant in this post: Week of Workouts (33 Weeks Pregnant).
The Transition from Two to Three
Aside from how I’m feeling physically, I’ve noticed some increasing concerns about the transition from two children to three children begin to bubble up in the back of my mind. Though we obviously wanted our first two kids closer together in age than three years apart, the three year age difference ended up being really nice for a myriad of reasons. While life with two kids versus one newborn was admittedly a lot more chaotic and intense (zero breaks + downtime ever!), the fact that our oldest child was three years old meant he had the ability to understand what was happening and why things around him were changing. With Ryder having only recently turned two years old, I’m admittedly more concerned about how he’ll handle life with a new baby that will require so much attention.
(34 weeks pregnant)
Thankfully I have a handful of girlfriends who went through life with a newborn and a two-year-old before me and all have been very honest with me when they’ve shared that the closer age difference made things quite challenging at times so I feel like I have reasonable expectations. I’m not expecting a cake walk! Haha!
I cannot help but be a little anxious about everything and I think a lot of these feelings surfaced after Chase’s birthday which, while a special day for our family, was also a bit of a challenging day for Ryder. On Ryder’s birthday it was easy for Chase to understand that the presents were for his brother and that he could play with them, too, but only after the birthday boy had a chance first. Ryder didn’t get this concept at all and the whole day was a little overwhelming and frustrating for him. I am just concerned with how to properly prepare Ryder and communicate with a child who seems to grasp so much but is still just a little guy who is growing and learning and dealing with very BIG emotions every day. I also don’t want to downplay how the transition will be for Chase but, at five years old, I’m less worried about him acting out and not being able to express how he’s feeling if things are upsetting him, especially since he handled it well last time and seems to be beyond excited about this little one’s arrival.
Considering a 39 Week Induction
One of the biggest developments from a labor and delivery perspective over here is the fact that I’m considering a 39 week induction. It’s something I’ve discussed with three different doctors (one doctor from maternal and fetal medicine and two doctors from my ob/gyn practice, one whom I trust immensely as she was incredibly helpful to me following my miscarriages and the doctor I began to exclusively see during my pregnancy with Ryder) and all three doctors are fully supportive of this decision if it’s my desire. There are a number of factors that will play into this decision from a medical perspective but, ultimately, my doctors are allowing me to make the decision for myself. I find myself waffling back and forth about this every day and would welcome induction experience stories from any of you out there who were induced. It’s uncharted territory for me as I went into labor naturally with Chase (at 38 weeks) and Ryder (on his due date).
I initially thought a 39 week induction would increase my risk for a c-section but, according to all three doctors I spoke with, this was not the case at all. (My maternal and fetal medicine doctor referred me to this study and actually called 39 weeks a “sweet spot” for mom and baby when it came to delivery.) This definitely further piqued my interest in a 39 week induction but I’m on the fence since I had good labor and delivery experiences with both boys. Still, my doctors seem confident that given my history, an induction should progress smoothly, though labor might be longer than it would if I went into labor naturally. This doesn’t bother me too much since an epidural is definitely in my birth plan. Anyway, this feels like a big decision and one I’m going back and forth about on a daily basis! Mamas who were induced, please tell me how everything went for you! I’d love to hear experiences, especially from any of you out there who might be moms to more than one kid who went into labor naturally for one child and then also had an induction for another child.
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Hi Julie!
I was induced at 39 weeks on the dot with my second. It was the easiest, most peaceful delivery and I would do it again in a heartbeat! 6 hours start to finish, very easy recovery, and it was so nice to have a “plan” – especially with coordinating care for my oldest. I went back and forth for weeks beforehand (the internet can be a scary place!), but ultimately decided it felt right for our family. Our doctor was also fully supportive, like you mentioned of yours. Just wanted to share another positive experience, especially since the horror stories tend to outnumber the good experiences online!
Thoughts and prayers for a healthy mom, baby, and delivery no matter what you decide!
I had both my children over age 40. My first one came naturally at 38 weeks. I was getting nervous about the 2nd child at 39 weeks because of my age (44) – even though I had absolutely no health concerns. I was scheduled to get induced and went into labor naturally about 10 hours prior and delivered my sweet son. I think knowing that I had this scheduled gave me peace of mind.
