Choosing to have an induction is super complicated. Many women find a LOT of reasons to get induced, but there are reasons NOT to be induced and today I wanted to share five of them.
As a reminder I’ve seen THOUSANDS of inductions, and I’ve been induced on one of my babies (after being 12 days overdue). I see a LOT of pro’s and con’s to both sides — so I’m a great one to take this information from!
If you’re considering an induction your #1 thing to do is to get in a birth class. I 100% recommend this one — it only takes a few hours and has an entire chapter on what to expect in an induction.
5 Reasons to NOT Get Induced
First off, before we get started I want to state the obvious. If your provider thinks there is a real MEDICAL reason for you to be induced you really need to take their opinion into deep consideration.
Remember, you should always get informed consent which means your provider helps you to understand:
- The Risks — what could go wrong?
- The Benefits — why they think you SHOULD do this
- The Alternatives — what else should we do?
Even before making the choice for an elective induction (that is an induction that doesn’t have a medical indication) you should go over that informed consent to make sure you’re taking into consideration ALL the facts.
Remember, induction is ALWAYS your choice (not your provider’s) and be sure to grab my induction question checklist so you’re not left unprepared:
Inductions Start at the Hospital
While some people call a membrane sweep (also called stripping your membranes) an induction — that isn’t what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about an induction that will happen in the hospital. I talk about the most common methods of inductions in my post on 37 week inductions (and I go into detail in each one in here).
That means that most often you will be in the hospital from your first contraction to you last.
The hospital doesn’t have your things, your food, your TV, your comfy items. It just isn’t as comfortable.
It just means you’ll be in that environment the whole time.
Totally doable, but I think it’s something to think about.
While we’re here, grab my hospital bag packing list, you don’t want to miss essential items with a induction:
Inductions Give Up Your Control
I think a LOT of people plan an induction because they want to control the birth. Mostly the timing.
I totally get that it is easier to plan somewhere for your other kids to be… but in reality you lose a lot of control.
Because you’re asking for an induction, that means you’ll need an IV. Also, like I said above you won’t have all those comfortable items you normally have at your disposal.
Your provider may recommend you not eat (and even if you can’t, it’s certainly not the variety of things you could eat at home).
Because inductions are higher risk (stay tuned as to why) you will likely need to be monitored more than if you were in spontaneous labor.
It just has a lot of requirements I think a lot of families don’t think about.
Want more info on inductions, don’t miss these posts:
- What To Expect At A Foley Bulb Induction
- What Happens If Your Induction Doesn’t Work?
- How To Prepare For An Induction
- 6 Things To Know About Your Fetal Growth Ultrasound
- Can You Push Yourself Into Labor?
Inductions are Higher Risk
Inductions are always considered a higher risk than spontaneous labor. We are providing medications that are telling you uterus to do something it wasn’t planning on doing.
Again, normally, that works out just fine — but sometimes your uterus or the baby says no thanks and we have to do some stuff to make them happy again.
Before you schedule your induction, be SURE to ask your provider about the risks you should be considering.
Remember these risks are mitigated if your cervix seems a bit more ready (also called “favorable“). I talk a bit about that in my post on how long your induction will take.
Quick reminder, I used to think affirmations were total garbage, but I’ve changed my mind — and I believe that being positive about your induction can help a LOT! Grab my affirmations here:
Inductions Involve Us Doing More Things
The staff will be doing more with you.
More blood pressures.
More checking your belly to see how strong contractions are.
More visits to your room. Possibly more lab work and you’ll definitely need an IV (or a saline lock).
Possibly more vaginal exams to see how your cervix is opening (we need to make sure the medications we’re giving are working).
It just requires more of us. Which, in turn, can be annoying to you (although some people find all of that comforting).
A lot of people get nervous every time we’re in the room even when it’s something dumb like a blood pressure check or adjusting the monitors. Understanding WHY we’re doing these things helps SO much and you’re anxiety level will plummet. I explain all of that in here << you need that!
Inductions aren’t “Nature’s Way”
As a nurse, I tend to feel like the more we can let nature take it’s course, the better.
That’s always my belief as a nurse, and also one who doesn’t enjoy being at the hospital (surprise!).
If your cut can heal well without us adding sutures, let’s just let it heal on it’s own.
If your bowels can move without medication, let’s let them do their thing.
If the baby can come out safely without a cesarean section, let’s let it.
THIS ISN’T TO SAY THAT SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS AREN’T SOOO NECESSARY.
New studies are showing that an induction can be just as safe at 39 weeks as waiting, so talk it over with your provider if you think that’s a better option.
Honestly, just understanding the induction process, what to expect, and how you’ll feel is a HUGE step up in your care. So many people start waiving the white flag early in an induction (begging for a C-section) because they simply didn’t know what it was going to be like (long, and painful)…. that’s why I 100% recommend The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. Even if you’re planning on an induction soon, it’s the class for you!
Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.
There are my 5 reasons to NOT be induced. Now it’s your turn. Tell me in the comments why you DO need/want to be induced. I’m not saying that an induction isn’t the right choice for a LOT of people — I just like to have people educated before they come into the hospital.
This post was originally written October 28, 2021 but has been updated.
- About the Author
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A nurse since 1997, she has worked in various fields including pediatrics, geriatrics & hospice. She has 20 years of labor and delivery experience in the San Jose, CA and Phoenix, AZ areas.
As an evidence-based prenatal educator Hilary has delivered thousands of babies and has educated hundreds of thousands of parents from a diverse patient population to help them have a confident birth.
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