To ask the consultant to be only left to 41 weeks?

[PasstheBucket89]

my care is consultant led due to bmi, which is fair enough if they feel thats necessary, (my blood pressure, samples have been absolutely fine, have been through every pregnancy so please no hysterics and hyperventilating about me being a burden on the nhs, im really not, i dont begrudge them doing their jobs even if doing so creates dehumanising labels and broad assumptions that aren't reflected in my actual health) just get that out the way.
My biggest 'health issue' is the Hypermesis Gradvarium is battle with daily at 36 weeks still and am on medication ive lost 1st 6lbs, after putting some back on.
Anyway, would i be unreasonable to ask not to be left to 42 weeks, and delivered on week 41,the baby is considered about 5lbs now although scans can be innacurate,
i dont want to risk the baby becoming too large, ive experienced that before, no growth scans with that pregnancy so wasn't picked up.
I need this hypermesis to end! my history shows i will be vomit until im no longer pregnant, its hellish.
im very near Christmas, i dont want to be in a labour ward at Christmas staff levels during a pandemic!
Would i be unreasonable to ask them not to leave me 42 weeks and at the latest 41?

YANBU. Stats show that some babies die unnecessarily if the pregnancy continues beyond term. I’d tell your consultant that you wish to deliver by 41 weeks at the latest and you want it on record that they will take full responsibility for any mortality that occurs by refusing.

Sorry for the scaremongering tone of my post but once you’ve had a baby die, you realise the womb is not the safe place for them that many believe it to be.

5lbs at 36 weeks isn't big? My daughter was 5lbs 7oz at 38wks+3days (when born) why are you worried about a big baby? Do you have gestational diabetes?
Sorry about the sickness.

You are ill with that sickness, it’s bloody awful. I’d thing you could very reasonably be induced at 40 weeks.

I know of a few women, who didn't have your issues but needed a section for other reasons and they were all delivered well in time for Christmas. My DD was given sweeps before her due date in December because they like to get as many safely delivered, as they can, before the December flu/Christmas chaos season.

Unless there's a good clinical reason, they will consider it.

In similar circumstances, I was told 39 weeks and no more. But that was not the NHS.

Not at all. Tell them that it's physically exhausting and affecting your mental well-being, and that you're worried about the state you will be in if it's left to 42 weeks.

5lb is not big at 36 weeks, is it? Mine was 5lb 12oz when delivered at 37 weeks and was considered a tiddler.

I thought a lot of trusts now only allow women to go to 41 weeks. (I know my trust does)
36 weeks and 5lb isn't considered big, according to my growth chart that showed they were under the 10th centile.
I would speak to them regarding your HG and how it's affecting you etc re induction earlier than 42 weeks

Yeah - I’d agree on the size query. My first was 6 lbs 13 when I delivered at 36 weeks.

I had my second induced at 39 weeks on request as she was massive (10 lbs 2). I was actually part of the big baby trial, but got put in the control group where I had to wait to deliver naturally. The point of that trial was inducing one group of women at 38 weeks to see if it reduced birth complications due to size, as there is limited scientific data on that point.

However, I managed to convince the consultant to induce me at 39 weeks by basically complaining I was uncomfortable and miserable. If you’re happy with induction (both of mine actually were induced and were fine - the first, I had PROM but no contractions), then go for it.

Has anyone actually said they want you to wait till 42 weeks? I’d be amazed. From my experience hospital keen for induction as soon as 40 weeks is passed, and that for a straightforward pregnancy.

@CarterBeatsTheDevil

5lb is not big at 36 weeks, is it? Mine was 5lb 12oz when delivered at 37 weeks and was considered a tiddler.

Agreed. In fact, if anything, I’d be more concerned about IUGR, potentially caused by HG rather than placenta failure, with a baby of that size and that gestation. To be on the safe side though, I wouldn’t want to leave the delivery any later than possible and certainly not after the due date.

5lb at 36 weeks I would not say is large ( I know it is just a scan based estimate). I would say how the HG is affecting you so they may take it into account though.

Have you been told you need to wait till 42? Our trust is standard at 41 so it can have any delays factored into still giving birth before 42.
Also with regards to HG, I lost a lot more weight that you have (and also vomited excessively till the day he was born) and it wasn’t considered a factor in when I would/wouldn’t be induced. No other complications though.

