AIBU to refuse induction and request c section?

[FanaticalFox]

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.

Good luck choc.

Hope all goes well choc

Yes you can refuse an induction. If you want this, act sooner rather than later. Tell them that now, tell them you want booked into theatre, and won't consent to an induction. If they suggest you are putting your baby at risk by not consenting, point out that is NOT THE CASE, as you are happy to consent to a section (less risky for baby...). Be prepared to stand your ground.

whoops, ignore that, I clicked on the thread and thought the initial post was an update (I blame lack of sleep due to an unwell small child!)

Thanks ok thanks for the reply though and yes we're prepared to stand our ground if induction doesn't appear to be working. We'll see tomorrow!!

I refused an induction and had an emergency CS. My waters had broken at 37+5 and i had no contractions, meconium in the waters. I refused induction because it was going to be administered in what i can only describe as less than ideal circumstances in a bay with 6 other women being induced, just curtains between us. Bright lights, mad noise levels. Not conducive to childbirth whatsoever. i could almost feel my cervix clamping shut haha.

I do regret my CS in some ways as i do not feel I experienced the euphoric giving birth thing that comes with natural birth.

PS. Easy Labour vibes to you OP!!!

ill be having an ecs next time. Everything was fine with gas and air but they forced me to push before i felt ready and now my pelvic floor is fucked :(

Good luck op!!

My major motivator for refusing C's,apart from experience,was that I lived rurally so would have been house bound as no driving for at least 6 weeks. I was allowed to drive 3 weeks after my CS. I wish this 6 weeks myth would go away as I think it is unfairly used to deter women from making informed choices.

It was a lot longer than 6 weeks after my VB before I could drive.

CS is surgery, pure and simple. Takes a number of weeks to recover from it. Risk of wound infection etc etc. Normal delivery and you're up and running shock in a couple of hours. There's a significant risk of wound infection following a VB too.

FYI they are unlikely to offer you a C-section mid induction just because you don't feel like things are going the way you want. They will probably only go to c-section after a very long labour and have tried all other interventions. Not wanting to scare you - just letting you know my own experience. You will feel vulnerable and will probably allow them to persuade you to accept all interventions once things have started.

I had a bishops score of 1, induced with 2 pessaries, waters broken, drip etc 48 hours of labour, epidural after around 28 hours, finally c section. I refused induction for subsequent births and had two more planned c sections!

Good luck!

I do regret my CS in some ways as i do not feel I experienced the euphoric giving birth thing that comes with natural birth.

Can we get rid of this idea, please? Not every woman exeriences this.

I had DC1 by ELCS, and DC2 by VBAC. I did not get any euphoric giving birth feeling with either. After the VBAC I just felt knackered, and just couldn't stop shaking which I'm told was to do with my adrenalin levels as the birth was fast.

I do still wish I'd insisted on ELCS for DC2.

Don't let them give you that bloody drip without pain relief. Like laiste and couple of pps I had it with just gas and air and it was awful, nothing like normal childbirth pain.

I had ds3 naturally ( 9 pounds 4), although I did end up with an episiotomy as the cord was tightly around his neck. To be honest the recovery from the episiotomy was worse than the recovery from the can't decide whether yabu as you could have a very straightforward birth.

Good luck and go with the flow. As a long standing midwife I can tell you everyone is different and the vast majority of inductions go well with safe mother and baby outcomes.

Best wishes, hope you can get some sleep tonight. consider a medicinal glass of wine.

All I would say is if YOU feel happier push for the c section.

My induction was very little happening for 5 or 6 hours then 2cm to birth in 20 minutes. Not an exaggeration. That was dc3.

With dc1 I had a syntocin drip after my very long slow labour stalled after dilation. I'd had an epidural since 3cm and it was fine, although I did find the loss of sensation of the contractions a bit disorientating. Ended up with episiotomy and ventouse - in fact I've had two ventouse births (dc2 as well, much faster labour, crisis situation at very end with meconium in waters and distress) and recovery was very quick and straightforward both times. I was glad to have avoided CS, not because I had some mystical birth experience (ha) but because I am guessing the recovery would have been a lot more onerous. But that's just me and my experience.

Good luck!

