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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be so sick of things being done to my overdue partner.

74 replies

ukfirestorm · 30/05/2013 12:23

7 days overdue now and just had a sweep, all seems so invasive, and unpleasant. She was told today she needs to try and overcome her fear of these procedures as it looks like we will have to wait for the induction whichis now booked.
Wish it would just get started, and the midwives have all been great, but so sick of interventions!

OP posts:

MummytoMog · 30/05/2013 16:39

My first labour was brought on (only a day overdue) by a sweep. I was bloody grateful for it, although not so much for the feeling of being punched in the cervix. It wasn't as bad as when the consultant left his hand in my open cervix during a contraction following six hours of fruitless pushing. That was bad.

If it's any consolation, my second labour started spontaneously.

Chunderella · 30/05/2013 16:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JamieandtheMagicTorch · 30/05/2013 17:00

Mummy

Ooof!

Original poster

ukfirestorm · 31/05/2013 08:27

Sweep appears to have done nothing! apertner now keen to try induction to get this over with, If it was me I wouldnt have one, but it isnt my body. All booked in for tues :(

OP posts:

IncrediblePhatTheInnkeepersCat · 31/05/2013 08:41

I had a sweep when I was a week over. I was then offered another at +10, but the midwife was busy and it was cancelled. I was booked in for an induction at +14, which I was terrified about as I thought I would end up with lots of intervention, but it was actually pretty good.

I was given a pessary at 6pm, but nothing happened until 8am the following morning. I progressed pretty quickly, so they decided against breaking my waters. DS was born at 5pm that day with gas and air and still in his sac!

Hopefully that will give you some hope. Wishing you all the best and that baby puts an appearance in soon.

dreamingbohemian · 31/05/2013 09:05

You will hear a lot of negative stories about induction BUT people don't talk as much about the positive ones, so try not to worry. I don't think your partner is making a bad decision, she's going to 12 days over. Anyways that's 4 more days when something could happen on its own! My waters broke the night before I was supposed to be induced

MoreSnowPlease · 31/05/2013 09:20

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

havingamadmoment · 31/05/2013 09:42

I just thought I woud add to this I have had 2 naturally starting labours and 3 inductions. The inductions were easier and less painful for me than the naturally starting labours. I know there are loads of horror stories but induction is always a nightmare. You need to be monitored slightly more often but thats pretty much it, and you dont need to been on the bed for monitoring you can sit on a birth ball which is easier.

I would actually choose induction over naturally starting labour given the choice !

havingamadmoment · 31/05/2013 09:43

that should be is NOT always a nightmare!

havingamadmoment · 31/05/2013 09:44

Oh my inductions were at 36 weeks, 37 weeks and 38 weeks and the labours took a while to start (a day) but once contractions started they were all over in under 5 hours.

mootime · 31/05/2013 09:54

Don't be sad about your DP booking for an induction. There is a good a chance she will go into labour before then. There are reasons why the advice is to induce by 14 days over. I keep saying it, but the end result you want is a happy healthy baby. How you get there in the long term doesn't matter any where near as much as the alternative.

dreamingbohemian · 31/05/2013 10:03

Yes, also my 'naturally starting' labour still ended with no progress after 27 hours and I had a section. There's no way to know how these things go so don't worry too much about how they start.

ICBINEG · 31/05/2013 12:27

I am a sweep refuser..they are on the NICE list to be revised / done away with because the cost (painful for many women, sometimes excrutiatingly so) to benefit (they sometimes kick start labour if it was imminent anyway so what the fuck is the point?) ratio is SO VERY POOR.

When I did antenatal classes the data showed that you have to get to 43 weeks plus before the rate of still birth moves off the baseline. And it only rises slowly...

Seriously there is no reason to have invasive procedures like this except to keep midwives in jobs.

pooka · 31/05/2013 12:59

Had sweep on due date with dc1. Was already having early labour signs. Went from 1cm to baby about 8hous after sweep.

With dc2 the midwife tried a sweep at 40+5. Was very unfavourable apparently. But had show day later and he was born at 41 weeks.

HorryIsUpduffed · 31/05/2013 13:38

Tuesday is a long way away.