Mine was was just over 7lb at over 41 weeks

I wouldn't worry about that size being too large, I had DS at 36 weeks 4 days and he was 7 pounds 9. Although I thought their dates were inaccurate from the outset. Having said that DH was a twelve pound monster!

I suffered from sickness in all three pregnancies, I was still being sick on the operating table during the section (none of the anti sickness they gave me worked for the surgery). Stopped the second the placenta was gone.

I had my first section at 38 weeks because I'd lost so much weight and felt like I was dying. They agreed when I was in yet again for dehydration and a baby with slow growth.

Second and third sections were at 38 too.

I wasn't fat in the first two, but I gained ten stone a few years back and my BMI this pregnancy was 40. Apart from the sickness I was perfectly healthy throughout, despite the hospital insisting I'd have BP problems. A few of the midwives were downright nasty about my weight.

What everyone else’s babies weight is is irrelevant. You need to go off your personalised growth chart and percentile. So don’t get worried with everyone saying 5lb is small, it’s depends on your height / weight / babies sex etc. 1/2lb a week gain would be 7lb at 40 weeks so very average. If this weight sits above the 10th percentile then don’t worry. If they are below the 10th percentile then it’s another reason for them not to leave you past 40 weeks in my opinion.

If your BMI is high enough to need consultant led care then I doubt they’d let you go to 42 weeks. Have they actually said that?

@TheStripes

YANBU. Stats show that some babies die unnecessarily if the pregnancy continues beyond term. I’d tell your consultant that you wish to deliver by 41 weeks at the latest and you want it on record that they will take full responsibility for any mortality that occurs by refusing.

Sorry for the scaremongering tone of my post but once you’ve had a baby die, you realise the womb is not the safe place for them that many believe it to be.

This quote here is spot on. My sister went this late and she and the baby nearly died. In the end she needed multiple transfusions and the baby was permanently and severely brain damaged. Express your concerns and say you do NOT want to go past 41 weeks. Demand a second opinion if they don’t listen. Good luck for a good and peaceful birth (hopefully in the 39-40th week window!)

YANBU.

DS1 was born at 40+12, induced labour.He was certainly overcooked,skin peeling of, only 5 points in APGAR after delivery and had troubles with sugar levels and keeping the temperature. When waters were broken they were brown from meconium.He was also ventouse delivery.

Obviously I had to consent to be induced,had a few comments from friends and family “baby will come when it’s time to come” and a few from the one of the midviwes saying “you must have got your dates wrong”
Except I didn’t as I had to track my periods due to other health issues.

I get it that being induced it scary,sometimes there are failed inductions resulting in EMCS but baby has to come out at some point and I can’t see any reason to wait longer if it might result in permanent health damage to the baby or even death.

Placenta deterioration is also a factor to consider.

DS2 was born at 41 weeks,spontaneous labour.

Good luck OP 💐

With HG I'd be asking to be induced ASAP. No way would I want to go beyond 40 weeks!

The experience of anyone I know who has had a baby in the last few years is that as soon as you hit 40 weeks they start making noises about sweeps and inducing.

They really seem to prefer not to let people go to 42 weeks these days so I can't imagine it will be a problem at all.

More people have problems the other way round, feeling pressured into sweeps and inductions before 41 weeks. The midwife took at as given that I would be having a sweep at my 41 week appointment it wasn't a question of if I wanted to but 'this is what we will do'.

In the end both DC came at 40 + something so it didn't end up being an issue.

Again, I wouldn't bother thinking about it until you hit 40 weeks, the baby could already have arrived weeks before this even is something you need to consider and then you will feel daft worrying about it so much, although I appreciate how ill you must be feeling that it must be hard not to obsess over the whole getting the baby out thing

In my trust you’d be offered induction at 40 weeks routinely for high BMI. And often earlier. Talk to your consultant, I’d be very surprised if hospital policy was to wait til 42 weeks.

I don't see that they'd have a problem with starting induction at 41 weeks if that's what you want. They seem pretty keen on inductions.

I have no health issues; with my first they booked me for induction at 40+9 for no apparent reason. He was born before then anyway.

This time round I was told (not asked) they'll get my induction booked in on Monday (I'll be 39+5) . If they book it for before 40+12 then I'll refuse tbh.

With HG I think I'd be desperate though.

I was also told I'll be having a sweep on Monday - erm no thanks