To decline induction/c section for baby measuring small?

[imalreadythere]

40+2 today. Baby measuring small but also engaged so maybe that's why?

Midwives offered induction or c section but I want to wait.

Aibu? The midwife wasn't that pleased I don't think.

I don’t think this is true. The risk of an emergency c section goes up if you have an induction rather than going into labour naturally but I’m pretty sure “almost always” is a significant exaggeration. Certainly out of the people I know well who have had babies in the last 5 years or so none of those who had inductions (4) ended with a c section - anecdotal obviously and I’m sure you can find the real statistics if you want.

Some hospitals here will routinely offer induction at 41 weeks as well. Others won’t until closer to 42 weeks. Just shows how even different NHS hospitals have completely different ‘professional guidelines’ about what is the safest thing to do.

A small baby is often a sign of placental failure. I wouldn’t go over a day past 40 weeks in that position.

It’s very dependent on personal circumstances. I looked at statistics for my local hospital and 50% of inductions for first-time mothers end up as an emergency c-section so I would personally be unsure whether to accept in that scenario or go for a planned section. No idea on OPs personal circumstances (unless I’ve missed a post where she’s explained more). Really they should be offering all this discussion with her at hospital.

I think it’s fine to decline this at the moment and perhaps reconsider in a week or so. My understanding anything up to 42 weeks is generally fine. I think after 42 weeks the risks to baby increase but it’s still very small in absolute terms.

Just adding as I've seen lots of posters saying they were wrong about the babys weight

DS2 was 4lb 9oz, induced at 37 weeks. He was smaller in length than my DS1 who was born prematurely at 24 weeks.

DS1 was 33cm and weighed 1lb 5oz
DS2 was 29cm and weighed 4lb 9oz

No baby wouldn’t have been born immediately by induction or c section, because OP has declined this. They can’t decide for you if they think the risk is high enough, it’s 100% OPs choice at every stage. OP also hasn’t said she’s been pressured, she said she’s been offered it.

You don’t unless you know what you’re looking for.

DS was measuring large for his age but his kicks weren’t consistant after 30 weeks. I kept a diary, plotted it in a chart, and showed it to a consultant to force them to give me an induction (the sporadic heart rate monitoring they did was ‘fine’. I had weekly scans, nothing came up.

Eventually I forced the issue and they gave me an induction on my due date. Law and behold his heart started failing during labour & after I gave birth the surgeon said the placenta was riddled with clots that were too small to be picked up in the scans. DS was born fine but he would have died had I trusted the midwives & consultant.

Induction (early) saved DC1. I'd had double figure scans including one the day before he was born showing that there were "no issues with placenta" and I was induced due to PE. It turned out the placenta had failed, it was gritty and falling apart and DC was under 4lbs needing a few weeks in NICU. I can't understand why anyone would go against the advice of medical professionals.

Is there a reason you’ve had extra scans ? Have they been concerned previously about the baby size ?

When I had Dd1 the only scan you got was the 12 week one. I measured fine for dates and she was born at 41+4, the day before I was booked for induction.
She was just over 6lb and the placenta was all gloopy and runny when it came out, so it had begun to break down and rot.
Had I had a scan near due date they might have picked that up.

If you’ve had extra scans and it’s showing the baby is small and they are suggesting induction or section then they must be concerned about letting baby stay in.

So I am saying this as someone who was planning to have a water birth at birth centre, with no medical intervention and was dead set on having this super low intervention woo woo birth. But I actually ended up being induced with an epidural and had an absolutely wonderful birth experience. In fact I actually say that out of our nct group I had one of the best birth experiences especially in comparison to the ‘all natural’ mothers.

I think there is a huge push on social media etc to go for this woo woo birth with no intervention because doctors are all idiots, your body knows what it’s doing, you are empowered by ancient wisdom blah blah and this is how all those hypnobirthing courses etc make their money.

But the truth of the matter is (that no one wants to mention) is that A LOT of babies used to die before and during childbirth and we are incredibly lucky that we now have the medical means to deliver babies safely that 100 years ago would have perished.

OP I am saying this (and only because I’ve been on both sides of the fence) you do not get a medal at the end for having low intervention birth and you will hate yourself every singe day for the rest of your life if something were to happen to the baby because you didn’t listen to the professional because you had all these dreamy ideas about ‘low intervention’.