Hi – I had an absolutely horrible induction and ultimately a c-section. All of which I never wanted and would 100% never recommend. I had to be induced for blood pressure concerns, but being my first child I listened to the doctors and that to me was a mistake because I knew my body would not react well to anything being done unnaturally and I was right. Then everything inside of me got infected and I had to be admitted back to the hosp (without my baby!) a day after I returned home from giving birth only to stay in the hosp another week because I was so bad. Almost died bc my bp then was at dangerous levels bc of all the infection in me from everything that had been done to me that my body was not ready for. It sounds like you’ve had great birthing experiences where everything was natural – I would have done anything to have had that and to me personally – I think the drs are on board with it bc it’s scheduled and that works better for them. My drs continually pushed for me to be induced well before 40 weeks and I didn’t think that was right to pressure a mom into that. I had to keep telling them no every appt and insisted that I was having my child naturally. It sounds like you’re the one asking your drs about it though (not the reverse) but at the end of the day I think you just have to do what you feel works for your body bc everyone is so different. Good luck!
I was induced with both my boys…at 41+ weeks each. Both went really smoothly…I only laboured for less than 3 hours each time…so I’d say my experience with induction was really positive!
I was induced at 38weeks and 6 days. The doctor broke my water (I was already 4cm dialated) and started Pitocin at the same time. The contractions immediately became super intense within 10-15 mins. My labor was hard and quick (I delivered in a few hours). So quick in fact, that I didn’t have time to get an epidural, and my doctor didn’t make it to the delivery (she was at her office and didn’t think my first baby would come that quickly). Additionally, I had third degree tearing which required an hour of stitching and made recovery a little more challenging. In hind site, I should have advocated that she break my water and let labor progress more “naturally” before starting Pitocin. I blame the hard quick labor on that. BUT, just a few weeks ago my sister was induced at 39 weeks. She was present at my son’s birth and advocated for a different experience. She was only 1cm dialated so they used a Foley bulb catheter to help dialate her, then broke her water when she was 4cm. After a few hours they started Pitocin. She then got an epidural and took a nap for 3 hours. When she felt pressure in her bottom, they checked her and she was ready to push. After 7 mins of pushing, her daughter arrived! Additionally, she had previously had a C-section (required for a complication during her first pregnancy) so her induction resulted in a successful VBAC!
Two inductions, same gestation, and two vastly different experiences! I am sure you are doing thorough research, I think that if you advocate for as “gentle” induction as possible, things are likely to go well!
Had an induction with my first (at 38 weeks, 4 days) and it was miserable. Ended up having him by emergency C at 39 weeks exactly. By the time we ended up leaving the hospital, we had been there for a full week and went home so incredibly sleep deprived. Would never ever want to do that again! Went into labor naturally with my second at 39 weeks exactly and had a fast and easy VBAC. Was a hugely redemptive experience! I’m 27 weeks with my third and hoping to go into labor naturally again and have a vaginal delivery sometime around 39 weeks. Obviously you can’t really plan these things but given the choice I would never choose an induction.
I’m quite surprised to hear you’re considering an induction! I would never think twice about it, with all the horror stories i’ve heard about forcing your body to do something its not ready to do, and ending up with extremely long and painful labors/c sections… by your third baby I’d think things would happen very quickly/smoothly for you anyways. I am surprised by the comments above with successful inductions. I guess you just never know how your body will handle the meds! Praying you find peace in your decision <3
A former coworker of mine refused an induction, went to 42 weeks and her daughter has permanent brain damage. Another friend of a friend refused a scheduled c section and went 3 weeks past her due date and the baby died. Inductions aren’t always horror stories and letting your body wait til its ready can be dangerous too. So lets not judge.
not even going to address the comment made after mine, but Julie nothing I said was meant to be made in judgement, if you feel that way I do apologize! I just love you and your sweet family. Nothing but love for you all.
This ☝🏼☝🏼. I’m surprised too but I am sure we don’t know the entire background as to why she would be induced. Induction is scary and increases your chances of several interventions and a c—section (which has its own big risks)! Julie please discuss the medically necessary risks for why you should be induced vs waiting for labor to occur naturally. I say this from a point of love and grace and know that you and Ryan will do what is right for your baby, no matter which route you take. I am sure this is very overwhelming and I pray you find peace in your decision. ❤️
Congrats on this successful pregnancy, I have followed the blog for a long time and am so happy for you and you’r family. My older daughter just tuned 4, my younger daughter will be 2 in September and omg the drama over the gifts was too much!
