5 days overdue and doc suggesting induction in 4 days - are there risks

[Mindy1]

Hi
Am first timer and getting very impatient. I lost mucous plug 7 days ago and had sweep 6 days ago. Doc says cervix effaced and thinned and as of last week, didnt think that I would go any longer than a couple of days over.
Am nervous of questioning his judgement on inducing but what does everyone think? Are there many side affects/risks?

Thanks
Mindy

[NatalieJaneIsPregnantAgain]

So he want's to induce at 41+2? That is quite early for an induction when there seems to be no medical reason for it, most will go to at least 41+3, some to 42 weeks, and some to 42+ (with extra montioring at the hospital daily)

Firstly, if you are happy to be induced then, then go ahead.

Induction doesn't have to be the horror story you hear about, I've been induced twice, and whilst I'd always say a natural start labour is best, the inductions were fine. There is an increased risk of further interventions during the labour, and I think stats show that an emergency C-Section is much more likely, but if your cervix is already softening then the induction would probably go quite well.

If you aren't happy being induced, then you can insist on waiting either till 42 weeks, or waiting indefinately (with the careful monitoring/scans). You might need to shout a bit louder, and maybe even give a stamp of your foot, but they can't do much about it!

Good luck whatever you decide

[Mindy1]

Thanks for the advice NatalieJane and the positive story - I only seem to hear the negative ones !!

Mindy

[dinkystinky]

Sounds pretty early for an induction Mindy - though appreciate you may be pretty keen to get that little one out so you can start bonding properly with him/her.

I was induced at exactly 41+6 days (didnt want to be as was already in early labour but was booked in and the hospital insisted) - my induction was one of those negative stories (though first few hours of it were fine when I had a lovely positive midwife) mostly due to the midwife I had for the second half of the induction, but I have read lots of positive induction stories on here.

When I was induced was waters broken (already 2cm dilated) and straight on to drip - I think if you can insist on 3 attempts at the gel first (which they wont do if you're already dilated), it is much less painful but equally effective. On the plus side, they started the induction at 5 and I had my baby boy at 3 in the morning - much quicker than any of my friends who went into labour naturally.

To be honest, it sounds like your body - and baby - are slowly getting ready to go into natural labour and it may be that you just need the gel to trigger things off or otherwise just wait a few more days and go into labour naturally.

[crokky]

If I was you, I would have the induction and have an epidural. I had this with my first and it was fine.

I would just add that my second (also induced) was not a great experience because induced labours can be more painful than they otherwise would have been. I did not have an epidural, just gas and air. If I was induced again, I would definitely have an epidural and not worry about it.

[Mindy1]

Thanks all, due to see doc tomorrow. Think I will just run with induction and epi if nothing progresses/ Am in Ireland where birth is far more managed than UK

[frazzledgirl]

Mindy, just wanted to say that I was induced at term+13 last year, and it was absolutely fine.

More than fine, in fact - have birth phobia so had been terrified, and was in fact equally petrified of birth turning into a intervention nightmare.

In the end, got to hospital, was too dilated to have gel (3cm naturally but lazy baby just stopped there ), had waters broken, no dilation after two hours, was told had to have syntocinon drip but - and this is the important part - lovely humane hospital offered me the epidural first.

Six pain-free hours later, I pushed DS out with the help of my community midwife. Had one tiny tear which didn't even need stitches, up and about within hours.

I've gone on a bit, but only because I wouldn't have been so terrified if I'd read something like this when it was my turn.

Mums committed to natural birth would prolly still see my birth as a nightmare, but TBH I loved it, so calm and relxed, and would do it all again exactly the same.

Good luck X

[MKG]

I was induced at 38 weeks with ds1 and it was a wonderful birth experience.

If you don't want one and if you and baby are healthy, there isn't a good reason to have one.