Overdue and choosing monitoring over induction - any stories?

[QueenOfFlamingEverything]

I am now 40+13 with DC2 and hoping for a second home birth (DD1 born at home on time).

I had a CTG yesterday and a scan this morning to check fluid levels, placental position/blood flow/condition, and growth rate/position of baby. All showed absolutely no cause for concern and so far the midwives are saying they will still support me with a home birth, although they would 'encourage' me to consider induction tomorrow at 42 weeks. They are very keen for me to give a date that I will not go beyond though and atm I am just not sure.

I would prefer to stick with monitoring for now and have agreed to go in on friday for another CTG and check up if nothing has happened by then, and after that take it day-by-day. I know thee are risks involved with going beyond 42 weeks but also feel there are risks involved with induction, and if baby is happy and healthy in there then I'd rather not force him/her out. Obviously if anything shows up that indicates not all is well that would change things.

Has anyone else chosen monitoring over induction?

Hi there i'm 41 weeks today with my first and being induced tomorrow at 2pm. what are the risks of being induced? surely its better to be induced than to go over 42 weeks and be monitored cause there's less oxygen and your baby is getting bigger and bigger. get induced tomorrow like mee we can compare eachothers experiences!

(Queen... have you been for acupuncture? Very good for encouraging things to start).

i've heard acupuncture is good. how much is it and where would you go to have it done?

Not yet mars but its on the cards for friday if nothing has happened by then - thats when the local one is next available. I saw him on monday and he used moxa to try and persuade the baby to shift round, which it now has done.

Jenny95 - any intervention carries risks, as does going beyond 42 weeks. At the moment I am trying to balance those risks and decide what option I think is safest for my baby and me - which right now, with all the information I have available, is to wait a while longer and reassess the situation frequently.

I think location and cost would depend where you are. You could start a thread. I normally ask my clients who they use and recommend them on to the next set of clients that live in the area. Sorry I can't be more helpful than that.

I will say that for my last few ladies, who were told that would need inducing for medical reasons, acupuncture got them going nicely and they had lovely, intervention free births. Wishing you the same (with or without the acupuncture)

There is a thread about this over on pregnancy "expectant monitoring" if that helps.

My friend did. She was 2 weeks overdue and the hospital told her she was no where near about to give birth yet. She went into labour that evening. I think that they baby is going to come out eventually and as long as you are being monitored then why not leave it to nature.

DD1 came at 41 weeks, DD2 was 42 + 2 and had a lovely home waterbirth. There was no way I was going to be induced unless there was a medical indication, which there wasn't, and she came when she was ready. It's hard with all that pressure, but stick to your guns if baby's happy in there.

Any new for us Queenie??