It seems like I am in the minority but I was induced with my first and it was awful. I will spare you all the details but it went on for 25 hours and ended in an emergency c-section. Everyone was fine, but I would not recommend anyone opt for an induction unless there is a medical reason to do so. I hate to be Debbie downer but I always appreciate your honesty on the blog .
I was induced at 39 weeks with my first because of Pupps. Fast and easy labor: 4 hours, epidural, 15 minutes of pushing. Ten years later I planned to get induced at 39 weeks with my 2nd baby but she decided to come 2 days early on her own. I still had to have a little pitocin to help things progress but another fast easy labor: 6 hours, epidural, 2 pushes and she was out. You never know how your body will handle it but I would say just keep an open mind because inductions can be successful.
I had a wonderful induction experience! Everything was smooth from start to finish. It ended up being such a blessing for medical reasons as well. Wishing you all the best as you enter your final weeks of pregnancy!
Thank you for sharing about your previous SI joint pain! I am currently 32 weeks pregnant and mine just started, have a hard time walking, seems very similar to what you had with your first pregnancy. I went back and looked at some workouts you posted back then and I will try that, definitely is nice to know I am not alone experiencing this!
I was induced at 39 weeks for my first pregnancy because of high blood pressure. Overall it went pretty smoothly and it was a “gentle induction” ; they just used cervodil both inserted and orally and between that and walking it was enough to get things going and my water broke naturally. No pitocin was required, I would definitely recommend asking for that at first! Thanks for sharing your day to day and best of luck with your decision!
I wasn’t clear on why you’d like to be induced? Sounds like many positive experiences shared 🙂
I was induced on my due date for my first baby and it did not go well. It went on forever and ended in an emergency c-section. I really believe he was just not ready to come. I went into labor naturally with my second baby (9 days late) and everything went smoothly and I had a successful VBAC. I do have friends who have been induced and had great experiences. I guess you never know how it will go?!
I was induced at 39 weeks for my third. It was an easy labor and my son was born in two hours with no interventions and no epidural. It was the right decision for our family.
Re:Audrey—I was going to mention this too – from what I researched and experienced no epidural improves the outcome i.e. no-emergency c section. I had 2 natural childbirths (labor occurred naturally the first time and I was induced for medical reasons at 39 weeks the second). I am the biggest baby with pain and I managed it- you can too! It was easier to mentally handle no epidural with an induction because you have the plan and can prepare. Both labors, I also used a doula for alternative pain management (breathing, visualization, way too many other techniques to list – leave that to a professional, even the best well intentioned partner can’t compete with the labor services provided by a doula!). It frees the partner up to just be there for love and general support. I loved having both there 100% of the time and my partner might have loved the doula more than me because she actually helped him maximize his role, not minimize it. My induction labor was 9 hours, but again, it all felt very manageable. The worst part of pain is the surprise of it and inductions take the surprise away. Hope everything goes well for you all! Best wishes!
Hi Julie! I was induced due to IUGR concerns at 38 weeks. While in this case, it was important for the health of my baby and I recognize that everyone has different induction experiences, mine was not a positive one. The drugs works extremely fast on my body, resulting in going from 0 to 7 in a matter of only 4 hours. Due to the unnatural acceleration of labor, I was vomiting and felt like total garbage going into birth. Again, just personal experience, but something to consider since it’s definitely not a “natural” process like you have experienced previously.
I also had a very negative experience with induction. I was induced at 42 weeks, so I really had no other options. I labored for 18 hours before my epidural fell out. (Yes that’s a thing that they never tell you about). To this day I can remember every one of those pitocin contractions, and my son is 6. I ended up with an emergency c-section with quite a long recovery. Obviously many stories are far more positive than mine. However, I would say if you really want to avoid a C, don’t get induced. Two of my SILa are labor nurses, and they claim there is definitely a correlation between inductions and c sections. Good luck!!!
I’m thinking of you, Julie! What are the clear benefits or rationale for inducing? Is it so you can make sure Chase and Ryder have childcare (SUPER important…I get it!, esp. in a pandemic!) or is there another reason not to go full gestation? My first son was born 38 weeks and a few days when my water broke spontaneously. Short labor and loved the epidural. For my second, I think I went to the hospital too early (38.5 weeks but contractions sort of fell apart when I got there) and basically had an induction follow. I really wish I’d stayed home because that labor took alllllllll night and nothing truly happened until my OB broke my water at 10 AM the next day. He was born 30 minutes after that. Both boys are healthy and happy and I truly can’t complain. Inductions can take a long time. The third time around I would trust your body (within 40 weeks, not post-dates, duh!) to bring the baby when he/she is ready. Whatever choice you make is right for your family!
