Hi!
 
I'm 22 year old woman who is expecting my first child.  I was expected to give birth on November 9, 2009, It is now November 12, 2009 and I'm three days past my due date.  The day before I had a  biophysical test and NST.  The NST results were find, but the ultrasound showed that my fluid was a little low in the uterus.  With this information it prompted my MIDWIFE to schedule a induction using cervidil.  I decided i was going to go through with the procedure, but decided not to at the last minute.  When i got home i read and did my own research on inductions and was not pleased with the results.  I never thought my MIDWIFE would even consider a induction at just three days past my due date, which is one of the reasons why i left my regular OB/GYN, because i thought midwives had different perspectives when it came to childbirth.  Another book i read besides your book is titled Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and  Abby Epstein, which states having low fluid is not a good enough reason to induce and that this low fluid count can be countered by bed rest and intake of more fluids internally.  Now i realize you are not a medical professional, but that you do have child birthing experience.  I'm just trying to find confirmation in the information that i have read and researched.  

Thank You.

To begin with, the unfortunate fact is that you cannot assume that by choosing a midwife, you have chosen someone who automatically practices a different model of care. She may have the same approach as the typical ob, or she may be constrained by practices and policies by the doctor she works for or who backs her up or the hospital where she has privileges. I cannot give you medical advice, but I can tell you this: amniotic fluid levels vary according to fluid intake, the estimates are not exact--how could they be when you are estimating a complex three-dimensional volume from a two-dimensional image?--and the research says that there are no benefits to inducing for low amniotic fluid in the absence of other signs of problems. Here are some other sources of info: