It seems that there is a growing trend to have your baby on a certain date. Maybe your doctor has a trip coming up and you want to make sure that he is there when you deliver, or there is a holiday weekend that would be super convenient for your husband’s work schedule. Maybe, you want the baby to share a birthday with a relative, or think it would be cool for your baby to be born on a certain day like, 01/11/11.
Whatever your reasons are for wanting to be induced, you might want to look at a recent report that came out by HealthDay.com that cited that there are many inductions that are happening without good medical reason, and your baby is put at higher risk for a myriad of problems including, “feeding problems, jaundice, inability to hold temperature and tremendous increased costs. Every week counts. Babies delivered early also face a higher risk of death, spending time in a neonatal intensive care unit and life-long health problems, according to a statement from the Leapfrog Group.”
The article discusses how every week counts, and a baby is not considered full-term until the 39th week, although many mothers think differently. The percentages in this article are astounding. It seems it can be very common practice at some hospitals to schedule a birth or induce early.
I have a friend who’s doctor insisted that she was having a 9 lb. + baby. She was terrified, and the doctor convinced her to have her baby earlier than the due date. While the baby was born with no problems, she was definitely not a 9 lb. baby and she could have waited until her due date and deliver on time. The biggest reason why so many mothers are being induced early is because the doctor is concerned about them going past their due date. But, is that really problematic?
Discuss with your doctor whether or not waiting for your body to go into labor naturally will pose any risks or threat. You might be surprised at the answer. While it is tempting for every pregnant mother to want to have that baby as soon as possible, it is best to consider what is healthiest for the baby’s development in the womb.
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