Can I be induced on request or not?

[Dawnybabe]

Do they induce you on request if you want to have your baby by the due date? Or am I likely to be told sorry, baby will come when she's ready? Obviously I don't want to put her at any unnecessary risk, but could I be induced on my due date if I so wished?

[mmmmchocolate]

i wish, not got app till 41 weeks just to chat about induction!!

[mears]

If your pregnancy is fine then the answer should be NO. That does not mean to say that some doctor might agree to it.
Due dates are only approximate. It is thought that due dates should be changed from 40 weeks to 42 weeks to avoid unnecessay inductions.
Inducing a baby for no good reason is more likely to distress the baby and end upin a caesarean section. If your body is not ready to labour, nothing will make it do it successfully.
Much better for you and your baby to wait and start labour naturally.

[QueenEvil]

You have to have a very good medical reason to be induced. It's not done just for convenience except in extenuating circumstances such as forces husbands I think.

I requested ds4 be induced and it was agreed to, 2 weeks early, but he was predicted to be over 11lbs at full term, so I think that counts as a genuine enough reason!

[BlueberryPancake]

Wouldn't think so. only a very small percentage of births happen on the due date. Unless there's a medical reason I'd be really surprised if a hospital will agree to induce on due date, unless you go private. Can I ask why it's important to you that you are give birth on due date?

[incy]

Not unless anything is wrong with the pregnancy. Depends on your hospital but most have a number of days past due date before they will consider induction - our hospital is 10 days but another local hospital is 12 days past due date.

[katierocket]

Avoid induction if at all possible. I know some women have had straightforward labours after induction but generally it leads to more intervention. I was induced last time and will do anything this time to avoid it.

[Dawnybabe]

Just wondered really, this is my first and so far I haven't been able to find much info on the subject. She's due a week before Christmas and I'm praying she's on time or early. It doesn't really matter, just wondered! If she comes late then she comes late, there's not a lot I can probably do about it. Just not looking forward to going all over Christmas being heavily pregnant when I could have been sharing it with out new baby.

[lulumama]

induction for social reasons is not usually done - there has to be compelling medical evidence for induction.

your edd is just that - an estimate - babies come from 38 - 42 weeks - that is the normal range!!

about 5% of babies actually arrive on their due date so you can see its not an exact science.

your baby helps start the labour by secreting various hormones - so if not ready to come out, and you are induced, might not be the best experience!

don';t be too inpatient to see your baby, i was induced at 39 weeks due to on & off bleeding - induction very painful for me and ended in emergency c/s. this time i went into spontaneous labour and had a vaginal delivery ! much better IMO!!

you'll have lots of other XMas's to share with your baby -

and he/she might yet arrive on time!

[Dawnybabe]

Very true, I'm probably worrying over nothing. You're right, we'll have lots of other Christmases. Bummer of a time to have a birthday though!

[Tommy]

Dawnybabe - DS1 was due on 28th Dec. I was told at 34 week scan that he was likely to be induced (can't remember why now tbh!) but that they would do it earlier than that. I had a 39 week scan on Xmas Eve and the consultant said eveything was fine and that baby could just wait on in there. H ewas finally born on 10 Jan after being induced.

Being very pregnant at Christmas is good because
1)you don't need to worry so much about drinking (DH had to stay sober just in case I had to go to hospital but I had a couple of glasses!) and
2) No-one expects you to do anything at all -washing up, helping get dinner ready etc

Enjoy

[chickenpiescheeky]

i was induced due to lo bein over due
my waters broke sat nite sun morn went to hospital they checked to c if i was n they had but no contractions sent me home, went back tues morning 8 am to be induced has a few of those pessarys that u can have at home to start me off but they did nothing, eventually 9am thurs morn put me on the drip to set me off, eventually had her at 12 mins 12 on thursday nite, wouldnt fancy it again they stop n start u turn it up n down n they still come when they want to,
hope this helps just thought id let u no it aint a miracle cure if they get full they make u hang on lol

[jessicaandrebeccasmummy]

I was induced with Jessica at my request - BUT - Dh is in the Army and was in Iraq at the time. He was only allowed home for 5 days and of course, being the army, he had to state which 5 days they were before he went! (Because i can have a natural labour on any day I choose cant i!)

It wasnt a very nice experience, being stuck in hospital for nearly 36 hours before Jess made her appearance, and wasnt the birth experience i had hoped for. Jess needed resus when she was born because she was distressed. I was sick and shakey because of the drugs they give you.

My second, natural birth, was SO much nicer and quicker. Felt more in control.

I would avoid at all costs another induction - and you only have to ask people on here about self-inducing methods - i bored them stupid for 3 weeks!!!

[TuttiFrutti]

Dawny, it's been said before on here, but do everything you can to avoid induction unless there is some life-threatening medical problem. Induction is HORRIBLE. It gives you bigger and stronger contractions which are incredibly painful, and you won't feel in control.

[nowanearlyNicemum]

I'd definitely avoid induction at all cost. Was induced with dd as she was 12 days overdue and it was a complete disaster which ended in an emergency c-section.
Am currently due on the 22nd and am really hoping the little one puts in an appearance before they start talking induction again.
That's just my experience though

[geekgrrl]

as everybody else has said - avoid an induction unless it is absolutely necessary for medical reasons. I had an induction first time round for a rather feeble reason (symphysis pubis dysfunction - another week really wouldn't have mattered) at it was a horrible, drawn-out (4 days!) and painful experience, I ended up flat on my back with an epidural and almost ended up with a CS due to 'lack of progress'. To top it off I had a serious haemorrhage afterwards as a direct result of being induced and was wiped out for weeks. Not a good start to motherhood.