I had DC3 last year and was offered/told to have an induction. I had had an awful induction with DC1 and got into a real tiz about a repeat performance. The consultant was great and said that I could have an induction with a really flexible epidural (sited before the synto commenced) or I could go straight to c section. After a lot of pondering I decided to attempt the induction. I was already 3cm + dilated, everything looked favourable and I was really concerned about looking after 3 kids post c section. The induction was perfect. The epidural gave me just the amount of pain relief I needed and I felt completely in control of it so never got the fear. I was completely mobile and gave birth squatting. Baby was monitored via a probe on head which enabled me to be really mobile. It was a wonderful experience and even more positive than my very easy and natural 2nd birth. I attribute all of that to feeling listened to and really accomodating health professionals. I really think that an induced birth can be an amazing birth. I also think a c section can be an amazing birth. Very many good wishes. Xx

Oh and they said I could have had a c section up until the point the baby had descended too far even if that was 20mins into the induction. As I said though they were VERY accomodating (and weirdly quiet).

I was booked in to be induced for DC3 at 42 weeks. I was told sex would help get things started and that seemed to do the trick (but did wonder whether the suggestion of sex that late in a pregnancy was just put about by midwives with a sense of humour).

All my DC were big, DC3 being 10lb 2oz. However, big doesn't necessarily mean difficult to deliver. All my DC were long, so the weight was in their length. Once the head's out, everything else usually follows very quickly.

I had a long labour with DC1 - went in 8cm dilated, waters broken after couple hours - no more progress. Started on drip - on drip for 8 hours, contractions getting worse and worse and worse - almost no gaps in between.....

....eventually had emergency C-section - no probs, recovered quickly, up and about within hours, home after 2 days and out at the shops!

DC2 they wanted me to try a natural birth again - I was insistent on a C-section. Had ELCS - all lovely and calm, recovery even easier than first time. I have no doubt whatsoever that was the best for me.

Good luck with the induction today OP!

I'm a midwife and also had an induction myself with DS last year. Firstly don't worry about the hospital resisting giving you enough pain relief on the drip. In my experience we always recommend ensuring an epidural BEFORE the drip is started and most women take this. Once this is in place, honestly it's fine. Most of the women I care for can read magazines/ chat/ nap until pushing time.

Secondly please make sure your DH paces himself in terms of sleep. The whole induction can often take 2-3 days (I had my first gel Friday afternoon and had DS Sunday). Once the baby is out obviously there is feeding, changing, lots to do and you both need to save energy for that. So if they keep you in tonight still at the gel/ waiting stage would strongly recommend sending DH home for some sleep rather than keeping him in the chair beside you overnight.

Take look loads of snack and drinks and try to eat a proper meal before the epidural as you usually can't eat after that point. But get clear non fizzy sugary drinks (like lucosade sport or iced tea) to keep your energy up at this point! Also TAKE LOTS OF PILLOWS the hospital will have one slightly flat battered one for you.

Don't get too hung up on bishops score. It's one measure we use to assess how receptive the cervix is likely to be to intervention such as waters breaking, the drip etc but really isn't a black/ white set in stone tool. I had a terrible bishops score when they started the drip (no choice, serious medical condition and DS had to come out ASAP) and actually dilated extremely quickly on the drip.

The Bishops score isn't always an exact science. I had a Bishops score of 3 (very unfavourable) and the midwife said she was being 'generous' to score 3 after my pessaries, which probably contributed to them not believing that I was in labour or that my waters had broken, but in the end my labour was 4 hours.

Back to my original name....

My induction is not going well so far, they phoned to say they're too busy and they MAY get me in tonight could be anytime (looking forward to a midnight call out to hospital NOT) but they will probably call me this evening either way to get me in and monitor the baby etc i guess i could ask for another sweep? I'm so tempted to just say don't worry about it book me for a c section!!

I was induced(syntocin) 36 hours after my waters started leaking, baby was on right and back to back, 12 hours of fruitless labour I only got to 4cm, emergency section when he got distressed. Next time I'm having a section, they've told me there's no medical reason I can't give birth vaginally next time but fuck that, I think it'll just end up with a section anyway so I'm not risking myself or any future babies trying, I'm in Ireland though and you can request it here, they'd rather vbac but they won't refuse. Best of luck, I hope you're holding your lively baby soon