I was induced with my first baby at 36 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. The contractions were terrible, I felt sick, and labor lasted a long time. I got an epidural. They eventually had to use the vacuum thing to help get the baby out. I had my next two babies naturally, one 2 days before my due date and one 2 weeks before my due date. The labors for both were fast and although of course, painful, not as painful as the contractions for the induced labor. I did not have an epidural or anything with the other two. The recovery was much easier with the second 2.
I was induced with my 2nd and loved it. No regrets at all! It was so easy to make sure my older child had care that day, that we were at the hospital in time and that all the bloodwork and prep was ready for the epidural. It was the easiest (and also most boring) day ever which was exactly what I wanted for my birth plan.
Hi! Love your posts – I think whatever decision YOU make for YOUR child as far as a 39 week induction or not, is the right one. YOU know YOUR body and baby better than anyone. I have a question – where do you get your shorts? Specifically in this one the neon pair and the black pair? I love the length and the dolphin hem.
Thank you!
I can’t agree with this post more! I always feel so bad for you, Julie, or any blogger, when you post about something where there are different perspectives and very different opinions about things. There are certain situations where there’s not just one right answer. I’ve been trying to teach my children that not everyone thinks exactly the same way on all issues and that can be okay! I tell them that if their entire class went to Baskin-Robbins for field trip, not everyone is going to choose the same flavor and that is okay – I mean, how boring would that be! But I feel like sometimes they’re certain issues, especially having to do with mothering, where people are just so opinionated and if you don’t agree with the way they think then they think you are wrong. We have to be able to be more open-minded and realize that everyone is different and that there truly can be more than one right answer. I think it’s great that people have given you glimpses into their experiences. But ultimately it is between you, Ryan, and your doctor! You will make the right decision for you!
I was thinking about Ryder and I think it might be great to get him a little baby when the baby arrives. My mom always talks about how when she would nurse me my older brother Shane would nurse his baby George. It still cracks me up to this day. But I think it made him happy and excited to think that he had a baby to take care of just like Mommy did. I could see that may be working out well with Ryder. You are going to be an amazing mom of three!
I was induced at 39 weeks for cholestasis. I wanted a natural birth and at 24 hours of labor I ended up getting an epidural then at 36 hours they called it and took me in for a C-section. I know women who get induced and it happens fast and their bodies respond. Mind did not and with multiple ways to try to get me to dilate I only ever got to 4cm. Being in labor that long and getting a C-section is not the same as a planned C-section and it was very difficult.
Unless there is an underlying medical reason as for why you would want to be induced early, I would wait and let it happen naturally. Especially if that’s what worked for your other two.
Whatever you decide I hope and wish for you to have a happy healthy baby!!!
I went into labor naturally with my son, my first, at 39 + 2. Had to get pitocin to get from 6 to 10 cm as my progression stalled. My daughter was frank breech the entire pregnancy. I had an ECV done at 38+2 where they manually rotate baby externally and was induced to keep her from flipping back. Things went really slow until they didn’t. It took me 9 hours to get to 4 cm. I went from 4 to pushing in 30 minutes and my dr almost missed the delivery stuck in traffic. Pitocin contractions are no joke. Both deliveries were unmedicated. Personally unless there is a medical reason I would not induce but at 39 weeks baby should be fine developmentally. Good luck!
I was induced 4 days before my due date. I really liked having a plan and knowing when my baby would come. Things didn’t exactly go as planned for me, however. I ended up getting pitocin, having my water broken, but I simply would not dilate past 4cm, so I ended up with a c-section. Since this was my first and only child, I have no idea if that would have happened even if I’d gone into labor naturally. That being said, I still don’t regret being induced! I know it can be bad for some, but c-section recovery for me was not bad at all and I loved being able to make arrangements with my work, family could make travel plans, etc. For me it was worth it! Whatever you decide, I wish you a good experience and a healthy baby!
