Shaking with fear of induction

[peachandplum]

I'm about to be induced at 37+4 due to medicinal needs and I am terrified.
My DH is making everything worse fannying about and being a nervous wreck. Someone please help me stay calm.

So I would guess the normal policy if they can't break your waters would be to leave you 24 hours to rest before starting the whole process again. That is the policy where I work anyway.

If that is the case you say "no, I refuse to go through another round of induction, you either leave me be labour naturally on my own or I will consent to a c-section" they won't be able to abandon an induction without delivering the baby so they will agree to a section.

Don't know if this helps at all, but I was induced for both of my kids. One because she was late and the other early for the health of the baby.

Both times it wasn't particularly nice and the monitoring is such a pita, but we got there.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you op - it's your body, don't agree to something that you don't want to do.

Your experience sounds so similar to mine. I had the hormone thing twice, didn't work. Then they broke my waters and just left me for 24 hours. Then the drip. Took
Five days in total, no sleep as I was on the labour ward in a room with people in labour. Also refused section many times as by the fifth day I was too exhausted to face labour.

What I would say is when they started the drip I had an epidural
And didn't feel a thing. Baby arrived eventually with forceps. The actual labour part was probably the best bit of the experience although she had an infection (prob because they left it too
Long after waters breaking.)

They also spoke to me like shit when I asked for a section and said 'are you a raid of pain.' Fuckers.

Anyway once your baby's here safely it'll seem worth it. Good luck.

Okay.
When the doctor comes back I am going to have the examination and tell the doctor that I do not want my waters broken and that I do not want to rest until tomorrow and start the process again.
I want a csection and if the consultant refuses I want to see another doctor who will perform one as per my rights.

Does that sound reasonable ?

You can decline the examination, it's to check if the cervix is ample enough to break your waters, so if you're going to decline the breaking of the waters, then there's no point having a vaginal examination.

State your rights as per NICE Guidelines and maternal request, have a read of the risks, it'll help if you can convey to the team that you're aware of the risk of hysterectomy & implications for future pregnancies.

Can they still refuse to section me tonight?

It's unlikely they will do an elective section out of hours with limited staff and ongoing labour ward activity. It's safer to do in the daytime with the day team.

Only problem is that if there's not enough folk on for a CS to be performed tonight. Chances are they'll say "we'll let you rest overnight and we'll talk in the morning".

So that means when a doc comes on shift at 6/7am that's when it'll be agreed.

I had to wait until the day after, the emergencies take priority (of course).

Can I refuse to be left overnight?

You can't demand they section you tonight, elective sections are safer in daylight hours. You can decline examination tonight and say you would like a second opinion re: mode of delivery in the morning

You don't have a 'right' to a section, NICE guidelines are just that; guidelines. I totally get your frustration but they are unlikely to give you an elective section overnight unless the unit is very quiet, and tbh even then it's unlikely. You are completely entitled to refuse to continue with the induction, and request a section, and hopefully they'll be able to fit you in in the morning. Bear in mind though: electives WILL be delayed if there are any more pressing cases, so even if they say they'll do it in the morning, it still might not happen on schedule (best to prepare yourself for that scenario). Lots of luck, & hope you are soon back at home cuddling your lovely baby.

You won't get a section tonight unless an emergency happens - the start to end process of an elective section is different to an emergency one in that they will want consent forms and to check your back for spinal/epidural placement, plus you usually have to be nil by mouth for 6+ hours.

You'd be much better reinforcing what you've mentioned here about historic sexual abuse and the trauma you're experiencing in internal examinations and asking them to please consider that a section would be in the best interests of your current and future mental health.

By the way, if you feel they are not taking you seriously with regards to mental health, please ask to see the perinatal mental health nurse, of which there should be one either on site (daytime) or on call to visit. I had mine come to me during the week I was being induced for similar reasons to your own and she really did help reinforce my needs at a time where I felt unable to do so (particularly post natally, where my care was awful).

It's extremely unlikely they will section you tonight unless it becomes an emergency. You have every right to refuse examination and further induction procedures but you can't demand they give you a section. They are likely to agree to a section because they can't just abandon the induction process now it's been started but they are much more inclined to give you a 12/24 hour rest period before commencing a section.

What happened to me:

At midnight doctor says that they are putting in the final gel. I said "ok, that's the last one, I can't take any more"

Six hours later the morning doctor comes round, checks me, I'm 0cm dilated. That's when they said they want to gel me again. I said "what else", they said "CS" I said "yes please". They tell me immediately stop eating (I was eating biscuits).

9am: forms are brought over by someone from the surgical team, I sign and am told that if I'm lucky I'll be fine within 6 hours

4pm: taken to theatre and DD is delivered at 4:30.

Just setting your expectations.

I was also scared of induction I had heard horror stories ..my experience was my waters broke naturally whilst walking down to start my induction. This only changed things slightly...as it was straight to the drip I had an epidural sited at the same time. Do not be afraid to voice your fears and demand pain relief at the same time you wouldn't have your teeth pulled without anaesthetic..it baffles me why someone wants pain. Anyway moving on my own birth experience ended in a c section as even with the drip I failed to progress it was super calm they topped up my spinal and baby was born. I got to see her and my partner still cut the cord I would have had skin to skin but we had both developed an infection so my baby had to go to scbu.
Relax, enjoy it you will get lovely baby snuggles soon enough and most importantly be vocal talk to staff they are pushed for time and not mind readers. Good luck

Ps my section came after about 23 hrs labour and I had an infection so it was classed as emcs but was calm. I would have preferred not to have a section it is not an easy option. All my Nct buddies who gave birth vaginally even those who had forceps were vastly more mobile and got out of hospital quicker than I was / did.

peachandplum, as the above posters already said, you will probably need to wait until it can be scheduled. Unless you or baby is in trouble. I will take a guess that you won't be put off for too long since they have begun trying to induce you. I haven't had my waters broken, but I was going to, except that it happened on its own. That may happen to you too.

Could you try watching a relaxation video on YouTube perhaps? Or watch anything else that can maybe distract you a bit so you can relax a bit?

Hope to see the baby is here post soon.☺

How are you OP?

OP I hope you're okay this morning x

Thinking of you this morning OP and hope you are snuggled up with your new bundle of joy

I had a similar failed induction, failure to progress over 5 days it was trully horrible and then found out baby was back to back and i got to 9cm before getting an epidural and then getting emergency section as the babys heart rate was starting to drop. I have never felt such exhaustion even once my son was born!
Asking or a section much earlier would have been so much better and my next 2 children were born by planned section which was 100 times better!

Hope you're ok OP

Hi everyone. I've name changed. I'll link to my new thread now

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3033311-Will-I-be-ok-getting-an-epidural

Baby isn't here yet but they've given me an epidural and are breaking my waters shortly.