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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to refuse induction and request c section?

178 replies

FanaticalFox · 21/04/2017 13:55

I am now 40+7. Induction booked for Wednesday however its likely in my view that I'll need a csection as the baby is on the right and should be on my left according to the midwife (its my first baby) and she is large - at least 9 pounds they think. I really don't want to go through natural childbirth with a big baby especially after reading how the lack of pain relief is used on other threads (i want an epidural straight away which the midwife agreed with as she said induction is more painful than natural labour)
I just feel like I'm going to go through potentially almost 24 hours of 2 pessaries and a gel and then need a csection anyway.

So i want to know if i can refuse induction if the baby is still on the right (or just refuse it is general) and request today to be booked for a csection. What are my chances?! Thanks all.

OP posts:
savagehk · 21/04/2017 17:13

I declined induction and delivered my 9lb4 baby vaginally and officially after 42w although my scan date was wrong and he was only just gone 42w by my dates when he made an appearance. He was back to back (although i didn't know at the time) and i got to 9cm without any pain relief other than gas and air and being in the pool. (Then there were signs of him being distressed so we ended up with forceps.) I would attempt vaginally again, indeed I'm planning a home birth this time.

Tenerife2015 · 21/04/2017 17:20

OP have you had any sweeps at all? I honestly believe that inductions aren't bad if you're baby is ready to come out (past 40 weeks). I think a lot of the horror stories come from women who either have it before due date or whose cervix has not started to dilate. I had 4 sweeps and think they must of helped massively.

Ask for an examination before you have the pessary to see how favourable your cervix is. Theres a score sheet. Then decide! Don't let fear take over!

Tenerife2015 · 21/04/2017 17:22

I've sure I've ready somewhere that 60% of inductions lead to a successful vaginal delivery. I'd take those odds!

Original poster
FanaticalFox · 21/04/2017 17:23

Tenerife i went to see midwife yesterday she could not do a sweep due to how my cervix is -i didnt really understand this bit and wish I'd ask more questions. She did not offer to see me again etc and just said the induction would be booked on monday for Wednesday.

OP posts:
Rockandrollwithit · 21/04/2017 17:38

OP, I had a sweep at 41 weeks and the midwife couldn't perform it as my cervix was unfavourable and not ready for labour.

But it can change so quickly - the next day I went into labour so my cervix must have got its act together overnight!

Original poster
FanaticalFox · 21/04/2017 17:53

Thanks rock and roll. Nothing has happened so far today but I'm still hopeful before wednesday!

OP posts:
blue2014 · 21/04/2017 17:56

I had induction and eventually a c section. I was careful for about a week but honestly I found it pretty easy going. They induced me early though, I'd say try induction, see how it goes for a day or so then ask for c section if you need it then

Monkeychopsticks · 21/04/2017 18:30

I was induced at 42 weeks with my first. 10lbs4 and the easiest of the 3, all on gas and air. Dont get stressed about before it happens OP. Enjoy your baby when they arrive x

Laiste · 21/04/2017 19:13

Interesting about cervix being ready. Or not. I don't remember anyone really talking to me about that at the time. (Mind you DD was 3 in Jan, so i might have forgotten!)

I had two sweeps during the week, and as i said, 3 of the vaginal pessary things once in hospital just after my due date and i felt not a single twinge. I should have gone home. I wish i had. I was in tears with fatigue. They took me to the labor ward at 9pm, broke my waters and started me on the drip at about 10.30pm. It was hellish and i just kept thinking 'she's not ready'. I believe she wasn't ready and i wish wish wish i'd have given us both another week to see if she would have come naturally (as my older 3 did). It's something that still plays on my mind even now.

Lunalovepud · 21/04/2017 19:15

YANBU OP - I had a section as I refused induction and it was fine. I have no regrets about my decision whatsoever.

It's your body and your baby and you don't have to agree to anything that you don't want to.

savagehk · 21/04/2017 19:18

Agree with other comments re cervix being ready. I had an exam when I was about as far as you and didn't sweep as cervix was still not ripe enough, I did have a successful sweep the day I went into labour. Although, the pessary/gel thing is supposed to ripen the cervix.

TenFeetTall · 21/04/2017 19:22

I was booked in for induction on a monday as zero sign of baby moving. In the end she came on the Saturday after a very fast labour. You may still have a natural birth yet.

Induction isn't a big panic and it doesn't mean disaster. There are always good and bad birth stories and an induction doesn't mean yours will be bad.

You can do this. Wishing you a safe delivery.

MatildaTheCat · 21/04/2017 19:28

Induction of labour is a series of interventions. Initially the vaginal exam will assess the state of the cervix, its position, consistency, dilitatiin. If it is not soft and open enough to break the waters ( rupture membranes) artificially, you need the gel.

The job of the gel is just to prepare the cervix. Only a few people will go into labour just on this alone. It takes time and typically causes cramping. Moving around and baths can help as well as pain relief such as paracetamol or cocodamol.

