Being Induced - is it worth arguing or just give in gracefully?

[AmpleBosom]

I'm now 40wks and 10 days, went to my overdue appointment at the hospital on tuesday. They offered me a sweep which i declined but they insisted they needed to examine me to determine if my cervix was favourable - it wasn't and they couldn't have performed a sweep anyway.
They booked me in for induction tomorrow morning, this wasn't presented as being an option i was just told to report to maternity tomorrow.

This is my 3rd baby, both my sons were born at 39+5 and 40+5. Both labours were only two hours long and were spontaneous. My 1st DS was born 10 mins after arriving at the hospital and 2nd DS was a home birth.
I'm booked for a home birth this time and to be honest hadn't even considered that i might end up on this situation. Both labours were very fast and with no pain relief.

I feel like my body has gone into labour on it's own twice before and i don't really want to interfere but i also feel under pressure to have an induction.
I'm an experienced nurse and know i can't be forced into doing anything i don't want to but feel under pressure to tow the line. The doctors i saw were lovely but just told me what i was doing and didn't really present any options. I just sat there like you do . To be honest they looked at me like i had 5 heads when i declined the sweep which i was told she was doing rather than her asking if i wanted one so sort of lost my confidence to challenge anything after that.

Also thinking that this child if born this weekend is going to be the very youngest child in the year when it goes to school and think should i just wait until next week (This is a really minor consideration but one i have thought of all the same)

What should i do? Is it worth pushing to wait a bit longer given that i'll be 42 wks on monday and it is bank holiday or should i just give in and be induced?

[BornToFolk]

Well, no one can tell you what to do, but you've answered your own question really, as you are quite clear that you don't want to be induced.

I was induced (first baby, no other reason than I was 14 days overdue) and it made my labour very fast, and very intense. DS ended up being born via ventouse. It was all fine and we recovered well but it wasn't the birth I'd hoped for.

You don't have to accept induction if you don't want to. Ask what they'd do instead - I think some hospitals insist on monitoring the baby to make sure all is well.

[Tangle]

I sympathise . DD was breech and it was only because we knew a long time in advance and had had a chance to do a LOT of reading and thinking that DH and I felt strong enough to buck the NHS and use private MWs to have DD as a home breech birth. We didn't half get made to feel irresponsible for not doing as were told by the consultants, though.

There's quite a lot of information here.

For what its worth, if the only reason they had for pushing an induction was that I was 40+10 and I felt that everything was fine and my DC just wasn't quite ready, I'd probably decline an induction, talk about expectant management and get busy with the pineapple and sex (not necessarily together, you understand ). I would start thinking about Plan B, though - how long would I hold out before accepting a bit of help.

As for being one of the youngest in the year, I was born on the 29th August and it never seemed to hold me up at school, or at university or in my career.

Hope that working out what decision is right for you and your family doesn't get too stressful

[lljkk]

Born2Folk said it well. Stand your ground if you want. It isn't a situation of whether they 'let' you, it's about whether you choose to take their advice.

I refused to even discuss induction until I got to 42 weeks, the baby came naturally at 40+11, probably exactly when it would have come had I been induced at 40+10, per local policy.

The MWs said the placenta didn't look at all tired or 'old'. After 40 wks I felt that the baby was moving lots and I was fine in every other way, so it was reasonable for me to wait a bit past 42 wks (I had made up my mind to be induced at 42+4, if it came to it). But it is a slight risk going past 42 wks, even if it's not placenta failure other things can go wrong in the womb (just as there's a high risk of undesirable outcomes from induction too); you have to be comfortable that you can live with your decision, whatever the outcome.

I always think that if it's that hard to decide what to do, then no decision is the wrong one, the right decision is the one you find most comfortable at the time.

[AmpleBosom]

Thanks for all your replies, am very and hoping i won't have to do anything as i think i'm in labour now.....really hope these contractions continue!

[TotallyAndUtterlyPaninied]

Good ample, don't let them induce you, it's stupid that they push everyone into induction. I'm refusing it this time and I've told them that at my booking appointment. They said that's fine!

Hope your contractions continue. If not, I hope the baby is born after 1st September, as I too would worry about the youngest-kid-in-class scenario. Not that it's ever bothered my little brother.

[OmicronPersei8]

Great news - I was going to post about how I gave in (too stressed to fight it) and was induced with DS (my second) and that is was ok in terms of the birth itself (quick, no pain relief) but I would rather have had my planned homebirth. You sound like you've got it sorted though!

[Berrie]

I 'started' the night before my planned induction after some feeble arguing about it. They induced me anyway.
Enjoy it AmpleBosom - I'd love to give birth again!

[Berrie]

Also, my birthday is 31st August and I'm ok (I think)

[lljkk]

Ooh, exciting Ample, fingers Xed for it all going well (and soon so you don't have to fret over any more induction decisions). Keep us posted!!

[mosschops30]

I know that most on MN are very anti-induction, lots of threads about demanding to wait and being scanned regularly to check baby and placenta etc.

TBH I just cant understand why??

With ds I went 40+15 and held on in the hope I would go to midwife led birth centre. In the end they gave me 3 sweeps and then told me it was no go and I went off to the hospital to be induced.
I have to say that my induced labour was preferable to my spontaneous one, it was quicker, less painful, I only required one pessary and was in full swing within a few hours.
If you feel like youve had enough then just go and get induced, IME it doesnt make it any worse

[lljkk]

It's good to hear about someone having a positive experience of induction.
There were lots of reasons why I was so reluctant, but I expect many people are satisfied with the experience.

[Berrie]

What's happening?

[designerbaby]

Ample - if you're happy to wait, have done it twice before, able to get to hospital easily for regular monitoring if required then I realy don't see why you should have to be induced.

I know for some people it's fine, but in my case my body didn't respond well - I don't honestly think I was ready to go into labour at the time, and it was long and painful.

I'm not sure why you'd risk it if you didn't have to... I'll be resisting any pressure to be induced if it happens again this time round.

I'd give a sweep a go, though... fairly low on the intervention scale and might shut them up for a while...

They have a 2 week 'deadline' and think it's more awkward for them administratively if you don't toe the line. But not half as awkward as a difficult induction might be for you IMHO.

But I had a rusbbish induction experience so am cynical and bitter . Feel free to ignore...

db
xx

[AmpleBosom]

Just updating, have been having twinges all day and a show but nothing consistent - am still hopeful this baby might show it's face overnight!

Will let you know how i get on and thankyou all for your replies, i feel a bit more confident to discuss my options tomorrow if no baby overnight

[designerbaby]

Fingers crossed and legs uncrossed then!
x

[CarGirl]

I'm predicting a girl

I've always been happy to wait until 42 weeks, and ask to go in for induction on Tuesday - not that I think you'll make it until then........

[morocco]

good luck

bear in mind it's the bank holiday weekend coming up - cynical me thinks they probably just wanted to get as many cases out of the way before then as possible - hence the rush to induce

[Berrie]

Any news?

[lljkk]

No posts from her on MN since her last one, that's a good sign that things got moving .

[Berrie]

Hope so!

[AmpleBosom]

Hello everyone,

ended up accepting induction and gave birth in a shocking 25 minutes, 3 hrs after my second prostin in the early hours of this morning. My poor DH missed all the action!

Had a baby boy 7lbs 11oz and have called him Thomas. Thankyou all so much for your advice and for sharing your experiences.

All still feels a bit unreal at the moment but very happy with my 3 gorgeous sons

[l39]

Congratulations Amplebosom!

[morocco]

congrats!

[lowrib]

Congratulations!

[CarGirl]

Congratulations!