The emotional side of things is important - I went overdue with all my children...with the third one the night before he was born I woke up and went outside in the garden and talked to him and the stars, told him that it was time to be born, that we were ready for him, and that it really was a nice place to be...and went back to bed...

I woke up the next morning around 5am in labour, and had him around 10:30...

Fear is not a good thing...it works against the natural hormones that trigger and sustain the labour.

I was induced with my other two children - all 3 posterior labours with backpain, and the first two with epidurals.

I didn't want to use gas due to previous bad experience at the dentist (I don't like feeling off my face)...and agreed to Pethidine (but won't do that ever again - I was off with the pixies for about 2 hours)...but I found the epidural very effective...

The only concern with synthetic hormones to speed labour is that things can get very fast and out of control, on the flipside, epidurals can slow everything down and make it very controlled, then make it hard to push the baby out.

I found this information helpful - on the day I made my own decisions, and am still happy with those decisions, although I would choose a spontaneous, unmedicated, waterbirth with midwife support, if I was to do it a fourth time (my third birth was far and away an improvement on my two induced/augmented labours)...but I don't think they were 'bad' births either...hard to describe...

Really, they cannot force you to have an induction - but you should expect your medical advisor (obstetrician/midwife) to be able to explain clearly your options, consequences and risks/benefits...

My children were overdue and born 4.2, 3.8 and whopping 4.7kg, all without needing a c-section - but I have to admit with the first birth it really did take every inch of determination to push her out against the effects of the epidural...

Oh, and another tip - have a long-hard look at your 'due' dates - you might be able to buy time by arguing that the dates are wrong - if you know your conception date, that is the most reliable, after that they rely on the ultrasound (mine were not accurate as my babies measured bigger than average so theoretically 'due' earlier)...especially if you had a 9 week ultrasound....

With my second bubs contractions started 5 hours before I was due to go into hospital for an induction....so try to relax and take it easy...

What is it that specifically bothers you about induction ??