Induction Concerns: 39 Weeks Pregnant After C-Section

Question
My due date is tom. 7/17.  My son is 22 months old and he was born by c-section.  He was born at 39 weeks 6 days.  When I was 39 weeks, 1 day, I was dilated to 1 and 50% effaced.  The only reason he was c-section, was that he became entangled in his cord after my water broke.  Today, I am 39 weeks, 80% effaced and dilated to a 2.  My doctor discussed a possible induction, however, suggested against it to avoid possible complications such as a reapeated c-section, my incision rupturing, or even death to myself or the baby.  I was very excited at the thought of being induced tom., however, have decided to wait and see what happenes.  She said that he is very, very low and surprised that I haven't had him yet.  However, I've heard of women being dilated to four and walking around for weeks.  Is it more significant to have a thinning cervix or a thinning cervix?  Or is one not neccessarily more important than the other?  I'm just ready to have this baby and wondering if you see any light at the end of the tunnel and a fast approaching natural delivery or if it could still be weeks?  Thanks for your help!  Mindy

Answer
If you are feeling the baby move each day and have not ruptured your membranes, there is no reason not to wait until you go into labor. YOu may go into labor any day now, or you may not go into labor for another two weeks. When you start having contractions every 6-8 minutes, from the beginning of the contraction to the beginning of the next contraction, at the level of your belly button, with each contraction lasting for at least 45 seconds, you should be checked. Once you are more than 3cm dilated, you will be admitted to the hospital. From 1cm to 5cm, it can take 12-24 hours. Once you get to 5cm, you will usually progress one centimeter per hour until you reach 10cm (fully dilated). If the heartbeat remains steady, there is no reason why you would have to have a repeat cesarean section (even if they decided to induce you). The risk of uterine rupture after cesarean is around 1% and is still very rare. I would just wait to see what happens. Usually, for the second baby, you will dilate and efface at the same time. Be patient. Good Luck.