Both of you should read up about inductions. If/when she goes in for induction, she will be examined to see how "favourable" she is. That results in a number score based on various factors including texture and position of cervix, her age, whether it is a first baby, etc. The higher the score, the more likely it is that the induction will succeed. Don't be afraid to ask what her.score is and what it means.

I found out after my induction with DS1 that I had been hilariously unfavourable (scored 4, where under 8 is unlikely to succeed) and that all along they were expecting to go to emergency c section. As it was, the physical and emotional recovery from a three-day labour, four hours of pushing, and forceps delivery was nearly beyond me.

In similar circumstances another time I would prefer to have the elCS a day sooner and still have the physical and emotional reserves to deal with a newborn. The HCPs might not agree, and obviously they are the experts, but I feel they do at least owe it to women to discuss the possibilities. Fully informed consent is so important.

NaturalBaby · 31/05/2013 15:30

If she's happy with her decision then it will all be fine - the most important thing is that she is confident that she has made the right decision for her own body. Good luck, you'll soon have a gorgeous tiny baby to cuddle!

SquinkiesRule · 31/05/2013 15:52

Bfore going in for the induction maybe try all the old wives tales and see if that works naturally.
Curry,
Raspberry tea.
Lots of sex and orgasms
Walk walk walk
Theres loads more to try.

FobblyWoof · 31/05/2013 15:56

I would just like to point out the the risk (be it high or low) of the placenta failing is not the only reason for induction and it very much depends on the pregnancy that the OP's DW has had and simply saying you can refuse isn't helpful in all circumstances.

I was booked for an induction 6 days after due date because DD was measuring big and they saw a risk of shoulder dystocia. My waters actually went two days before my due date and I was induced the day before and had her on her due date. She still had shoulder dystocia, which was obviously very scary for all involved. If she had gone to six days over she'd have been even bigger, 12 days even bigger and so on. Sometimes babies are bigger than what their mothers can deliver (I had none of the indicators of having a larger baby like GD) and I would be concerned that the longer labour is held off the more likely the risks.

I'm not trying to suggest that would be the case in all refused inductions. It's not. But there are plenty of other factors to consider, of which shoulder dystocia is just one.

IneedAsockamnesty · 31/05/2013 16:38

Inductions are not always bad I've had 2 one at 15 days over the other at 37 weeks. Both done using the pessery both worked neither were much different to any of my other labours

My current youngest child was born less than 2 hours after a sweep.

bluestar2 · 31/05/2013 16:45

Sweeps can take upto 24 hours to work so its not over yet. Seriously though , sex in a deep penetrating position if she can handle it. Worked both times for me within hours. All the other old wives tales didn't. Good luck

cory · 31/05/2013 17:35

I had two pre-term inductions, they weren't actually that bad.

Best of luck, OP, and hope you have good news soon.

ItsTheYoniWay · 31/05/2013 19:45

I had an induction. It wasn't that bad although contractions were definately a lot worse than with natural labour.

I went 11 days overdue with my second there last month. Felt like it would never happen on its own but just woke up one morning with stomach pains having gone to bed the previous night feeling "normal" and it all kicked off from there.

ipswichwitch · 31/05/2013 19:59

iamadoozermum that's interesting why you said about your consultant not inducing you because you had a previous cs. My MW has said (2 different ones in fact) that because I've had a cs I will be induced if I get past my due date because of the risk to the scar tissue. I think I need to do some reading about all this, as personally I would rather not have intervention that's not necessary.

Sorry for the hijack OP, I get what you're saying and you so sound very supportive. I think your DW needs that more than ever now, and I hope all goes well (tues is still 4 days away so hopefully the little one will make an appearance before then)

organiccarrotcake · 31/05/2013 20:32

ipswitchwitch I would agree that would need further investigation. Inducing labour with a woman who has had a CS certainly puts far more strain on the scar than spontaneous labour as a general rule.

OP, I really hope things work out for you. You might be interested in this link, although I hear what you say about your partner being happy with her decision. midwifethinking.com/2010/09/16/induction-of-labour-balancing-risks/

Enjoy your new baby when he or she arrives :)

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