Can it actually take 7-14 days to induce?

they tried to prepare me for the same thing with my daughter, she came out vaginally and I had no problems only thing was she pooped on her way out but she was fine... came out white and eyes wide open...lol the nurses were so surprised cuz a lot come out like a redish color they told me... My baby girl was curious from day one looking all around at everyone...   I still have a large BMI so I dont know what to look forward to this time with twins... I am smaller then I was when I had my daughter but still...

I'm not in favor of forcing a baby to come out sooner than it is ready to via induction. The whole "old placenta and detach" scare is a myth. It doesn't really happen. Women have gone to 45-46 weeks and longer before giving birth and the placenta is still attached and still working. The baby is just fine too.

However, if you want to increase your chances of ripening your cervix so your induction will go better (hopefully as most inductions end in a c/s as baby can't handle the stress of the induction and drugs) start taking Evening Primrose Oil orally and vaginally. It works really well vaginally. Insert it at night as close to your cervix as possible and it will help ripen and soften your cervix. A ripe cervix is the most important thing to a successful induction.

Lots of walking will help move things along too.

I was due with my first around January 6th and I wanted a tax break too. She ended up being a scheduled c/s on Dec 30th and I LOVED having my tax break. They gave me the option of before the new year or after the new year. I wasn't stupid to waste a tax break option! LOL

Good Luck!

ETA: also have LOTS of sex. Sperm helps to ripen the cervix too. Prostaglandin E gel  that they insert to help ripen the cervix is made from pig semen, so you might as well have some fun and use your DH's sperm as much as possible. LOL

http://www.moondragon.org/obgyn/pregnancy/laborinitiate.html

What method is she planning on using? Usually when you're induced they hook you up to an IV of pitosin which causes contractions. My water broke but I was scheduled to be induced. They hooked me up to pitosin when I got to the hospital and about 19 hours later my girl popped out. It doesn't usually take that long. I got my epidural WAY early because my pain tolerance level is super low. The longer you hold off on getting your epi the less time it will take.

Thank you for the information! I am going to ask my OB when I see her next on 12/10 how she plans on inducing so I can have a better idea of how long it "should" take. I know if she uses Pitosin the odds of it taking any longer than 2 days is pretty slim.

-Ashlie

I agree with everyone else, as well.  It depends on the method they use and the method they use depends on what your body is doing closer to your due date.  With my first, I was 70% effaced and dilated to 3, so there was no need to use any "ripening" treatments on my cervix.  From my understanding that is the part that can take a while.  I was put on a pitocin drip at 7AM and my son was born vaginally (all 9lbs 14oz of him) at about 7:30PM.

With my second son, my labor started right around 36 weeks and they would not stop my labor, but they wouldn't "help" me either (with a pitocin drip) so I was in and out of the hospital with crappy (ineffective) contractions for 72 hours until they noticed on Monday morning that the baby's heart rate was going down with contractions and they decided to keep me.  I was dilated to 4 and 100% effaced when they told me they were keeping me in that time and my water immediately broke - I guess because I relaxed!! lol.  But my contractions were still pretty ineffective so they started the pitocin drip at 8AM and he was born vaginally at 7PM that night (weighing in at 6lbs 12oz at only 36w2d).

Good luck and I hope you get your tax break! ;)