If you declined an induction and went into labour naturally, when was your baby born?

[Stringervest]

I'm turning my mind to this as the first appointment with the midwife to discuss induction or alternatives is on Friday. I can choose daily monitoring instead of an induction, and allow the baby to come naturally when it is ready.

So, if you chose the same and went into labour naturally, when did it happen?

[witchy89]

I went into labour naturally at 41+3, my doctor discussed induction with me and I was offered a sweep twice but I declined it all. I knew baby would come when it was ready. I would have been happy to accept daily monitoring if I hadn't gone into labour when I did. I did a lot of reading and researching when I was pregnant of all the possible outcomes and I felt it was best for both me and baby to let her come when she was ready.

[witchy89]

That should say midwife not doctor!

[itsallthedramaMickiloveit]

41+2.

The morning of the induction I had agreed to....but had no intention of actually going to.

[seaduck]

I was due to be induced at 41+5, because of being over dates. I didnt refuse this and was pretty happy to be induced at this stage, but as it turns out there was no space on labour ward for me and I kept getting overtaken by emergencies in the queue and I had to hang on for three more days, eventually going into labour naturally and giving birth at 42+1.

[SparkleUK]

I was booked for induction on PM of 41+1 but was horrified at the thought so was going to cancel.
Went into labour naturally on the morning anyway

[Stringervest]

This is all quite encouraging. A friend of a friend had hers at 43 + 1. That is a prospect I do not relish.

[Stringervest]

Bump

[seaduck]

How far along are you? @Stringervest

Oof. 43+1, she must have mental strength of steel. I'd gone a bit mad by 42+1!

Hope baby turns up soon.

[Stringervest]

Oh I'm not that overdue yet. Only 40 + 4. But the pressure (from midwives and family) to consider induction has already started and time has seemed to slow down!

DD had been born by now....

I'm guessing from the lack of responses to this thread that perhaps a lot of people choose the induction.

[MingVase]

42+3.

[Crazyoldmaurice]

I refused induction till 42+1, on 42+0 I had a very quiet morning from my daughter so I thought fair enough to call it quits. I had a sweep done at 10pm that night at was 3cm already so they just waited till the next morning to break my waters. That night I started getting some mild buzzing contractions in my back so I wonder if that was it starting up after the sweep. Had waters broken at 9am and 6 hours later she was born. Still curious to know how much longer it would have taken on it's own. Due in 4 weeks and wondering how long this one will cook for!

[Stringervest]

@Crazyoldmaurice Six hours after your waters were broken. I can cope with that. I'm less keen on syntocin drip. Did you need the drip or was it as simple as having your waters broken?

[NameChange30]

41+4
I had acupuncture at 41+2 IIRC, not sure if it did much but it was relaxing.
In desperation I had sex at 41+3, labour started hours later.
I think I would have considered induction from 42 weeks but only the pessary, not the drip.

[BecauseReasons]

If you're induced via drip, I'd go straight for the epidural.

[DottyWott]

41+4 twice!!

[Bumfuzzled]

41+6 and 41+3 both natural births. With my first I was given far too many sweeps which made everything really uncomfortable. With my 2nd I didn’t have any sweeps and went into labour naturally. Good luck!

[Stringervest]

Thanks for your experiences. It sounds like next week might be the week for me. (Please please please)

I really couldn't even contemplate sex right now. I think DH would feel the same. Maybe I could tip a spoonful of semen up there and see if it does the trick? I'm only half joking...

[NameChange30]

Works better if you orgasm It's the oxytocin.

Honestly I didn't feel like having sex at all throughout my whole pregnancy and it was a sign of my desperation

[Stringervest]

Oh my. I am the same as you - zero interest in sex. In fact, the idea repulses me.

I need to do a bit of DIY today but once I've got that out the way perhaps I'll dust off the vibrator...

[itsallthedramaMickiloveit]

I tried sex after my due date 😂 I think it was the most unromantic business like transaction I have ever entered into.
And the same for him.

Even more so than TTC sex.

It was good. Don't get me wrong. He very much delivered on the objective of the project.

But we were both just there for one reason. We were both sick to death of the never ending pregnancy at that point.

Didn't Think of some battery powered help 🤦‍♀️

[trilbydoll]

I was booked in for induction, finally went into labour at 41+6 and still ended up on the drip, dd was not remotely interested in coming out. Lavender oil in the bath seemed to trigger it but as dd didn't get the memo I'm not sure it was worth it.

I would guess by 40w most people are sick of being pregnant, I certainly was. I was also convinced it was never going to happen so there didn't seem any point dragging it out longer

[Stringervest]

I'm torn. I'm quite enjoying a few things about still being pregnant. One is relatively uninterrupted sleep. Every night when I wake up for a wee I think "thank fuck I'm not in labour now because I really can't be arsed".

The other is being able to do stuff without a baby in tow and with absolutely zero work stress. I don't even get that when I'm on holiday because of the nature of my job. I'm not having another baby and I'm going back to work next year so this is my last chance to enjoy uninterrupted relaxation until retirement.

But I'm extremely large, unwieldy and achy and harbouring concerns that I'm baking a twelve pounder in there.

Midwife appointment shortly so I'll see what she says. Will also try lavender oil in the bath. I'm not yet desperate enough to have sex.

[MingVase]

And, OP, I tried literally everything from things with some research evidence to mad old wives' tales -- having a sweep, acupuncture, sex, a hot curry, pineapple, walking a very long way on my due date, some herbal/fruit tea (raspberry?) always recommended to bring on labour. Nothing had the remotest effect.

[Stringervest]

Thanks. This is the conclusion I have reached too.

[frillyfarmer]

I'm in to be induced today at 41 weeks.

I was all for declining, I was induced with my first and it was a long hard slog - I wanted to labour naturally and that was my preference until a few weeks ago.

And then I read this study and I weighed up the pros and cons. This has been an anxious pregnancy for me on the back of multiple losses and I just want a healthy baby in my arms now. There are negatives to both aspects but for me I just wasn't prepared to go over 41 weeks, so here I am.

www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6131

Although induction with my first was long, I had a very positive experience and I wouldn't let your view be coloured by the horror stories of the hormone drip you read on here.

I had the drip, I laboured for over 24 hours and I did it on gas and air - it was painful but manageable.