Hi Julie,
Well, today is my due date and our little one is in no rush to greet the world, so I’m actually scheduled for induction next Wednesday. At first I was petrified (this is our first child) but I spoke to a number of friends who have echoed most of the commenters. The big positives, I’m told, are being able to plan the whole experience, assuming your little one doesn’t dhow up early and you go into labor naturally, and also that pain management (having the epidural) can make things a lot less tiring/easier than if you labor in pain for a while first. Assuming our little bug doesn’t show up early and toast our plans, I’m happy to check back in and let you know how it goes. Also worth noting, if you do get induced, they have you take the COVID test a few days prior (around here anyway), so you know your results definitively, which can help plan your hospital experience in these oh so interesting times. Sounds like you’re doing great and sending warm thoughts and prayers for an easy end of pregnancy and birth your way.
Wow….reading all these comments you can tell every women has a very different experience. As a nurse and a mother of two….make the best decision for you and your baby. Whatever it is it will be the right one and your medical team will support you. I personally was induced for both my babes, and although I’d say it was slightly more intense I was SO happy with the experience. It worked well for me personally, and I had two successful vaginal births. Women creating fear around birthing and interventions does nothing to support other women…..
I wish you a happy and healthy mom and baby. And can’t wait to hear about the arrival 🙂
Hi Julie! I was induced at 39 weeks and like 4 days with my daughter because I am a type 1 diabetic (we almost always are induced early to prevent placenta failure). It was my first, so it was a rather lengthy process, but I think the actual time was pretty typical to a first birth experience. I took two types of induction medicines (first they tried an internal strip and then I took something) and while getting my water to break took over 12 hours, the rest seemed business as usual for a first birth. I pushed for 3 hours and assumed at some point that they would make me have a c-section, but they said that wasn’t necessary and I was able to have a vaginal birth. My view is probably different since I wasn’t given the option to go full term (and now believe that my daughter probably would have been late since she really didn’t want to come out haha), but it was a great process and the doctors made me feel good the entire time. I will say though- I had a friend who attempted to be induced at 39 weeks and they actually ended up sending her home after 24 hours (she then gave birth on her due date a week later). This was her first kid and she had some other medical issues, but I wanted to throw that out there. Since it’s your third, I’m sure this little baby will walk right out on its own, induced or not! (LOL- I know this isn’t true, but who knows!)
I was induced at 41+5, and it was a long, miserable process. My son wasn’t born until over 48 hours after the induction began. I was not at all dilated or effaced are the start, so maybe that was a contributing factor. I’ll spare all of the painful details, but after pushing for 3 hours, I ended up with an emergency c-section when all was said and done. In the end the most important thing was that my son was born and healthy, but it was a long and traumatic experience. I wouldn’t choose to be induced again if I could help it. I echo the thoughts of the other commenter who said she was in the hospital for a week and beyond sleep deprived when she returned home; the same happened to me. I was already exhausted by the time my son was born because I’d been laboring around the clock for over 2 days.
No comments on an induction since I’ve never experienced it but I’m curious as to why one/you are considering it if everything is going fine. Just curious.
My son was 4 when my daughter was born and it was super good with her and handled everything great… until she was 3 and then he got more of the ‘that’s not fair’ attitude towards her.
Best of luck to you and your family. Enjoy the next few weeks together before the newest member arrives!
I was induced with my second baby at 40 weeks and it was a great experience. I was able to have my MIL come the night before to care for my older child, and it was so nice to walk into the induction appt clean and showered, ready and prepared, and let them know when I was ready for my epidural. :). With my first child it wasn’t a pleasant experience laboring at home, going to the hospital only to be turned away (wasn’t dilated enough, and having to suffer through intense contractions at home. My induced labor was for sure the easier birth. Both were vaginal deliveries.
I’ve been induced two out of three times. It was no big deal at all. Labors were 10hrs with #2 & barely 3hrs with #3. All were vaginal with epidurals. I always get my epi BEFORE pitocin though. Also, don’t worry about the transition from two to three. It’s going to be tough at first, but you’ll find your rhythm, the boys will adjust & it’ll all work itself out. Last summer I had a 3yr old, 20month old & newborn. It was NUTS for the first 6 months. After that, it slowly started getting easier. Now (at ages 4, 3, & 15months), it feels like a cakewalk. So, just a short time that you’ll be completely exhausted & losing your mind! You got this! Best of luck.
I was induced with all three of my children at 41 weeks. Besides being SO over pregnancy, I loved the experience. Mostly, I loved having a plan and not having to stress about middle of the night emergencies and trying to find childcare. The first two were very long labours but the third was much quicker. I had an epidural with all three and I found the effectiveness of it different with each but would always recommend one!! Total lifesaver for me that allowed to fully enjoy the arrival of my baby.
