Failed induction - some questions

[Marina]

Not for me, for my dsis
Is 40+15 today . Has had two sweeps and started the induction process on Weds pm, still no sign of it working.
At what point will they give up? I did search this topic and saw that some people were "let home" between attempts, they are clearly not doing this for dsis and she is fairly incommunicado right now (also don't want to pester her as I know this is a long way from her hoped-for birth )
Does anyone know why these strong-sounding drugs don't work for some? I honestly had no idea (two electives and one very quick induced stillbirth at 21 weeks ) that inductions for near-term deliveries could fail in this way

[expatinscotland]

Bump!

[Mumpbump]

I guess it depends what they're doing. When I was induced, they said they would use pessaries initially to dilate the cervix. In the end, they didn't need to and simply broke my waters. At that point, they said that if the contractions didn't start, they would give me syntocin on a drip to stimulate contractions.

If the hospital are only using pessaries, it could take a while. They were talking about giving me several doses and waiting 6 hours between each one, I think! I suspect that if they wanted to escalate it, they probably could...

[flack]

If they are talking about breaking waters to induce I would definitely insist on test for GBStrep. Waters broken long before delivery is one of the important risk factors (I know someone recently induced and her baby spent 10 days in NICU with GB Strep ).

[brendar75]

Sorry to hear it's taking a long time for her - when you say they started the induction process on Weds, was that sweeps or did they go onto gel? My experience was - sweeps once I got over due date, then from 40+12 gel x 3, waters broken, syntocin drip (sp?) then emergency CS when it transpired DS wasn't coming out as he was seatbelted in! I'm sure they'll be monitoring her and the baby, and not letting either get too tired. I think if it doesn't get going, she'll have a CS but it's not necessarily a big emergency panic thing in this situation, mine was very relaxed and all very nice! (sheer relief of actually seeing the baby has blanked out the boredom of sitting in hospital for 2 days waiting!)

[hertsnessex]

is that her dates or the hosp dates?

dont panic - it doesnt have to mean c/s at this stage - and they will be monitoring the baby.

i hope she is trying to walk around alot and hopefully things will start thems selves.

hope it all goes well.

cx

[Marina]

Thank you all for this helpful info
She has had sweeps and gels but I am not sure if they have started the drip yet (would have thought so, though...). Also don't know about waters, but as you say flack, and also from my own SANDS experiences, StrepB is a big (undiscussed with her) worry for me. Should have had the "if you are induced" conversation before we got to this stage I guess, drat.
I know she should be fine - she is a very fit and active person so I am sure she is keeping mobile, if not positively prowling
But unfortunately my own c-section experiences, although electives, were nightmareish both times post-surgery, and I feel irrationally guilty that she might be dreading going the same way because of what happened to me
Much appreciated all, look out for the proud and relieved aunt's birth announcement

[Marina]

Hosp dates btw hertsandessex - ironically she is about 41+5 by her own cycle-based calculations
She had a homebirth agreed, poor love

[hertsnessex]

she can go home - and go back for monitoring if she wants to - please let her know that every option they offer - is a choice - and often they dont give lal thhe options straight away.

hope all goes well.

cx

[Marina]

Thanks so much hertsandessex. am only managing to swap hasty texts with her, am guessing that given her original birth plan, she has asked to go home, and they have declined and given her convincing reasons why.
There is not only me keeping 90% of my anxiety under wraps but our elderly mum, who has no such inhibitions and is running riot.
So I am torn between quite understanding why she is staying put and keeping schtummish, and worrying that stuff is happening that she is not telling us out of goodhearted unselfishness.

[bambi06]

i went 19 days over with my first and flatly refused any kind of induction..bbay decided when he wanted to come out

[Princesspowersparkle]

Hi
My waters broke but didn't go into labour. Had 2 pessaries but nothing happened. Ended up with the drip which thankfully started things off. I think they give a max of 3 pessaries. Hope she has had the baby by now. For me it was 4 days from when waters broke to baby being born.
x

[divamumplusbump]

oh, me too hope she had her baby by now, im officially over due now, so i feel for her.

[Princesspowersparkle]

Divamum- hope it happens for you this weekend!! X

[Klaw]

Um, it's not about askign to go home and being refused, She has the right to go home, they can't physically restrain her! All they can do is write in her notes that it's against their medical advice.

The WHO states that term is between 37 and 42 weeks and as such you are not officially overdue till 42+1. Then you can opt for Expectant Management on a daily basis to check everything is continuing OK and make any decisions based on the findings.

The HCPs are not God and it's your baby, your birth and your body. Women have a right to make an informed choice. Unfortunately they don't tend to get given ALL the info so are not making their own choices.

Babies start the labour process when they are ready and inducing a baby when it's not ready can be trouble. Those who have a fairly OK time are fortunate that baby was ready at the time of induction.

check out the Kent Midwifery Practice's article in induction

[MrsJohnCusack]

oh poor thing
I do think probably she is only overdue according to the hospital, and not by her own body. I had DS at 40+13 and the midwives said the placenta was immaculate and I obviously just carry my babies for longer. But, although of course she doesn't have to submit to the induction or stay in hospital it is so very, very difficult to stand up against the full weight of medics. And I don't imagine the stress of going so far away from her original plan is helping put her into labour either.

