Labor Induction

Labor induction.. How To Get Things Rolling!

One great time is going to end and the other greater time is due to begin. All these weeks of pregnancy must have been a great feeling. The initial days when you knew you were pregnant, the attention you got from your partner and the first movements of your baby within your womb. Unforgettable experiences these are. You will experience greater ones after your baby comes into this part of your world. Bringing up the baby has been considered as the most completing experience for both men and women. But, mothers have the upper hand in it.

The right time

Many women experience labor pains naturally without any stimulation once they reach the full term or the expected date of delivery. Now, wondering which is your day? It’s generally calculated in weeks and full term is considered when you have completed 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy since your last menstrual period. Babies born before this period are termed premature babies or preterm babies and babies born beyond the full term are known as post term babies.

Time before or time after

Premature babies are not mature enough to survive safely in the environment outside your womb. On the other hand, babies spending additional time in the mother’s womb may face some minor complications. Hence, the baby needs to be delivered at the right time and with the right procedure. If you are having a normal pregnancy and are not suffering from any underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure then you can opt for the natural method of delivery. On the other hand, doctors or your midwife may prescribe caesarean delivery (the baby is brought out through an incision placed on your abdomen) if they think that it’s the best way out for your baby.

Medical labor induction

Your doctor or the midwife uses two steps to induce labor. One is the application of prostaglandins to your cervix and the other is the administration of a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin. What do these both agents do? One dilates and the other contracts! Prostaglandins help in the softening and widening the cervix. This is the first step in the induction of labor. If the labor is initiated and sufficient amount of contractions are noted, it is allowed to progress. If not, oxytocin may be introduced through your veins to induce contractions in the uterus. This helps in the movement of the baby from the uterus to the outside.

If both these steps don’t work for you, then, you may have to go for a caesarean delivery. Any of the way followed, the doctor or your midwife will ensure that your baby is brought out safe and sound.