I was induced with our son at 39 weeks due to several complications… I was induced at 8am and didn’t really have any contractions until 8pm, had strong labor contractions from probably 2am-11am, got to a 9cm and the baby wouldn’t descend/heart rate dropped, and they needed to do a c-section. Plus I couldn’t have an epidural as I was on blood thinners and there was too much of a risk of a spinal bleed. My doctor said there was no reason he wouldn’t descend, so her theory is that my birth canal/hips are too narrow. Didn’t help that he had a 98th percentile head! So for this baby, I am going the planned c-section route.
Anecdotally, I feel like inductions tend to go better if the mom has had a baby before. Your body seems to know what to do. It’s a tough decision though and I really wanted to avoid induction but it was out of my hands!
You look really great, though! Thanks for the comments about how different/hard pregnancy is for every mama. Pregnancies are hard for me due to having RA and a blood clot risk due to a genetic mutation I have. And then I had a bleeding issue in the first tri that limited my activity. So I feel some sense of shame about how little I’ve done exercise-wise as I have stuck to walks. But every woman is so different. Some can run through their whole pregnancy and do strenuous workouts and then some of us have to be really careful and stick to walking… I have to constantly remind myself not to compare my pregnancy to anyone else but it’s easier said than done at times…
I had a great experience with induction. My doctor suspected I had obstetric choleostatis, so induced at 38 weeks. I was already 4 cm. dilated when I was induced so baby was definitely ready! I had a very low dose pitocin drip and my midwife broke my water. I had my baby in my arms less than 30 minutes later, zero complications.
I was induced with my baby at 37.5 weeks (baby was healthy, measuring around 7.5lbs based on ultrasound). I had a couple of instances of high blood pressure, and my doctor was concerned it could turn into preeclampsia. We went into the hospital on a Wednesday night and I was induced right away… It did not help progress things along (I was warned this could be the case since I had never given birth before). They tried again on Thursday, and finally, by Friday morning our totally healthy, exactly 7.5lb baby was born after 4.5 hours of pushing.
With all of that crazy story aside… Should we get pregnant again, I would do it this way again in a heart beat (or, at least a 39week induction). The planner in me loved knowing that my water wasn’t going to break in a random Target, and, especially at a crazy time like this, I think it’s nice to have a plan in place for other kids…
All the best!!!
I think I would feel most comfortable not being induced (unless medically necessary, of course!) and going into labor naturally. Everyone has their own preferences though! With my first 2 babies I went into labor naturally and had no issues! I plan to do the same this third time around 🙂
Hard decision on the induction! I went over my due date and at that point I was practically begging for an induction. Not because of any extreme discomfort of feeling huge, but because I had a high risk pregnancy and previously had two miscarriages. My doctor wasn’t for it and I wasn’t much over the due date. I had a stretch and sweep, went into labor a couple days later, and everything went well.
Hi there,
I was induced on my due date with my son. I had a pretty positive experience. I was having some pain and uncomfortableness that made it difficult to walk the last couple weeks of my pregnancy. My doctor pulled me out of work at 38 weeks, and had my membranes stripped at 39 weeks with no success of moving things along. So on my due date I was induced. Had pitocin at 9:30 am, water broke at 11:00 am. I did have an epidural, which was not done correctly so I had to have a second one. That was the only negative for me. My labor moved along and my son was born at 7:24 pm. It was an easy labor and delivery and I felt GREAT the next morning. So many people told me I would feel foggy and not great after being induced but I felt the best I had felt in months the morning after. I was 36 and he is my only. I have zero regrets about being induced! Good luck!
