Induction

[esmedaniels]

Hello,

Was just wondering if anyone had experience of having a baby over the Christmas period? My due date is the 19th but I've had no signs of the baby coming and my midwife said his head was not engaged at my 38 weeks appointment (first baby). I am booked in for the stretch and sweep on Thursday and the midwife said that if that doesn't get Labour going it will be repeated the following week. This would be the week of Christmas.....


My hospitals policy is to induce 12 days after my due date which would take me to New Year's Eve. My question is does anyone know if I would be induced over a bank holiday? I did ask my midwife but she couldn't really give me a clear answer. My worry is that they will either let me go past 12 days over due which has its risks or I will be on the labour ward on New Year's Day when I know the staffing will be a lot less and I am worried about the risks of that.

Really hoping that it doesn't come to an induction but the midwife was talking as if that would be the case :(


Thanks xx

[Stephisaur]

Firstly, don’t worry about baby not being engaged yet. I wasn’t at my 38 week appointment, but baby came the following week! They can engage as part of the labour process.

We managed to escape the induction route, but a few of the girls I know on some of my Facebook groups have inductions booked for Christmas Eve so I imagine some hospitals just treat bank holidays like regular days. Hospitals don’t really close.

Hopefully baby will come before then though xx

[jessstan2]

I hope you don't need a sweep or induction and everything happens naturally. How exciting for you.

[TheRealHousewifeofCheshire]

It wouldnt necessarily be less staffed. I wouldn't wprry about that

[Sexnotgender]

I wasn’t induced but I had my daughter on the 2nd of January and was in from the first (long labour). They weren’t understaffed.

Good luck!

[Hollywhiskey]

I was induced on 23 December and had my baby on Christmas Eve last year. I was originally booked for induction on NYE.
It was completely fine, the hospital is fully staffed over bank holidays. They had the mayor round wishing everyone happy Christmas on Christmas morning and Santa came to visit the babies.
The only problem I had was my baby couldn't latch and the said I needed nipple shields but being a 'baby friendly' hospital they weren't allowed to provide them and the shops were shut. So I was stuck feeding expressed milk with a 1ml syringe until Boxing Day when boots opened, even though my milk had come in. So I'd suggest if you'd like to breastfeed then buy a pair now (only about £4) just in case.