When the cervix is ready, and, crucially, there is a bed and midwife free on delivery suite, you will be transferred and baby monitored before the membranes are ruptured. More monitoring then usually you are given a negotiated time to mobilise and see if labour establishes. In first babies it frequently doesn't.

Third step is to start the synocinin infusion very slowly and increase very gradually until labour is established. This has to be titrated with what the baby can tolerate as too many contractions can cause distress.

So the labour often isn't established until more than 24 hours after admission and this is absolutely normal. It's important to give it a decent try before requesting CS.

Good luck and try to go with the flow.

FlippedUpRightSide · 21/04/2017 19:31

Three inductions here (unlucky, 42 weeks, PROM at 35 weeks then no action and gestational diabetes)

No 1: long, tiring, epidural and fine after a sleep. Big boy, funny position, discussed cs but I was terrified of one. All worked out

No 2: 20 min, bounced out (tiny baby)

No 3: average size, pretty short. Literally up and fine in five min. Went Tesco on way home

motherofdaemons · 21/04/2017 19:33

I just had a very positive induction with twins. I went in Friday night, had prostaglandin gel and overnight monitoring. At around 7 am my waters were broken and both babies were here by 9 am! No syntocinon (hormone drip) no pain relief except gas and air and one baby was breech. These weren't my first though.

The thing with inductions is you have no idea how your body will respond. I am a student midwife and I've seen women give birth after a few hours and only 1 dose of prostaglandin. I've also seen it take days and end in a C section. You just don't know, however the majority of women will go on to deliver vaginally.

If you are only being induced for postcards, can you request an outpatient induction? They put the pessary in, then you go home and come back in 24 hours. Also, you can refuse induction for postdates and ask for monitoring instead to see if you go into labour naturally. Just be aware that the risk of stillbirth does increase.

RMC123 · 21/04/2017 19:40

I think the point is labour/ childbirth is nothing if not unpredictable. Going into labour naturally isn't guaranteed to lead to straightforward delivery, neither is induction. Everyone's experience of CS will be different too - some will find it easier than others. All we can offer is our experiences and statistics. An open mind and a positive attitude is probably the best advice. Good luck and enjoy your little one.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 21/04/2017 19:40

Not sure about th cervix being ready stuff.

39 weeks. Cervix "not even close" to being ready at 13:00 when the gel went in. Midwife fully anticipated i was in for the long haul. Cervix still well and truly closed at midnight when i thought i was having contractions. 01:30am cervix now 6cm Shock. He was out by 5:38am.

RMC123 · 21/04/2017 19:42

Formerly my experience exactly - 4 times over. No two women are the same!

eleven59 · 21/04/2017 19:55

These questions are so difficult to comment on because every woman/pregrnancy/birth is different. Some have positive experience of c section/induction, others negative. That said, I never want my daughters to go through induction because of the pain and ongoing complications I suffered with my first born. In my opinion, the outcomes with c sections are far more predictable and compared to induction, my subsequent two c sections were a walk in the park.

chocolatesavedmysanity · 21/04/2017 20:02

I've had 2 sections.. one crash emergency and the 2nd planned. I thought the planned one would be a good choice given my situation with my first child but honestly, looking back I have no idea wtf i was thinking.
Go for induction and take the natural birth of you can. Unless it is necessary I think a c sections should be avoided at all costs. The recovery is horrendous.
I envy my friends and family members who skipped out of the hospital the next day or even later on the same day whilst I hobbled out the first time and was taken out via wheel chair the second.
Every bump on the road on the way home was fucking agony.
You can't sneeze, laugh, cough, fart or shit without feeling like your insides are gonna explode out of your belly.
I'm going for a natural with my third. I couldn't face the recovery again.

Also keep in mind the size measurement may not be accurate.. they usually over estimate.

However the baby gets out, good luck.. it won't change the end result! A beautiful bouncing healthy baby and a happy mother x

DavidbowieMime · 21/04/2017 20:24

I dont think you can compare an elc to one that happens whilst in labour Hmm very different circumstances!

CatsRidingRollercoasters · 21/04/2017 20:28

I had a terrible vbac with my first and an elcs with my second. It took me at least 9 months to physically recover from my first birth. Mentally took even longer.

After my elcs I was up and about the next day. I was pushing a double buggy after a couple of weeks and completely back to normal within 6 weeks.

CatsRidingRollercoasters · 21/04/2017 20:30

You need to carefully manage pain relief after a c section, but I can honestly say it was a virtually pain free experience.

BertrandRussell · 21/04/2017 20:33

Unless you have a particularly small pelvis - and if you did you'd have been told by now- the size of the baby makes no difference to the ease or not of the birth. I don't know about the right/left side thing though-I've never heard of that.

Mumzypopz · 21/04/2017 20:35

A c section costs a lot lot more on the NHS than an induction.....Should patients be able to request one simply because they think baby might be a nine pounder?! I don't think my NHS trust would allow requests?!