I had my first child naturally and was induced with my second, third, and fourth. I was induced the day before my due date with my second because my doctor was going on vacation. I went in for an induction at 38 weeks with my third because I had developed Bell’s Palsy due to severe swelling. And I had an induction with my fourth at 39 weeks since my third baby was so big (almost 11lbs at 38 weeks!) and this one was trending the same; I was also more prone to Bell’s Palsy since I’d had it before and wanted to avoid that! I was dilated between and 2 4 with all of my inductions and 80% effaced, so my body was pretty ready! I labored 6-7 hours with each, but my fourth progressed quickly and painfully at the end! Overall, I wouldn’t choose an induction because I feel like it’s best for mama and baby to go into labor naturally, but looking back the only one I would change was my second birth; I don’t think I’d be induced out of convenience again! (But there won’t be an again! I turned 40 a week before my 4th was born so I’m DONE! 😂)
I was induced at 37 weeks 6 days for my first because of high blood pressure. The contractions were immediately intense, lasting for longer than a minute and very sporadic, I would have 5 in a row with only a minute break and then randomly a 5-10 minute break, so I decided I definitely needed an epidural. But after the epidural it was smooth sailing. Induction started at 4pm and baby was born at 4am. I do wish I had the experience of going into labor naturally, but I know how incredibly dangerous high blood pressure can be for mom and baby so I am just happy that my baby got here safely. It also worked out because she was born right before the quarantine and corona virus hit my state so my parents were able to be here for her birth and meet her.
My cousin and sister-in-law both also had successful inductions with their children because of hypertension. My cousin’s went so smoothly and quickly she didn’t even need an epidural. my sister-in-law had a bit more trouble getting her labor started and it lasted longer but she also got an epidural. Just like going into labor naturally, everyone has different experiences, its just a matter of deciding what’s best for you!
Hi Julie,
I first want to comment about the age gap nerves and hopefully help you calm those. My kids are 22 months apart, and I was so scared that my older baby wouldn’t be able to handle it. Miraculously, the moment the new baby was born, my older son seemed so much older and ready to handle big brotherhood. They are now 5 and 3, and completely inseparable, absolute best friends. It’s been a huge perk to have them so developmentally similar (they were in the same preschool, and due to COVID will only be one year apart from starting in person school as my son will start in the first grade) and the little one definitely is dramatically smarter and more educated than the older one was at this age, as he’s hearing and experiencing all our flashcards, older kid reading, etc. I love this age gap and have found it to be not at all as scary as I thought it would be.
In terms of induction, I had an unmedicated vaginal delivery with my first (with an epidural but no induction), and an induction with my second due to insulin controlled gestational diabetes. I did push the induction back as long as I could, so it ended up being about 39.5 weeks. It was completely flawless. Meds started at 10am, started to feel it around 1pm, was ready for an epidural at 2pm, he was delivered at 6:35pm. I was so nervous from all the horror stories on the internet, but remember, millions of people have inductions every year, and the vast majority of the people who think about their induction after the fact are those who had hard or bad experiences – I never think about my induction anymore because it was just a non-event, a bit of medication to start the process and have an easy, healthy delivery. The same will be true for commenters – most people who care enough to comment will be those who had a bad experience, because for people who had a good experience, it may just not a big enough deal to talk about anymore, because it’s over, was noneventful, and resulted in a healthy, happy baby. Of my circle who have been induced, I don’t know anyone who had a bad experience. Some reported labor pain being worse (it was actually better for me, as it made the pain in predictable patterns, unlike my first which was all over the place), but if you’re getting an epidural anyway, it really won’t make that much of a difference. Best wishes too you and your gorgeous family for an easy, healthy delivery!
I think a lot of it can depends on HOW you’re induced. I was induced with my first at 41 weeks. I checked into the hospital in the morning and was given cervidil to soften my cervix. 12 hours later, not much had changed so my doctor decided to give me a new dose of cervidil and start pitocin in the morning if I still wasn’t in labor. Around midnight, I started having contractions and they took the cervidil out and I never needed pitocin. Had a healthy baby in the morning. I’m very confident that my induction went so smoothly because my doctor had the “marathon” mindset. I know it’s hard and you just want your baby here…but if he tried to speed things along, I’m sure my story would be different. He let me body do my thing and it did it perfectly. So just something to think about! If you trust your doctors, I’m sure they’ll walk you through it all and everything will be just fine 🙂 so excited for you and your family! Prayers for your last few weeks!
I read so many horror stories about induction and was terrified when I had to be induced at 39+1 for high blood pressure. Luckily, my body responded very well and from pitocin to baby was 4.5 hours. Even better that you’re hoping to get an epidural because pitocin contractions are no joke! I would think that because you’ve had two successful deliveries you would be a good candidate – best of luck making the best decision for you.
I had an induction with my second because of my age and blood pressure. I was hoping for an Unmedicated birth like I had with my son. Unfortunately the contractions from the pitocin were unbearable and I asked for an epidural. I slept a blissful hour and then my daughter practically slid out. So I would say I had a relatively positive experience.
