5 Reasons Why I Loved Being Induced

When I scroll through the Mamahood Community on Facebook, I see all kinds of questions about mama’s thinking about being induced. It’s fairly common for women to get induced—the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that 20 to 40 percent of women are induced in order to give birth.

Everybody obviously has their own opinion about induction, and that’s ok! Some people have a great experience while others don’t. Every body is different. Every doctor is different. Every baby is different. And that’s ok! 

I was induced with my little boy because I had gestational diabetes. He wasn’t too big or anything, my doctor just said that with GD you can opt for a medical induction, so I did. I was induced at 39 weeks 5 days and I LOVED IT. I will say, I was already dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced when we went in for the induction, which I’m sure helped. But I really, truly loved being induced and think it can be a great option for many moms! It may not be your cup of tea, and that’s ok! But for me, it was honestly a dream come true!

Here are 5 reasons why I loved being induced.

1. I got to plan ahead. I am a MAJOR control freak. And knowing that my baby was coming on a certain date was wonderful! I made sure everything was clean, I felt ready, our hospital bag was prepped, and everything went smoothly. I got up and ate a big breakfast knowing I wouldn’t eat much the rest of the day, and felt comfortable during our drive to the hospital. For someone like me who is a MAJOR planner, induction was great!
2. I didn’t have to labor at home. Some people like laboring at home, and that’s great. I was grateful that the whole time I was in labor I was around doctors and nurses, and could ask for an epidural whenever I needed it. They have great labor tools to help in the hospital and I really loved that comfort in the hospital.
3. I got to relax while in labor. I was administered Pitocin and then my body took over the contractions, and I got an epidural. Again, not the route for everyone, but I loved it! I was already in the room where I was going to deliver, so we got all comfortable and set up for the duration. We watched shows and listened to music and chatted. The whole experience was really chill and laid back, which I loved.
4. I was able to have my husband around to help out the first few days. My husband had to go back to college on Monday, so being induced helped us be able to make sure my husband didn’t have to miss a lot of school when our son was born. He was able to be there and help me for the weekend after before he had to go back to school. I was super grateful we were able to plan it out like that so it was the best experience for both of us.
5. I knew we were in good hands if there were any complications. With Gestational Diabetes, we weren’t really concerned about complications, but knowing we were doing the whole labor and delivery right there in the hospital helped me remove any worries I had. I knew I wouldn’t give birth in the car or face complications that could be a problem without medical pros right there. That gave me so much comfort during the whole process.

Now like I said, induction isn’t for everyone. Some people don’t have a good experience being induced. Some people, like me, love it! Everyone is different. I think it’s very important to work with your doctor, get educated, and make a decision that is best for your unique circumstance and baby. But know that if you’re choosing to get induced, there are many people who have great experiences and who love the process! Whatever you decide will be best for YOU and YOUR BABY. You have so many people who are here to help you and root you on!

Maddy Low is the proud mama of a little boy named Graham who she is absolutely obsessed with. She graduated with a degree in communication from Brigham Young University, and works full time from home doing web content and web design. She’s been married to her high school sweetheart since 2015, loves writing, traveling, long walks through the aisles at Target, chocolate, and connecting with other moms.