My friend finally had her daughter 4 (nearly 5) days after the first induction attempt (i.e, a pessary). They did let her go home for one day and then started all over again with pessaries and then the drip. By the hospital dates, she was 40+16 when the baby arrived, but by hers she was only a week or so over; and the baby was only 7 pounds so it seems quite likely that she wasn't as overdue as they thought.

Anyhow, I'm rambling now, but wanted to say that it's not unusual to take a few days, and also good luck to her and hope to hear some good news soon.

[nannyjo]

Both my babies were induced and it tokk 4 days and 4 pessaries. My cervix just wasn't going to budge but both times Mmy babies decided and the last minute to do some work and I was saved from a C section.

Some hospitols use 3 some 4 pessaries and if they show no effect after 6 hours then a C section will be given i think.

[Lizzer]

Hi Marina any news yet? I was 40+15 when dd arrived and she had no signs of 'over-cooking' either, she only arrived via 'the drip' though, I wonder why they haven't suggested that? I had 2 pessaries then syntocin (sp?) drip giving me contractions whether I liked it or not (funny that, as my mum says I arrived into the world in exactly the same way) I wasn't let out because of broken waters/infection risk too.

Shame she couldn't have her ideal birth plan though I think that its always a bit ambitious on your first and I wish HP"s would play doen the importance of having one a bit!

Hope you hear something soon

[Lizzer]

PS Klaw that's v interesting about the 42+ rule, you just never get told these things as you're being told what to think??!!

[Marina]

Thanks all for more posts and divamum, I hope it happens for you soon
She is now in labour, apparently (phew) - the last lot of Prostin worked, finally. At 40 plus 16, klaw, and a fairly fraught path to getting to term, I think she herself felt more comfortable with staying put
Lizzer, I think she said they would not put her on the drip until the cervix had dilated. She did call briefly and said they seemed to be doing all the right things (hospital has one of the lowest c-section rates nationally and in fairness they did not start mentioning induction at all until 41 plus 2), so fingers crossed for her!

[Klaw]

Great news Marina! Please excuse my militant tendancies, I'm afraid that having been on the receiving end of Hospital mutilation and then learning so much about normal childbirth through my Doula training I tend to be wary of hospital protocols and procedures.

I do however say that women must listen to their instincts and if dsis needs to be where she is for her own peace of mind due to her circumstances, then that is right for her. You need to be comfortable wherever you are in labour!

Thinking of sis!

[Lizzer]

Oooooo, exciting stuff! Sending good thoughts to your sis (whilst simultaneously dreading the thought of going through it again in dec after 8 yrs!!!!!!!)

[Klaw]

Lizzer, 40wks is the AVERAGE cos some babies naturally come from about 37wks and are 'full term' for them and some babies come at 42 weeks and are perfectly timed for them. There are some ladies that naturally give birth nearer 10 months!!

So without any real and valid reasons that baby needs to be born induction should be SERIOUSLY considered before going ahead merely because of dates.

Especially when scan dating is notoriously inaccurate. They tend to work to their scan date rather than the woman's lmp date, cos of course the woman hasn't got a clue and obviously wasn't there at conception [hugely sarcastic emoticon]

My VBAC was at 42+1 scan lmp or 40+6 lmp date, you can imagine the fight I had to refuse induction!

Also there's a huge number of babies who actually come nearer 41weeks and perhaps this is why France consider term to be 41wks....

How many women realise that they do not have to consent to anything 'offered'? Rather they need to give permission, which is why I keep harping on about informed consent and doing your own research.

Sorry, tend to get on my soap box too much! best intentions tho....

[Marina]

Klaw, I don't want to talk too much about dsis on here as someone might recognise her from circs and she is not currently a Mner, although that might change now she is the proud mother of a daughter , born at lunchtime. She was 42 + 2 by LMP, rather than by scans, supported by her midwives
Let's just say that she did have well-researched views on her ideal birth, was booked in for a home birth with a supportive community team...but has ended up with an induction that finally kicked in, an epidural and then a c-section after the baby showed signs of being distressed.
She and I share similar views on childbirth and yet between we have ironically finished up with three c-sections, one of which was medically essential, one strongly counselled by a VBAC-favourable consultant and one arguably prompted by induction, plus a 22-week stillbirth. Luckily we have three wonderful living children as well

[Klaw]

Congratulations Marina on becoming a proud Aunty!!!!! Congratulations, of course, to your dsis!!!!! I'm very sad that the induction ended in CS but very happy that dsis has a beautiful baby daughter!!!

Has she got Arnica pillules to help with her healing? Are you close enough to do all the nice stuff, like cooking and cleaning, so that she and dd can just enjoy babymoon? Is she planning to bf? She may find a little bit of difficulty at first due to birth circumstances but if she perserveres it should all come good, check out NCT or Assoc of Breatfeeding Mothers for support in this crucial time. Advice a V pillow for feeding and/or lying down.

As baby was possibly distressed by unatural contractions is may be worthwhile considering Cranial Osteopathy to try to correct any trauma she may be suffering from. that's if baby shows signs, like colic, difficulty feeding from one boob......

Once again, many congratulations!!

[Marina]

She has already fed her dd, and I have my V pillow to pass on [proud emoticon]. I am waiting on a text from BIL to see what I can take in tomorrow. I think she has arnica but I bet she didn't pack any great big pants
I will tip her off re cranial osteopathy. Several of my friends who had emergency c-sections found it helpful, thanks