Second time round I’ve asked for an early epidural and actually have an appointment next week to see if they will induce me at 38 weeks because my PGP is so bad and I had such a good experience with both last time!

The birth is a tiny blip in your life and will be over before you know it, having your healthy child is the thing that’s forever.

Pregnancies that continued to 41 weeks—currently still considered normal term gestation —had a small but significant increase in the risk of stillbirth compared with those delivered at 40 weeks, with no difference in neonatal mortality.

From the British medical journal: https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4487

why on Earth would you take a risk - however small - of increased still birth when the medical professionals are saying they will deliver baby now and she could have him or her safely in her arms?? All in the name of not wanting ‘intervention’. I wonder how many women in the Victorian era would have survived with intervention!

So tricky. Both mine measured small - on the 10th centile, then went up, then went down and I was induced for both. Neither were small and were both born 50th centile. Scans were wrong. I knew second time round they were wrong but I was too scared to go against medical advice though in both cases the measurements were incorrect.

Yabu. Interventions are there to lower the risk of infant and maternal mortality.

I had an induction (which was a very positive experience for me and I had no other interventions apart from the induction) with my first baby. He was measuring small and also the blood flow measurements from the placenta were too low, indicating that the placenta wasn't working as it should.

I think if baby was just measuring small and everything else looks good then I would maybe ask to wait another week. I think if there was a real medical need they wouldn't just be offering an induction/C section - they would tell you it was needed.

The decision is yours and I do get the fear of having interventions and potential birth injuries, but you could have those with a ‘natural’ birth anyway or you could wait and still end up having to be induced or end up with EMCS.

For what it’s worth, I was induced with my first and only needed the pessary before going into natural labour. Baby was here only a few hours later, no interventions during actual delivery stage and no birth injuries. Not all inductions are a horror story or end in a c section.

My DC2 was measuring small throughout the whole pregnancy (2nd percentile), he was born on the 50% percentile so the measurements were wrong the whole way through, possibly due to him lying in an awkward position. The predictions aren’t always right (just something to consider).

@TeaKitten yes of course indeed it is the OP's decision, but I have never heard of any woman who has declined NECESSARY intervention when their baby is at serious risk. This clearly isn't the case here, they don't appear to have given OP any actual detailed information as far as we know to make any decision and from what the OP has written, baby is not at any "serious risk", meaning an immediate birth is necessary. Not sure I'm being very clear, I'm very tired right now.

I think you're insane personally. Aren't you constantly worried that your placenta is failing and your baby will die? I doubt I'd think about anything else in your shoes.

Oh jesus, dramatic much??

I'm not sure I would ignore professional advice at the risk of you and your baby. I would ask for a placenta scan and make sure that is working fine.

For what it's worth I have had an induction for DS 1 and it was absolutely fine. 17 hours from Pessary in to birth. I did have a nasty tear but I had previous complications so I don't think totally related to inductions And a planned section with DS2 whixh was an absolute dream

These comments always annoy me. It’s not about wanting the ‘perfect birth’ and actually there’s more than just being alive. 1 in 3 women have birth trauma. Getting a baby out early via interventions isn’t always best. That’s why second opinions from different professionals is really important.
The NHS doenst always get things perfectly right, you might be surprised to know.

I don’t blame you for not wanting intervention, as inductions often lead to assisted births and emergency C sections. Can you go in and be monitored daily instead? Or set a date in which you will be induced. It’s your choice and often they are wrong about size and if scans etc have shown it to be ok. Growth can slow / stop though and that in itself can be risky, but I think the professional do jump to induction etc as they need to ensure they are managing the risk and at 40+2 obvious answer is induction, especially as they induce early now (not 2wks like when I had my kids)

You are just so determined to be right and have the last word with everyone, that you are making less and less sense. Pointless talking to you any further at this point.

Depends if you can live with the guilt if the worst happens doesn't it? I personally couldn't.

You aren't a trained medical professional presumably so I don't understand why you'd go against their advice. Got to be the only medical profession I know where the patient insists they know more than them. Must be incredibly frustrating for midwives