I recommend rereading my other posts in this thread. Inducing you at 38 wks for gestational diabetes is not supported by the research. It offers no benefits, and among its harms, as a first-time mother, it substantially increases your risk of cesarean surgery, the incidence of abnormal fetal heart rate patterns in labor, and need for newborn resuscitation.

Goer H, Sagady Leslie M, Romano A. Step 6: Does Not Routinely Employ Practices, Procedures Unsupported by Scientific Evidence. J Perinat Educ 2007;16(1):32S-64S.

And if that weren't enough, inducing labor at 38 weeks increases your chances of having a baby who experiences respiratory difficulties because the baby wasn't ready to be born.

I am sorry to say this, but your doctor's practices are not in line with the research evidence, which means, unfortunately, that you cannot trust your doctor's judgment in other matters either. I would recommend looking for someone whose practices are evidence based, but it is hard--although not impossible--to find someone who will take a woman on in late pregnancy. If you go this route, here are two resources from the CIMS and Childbirth Connection websites: Having a Baby? Ten Questions to Ask and Choosing a Caregiver. At the very least, I strongly recommend getting full information before agreeing to any medical interventions so that you can make an informed choice and hiring a doula. Go to Informed Decision Making on the Childbirth Connection website to find out about the former and How to Hire a Doula on the DONA International website for more on the latter.

-- Henci