Hey Julie,
The breathing trouble you describe early in your post actually sound a lot like anxiety! Considering everything that’s going on in the world right now, it would not be unusual at all to be feeling anxious.
One of the biggest misconceptions I personally had about anxiety (as a clinical/physical issue, specifically) was that you had to be currently feeling anxious *in that moment* to experience the physical symptoms of it, which isn’t the case at all! I’ve often found it’s more of a delayed onset, and that physical symptoms can manifest a couple hours or even days after I was feeling anxious. Shortness of breath or chest tightness are two symptoms for me.
Just thought I’d share my experience in case it was helpful and something you hadn’t considered!
Pitocin is brutal. (Induced at almost 42 weeks)
I just had my second kid 4 weeks ago.
I went back and forth with the decision to induce at 39 weeks as well – I had a great natural labor the first time around. But with covid and work, another kid – being induced seemed to be nice to “plan”
But it went great – 6 hours before I actually had to push and that only ended up taking 5-10 minutes!
All around it ended up being a great experience
Have you considered having your doctor sweep your membranes to get things rolling? My doctors did it for my second and third pregnancies (third was twins and I was scheduled to be induced the following day at 38 weeks), and both times I went into labor and delivered within 24 hours. I was reluctant to use Pitocin and was already a several cm dilated both times, so a membrane sweep just kick started things in an unmedicated way. It’s a little uncomfortable with some cramping after, but both of those deliveries went really smoothly – even the twins. Just an idea to consider!
I have a bit of a different story! I was electively induced at 40+6 because I was terrified of complications of going over (like meconium like you had with Ryder! Poor baby but obviously fine now! ) Anyways an elective induction happens on a wait list and allows for those with more pressing induction needs to have a spot on the schedule. It’s just the way the hospital works that I have to deliver at. I was given cervadil and it broke my water (they say it doesn’t usually do that, it’s supposed to dilate the cervix, but I disagree because I’ve had other friends who did the elective induction thing and there water broke to!) anyways because my water broke I was “allowed to stay.” (If the cerviadil hadnt work I would have been sent home. Nuts rigHt?They started moving things along with Pitocin. Took me 6 hours to get to 3cm, got the epidural, slept overnight and 9 hours later delivered in 45 minutes. The thing that sucked was because we labored over 16 hours we were considered an extended water break whatever and had to receive antibiotics, not ideal but not a deal breaker. I always said I’d go back and do it the exact same way again because I was so worried about the baby and ready to meet him! I would hope to go into labor sooner than 40 weeks next time around but if I don’t I’d be comfortable with an induction. The biggest complaint about it I had was my water broke before the process started and I had to wear those giant pads and was squishing and leaking everywhere. I hated that! Ha ha I know in the scheme of things not that big of a deal but I remember that more than any pain lol
Hi Julie! I’ve never been induced, but I do know that how “favorable” your cervix is at the time can make a big difference. For instance if your cervix is thick and not dilated induction is less indicated. I really recommend checking out the website/podcast called Evidence Based Birth where they break down all the research, but don’t push an opinion or agenda.
Ryder and my son were born only a few weeks apart and I’m 12 weeks pregnant with my second. I have loved following along with your pregnancy journey!
thank you for sharing! i’ll absolutely check out that podcast. i’m having my cervix checked at my appt this friday!
I was induced for two of my three deliveries, one with pitocin one without, and both were fine. Shorter than my spontaneous labor. First without pitocin was most intense actually. Third with pitocin ended up being without an epidural. Personally I like the experience of wondering when I’ll go into labor, is this it, timing contractions, being at home for some of it, but my inductions were also good experiences. Kind of nice for planning purposes. If you don’t feel attached to the experience of spontaneous labor an induction isn’t harder or longer or worse in any way.
My water broke with my first at 38 weeks and I had a quick delivery (with an epidural) and my plan was always that no matter what, I didn’t want to be induced ever but when I was just recently pregnant with my son and COVID hit I changed my mind completely. I didn’t like the unexpected and the fact that I couldn’t plan when ‘it’ would happen and it caused me so much anxiety. I decided to be induced and it was such an amazing experience! It was so calm and reassuring that we had proper care set up for my daughter at home. The contractions did came on quick (like within 5 mins) and hit me like a truck where I couldn’t get the epidural quickly enough but once I was able to get it, it was all smooth sailing and I delivered him within 3 hours. It was the best decision for me and wasn’t bad at all!